Tilak Rishi's weblog

Attracted To Pornography

2012-02-12T05:19:00.000-08:00

Bangalore, Feb 8, 2012:
In a huge embarrassment to the BJP government in Karnataka, two ministers were allegedly caught on TV camera watching porn on mobile phone during assembly proceedings in the first such ugly incident in the state's legislative history. A regional TV channel aired the footage of Minister for Cooperation Laxman Savadi and Minister for Women and Child Development C C Patil allegedly watching the clippings. A close look and replay of the video footage showed the duo sitting together and watching pornographic material on a mobile handset which belonged to fellow minister J Krishna Palemar. All three have now resigned as ministers.

The Karnataka assembly's porn show is hardly the first instance of its kind. From USA to Australia and beyond, lawmakers tend to have "slipped fingers":

Indonesia, April 11, 2011
An Indonesian MP who helped pass a tough anti-pornography law has resigned after being caught watching sexually explicit videos on his computer during a parliamentary debate.

Australia
MP Paul McLeay was caught surfing porn sites on a parliamentary computer while in office. While the fact that he was busted while doing so may have seemed hilarious to most at first, the whole scenario became a lot less funny when his internet history showed up searches on child pornography.

USA
Former Florida Senator Mike Bennett of the Republican Party was caught accessing pornographic images, as his colleagues were discussing the bill on anti-abortion. A media reporter, who was in the room, managed to capture Bennett's reckless action. In the 28-second video, Bennett was seen looking at the pictures showing a number of topless women on his laptop. Bennett defended himself, saying that he accidentally accessed pornographic sites.

Italy
66-year-old MP Simeone di Cagno Abbrescia was caught checking out women on an escort website during a session. "I was looking at my messages when a window opened up and I couldn't help looking at the pictures of those lovely girls," he explained. He later added, "My finger slipped."

Croatia
An unnamed MP was caught watching an X-rated flick by fellow politicians... during a debate on road safety! It also emerged later that his MP pals had joined him in viewing the videos.

Per Asklund, Sweden
In November 2011, this high-ranking local politician from western Sweden was found to have made thousands of visits to numerous pornographic websites from his office computer. While Asklund, member of the Moderate Party, denied purchasing sex, an examination of his office computer by the municipality's IT department revealed that the politician spent a fair amount of his working day visiting pornographic websites and sites offering escort services.

To be fair to all such fallen heroes, we must remember that they have, in fact, fallen prey to that part of human psychology where boredom from over-indulgence in one's every day business creates a desire for diversion, a pleasure, more often a depraved pleasure, and so forth in a potentially unending downward spiral towards total degradation. In a nightmarish scenario, an upstanding politician could thus wake up to find himself on one of the web’s many sites explicitly dedicated to facilitating illicit activity. Like any metropolis, the web has neighborhoods, some safer and some horrific. Unlike any other metropolis, the web lacks a government, laws, or a police force. The only universally acknowledged cyber-crime is the intentional spreading of computer viruses—infectious software programs that could impair the experience of other cyber-tourists. Beyond this, there are no moral guidelines. A turn down the wrong cyber-street guarantees exposure to information or images at least as corrosive as anything available in the streets of New York, Paris, or Tokyo—and often even worse. For example, the web hosts thousands of pornographic sites—offering material that is as explicit and generally more violent than what is found in print publications—and these sites are heavily trafficked. A British survey reported that over half of all word searches on the Internet are aimed at locating pornography. The top eight word searches were all pornography related. Although much of the explicit material available online is free, through fee-per-view services and advertisements the online pornography industry currently generates about $1 billion annually. Researchers explain that it is the web’s “Triple-A Engine”—access, affordability, and anonymity—that drives the online pornography industry.

Politicians particularly are attracted to Internet pornography because it gives them a brief—albeit depraved—opportunity to leave their painful, lonesome reality in the legislative assembly, without having to manipulate a 'walk out' or a forced adjournment by the Speaker. Loneliness can be excruciating, and these statesmen are so desperate to escape their solitary lives in the House that they use the Internet like a sort of hallucinogenic drug. After the fantasy, return to reality is even more painful, and then these men often feel terribly guilty too; but until they find real pleasure in their political pursuits, they are likely to return to the net again and again. Legislatures are regarded as temples of democracy. Acts such as abusing, screaming, seeing dirty pictures and flinging slippers on one another by members denigrate parliamentary democracy. They lead to a loss of faith in Parliament and democracy. It is the primary responsibility of party leaders to work towards eliminating such acts, by inculcating parliamentary behavior among the members.

Healing, not condemnation, is at the heart of this problem. What is needed is healing the personality weaknesses that virtually guarantee some individuals will fall victim to Internet temptations. Exploring different aspects of how to help them give up these addictions and resist the pressure to resume this behavior, the immediate thoughts go to our revered spiritual Saints or Gurus who really are the best bet to bring sanity to all such statesmen. And as far as the three ministers of BJP government in Karnataka are concerned, there can be no better Guru to give them sense than Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the world famous spiritual leader, who himself belongs to Karnataka. Rather than inadvertently allowing parties like BJP to take advantage of his fame, in elections or otherwise, he could render real help in the healing process of the concerned BJP ministers in Karnataka, who, while attending the Assembly in session, were attracted to pornography.

"Tera Kya Hoga Kalia?"

2012-02-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the many celebrated screenwriters who have provided generations of movie-goers with memorable movie quotes, one-liners, quips, punch-lines, statements, and even insults. Their words are remembered through popular use, critical acclaim, shock value and quotability. Scores of memorable lines have captured our attention by the way the line was delivered, by the tone in the actor's voice. Here is a tribute to some of the top Bollywood actors who were most applauded for their powerful voices:

Sohrab Modi:

In 1950, when Sohrab Modi's Sheesh Mahal was being screened at Minerva Theatre in Bombay, the actor was present at the hall. Mr. Modi noticed a man sitting in the front row with closed eyes. Upset with such a reaction, he asked an attendant to let the viewer out and to return his money. The employee came back to say that the person was blind but had come just to hear Sohrab Modi's lines. Much earlier, Sohrab Modi had craved for a larger canvass, as a director, and as an actor, which propelled him to embark on an ambitious journey, wherein he did a trilogy based on the historical genre – “Pukar” (1939), “Sikandar” (1941) and “Prithvi Vallabh” (1943), wherein Modi made the most of his gift for wonderful dialogue delivery.

Perhaps Modi's greatest film was Sikander, the epic film set in 326 BC when Alexander the Great (Prithviraj Kapoor), having conquered Persia and the Kabul Valley, descends on the Indian border at Jhelum and encounters Porus (Modi), who stops the advance with his troops. Its dramatic, declamatory dialogue gave both Prithviraj Kapoor and Sohrab Modi free rein to their histrionic proclivities.

In all his early movies, Sohrab Modi re-created the look and sound of Parsee theatre by using frontal compositions and staging the narrative in spatial layers with copious use of Urdu dialogue, which was highly applauded by the audiences and attracted them again and again to the theaters for repeat watching of his films.

Prithviraj Kapoor:

The title role in Sohrab Modi's Sikandar (1941) immortalized Prithviraj Kapoor. Undoubtedly, Modi's dream of making Sikander would have remained unfulfilled had he not roped in another actor with equally powerful voice, Prithiviraj Kapoor, to play the lead role of Alexander The Great. Kapoor was par excellence in the role, probably one of the best in his illustrious career. He exuded the charisma and strength of character that is the hall mark of an Emperor. His body language, the modulation of his voice, the style of his dialogue delivery are truly remarkable bringing forth the determination that would have characterized Alexander as he embarked on his mission to conquer the world. The film heightened his enduring reputation for playing royalty, enhanced further by his role as Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). The film boasts a cache of riches: high drama exquisitely verbalized through dialogues that can be shimmeringly ornate yet have the edge of a medieval sword. The regal Prithviraj Kapoor uses his booming voice to great effect that is extremely impressive, and continues to haunt movie-lovers. Dialogue like “Hum apne bete ke dhadakte hue dil ke liye Hindustan ki taqdeer nahin badal sakte” and “Mohabbat jo darti hai wo mohabbat nahin ayyashi hai, gunaah hai” became so famous that the makers of the film used them as blurbs on the film’s posters when the movie was released again recently in color.

Durga Khote

Starting as one of the foremost leading ladies of her times, she remained active in Hindi and Marathi cinema, as well as theatre, for over 50 years, starring in around 200 films and numerous theatre productions. Durga played Ram’s fiercely resentful step-mother, Kaikeyi, in “Bharat Milap”, jealously coveting the throne for her own son. Durga Khote’s flashing verve and beauty, the fire-to-dulcet changes of voice and flame-like personification of the grasping queen made one understand, if not quite condone the old king’s doting weakness. She excelled in her craft leaving a lasting impression with her performance in V. Shantaram`s Amar Jyoti (1936) and Baburao Painter`s Pratibha (1937). The major highlights of Sohrab Modi's Prithvi Vallabh (1943) were the confrontations between Modi and Durga Khote, the haughty queen Mrinalvati, who tries to humiliate him publicly but then falls in love with him. She played royal characters and mythological roles to the hilt, thanks to her regal looks and wonderful dialog delivery. No one can forget her performance as Jodhabai, queen of Emperor Akbar, who was torn between her duty towards her husband and her love for her son, in K. Asif’s historical film Mughal-e-Azam (1960). She played this role with dignity and grace and no wonder, her role in this film was widely appreciated.

Rajkumar:

“Jaani… hum tumhein maarenge, aur zaroor maarenge, par bandook bhi hamari hogi, goli bhi hamari hogi, aur waqt bhi hamara hoga!” (Darling… I'll kill you, most definitely, but the gun will be mine, as will the bullet, and the time too will be decided by me) — Raj Kumar in the film Saudagar.

Jaani… a term of endearment, is synonymous with actor Raj Kumar, the King of dialogue delivery. Raaj Kumar’s unique style of dialogue delivery made him a darling of millions. So much so that filmmakers would instruct their dialogue writers to take extra pains to pack the dialogue meant for this actor with extraordinary punch. He made any number of dialogues famous with his effective delivery but the one that became most famous is “Sheeshe ke gharon mein rehne wale doosron par patthar nahin fenka karte, Chinoy Seth” in Waqt.

Having acted in Hindi films for over four decades, he can best be described as an unconventional hero, with a pencil-thin moustache, a deadpan face and stony eyes, but with an understated acting style that blended beautifully with one of the most forceful and iconic dialogue deliveries that Bollywood has seen. Who can forget that punchy dialogue from the hit film Tiranga, where Raj Kumar says, “Na talwaar ki dhaar se, na goliyon ki bauchaar se… banda darta hai to sirf parvardigaar se” (The sword doesn't scare me, neither does the shower of bullets… all that I fear is the Lord Almighty).

In the Hindi film industry's first multi-starrer, B.R. Chopra's Waqt, Raj Kumar towered among the stalwarts, his baritone spouting one of the most memorable dialogues in Hindi films: “Chinai Seth, chhuri bachchon ke khelne kee cheez nahin hoti, haath kat jaye to khoon nikal aata hai.” (Knives are no playthings for children; when cut, the hand bleeds.)

And, the Mother of all romantic filmi dialogues — Kamal Amrohi wrote some really flowery romantic lines for his 1972 epic, Pakeezah. In one scene, Raaj Kumar leaves a note near a sleeping Meena Kumari's feet. It says in his raspy voiceover: 'Aap ke paon dekhe, bahut haseen hai. Inhe zameen par mat utariyega maile ho jayenge." (I saw your feet, they are beautiful. Don't lower them on the ground they will get soiled.)

Amitabh Bachchan:

Living legend Amitabh Bachchan made several dialogues famous with his unique voice and style of delivery. Who can forget his rebuke to Pran in Zanjeer (Ye police station hai, tumhare baap ka ghar nahin) or his bid to put Sanjeev Kumar to shame in Trishul (Aur aap mere najayaz baap hain)? He has delivered Hindi cinema's most memorable dialogues that have stayed with us, becoming entrenched in our daily speech. In the era of action films, Amitabh Bachchan dominated the scene in his signature baritone voice. From the intense "Aaj bhi main phenke hue paise nahi utthata" (Deewaar) to comic "Munchche hon to Natthuram jaisi hon warna na hon" (Sharaabi), from romantic "Main aur meri tanhaai aksar yeh baate karte hain" (Silsila) to commanding "Rishtey mein to hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Shahenshah" (Shahenshah) and the all-encompassing "Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai" (Don) — he delivered his lines with such conviction that you not only believed what he said but also remembered his lines long after. Amitabh’s dialogues are still the USP of his films.
A superb scene from Deewaar. Amitabh: "Aaj mere paas buildinge hain, property hai, bank balance hai, bungla hai, gaadi hai. Kya hai tumhaare paas?" (I have buildings, properites, bank balance, bungalow and a car. What do you have?)
Shashi Kapoor: "Mere paas maa hai." (I have our mother.)
This scene and dialogue from Amitabh’s Zanjeer was fabulous. The scene where Pran comes to meet him at the police station and Amitabh says, “Yeh police station hai tumhare Baap Ka ghar nahi.”
"English is a phunny language," agrees Amitabh in Namak Halal before he launches on his famously breathless cricket commentary.
Big B was always famous for his screen name and no one has still forgotten this dialogue from Agneepath - Vijay Dinanath Chauhan.

Shatrughan Sinha:

Shatrughan Sinha had started making his presence felt in the film circuit within a year of his entry into the films. If the superhit Khilona brought him the much-needed recognition, Gulzar’s Mere Apne (1971) raised him to the pedestal of a star. He played the role of a street don who has bitter enmity with his rival Vinod Khanna. He was able to make that much-needed impact with his performance, particularly his powerful dialogue delivery. Shatrughan Sinha had a booming voice that instantly connected with 1970s audience. Meena Kumari, who worked with him in Mere Apne, had observed that Shatrughan punctuated his dialogue according to his whim; he placed a comma in place of a full stop, but held the audience in thrall, nonetheless. Watch this scene: Shatrughan Sinha (playing gang-leader Chhainu) to a ration shop owner: "Ghaslet, bachche ghaslet. Mitti ka tel. Agar phir bhi samajh na aaya ho toh dukaan ko aag lagakar samjhaun ..." (If you don't comprehend what kerosene is, I can set your shop afire so that you can understand.)

Shatrughan Sinha tasted major success with Subhash Ghai’s thriller Kalicharan (1976). The movie proved decisive in his career and he started doing more hero roles after this. The Ghai-Sinha-Roy trio delivered another hit right after Kalicharan in the form of Vishwanath (1976). Sinha then worked with the best directors of those times: Prakash Mehra (Jwalamukhi, 1980), Manmohan Desai (Naseeb, 1971), Ramesh Sippy (Shaan, 1980), Raj Khosla (Dostana, 1980) and Yash Chopra (Kaala Patthar, 1979). In Kaala Patthar, Dostana and Naseeb, Sinha and Amitabh Bachchan brought the best out of each other. The confrontation scene between him and Amitabh Bachchan in the movie Kala Patthar (1979) is often considered as one of the greatest confrontation scenes between two heroes in a Hindi movie.
“Khamosh!!” (meaning shut up!!!) is one of his most famous dialogues.

Nana Patekar:

Director N. Chandra cast him in his 1986 film – Ankush. This film did wonderfully well and suddenly Nana was on the road to stardom. Nana Patekar has been involved in some really nice movies that have touched the audiences in one or the other way in such a manner that he will be remembered for these roles for a long time to come. What is most note worthy of his acting is his dialogue delivery. Parinda depicted him as a villain running an underworld nexus involved in money laundering, kidnapping and such activities. He played the role to perfection along with Jackie Shroff and the movie was a country wide success. The role fetched him the National Award and also the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also played major role in the 1996 hit movie Khamoshi The Musician directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and co-starring with Salman Khan and Manisha Koirala At times during his career, it was noted that he was an epitome of the "angry young man" role and that he was well suited for such roles and would carry it on as a forerunner of Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun Chakraborty.

The other film worth mentioning is ‘Krantiveer’ made by Mehul Kumar. It had the typical fast dialogue delivery by Nana and he said it all with such authority that those who saw the movie at the cinema halls stood up and applauded every time he said something. So metamorphic was this movie that all the people from the Bollywood fraternity, all the critics, the press, the audiences took note of his acting. His acting was vindicated when he was honored with the National Award, the Star Screen Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for this very movie.

When it comes to dialogue, one just cannot afford to conclude an article without mentioning Sholay. The makers of the film were so overwhelmed by the popularity of its dialogues (penned by Salim-Javed) that they took the unprecedented step of bringing out albums of that. Whether it was Veeru (Dharmendra) or Jai (Amitabh Bachchan), the angrezon ke zamaane ke jailor (Asrani) or Soorma Bhopali (Jagdeep), their dialogues simply mesmerized the cine-goers. But the dialogues that attained the maximum popularity were those delivered by Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). And from among his lot, the ones that continue to top the popularity charts even today are the one-liners, “Kitne aadmi the?” and “Tera kya hoga Kalia?”

Bollywood's Breakthrough Songs - II

2012-01-31T06:12:00.000-08:00

This is in continuation of my earlier blog on the topic wherein I listed breakthrough songs of Bollywood's legendary singers, the singing stars of the Thirties and Forties to famous playback singers of the Golden era of musicals in the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies. Apart from the legendary singers listed in the earlier blog, there were many more who enthralled their listeners no less in that period and deserve to be applauded as much. Here-below are the breakthrough songs of these immensely popular singers:

“Ab Tere Siva Kaun Mera” (Kismet - 1943)

Amirbai Karnataki: Famous as ‘Kannad Kokila’, Amirbai Karnataki was 15-years old when she came from Karnatka to Mumbai where her sister, Gauhar, was an actress. With the help of her sister, she came in touch with HMV who were impressed by her singing talent and made her sing a qawwali which became very popular. Initially she sang songs in films like Narsi Bhagat, Sardar, Darshan etc., but her big success as playback singer came with the release of Bombay Talkies’ Kismet (1943). Her songs, ‘Ab Tere Siva Kaun Mera’, ‘Dheere Dheere Aa Re Badal’ and “Door Hato Ae Duniawalo’ became a rage.

“Neend Humari Khwab Tumhare” (Nai Kahani - 1943)

G.M. Durrani: He was probably the first singer who emerged in the late 30s and 40s who showed an independent style as opposed to many other singers who tried to emulate K.L. Sehgal. It would be appropriate to say that he was the first major male playback singer in Hindi Films. He had a lovely soulful voice and slowly he developed a keen interest in Singing. He then got a job in All India Radio and used to sing songs there. He first got an opportunity to sing for a movie Saaed-e-Hawas in 1935/36 which was directed by Sohrab Modi with music by Bundu Khan. He did a few other songs in next few years but the year 1943 was very good for him. His song, Neend Hamaari Khwab Tumhaare Kitne Meethe Kitne Pyaare from movie Nai Kahani(1943) became a super duper hit which is remembered till date. This opened the doors for him in the industry in a big way and made him the number one male playback singer. He was considered an idol by many including Mohd Rafi who was inspired by his style in the initial years. His continued work led to lots of hits for him which cemented his position as the number one male playback singer. His songs for movies like Shama(1946), Do Bhai(1947), Mirza Sahiban(1948), Dada(1949), Aiiye(1949), Maang(1950), Dilruba(1950), Madhubala(1950), were very popular and he was quite respected in the industry.

“Ankhian Milake Jiya Bharma Ke” (Rattan - 1944)

Zohrabai: Popularly known as Zohrabai Ambalewali, as she hailed from Ambala City in Punjab, she broke into Bombay-based movie industry with a bang in the 1940s and recorded several successive hit songs. A certain kind of vivacity and aura characterized Zohrabai's ever-fresh voice, making her the envy of her contemporaries. It were these uncommon features of her vocals, which enabled her to rule the roost in the fast-growing art of female playback singing for well over a decade. There was a time when the use of her voice for the recording of songs in a film was considered a guarantee for its success at the box office. Such was the magical impact of her properly groomed voice on the listeners. Zohra's bright vocals were skillfully exploited by front-line composers of the decade. However, the big break came her way, when several songs recorded in her voice by composer Naushad for the film Rattan (produced in the year 1944) created new records in popularity at the box office. The songs were so palatable to mainstream taste in India that they were enjoyed by the people throughout the length and breadth of India, the most popular and hummed being 'Akhiyan mila ke jiya bharma ke chale nahin jaana' and 'Sawan ke baadlo unse ye ja kaho'.

“Ghabra Ke Jo Hum Sar Ko Takrain ” (Mahal - 1949)

Rajkumari: She was just 10 years old when she recorded her first song for HMV in 1934 and she started her career as a stage artiste. Vijay Bhatt and Shankar Bhatt of Prakash Pictures spotted her during one of her shows. They liked her voice and persuaded her to discontinue acting on stage as it would spoil her voice (In those days, there were no mikes and you had to shout to be heard). So she quit theatre, and became an employee of Prakash Pictures as an actress and singer. Period of 1940s was revolutionary for singing in films. Singing stars tradition changed to playback singing, thus bringing in great new talented singers. After she quit Prakash Pictures, she began playback singing for actresses like Ratnamala, Shobhana Samarth, etc. and soon she became the First Female Playback Singer of Indian Cinema. Such was Rajkumari’s success that even before partnerships like Mukesh - Raj Kapoor or Talat Mehmood - Dilip Kumar or Rafi - Dilip Kumar were formed, heroines like Shobana Samarth insisted in their contracts, that Rajkumari would sing for them. In 40s she sang songs for many movies but her most famous film was Mahal (1949), where she sang 'Ghabra kai jou hum
sar kou takrayien tou acha hou' and 'Yeh raat phir na aayge', the songs that put her amongst the top playback singers of the era.

“Roun Mein Sagar Ke Kinare” (Nagina - 1951)

C.H. Atma: The legendary singer started singing as a hobby at College. and little did he realize at the time that what started off as his hobby would one day become his career. C.H. Atma made his debut way back in 1945, with what is probably his best known song even today “Preetam Aan Milo”. His deep, rich voice bore a distinct resemblance to his idol KL Saigal. Film producer Pancholi happened to hear his recording of this very soulful & melodious song and was very impressed. He later gave him a chance to sing in his film “Nagina” that led to a brilliant film career for Atma. it was in this film that he scored a big hit with the song “Roun Main Sagar Ke Kinare” under the music direction of Shankar and Jaikishan. After this he sang and acted in many films, including Bilwa Mangal, Dhake Ki Malmal, Bhai Sahib and V. Shantaram’s famous film Geet Gaya Patharone. He successfully developed a wide circle of admirers by his frequent performances, both in India and abroad.

“Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni Phir Kahan” (Jaal – 1952)

Hemant Kumar: "Listening to Hemant da, I feel as though a sadhu sitting in a temple is singing a Bhajan," comments the nightingale Lata Mangeshkar about the unique Hemant Kumar, who was not only a fabulous singer but also an equally indomitable composer. In Hemantda's voice one could experience an amalgamation of Rabindra Sangeet, Bengali folk music, modern and classical elements. Every distinguished creative artiste is born with one gift, but, Hemantda was born with several gifts. As a singer he reigned supreme in Calcutta and Bombay. As a composer his versatility and staying - power in the charts were astonishing. From Naagin and Jaal to Bees Saal Baad and Kohraa the 50's and 60's were decades that 'belonged' prominently to the unique talents of Hemant Kumar. As a singer in Bombay, Hemantda became a voice to record with in 1952 when he sang 'Ye Raat Ye Chandni Phir Kahan..' in the thriller Jaal for the debinair Dev Anand. In 1957, Hemantda sang one of his career's best solos 'Jaane Wo Kaise Log The..' for Guru Dutt in Pyaasa. Songs like these branded Hemant Kumar as the melancholic romantic.

“Chand Chhupa Aur Tare Dube” (Sohni Mahiwal – 1958)

Mahendra Kapoor: For the last 50 years Mahendra Kapoor is a leading playback singer of the Hindi film industry. In 1957 Metro Murphy singing contest was organized. It was a very important occasion because all judges were topmost music directors of film industry, like, Anil Biswas, C. Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Vasant Desai and Naushad. Mahendra won the first prize in the contest and he received a lot of appreciation. Naushad recorded the famous Sohni Mahiwal climax song 'Chaand chhupa aur tare doobe, raat milan ki aayi' penned by Shakeel Badayuni. C. Ramchandra recorded four songs with him for V. Shantaram's Navrang, the songs were, 'Ja re hat natkhat', 'Na raja rahega na rani rahegi', 'Shyamal shyamal baran', 'Aadha hai chandrma raat aadhi'. These songs established Mahendra in the film industry. Noted director B. R. Chopra offered him songs of Dhool Ka Phool and these song proved to be super hits, 'Tere pyar ka aasra chahta hoon' is still remembered and appreciated. The same performance was repeated in B. R. Chopra's next venture Dharamputra and Gumraah. Mahendra won his first Filmfare award for best playback singer for the song 'Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayen hum dono' penned by Sahir Ludhianvi for the film Gumrah. Since then Mahendra Kapoor has never looked back and sung thousands of songs. Who can forget songs like, 'Mere Desh Ki Dharti Sona Ugle'? The song got the National Award for him.

“Kabhi Tanhanyon Mein Yun Hamari Yad Ayegi” (Hamari Yaad Aayegi - 1961)

Mubarak Begum: Some years back, Films Division had made a documentary on her which was premiered in the Goa Film Festival. Her name is taken with deep respect among music lovers even today and they enjoy the songs sung by her till today. She started her career with light music recitals with All India Radio. Her career as a playback singer with Hindi film industry started when she got a break in the movie Aaiye (1949) with the song "Mohe Aane Lagi Angrayi, Aja Aja Balam." She also sang a duet 'Aha Aao Chalen Wahaan' for the same film with the then upcoming Lata Mangeshkar. In the 1950s, apart from singing most of the songs of Phoolon Ke Haar, she sang solos and duets for many other movies, but it was the title song of Kedar Sharma's Hamaari Yaad Aayegi(1961), Kabhi Tanhaaiyon Mein Yun Hamaari Yaad Aayegi which brought her overnight glory. The song, till this day, is regarded as a classic rendition. The Sixties was Mubarak Begum's most successful period of her career when she sang many popular songs like Mujhko Apne Gale Laga Lo (Humrahi), Neend Ud Jaaye Teri Chain Se Sone Waalon (Juaari), Shama Gul Karke Na Ja (Arab Ka Sitara), Nigahon Se Dil Mein Chale Aaiyega (Hamir Hath), Humen Dam Dai Ke Sautan Ghar Jaana (Yeh Dil Kisko Doon), Bemuravvat Bewafa (Sushila), Mere Aansuon Pe Na Muskura (More Man Mitwa), Ankhon Ankhon Mein Har Raat Guzar Jaati Hai (Marvel Man), Itne Kareeb Aake Bhi Kya (Shagun), Ae Dil bata Hum Kahaan Aa Gaye (Khooni Khazana) and Wada Humse Kiye (Saraswati Chandra).

“Beeti Na Beetai Raina” (Parichay - 1972)

Bhupinder: Early in his career, Bhupinder performed on All India Radio, Delhi. He was also attached to the Delhi Doordarshan Center, Delhi. He learnt guitar and violin. In 1964, music director Madan Mohan heard him over AIR, and called him to Bombay. He gave him a chance to sing the song Hoke Majboor Mujhe Usne Bulaya Hoga with Mohammad Rafi in Chetan Anand's Haqeeqat.[1] Although the song was hit, Bhupinder didn't get much recognition. Later, Bhupinder joined Rahul Dev Burman's orchestra and played guitar for many of his popular scores including Dum Maro Dum. He became a good friend of R D Burman, who gave him a chance to sing ' Beeti Na Beetai Raina' in Gulzar's Parichay (1972), which gave him recognition as a singer. Bhupinder sang some more popular songs in Gulzar's movies. Some of these songs included "Dil Dhoondta Hai" from Mausam, "Naam Gum Jayega" and "Ek Akela Is Shaher Mein". Apart from being popular as a playback singer, Bhupinder, along with his wife Maitali, gave very successful live performances in India and abroad.

“Bombai Se Aaya Mera Dost” (Aap Ki Khatir - 1977)

Bappi Lahiri: Pioneer in the use of disco music in Indian cinema with an Indian flavour, Bappi Lahiri, is a renowned singer and music composer of more than 465 national and international films . He has worked with top Hollywood personalities such as MC Hammer, Samantha Fox, Adam Sandler. Recently he made an album called “World Peace Love & Harmony” released in USA from Planet LA records in USA with Grammy nomination. Portions of his song "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai" were included in a 2002 single "Addictive" by American R&B singer Truth Hurts. The first Hindi film for which he composed music was Nanha Shikari (1973). The turning point of his career was Tahir Husain's Hindi film, Zakhmee (1975), for which he composed music and doubled as a playback singer. He sang a duet with Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar called "Nothing Is Impossible" for the same film. The songs of his next film, Chalte Chalte, became hits. However, the song that established him as a singer, besides being a compaser, was 'Bombai se aaya mera dost' from film Aap Ki Khatir (1977).

“Honto Se Chhoo Lo Tum” (Prem Geet - 1981)

Jagjit Singh: Known as "the Ghazal King", he gained acclaim together with his wife, another renowned Indian Ghazal singer Chitra Singh in the 1970s and 1980s. Their combination album comprising music from the films, Arth and Saath Saath is the HMV's largest selling combination album of all time. Sajda (An Offering, 1991), Jagjit Singh's magnum opus double album with Lata Mangeshkar holds the same record in non-film category. Jagjit Singh is considered to be the most successful ghazal singer and composer of all time in terms of both critical acclaim and commercial success. With a career spanning over five decades and a repertoire comprising over 80 albums, the range and breadth of his work has been regarded as genre-defining. Jagjit Singh's work in film encompassed playback singing, after his breakthrough hit song and composition 'Honto se choo lo tum” for Premgeet (1981) followed by another super hit song "Tum Ko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya" (Sath Sath - 1982). He also composed and sang songs for the TV serial Mirza Ghalib that was based on the life of the famous poet, Mirza Ghalib.

Lest there is any doubt amongst my dear readers around the above listed breakthrough songs, I wish to clarify that the blog is not intended to pinpoint the particular singer's best song out of the hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of songs sung by him or her, nor to pick my most favorite out of them, but only to highlight the ones that proved a turning point in their career, just a stepping stone in their jump to stardom. Since many of my readers are Bollywood buffs, may be much bigger than what I boast to be, I would request them for a further feedback on Bollywood's Breakthrough Songs.

Bollywood's Breakthrough Songs

2012-01-29T07:12:00.000-08:00

The birth of the Hindi film songs may be traced to the advent of India’s first ‘talkie’, Alam Ara, in 1931,which ushered in the era of singing stars: K.L.Saigal, Surendra, Noorjehan, Suraiya and Khursheed. Their memory may have faded out of many a minds, and even their existence may not be known to the new generations, but what no one can take away is their contribution to Hindi cinema's melodious magic of the 30s and 40s. It was in the late 1940s that the playback singing was introduced. Many notable playback singers came to prominence: Shamshad Begum. Geeta Dutt, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, Talat Mehmood, Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. These playback singers and the singing stars of the earlier era, because of their immortal melodies, became legends in their lifetime. Here is looking at the breakthrough songs of the legendary Bollywood singers that became their first step to stardom in film music.

"Balam Aan Baso Mere Man Main" (Devdas - 1935)

K. L. Saigal: Recognized as the greatest singer-actor of the last century, the musical genius became the first to bring music to the masses with his God-gifted voice. His unforgettable melodies continue to enthrall millions of listeners and have become a part of our heritage. Saigal became an overnight super star with the release of the first Devdas in 1935, not so much for his histrionics as for his soulful singing of "Balam Aan Baso Mere Man Main" and "Dukh Ke Din Ab Bitat Nahin".

"Birha Ki Aag Lagi More Man Mein"(Deccan Queen - 1935)

Surendra: Bombay, although the movie capital of India, was left behind at the Box Office by Calcutta film makers because the former had no singer to match Saigal's mass appeal. The directors here were desparately looking for a singer to play a lead in their movies when Surendranath, B.A.LL.B, landed in Bombay to start his practice in law-courts, but, as destiny would have it, was picked up by producer-director Mehboob Khan from a party where he was singing some of Saigal's songs . Surendra, as he was credited by Mehboob in his movies, became a part and parcel of Mehboob's Sagar Movietone, after his very first song, "Birha Ki Aag Lagi More Man Mein"(Deccan Queen) became an instant hit.

"Tu Kaun Si Badli Mei Mere Chand Hei Aaja" (Khandaan – 1942)

Noorjehan: The musical diva of the 1940s, she was given the title of the Melody Queen much before Lata Mungeshkar came to be known by the same title. In fact, Lata Mungeshkar's early singing style was inspired by Noorjehan. Starting the career in Lahore, she mesmerized the masses with her very first film Khandaan and the instant hit, "Tu Kaun Si Badli Mei Mere Chand Hei Aaja".

"O Door Janewale" (Pyar Ki Jeet - 1942)

Suraiya: As Noorjehan was the queen of melody, Suraiya was the peoples' choice as the most popular singing star. She generated hysteria amongst the masses that no other singing star, not even Saigal, could generate. The young and the old, the man in the street or at work, they all enjoyed singing to Suraiya's tunes, so captivating and easy to copy. "O Door Janewale", "Woh Pas Rahen Ya Door Rahen", "O Likhnewale Ne Likh Di", "Bigdi Banane Wale", "Murliwale Murli Baja", "Tu Mera Chand Mein Teri Chandni" and many more were hummed in every nook and corner of the country.

"Mohabbat Mei Sara Jahan Jal Raha Hei"(Shahashah Babar - 1944))

Khursheed: The first of the singing stars, she started her career in 1931, the year when India's first talkie film Alamara was released. She was the only singing actress in the 30s, who captivated the hearts of million with her melodious singing of the immortal songs: "Mohabbat Mei Sara Jahan Jal Raha Hei"(Shahashah Babar), Pahle Jo Mohabbat Mei Inkar Kiya Hota"(Pardesi), "Mori Ataria Hei Sooni"(Beti), "Ghir Ghir Aye Bidaria"(Shaadi), "Jo Ham Pe Guzarti Hei"(Mumtaz Mahal) and many more.

“Naina Bhar Aaye Neer” (Humanyun - 1944)

Shamshad Begum: The legendary classical and playback singer of yester years, Shamshad was born in Amritsar. Making her debut in AIR Lahore in 1937, the singer captivated the hearts of listeners with the enchanting depth of her voice. Lahore based composer Ghulam Haider used her voice skillfully in some of his earlier hits like Khazanchi (1941) and Khandan (1942). When he shifted to Mumbai in 1944, Shamshad went with him as member of his team. In 1944 Ghulam Haider used her voice in Mehboob’s Humayun. The song ‘Naina Bhar Aaye Neer’ captured the imagination of the audiences.

“Mera Sunder Sapna Beet Gaya” (o Bhai - 1945)

Geeta Dutt: Geeta Roy came to Mumbai with her parents from East Bengal in 1942 when she was 12-year old. When she was only 15, music director S. D. Burman offered her a solo in Do Bhai. The music of that film clicked in a big way. The biggest hit of the film was ‘Mera Sunder Sapna Beet Gaya’, sung by Geeta Roy. Disc sales of the song rocketed to new heights. This gave Geeta loads of offers and she became the top most playback singer of the Hindi film industry.

“Aayega Aayega Aaega Aanewala” (Mahal - 1949)

Lata Mangeshkar: The most famous name in the history of Hindi film music, Lata Mangeshkar has always been a unique combination of a God-gifted voice and an unbelievable ability to easily pick up and inherit whatever was taught to her by her father, Dinanath Mangeshkar, a reputed classical singer. With established singers like Amirbai Karnataki and Shamshad Begum around, Lata’s thin voice strained. However, leading composer Ghulam Haider reposed faith in Lata and gave her break in Majboor that brought her some attention. But the true efflorescence of Lata’s talent was witnessed in 1949 when she sang super hit songs in back to back three blockbusters: composers Naushad’s Andaz, Shanker-Jaikishan’s Barsaat and Khemchand Prakash’s Mahal. By 1950 the Lata wave had changed the industry.

“Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri (Naya Daur - 1957)

Asha Bhosle: The most versatile singer of Hindi films, Asha Bhosle can boast of having worked extensively with trend setting composers across three generations, from O. P. Nayyar’s breezy, foot-taping ditties of the 1950s to R. D. Burman’s pop blitzkrieg in the 1970s to A. R. Rahman’s sensational contemporary rhythms. She sang one of Hindi cinema’s first rock and roll numbers, ‘Eina Meen Deeka’ way back in 50s. Asha made her playback debut in 1948 with the film Chunaria, but it took her long time to make it to the top. 1957 was her real breakthrough year when O. P. Nayyar used her voice to sing in Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Naya Daur, both movies turning blockbuster musicals. Music director O. P. Nayyar's association with Asha is part of Bollywood lore. He was the composer who first gave Asha her own identity. He first called her for a film called Mangu (1954), and gave her a big break in CID (1956). However, it was the success of Naya Daur (1957), that made the duo very popular. O.P. Nayyar used the Asha Bhosle-Mohammad Rafi duo for his most popular duets such as Ude jab jab zulfein teri (Naya Daur), which gave Asha the biggest break in her career.

“Kaun Aaya Mere Man Ke Dware” (Dekh Kabira Roya - 1957)

Manna Dey: A legendary singer whose singing career spanned over five decades, Manna Dey is a versatile genius. Manna Dey was initially groomed to be a music director under the mesmeric spell of his illustrious uncle K. C. Dey and composer Anil Biswas. But a song that Dey sang for the film Ram Rajya changed everybody’s opinion about his vocation. They all said he was better off as a singer. There was no looking back after that. Although he never quite got the success that contemporaries Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh and later Kishore Kumar achieved, Manna Dey went on to record several unforgettable numbers. Notable among them are: ‘Kaun Aaya Mere Man Ke Dware’, Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hei’, ‘Upar Gagan Vishal’, ‘Yeh Ishq Ishq Hei Ishq’, Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua’, Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke chal’, ‘Aaja Sanam’, ‘Ae Meri Zohra Zabin and ‘Aye Mere Pyare Watan’. And who could forget the ‘Ek Chatur Naar’ duet with Kishore Kumar in Padosan?

“Ae Dil Mujhe Aisi Jagah Le Chal” (Arzoo - 1950)

Talat Mehmood: When melody ruled the roost in the Hindi film world, Talat remained the number one singer in the 1950s. He was totally identified with Dilip Kumar (Babul, Daag, Tarana, Footpath, Sangdil, Shikast), sang for Raj Kapoor (Ashiana, Anhonee), Dev Anand (Taxi Driver) and V. Shantaram (Parchain, Subah Ka Tara). Every music director including Shanker-Jaikishan, C. Ramchandra, Roshan, Ghulam Mohammed and Madan Mohan sought him after. Both Naushad and Anil Biswas claimed credit for discovering Talat in the 1950-releases, Babul and Arzoo. The next five to seven years found Talat zooming to the top with an enviable score of hits – ‘Ae Dil Mujhe Aisi Jagah Le Chal’(Arzoo), ‘Mera Jeevan Sathi Bichad Gaya (Babul), ‘Meri Yaad Mein Tum Na Aansoo Bahana’ (Anhonee), ‘Mein Pagal Mera Manua Pagal’ (Ashiana), ‘Ae Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal’ (Daag), ‘Tera Khayal Dil Se’ (Do Raha), ‘Andhe Jahan Ke Andhe Raaste’ (Patita), ‘Jayen To Jayen Kahan’ (Taxi Driver), ‘Jalte Hein Jis Ke Liye’ (Sujata) and several more super hit songs.

“Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De” (Pehli Nazar - 1945)

Mukesh: Bitten by the Bombay bug, Mukesh arrived in Bombay with the hope of becoming a movie star. He stayed with his relative, the famous actor Motilal. With Motilal’s help he got a role as an actor. His debut as a singer, however, came in the film Nirdosh with the song, ‘Dil Hei Bujha Hua’. He later went on to sing the song ‘Badariya Baras Gayee Us Paar’ with Khursheed in the film Moorti. Then came an important milestone in his life. The year was 1945 and Anil Biswas asked him to record the song ‘Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De’ for the film Pehli Nazar. That song brought a still relatively unknown Mukesh to the altar of fame. A legend was born and in the coming decades his golden voice would be heard in songs from musical hits like Aag, Andaaz, Barsaat, Mela across the nation. In 1949 came another milestone in his life – his association with Raj Kapoor and Shanker-Jaikishan. The chart-bursting success of the music in films like Awaara and Shri 420 spread Mukesh’s popularity all the way to Russia where in the streets of Moscow you could hear people singing ‘Awara Hoon’ and ‘Mera Joota Hei Japani’.

“Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki” (Dulari - 1949)

Mohammed Rafi: Born in Amritsar, Mohammed Rafi moved to Mumbai in 1944 after taking lessons in music from Ustad Wahid Khan in Lahore. Naushad gave him his first break in Pehle Aap (1944). He made his mark with Naushad-composed ‘Tera Khilona Toota Balak’ in Anmol Ghadi (1946). Rafi’s first big hit was in Jugnu (1947) in which he sang the duet ‘Yahan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siva Kya Hai’ with Noorjehan. His career took off with the all-time hit ‘Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki’ (Dulari-1949). There was no looking back after that and Rafi ruled as the undisputed king of playback singing till the early 70s.

“Roop Tera Mastana” (Aradhna - 1970)

Kishore Kumar: The versatile genius, Kishore Kumar nurtured dreams of becoming a singer following the footsteps of his idol, the legendary singer K. L. Saigal. He frequently visited his famous star brother Ashok Kumar in Mumbai from Khandwa, his birthplace, in the hope that he would introduce him to K. L. Saigal. But destiny willed otherwise. He was forced into acting – a hero who was as much a comedian. But Kishore Kumar’s real ambition was to become a playback singer, which became true when music director Khemchand Prakash called him to lend his voice for Dev Anand in Ziddi (1948). However, Kishore gave credit for his popularity to Burmans – father and son. It was S. D. Burman who made Kishore Kumar, the superstar singer of the 70s when he chose him to sing ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ for Rajesh Khanna in Aradhna.

Paying tribute to singing stars and the superstar playback singers cannot be complete without applauding other melodious voices of the Hindi cinema who also sang some immortal songs in the early era: Amirbai Karnatki - “Ab Tere Siva Kaun Mera” (Kismet), Zohrabai - “Ankhia Mila Ke Jiya Bharma Ke” (Rattan) , Raj Kumari - "Ghabra Kai Jou Hum Sar Kou Takrayien” (Mahal), G.M.Durrani - “ Neend Hamaari Khwab Tumhaare” (Nai Kahani), Hemant Kumar - “Ye Raat Ye Chandni Phir Kahan” (Jaa), Mubarak Begum - “Kabhi Tanhaayon Mein Yun Hamari Yaad Ayegi” (Hamari Yaad Aayegi), Bhupinder - “Beeti Naa Bitai Raina (Parichay), C. H. Atma - “Roun Mein Sagar Ke Kinare” (Nagina), Bhappi Lehri - "Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re" (Saaheb) and the gazal king Jagjit Singh - "Hontho Se Chhoo Lo Tum" (Prem Geet). They too deserve more details on their melodies, which I hope to post soon as Part-2 of this blog.

The new millennium playback singers are no less praiseworthy for their continuing contribution to the treasure of the most beautiful Bollywood melodies. It is because of them that the era of musicals is here again: Kumar Shanu, Udit Narayan, Shan, Sonu Nigam, Sukhvindar, Sunidhi Chowhan, Alka Yagnik, Shreya Ghoshal, Alisha Chenoy and many more amazing discoveries by the day, who continue to give Midas touch to movies with their haunting melodies. Since they have been in news right from the day they rendered their first super hit songs to till date rise to fame, I have skipped their songs in this blog of Bollywood's Breakthrough Songs.

Bollywood's Behind-the-Scene Stories

2012-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

Movie Stars and models don't look the same in "real life". One of the small comforts of watching a movie is knowing that those actors might be idols up on the big screen, but off-camera they're probably just like the rest of us. Every now and then, we come across actors whose real lives are even more incredible than their fake ones. Lights, camera, romance! It's no surprise that actors who have chemistry on-screen find themselves falling in love in real life too. But few stars enjoy fairy-tale endings depicted in their films. Breaking up is hard to do, even if you're rich and famous. They've entertained us for hours on end, but how much sad they have been inside is sometimes unimaginable. Normal occurrences begin to take on magical properties. There are moments in their life that deviate from the ordinary. Some such moments or happenings that occurred in the life of some legendary stars are shared here:

Sitara Devi – returns to her first love, Kathak!

Sitara Devi is an eminent Indian dancer of the classical Kathak style of dancing. When she was in her teens, Rabindranath Tagore, after watching a performance by her described her as Nritya Samragini, meaning, the empress of dance. The epithet continues, and she is still described as the Kathak queen. She has given performances in several parts of India, and in several other countries, including at the Royal Albert Hall, London; and the Carnegie Hall, New York. But quite a contradictory chapter in her life came to light that recorded her ravenous sexual exploits with her leading men in Bollywood. She came to marry one of her heroes Al Nazir and for a few years, their sizzling bedtime chemistry kept the relationship steady. And guess who was secretly privy to some of these vigorous love sessions–none other than Nazir's nephew, K Asif, recognized for his masterpiece Mughal-e-Azam. He not only went on to marry Sitara Devi but also used her dancing skills in some of his films. However, her married life with Asif was not smooth, and she walked out of the wedlock and married Pratap Barot. Even this marriage failed and left her to live with her first love, Kathak. Interestingly, she refused to accept the Padma Bhushan award, declaring, "it is an insult, not an honor. Is this government not aware of my contribution to Kathak? I will not accept any award less than Bharat Ratna."

Suraiya – enough of snake bite!

Why Suraiya, the most popular singing star of 40s and early 50s, refused to work with Dilip Kumar, the all-time biggest star of Bollywood? Was it because of Dev Anand, like Nargis too walked out of some films starring Dilip Kumar because of Raj Kapoor? Or was it because Dilip Kumar was known for his rude behavior? He said to Nadira that she was the most despicable creature he ever met on the sets of Aan, and was she afraid he might not make a similar comment about her? No, none of these was the reason. Actually, her refusal was entirely for a different reason and very valid too. It happened when Suraiya was passing through a bad phase of her career facing back to back failures. When any producer went to Suraiya's house even on a social visit, her granny would beg him to give Suraiya too a 'Silver Jubilee'. During those days Dilip Kumar and K. Asif were famous for their friendship. Dilip Kumar had already worked with K. Asif in Hulchul. Dilip asked Asif to consider casting Suraiya with him next time. Accordingly, Asif announced his next film titled Janwar with Dilip Kumar and Suraiya in the lead. The shooting started with a scene in which a snake bites on Suraiya's leg and Dilip Kumar tries to suck the venom with his mouth. The scene kept on being rehearsed for four days and still Asif, the director, did not OK it. Suraiya then suspected something fishy going on in Dilip licking her leg for all these days in the garb of shooting that scene. She mentioned this to her granny who was infamous for being overprotective of Suraiya. What followed was the obvious. Next day when the same scene was being rehearsed, Suraiya pulled away her leg and walked out of the film. K. Asif not only cancelled the shooting but shelved the film too. Dilip Kumar and Suraiya, the two big stars of the era, never appeared together in any film thereafter.

Shobhana Samarth – plane load of 'love you' notes for the screen goddess!

legendary beauty, actress of yesteryear, mother of Nutan and Tanuja, grandmother of Kajol and Mohnish Behl, she was at the head of a family that produced filmstars for three generations. In her heyday, Shobhana was often referred to as a beauty par excellence. When she starred as Sita in Vijay Bhatt's famous classic, Ram Rajya (1943), along with Prem Adip as Ram, the pair's performance was so evocative that they became the eternal Ram and Sita in the audience's minds. In fact, people felt they were no actors enacting the Ramayana characters, but real Ram and Sita had incarnated to act in the movie. They were literally worshipped wherever they went together to promote the film, which was a huge hit. People even had their posters and pictures installed in their homes to worship and pray. Undoubtedly, they would have been flooded with offers to work together in many more movies, especially mythological, but it did not happen. Shobhana Samarth, the most unconventional actress of her time, was not available as she got deeply involved in relationship with her co-star of many films and the famous actor, Motilal. It was one of the most tempestuous relationships ever. Although a thorough gentleman, he enjoyed gambling, races and alcohol, which resulted in financial strains and frequent fights between the couple. Quoting Samrath: “We were forever fighting -- out of 365 days, we would fight 360 days. He reacted by drinking -- he had to drink because we had had a fight and he had to drink because we were happy. When I decided to quit Bombay and live in Lonavala, he objected. I went anyway. He had a flying license and he hired a plane and flew over my cottage, throwing stones with letters tied to them saying 'I love you.”

Sadhona Bose – the Court Dancer seen dancing on streets of Kolkatta!

Sadhona Bose, apart from being the legendary dancer, an ace choreographer and superb actress, was also an accomplished singer. Sadhona married Madhu Bose, film maker working in Bengal, at a young age, and joined the Calcutta Art Players, a theatrical company owned by husband Modhu Bose and took part as heroine in the plays produced by the unit, apart from acting in his films. Madhu and Sadhona was the golden pair of the Bengali Film Industry. However, her married life was not happy and she moved to Mumbai, the mecca of Hindi movies. Here she starred in major films like Raj Nartaki (Court Dancer – English version), Shankar Parvati, Vishkanya, Paigham and others and firmly established herself as a heroine in her own right without the backing of husband Modhu Bose. In fact they had fallen quite apart in the forties when she was instantly attracted towards Surendra, the tall, handsome, highly accomplished super singing star of the era and her co-star in Paigam and Vishkanya. They continuously worked together for nearly two years as lovers in back to back shooting schedule of the two movies. Their on screen chemistry was highly applauded, apart from the duets sung by them for both the films becoming quite popular. This made them the perfect and the most popular movie pair of the period. It was, therefore, not surprising that they became close friends and continued to see each other even after the movies were completed and released. Sadhona started to feel deeply in love with Surendra, the most eligible bachelor then, and was ready to spend the rest of her life with him. But unfortunately for her, he was not ready for this union. In the course of his exclusive interview, the star confided to a film critic that although he admired many of his co-stars, as far as marriage was concerned, he had made up his mind to marry a woman who must be from outside of the glamor world of films, and who as an outright traditional housewife, should be able to totally devote herself to their home and the children, when the time came. True to his word, he had an arranged marriage with a girl from the non-glamor world of Lahore in 1945. The news of his marriage was too shocking for Sadhona and she started living much too abandoned a life, heavily engaged in drinks. She passed into oblivion slowly. Even in retired life she could not part with the bottle and without any income worth the name she found herself in the most difficult conditions financially. She lost her husband in 1969 and had no money to sustain herself and thereafter came the greatest tragic period of her life when she had to resort to begging in the streets, in and around Park Street of Calcutta. Just before her death she got appointed as dance trainer in Calcutta's prestigious Star Theatre, and once again her name featured in the newspapers. However, the end had come very near and she passed away in September,1973. A very tragic and unfortunate way indeed for an all India star who at a time had captured the heart and imagination of millions.

Meena Kumari - the poetess par excellence!

Meena Kumari can be considered as the greatest actress of Bollywood during the golden age. There was something mystical about the legendary Meena Kumari. It's probably those eloquent eyes and oomphy body language. But ultimately, the fact is that she was extremely attractive and seemed to bring grace to whatever films she did. She had portrayed images and characters showing complexity of the mind of the Indian women and the social ostentations that they had faced during different periods of time. Not only she was the Queen of Tragedy in reel life but was so also in real life. The dominant strain in Meena Kumari’s life was love, or rather the impossibility of finding love. And it would be true to say that she looked and searched, wept and cried in its pursuit. "In fact,” she said,” love is my biggest weakness-and greatest strength too. I am in love with love. I am craving for love. I have been craving for it since my childhood.” We all know she was unsuccessful. Though not amongst the famous poets, she was the poetess par excellence, who translated her life into verse. Her verses were entirely in character with her life:

“aagaaz to hotaa hai anjaam nahiin hotaa
jab merii kahaanii men vo naam nahiin hotaa
jab zulf kii kaalik men ghul jaaye koii rahii
badanaam sahii lekin gumanaam nahiin hotaa
hans hans ke javaan dil ke ham kyon na chune tukare
har shakhs kii qismat men inaam nahiin hotaa
din duube hai yaa duubii baaraat liye kishtii
saahil pe magar koii koharaam nahiin hotaa “

Sensitive and cheerful Meena Kumari fell in love after she met Kamal Amrohi on the sets of a film and she was head over heels for him as she herself has written about Kamal Amrohi-

“Dil saa jab saathi paya
Bechaini bhi woh saath le aaya.”

Her marriage with Kamal Amrohi had turned sour and resulted into separation and divorce in 1964. This event shaped her personal life also. The once very happy Meena Kumari turned into the epitome of tragedy in a short time when she took refuge in alcohol (and poetry). She herself has expressed her sorrows and miseries in many places and most importantly in her poetry which is the best reflection of her feelings. The same person who wrote beautiful poetry about Kamal Amrohi said-

“Tum kya karoge sunkar mujhse meri kahani,
Belutf zindagi ke kisse hain pheeke pheeke!”

And at the time of divorce she had said-

“Talaak to de rahe ho
Nazre Kahar ke saath
Jawani bhi meri lauta do
Mehar ke saath”

Life was never the same again and she was probably the saddest person as she could not stabilize later on in her life. It is known that Meena Kumari liked tragedy and wanted to lose herself into it, which she did so often. She could cry at any moment without any aids. We never know but probably she enjoyed it and wanted to be just tragic, enjoying every moment of it and finally turned her own life into a tragic story!

It seems like celebrity news is everywhere these days, from tabloids to mainstream media to reality news shows, but it exists because we love to hear about what they do and why they do it. Sometimes the things they did were very quirky, amusing and downright shocking.The internet is full of stories about Bollywood stars; you may find these in leading websites such as, Wikipedia, internet movie database,...These stories about our acting "nobility" are quite down to earth. Some (actually many) are extremely funny, others rather whimsical and a few sort of down right sad. Being a great fan of Bollywood films and filmstars, I am often enthralled with all the accounts of some of the celebrities we have come to know and love as legends, but most importantly, what we come to realize is that they were just people trying to live their lives as only they could. Depending on readers' response, I would love to share some more anecdotes in Bollywood's behind-the-scene stories.

Bollywood's Biggest Breakups

2012-01-17T04:57:00.000-08:00

Onscreen chemistry of co-stars creates a professional bond and produces an under current of romantic relationship. This is achieved when the players pour their hearts into the roles while doing a romantic scene. When the artistic aspect overtakes clinical professionalism of the actors, the magic of the moment is applauded by the audiences. Bollywood celebrates another blockbuster and also birth of another popular pair. But unfortunately not all relationships work, especially in the world of cinema where temptations to go astray are tremendous. Bollywood with all its external shows of pomp and glamour has often felt its vulnerable spell. Twists and turns in real life relations of stars throw up in its trail, spates of disappointments, heartburns, and tales of woe and pangs of separation. Let us take a walk down the more dreary memory lane to count down Bollywood's most heart breaking breakups:

Devika Rani / Najmul Hasan

She was the First Lady of Hindi Cinema. He, the most handsome hero of his time. They were brought together by Himanshu Rai, the producer and founder of Bombay Talkies, for the studio's first production Jawani Ki Hawa (1935). The film was unique in that it was shot entirely on board a train as it chugged along between Bombay and Lonawala, a picturesque hill station. The journey proved momentous. Things got so steamy en route between the young Devika Rani and her hero Najmul Hasan, that he had decided to pull way the leading lady from the celluloid world to the real one. Impressed by their onscreen chemistry, Rai repeated the popular pair in his next production Jeevan Nayya (1936), but before long, in a fit of passion, the two eloped when the new film they were making had just gone on the floor and only a few scenes had been shot. When Najmul Hasan ran off with Devika Rani, the entire Bombay Talkies was in turmoil. However, the worst affected and the most worried man at Bombay Talkies was Himanshu Rai, Devika Rani's husband and the heart and soul of the company. An enraged Rai somehow managed to bring her back, but Hasan was given the boot. And he called upon his laboratory assistant Ashok Kumar to take the leading man's part in the film and thus began a six-decade-long acting career for that actor.

Nargis / Raj Kapoor

He was the greatest showman known to Indian films, she was amongst the greatest leading ladies of all times, together they made a pair that had chemistry hitherto unseen on Indian screen. Whenever they came together on screen, sparks flew. Their chemistry was electrifying. The passion that each had for the other poured out on the screen as they performed in several films, many of them super hits (Aag, Andaz, Barsaat, Awaara, Anhonee Shree 420, Chori Chori etc). The raw passion between them in Barsaat drove audiences wild. The song 'Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua' from Shree 420 (1955) with Nargis and Raj Kapoor under the umbrella in heavy rain was romance at its heighest. The most popular romantic team in history of Bollywood played it cool for nearly eight years before they split up - Nargis leaving him to marry Sunil Dutt. Chori Chori (1956), a breezy entertainer, being their last film together, although she appeared for old time's sake in the last scene of Raj Kapoor's classic Jagte Raho.

Suraiya / Dev Anand

The pair became famous for their off-screen romance rather than on-screen. Suraiya met Dev Anand during the shooting of Vidya. She was then an established singing star and he, a raw new comer, but she found him 'cultured and handsome'. It was during the shooting of a song their boat capsized and Dev Anand saved Suraiya from drowning. Suraiya fell in love with her reel and real life hero. Their films together may not have been great hits except Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949) and Afsar (1949), but they had no regrets as their love flourished and their love story was the talk of the nation. The lore has it that Dev Anad proposed to her at the Taj Mahal, putting a diamond ring to her finger. But hell broke loose at her home as her grandmother discovered the ring and threw it into the sea. Her grandmother and uncle threatened to get Dev Anand arrested or killed, and brainwashed Suraiya to believe that if she married Dev Anand, Hindu Muslim riots would breakout. Fearing for Dev's safety, she took the decision to drop out from the relationship. The episode sealed their fate to work together again.

Madhubala / Dilip Kumar

She was the icon of Hindi films and he the king of tragedies. When the two starred together for the first time in Tarana (1951), their pairing on and off screen went on to become the most legendary love affair of Indian cinema. It was an affair of melodramatic proportions, worthy of the best of Bollywood scripts. Their stormy relationship lasted about eight years, though the pair continued to pine for each other even after their tragic break-up in 1957, involving a courtroom drama in which Dilip Kumar, standing in the witness box, declared, "I love this woman and shall love her till my dying day." K. Asif's epic, Moghal-E-Azam (1960), their last movie together, took incredible 10 years to complete from the year 1950 to 1960. By the end of the filming, the pair had already gone through their break-up, as if their real life romance was imitating their reel life tragedy. The only difference being the reversal of role of the father - in real life drama it was Madhubala's father, who ruled her every move with an iron hand, that did not let the lovers unite at the end. In-spite of all the emotional upheaval in the pair's lives, their acting excellence made Mughal-E-Azam an all time unsurpassed epic of love story.

Guru Dutt / Geeta Dutt

He was cinematic genius. She a talented singer. He an admirer of Bengali culture. She a Bengali by birth. It was natural that the two would fall in love and then marry. Marriage and two children later, the marriage hit a road block. Many say that Waheeda Rehman was the reason. The director was smitten completely by this embodiment of classic beauty. Guru Dutt had discovered Waheeda Rehman and had made her his muse as they starred in a string of movies - Pyaasa (1957), Kagaz Ke Phool (1959), Kala Bazar (1960), Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) and Sahib Biwi Ghulam (1962). The onscreen lovers were involved in one of Bollywood's great real life love tragedies. The one-sided romance, failures at box office (Kaagaz ke Phool & Pyaasa - both were his labors of love) led to his end and the end of his married life. At the time of his death, he was separated from wife Geeta Dutt and Waheeda Rehman had distanced herself from him. Dutt felt as if at a crucification. An air of loss and mystery continues to shroud Guru Dutt's premature death in 1964 from an overdose of sleeping pills.

Dimple Kapadia / Rajesh Khanna

He was truly the only super star the country has known. Rajesh Khanna broke many-a-hearts when he tied the knot with the 'Bobby beauty' Dimple Kapadia. It couldn't have been better matched-she a wonder-eyed 16 year old tasting success for the first time in her life and he a superstar keen on settling down. The young teen star was swept off her feet when the charming Khanna, the heartthrob of millions, dramatically threw Rishi Kapoor’s ring into the sea and proposed marriage. The spontaneous 'Yes' from Dimple and the wedding bells ranged on 27-Mar-1973. At the same moment there was the sudden end to the champagne-and-roses affair that Rajesh Khanna had with Anju Manendru for seven long years. When Dimple came into Rajesh Khanna’s life, little did she know that she would have to bear the brunt of the casualties in his first affair. From childhood she was roughly jerked into adulthood. The marriage went wrong from the very beginning. Dimple was so awestruck by her superstar husband, that she was totally subjugated and robbed of the confidence to behave in a natural manner. She wore what he liked and mixed with the people he approved of. 'It was always his approval that mattered', Says Dimple. Things became worse, when Rajesh Khanna’s films started flopping. He became more rigid and withdrew into his shell. If Anju couldn’t cope with his success, Dimple couldn’t cope with his failure. And separation was the only way out. Till date, they live separately, both unmarried but they keep in touch and support each other because of the bond of their daughter.

Rakhi / Gulzar

Rakhi Gulzar married when they were at the height of their career. Rakhee was a leading heroine working with the top banners and Gulzar was one of the few directors of that era whose films earned him both; commercial success and critical acclaim. This was his first marriage and Rakhee's second marriage. They became one of the biggest celebrity couples of Bollywood, Gulzar having the distinction of being a versatile composer, poet, filmmaker and writer and Rakhi, blessed with excellent acting talent, considered the most successful professional in real life, while she also proved to be a passionate lover, a woman in charge and a real mother. But within a couple of years of marriage they split up and they still live separately. According to rumors, Rakhee didn't want to give up her career after marriage and Gulzar wanted her to be a housewife. Yet another faction insists they broke up because Gulzar signed her arch-rival Sharmila Tagore for Mausam. Neither of them has cared to remarry but they still live separately. Rakhi and Gulzar have said that their daughter Meghna could not accept their break-up and, therefore, they never got a divorce. Mid way through 'Because He Is', writer Meghna Gulzar brings to readers some of these lines written by her father which have never been published:
'sheher ki bijli gayi
band kamre mein bahot der talak kuchh bhi dikhai na diya
tum gayi theen jis din
us roz bhi aisa hi hua tha'
And you instantly know that it is only a daughter who could have unearthed the true feelings of her father - the pain of separation from his wife Rakhee, the woman whom Gulzar calls as 'The Longest Short Story Of My Life...'.

Babita / Randhir Kapoor

He was the Kapoor khandan scion and she an upcoming actress. Randhir Kapoor and Babita did several films together before deciding to tie the knot. The marriage produced 2 children: Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. After the birth of their daughters, their relationship was under strain and finally after a few years, breaking all convention, Babita decided to walk out of the Kapoor household along with her two daughters, Karisma and Kareena. Reportedly, Babita could not cope with the larger-than-life figure of Randhir's father and filmmaker Raj Kapoor over his life. Her insistence that their daughters act in films created a distance from the Kapoor clan. Raj Kapoor had famously declared that no Kapoor woman would appear in movies, and both Babita and her sister-in-law, Rishi Kapoor’s wife Neetu, abandoned their acting careers after they got married. However, Babita, who industry insiders recognize as a woman with both ambition and acumen, decided that her daughters would be as famous as their uncles. Kareena Kapoor was in school when her sister Karisma began acting, and as soon as Kareena could, she too started taking steps towards stardom. Though Randhir Kapoor and Babita never divorced, they never ever stayed together either. Decades later, Randhir Kapoor and Babita continue to remain husband and wife, though leading separate lives. Randhir Kapoor believes in the sanctity of marriage. He has always said that she is the mother of their daughters.

Although we are use to seeing short lived relationships in Bollywood spotlight, there are always times where none of us expected a breakup or the reason behind it with certain couples. Whether it’s because they have been together forever or if it’s because they just look so good together, sometimes we are caught off guard from what seems to be the perfect relationship. Sometimes even the most seemingly rock solid celebrity couples just can't make it work and unfortunately there were many star-studded breakups that shocked us in recent years: Amrita Singh/ Saif Ali, Aishwarya Rai/ Salman Khan, Rhea Pillai/ Sanjay Dutt, Ravina Tandon/ Akshay Kumar, Karisma Kapoor/Abhishek Bachchan, Reena Dutta/ Amir Khan, Kareena Kapoor/ Shahid Kapoor, Katrina Kaif/ Salman Khan, Preity Zinta/ Ness Wadia, Priyanka Chopra/ Harman Baweja, Sushmita Sen/ Randeep Hooda and the last but not the least, Bipasha Basu/ John Abraham. As much their romance was heart warming, their breakup was heart breaking. Their interesting though tragic love stories leave scope for a sequel, which I hope to post sometime soon as Part 2 of Bollywood's Biggest Breakups.

The Finest 15 Anti-heroines!

2012-01-11T06:02:00.000-08:00

Kudos to the biggest leading ladies of Bollywood for totally demolishing the doubt in the mind of most heroines who earlier hesitated to portray negative character as they feared that they might not typecast in this particular category and won't get acceptance in lead roles. Now they are all clamoring to be cast in negative roles. Here is 'hats off' to the finest amongst such stars who have given award winning performance in negative roles, applauded by the critics and audience alike:

Durga Khote/ Amar Jyoti (1937)

A strong woman, Durga Khote had a glorious career that spanned 50 years, which included acting, production and direction. Starting her career in Ayodhecha Raja (1932) she acted in over 200 films. Her powerful performance in Amar Jyoti (1937) made her an overnight star who was thereafter sought for woman-centric films. The adventure classic features Durga Khote in the most memorable role as the Pirate Queen. Faced with extreme patriarchel laws in an ancient seaport kingdom and denied the legal custody of her infant son, Saudamini (Durga Khote) becomes a pirate and declares war on the state. Shantaram directs this action-packed adventure film with an unusual feminist twist. It is a rare Prabhat film with stunts and action. Amar Jyoti has the distinction of being the first Indian film to be screened at the Venice Film Festival.

Waheeda Rehman / C.I.D. (1956)

Waheeda Rehman makes a stunning Hindi film debut in the film as a vamp. After a network of phone calls, the editor of the Times of India is murdered and Inspector Shekhar (Dev Anand) of the CID brought in to investigate. Aided by Master (Johnny Walker), Shekhar captures the murderer but is then taken to see a mysterious woman who warns him not to pursue his investigation further. The person who offers the bribe is Kamini (Waheeda Rehman). She spikes the drink offered to Shekhar, intoxicates him, and the gang leaves him on the street. She scores highly in the film particularly in the sequences where she tries to bribe Dev Anand or in the song Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana as she tries to seduce the villain and allow the hero to escape revealing her extraordinary facial mobility and dancer's grace. This was Waheeda’s debut in Hindi films and she is presented as an image of total female beauty. She would have a long career as a major star, first as a romantic heroine over two decades, then playing older characters. CID remains one of the best crime thrillers made in Hindi Cinema and was a huge success at the box- office.

Vyjayanthimala / Devta (1956)

Vyjayanthimala was one the biggest Bollywood stars in a career lasting almost two decades. She was also referred as one of the first female Superstars of Hindi cinema and was known as "Numero Uno actress" for her "illustrious career in 1950s and 1960s". In the year 1956, she acted in swashbuckler film Devta which was a remake of a hugely successful Tamil film Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam. Surprisingly though, she accepted a supporting role as a vamp which was originally done by Lalitha in the Tamil version. However, her role was very crucial in the film and her portrayal as the Naag Rani accompanied by her dance is the main attraction of the film. Also starring in the movie, reprising their lead roles from the original, were Gemini Ganesan and Anjali Devi.

Nanda / Ittefaq (1969)

Ittefaq, a remake of the British film Signpost to Murder (1965), is a superb crime thriller, starring Nanda in a negative role. With the police hot on his heels, Dilip (Rajesh Khanna), a mentally deranged killer, gatecrashes into a mansion inhabited by a housewife Rekha (Nanda) and holds her at gunpoint. For the next couple of reels, the film escalates the tension to fever pitch as the overtly sexy Rekha tries to free herself from Dilip's grip till Dilip discovers her husband's body in the bathtub. In a high-strung climax, the police break into Rekha's house to find Dilip and Rekha exchanging a flurry of allegations. A nail-biting battle of wits ensues. The film became a "semi-hit" at the box office and earned Filmfare Best Actress nomination for Nanda. The combative spirit between a seasoned performer like Nanda and the keen-to-prove himself novice Rajesh Khanna gives the film an edge. Nanda is the spellbinder here. Her character seems to be constantly in a state of emotional meltdown and she conveys it with a carefully controlled performance.

Hema Malini / Lal Patthar (1971)

She may be Bollywood's Dream Girl, but she proved to be a terrific villain in Lal Patthar. In the movie, Hema played Rajkumar's first wife, who displays her revengeful streak when he brings home another bride (Raakhee).In the film there is a regal splendor to Hema Malini in the scene where she stands menacingly next to a mounted tiger in the mansion. She is Madhuri, the unlettered, wild tribal woman, who the zamindar has tried playing Pygmalion to. When it’s apparent that she just wouldn’t do, he brings home a second wife. Madhuri is livid and doesn’t fall into the usual regressive mode of the proverbial sacrificial lamb. She calls him out on his double standards as a man, taunts him and berates him. The script does paint her as something of a virago but Hema Malini invests this character with a screen presence that makes her almost an elemental tigress of sorts.

Reena Roy / Nagin (1976)

The snake myth, which is prevalent all over India, is portrayed in this dramatic thriller. The legend says that it is fatal to injure or kill one of pair of mating cobras, because the surviving mate will pursue the killer to death and will not rest till it has its revenge. In this film, a pair of mating cobras, who have the power to transform themselves into human beings (Jeetendra and Reena Roy), are attacked by a group of hunters. The male is killed and the female vows that she will not rest unless each one of the killers is eliminated. How she murders them, one by one, forms the plot of this eerie thriller. A great thing about this film is the fierceness Reena Roy brought to the role of Nagin, so much attitude, spunkiness and fierceness in the very sense of the word no actress could have played the role better. The film became a huge hit, and Reena received her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress.

Simi Garewal / Karz (1980)

Karz is a story that moves across two lifetimes. Monty, a heart-throb pop singer, discovers that in the past lifetime, he was murdered and duped of his empire of tea estates by his own wife. 25 years later, he encounters the murderer and a thrilling saga of karma and revenge follows. A feat of perfect casting was Simi Garewal, who made a strong impression in her role of Kamini Verma, the murderous wife from the past life, which won her a Filmfare nomination. The movie, which also featured Rishi Kapoor, got a stylish twist when Simi Garewal killed her on-screen husband within the first 15 minutes. The actress looked super glam in the various avatars that she donned through the movie. The film became the ninth highest grosser of the year, and declared a "Semi Hit" at the Indian Box Office.

Rekha / Khiladiyon ka Khiladi (1996)

Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi is about the deadly game of survival in a ruthless world of crime and sleaze. A criminal don, Maya, hosts illegal wrestling matches in the U.S. and has the full support of the American Police Commissioner. In this movie, Rekha played a female don who rules the underworld in a foreign country, but becomes weak when she meets the young Akshay Kumar, who incidentally has fallen in love with her younger sister, played by Raveena Tandon. This movie also makes it into the list of the top five commercial movies that Rekha has acted in. Rekha was nominated for best performance in a negative role for this movie, and she played the role pretty well. Playing the female don, she put on the right amount of sensuousness and badness to make the movie much more viewable than would have been.

Kajol / Gupt (1998)

Who could've guessed that the much-loved Simran from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge could kill people without batting an eyelid. Kajol went on a killing spree in Gupt. She played jealous, unsecured, possessive lover who can go to any extent for her love. The versatile actress not only broke the trend of playing only gentle and positive role in films., but also played the negative character flawless and superbly. She also became a trendsetter by becaming the first female actor to be nominated in the category of negative role and win the Filmfare Award in 1998, along with many other awards she received for this role.

Urmila Matondkar / Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2002)

Be it Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya or the remake of Karz , Urmila Matondkar has always relished playing the bad girl. Of course, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya was a far more interesting role. It had the glam gal falling for a charming photographer. However, all hell breaks loose when she gets to know that he is already married.Though the film 'Pyar Tune Kiya Kya' did not open well at the box office, the performance of Urmila Matondkar was well appreciated. She was nominated for Filmfare best villain award and was also nominated for the best actress in 2002.

Shabana Azmi / Makdee (2002)

'Makdee' is a gritty horror thriller that is likely to send a chill down the spine of many a young viewers. Shabana Azmi plays a bad-ass witch who is all out to kidnap little kids and keep them in a small cave. Of course, since the movie was for kids and wanted them not to believe in witches, it was eventually found out that the witch was just someone from a gang of thieves that used the cave as their hideout and did not want the villagers to find out about it. However, Shabana Azmi was in crackling form as the witch, as well as the gang leader. The role was not just mentally, but also physically strenuous for Shabana Azmi, because she had to put up a lot of prosthetic makeup for the role. The film, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, won the second prize at the Chicago International Children's film festival.

Preity Zinta / Armaan (2003)

Armaan was a highly anticipated 2003 release mainly due to its cast. On its release, the film's production and performances were lavishly praised. Most of the praise was directed towards Zinta for her villainous turn. She does have the spontaneity that is required for the portrayal of Soniya Kapoor, who is a rich and arrogant schizophrenic woman used to have things her own way. The film received positive reviews and Preity was particularly praised for her performance. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. This is the first time for Preity Zinta to play a vampish role. She received a Filmfare nomination for Best Villain.

Bipasha Basu / Jism (2004)

Bipasha Basu began her career on a hatke note. Her first movie Ajnabee had her conspiring with Akshay Kumar to get Bobby Deol into trouble. She followed it up with her seductress act in Jism , where she seduced John Abraham and convinced him to murder her husband. One highlight of the movie is its gripping plot that defys the Bollywood stereotypes and give something new to movie buffs. Another strong point of the movie is the way in which Bipasha's character is developed. Throughout the movie she is shown as an ambitious but vulnerable girl who is married to a man she doesn't love. But her volte-face in the second half when her true face and character is revealed is likely to stun the viewers. Sultry Bipasha Basu was very much liked for her negative role in 'Jism'. The film not only lifted up Bips career but also established her as one of the sexiest actresses in India. She was nominated for Filmfare best villain award.

Priyanka Chopra / Aitraz (2005)

A woman driven by desires, a faithful husband who refuses to succumb to temptations of extra-marital sex and a trusting wife who would fight to any length to win back her husband's honor and esteem - Abbas Mastan's thriller Aitraaz is a gripping film that entertains without resorting to usual Bollywood stereotypes. The movie starts off like any other ordinary love story (between Akshay and Kareena) but picks momentum with the introduction of Priyanka Chopra who plays a manipulative woman eyeing to seduce Akki for her own sexual gratification. Priyanka played a gold digger who was seen marrying an old man, but is keen to have a physical relationship with her ex-lover. The best acting performance in the film comes from petite Priyanka Chopra who seems to have gotten under the very skin of her vampish character. Her facial expression and body language aptly expresses the deviousness of her character. In history of Bollywood cinema no other villain was as sexy and hot as her. She won “Best actor in Negative Character” award of Filmfare and other awards for this role.

Vidya Balan / Ishqiya (2010)

Niceties be damned! In an industry where films can’t roll out of the rut of sweet saccharine romances, brain-dead comedies and insufferable dramas, Ishqiya comes like a storm which is explosively raw, ribald, gritty, grimy, and, most of all, real. Hoping to take refuge in the house of an old acquaintance, two runaway thieves, Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and his nephew Babban (Arshad Warsi) rather meet the man’s widow Krishna (Vidya Balan). Krishna uses her feminine charm to manipulate the shabby thieves into plotting a kidnapping. Before they could even realize, the uncle-nephew duo is sucked into an inescapable quicksand of love, lies and deception. Vidya Balan as Krishna is a bundle of contradictions. She was seen as a woman madly in love, as an object of desire, as a vision of purity and engaging herself in a lustful bout with another man. Putting in a superb performance, Vidya Balan won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance in Ishqiya.

I could go on for many more names of top level actresses proving that negative roles were not beyond their range. Bipasha Basu in Corporate, Kareena Kapoor in Fida, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Dhoom 2 and Mallika Sherawat in Murder were all tremendous actresses, who with their powerful performance in negative roles mesmerize you to believe that vamps are always more fascinating than the good girls. But because of limited space I have only included, whom I consider to be, the finest 15 anti-heroines.

Heroes Turn Anti-haroes

2012-01-03T05:46:00.000-08:00

The typical plot of Bollywood's two-hours plus bonanza runs according to a predictable formula- two young lovers find their chances of marriage threatened by a nefarious villain or a seemingly insurmountable social barrier, but after several songs, a long car chase and a cliff hanging fight, all obstacles are suddenly removed just in time for a whirlwind wedding before "The End". Just as songs and dances are important in a Bollywood movie, so are the villains and the vamps, without whom the story would literally fall apart. However, there are notable exceptions to this typical plot, where the story revolves around the villain and more importantly, the lead actor plays the negative role. Such exceptions have often created super hit classics. Here is my tribute to the talented actors for portraying the negative roles that must have been the most challenging in their career.

Ashok Kumar / Kismet (1943)

One of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema, Kismet ran for three long years in the same cinema hall in Calcutta. The film is a representative example, prefiguring the kind of entertainment extravaganza that has become the hallmark of Bollywood films. Kismet changed the image of the 'ideal son' hero drastically, with Ashok Kumar as the smooth talking, chain-smoking 'criminal' hero who conducted his affairs, including those of the heart, on his own terms. He seemed to appeal to the audience who saw him break the law and fool the police. They loved him even as a thief. Indeed, the film was the basis for all anti-hero roles played by Amitabh Bachchan in the 1980s. Kismet was not only Indian cinema's biggest blockbuster, but also one of the most influential films of all times.

Sunil Dutt / Mother India (1957) / Mujhe Jeene Do (1963)

Mother India: One of Hindi cinema’s best examples of inspired storytelling, Mother India had a star-making role for Sunil Dutt. Dutt plays Birju, the younger son of the central character, played by Nargis. Having grown up in an atmosphere of denial and deprivation in the rural heartland, Birju has witnessed humiliation heaped on his single mother. He is roughened by life, ready for revenge. Despite the bare-knuckled bravado of Birju, Dutt conveys the humanity within his character’s brash exterior. That is the triumph of his performance. The skillful shading that Dutt and director Mehboob Khan impart on the character’s misguided actions helps establish why Birju's mother cannot forgive his final transgression.

Mujhe Jeene Do: For his home production, Dut did not play it safe. He chose to play the role of a ruthless dacoit who kills those who oppose him. He kidnaps a dancer (Waheeda Rehman) and starts a family with her. Dutt’s fiery performance won him his first Best Actor award from Filmfare. The role came to be identified with him and proved to be a precursor of the many dacoity sagas on horseback and the negative roles (Geeta Mera Naam, 36 Ghante) he played much later in the 1970s.

Dilip Kumar / Gunga Jumna (1961)

The film was a trendsetter for movies like Deewaar, Trishul, Amar Akbar Anthony which had similar themes of two brothers on the opposite sides of law. The film is about two brothers, Gunga and Jumna, growing up in a village controlled by an evil landlord. Ganga (Dilip Kumar) is a spirited and hardworking fellow, unafraid to take on the zamindar when necessary, while his brother Jumna (Nasir Khan) is more measured and cautious. Things get complicated when Ganga saves a local girl, Dhanno (Vyjayanthimala), from the zamindar's lecherous assault. The zamindar (Anwar Hussain) gets his revenge by trumping up a robbery charge against Ganga, landing him in prison. Upon his release, Ganga attacks and robs the zamindar in a rage. Soon Ganga finds himself an outlaw, and, with Dhanno at his side, he joins a gang of bandits camping out in the wilderness. In the meantime, Jumna meets a fatherly police officer (Nasir Hussain) and becomes a police officer himself. It isn't long before Jumna's professional wanderings take him back to the village of his birth, where he must square off against his outlaw brother, in a showdown between duty and family. Ganga Jamuna’s luster even after all these years comes from the sheer brilliance of its performances . Dilip Kumar literally lives the role of a village rustic..be his body language or the fluency with which he speaks the awadhi dialect. Ganga Jamuna is a classic and showcase for Dilip Kumar’s talent as a performer-par-excellence.

Amitabh Bachchan / Deewar (1975) / Don (1978)

Deewaar: Reflective of "the tumultuous politics of the early 70s" in India, Deewar tells the story of two impoverished brothers who grow up to follow different career paths: Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) is a smuggler and Ravi (Shashi Kapoor) a policeman who eventually must hunt down Vijay. After their family is betrayed by the misplaced idealism of their father, Vijay, the elder brother, grows up with an acute awareness of his father's failure and is victimized for his father's supposed misdeeds. In the process of fighting for his rights Vijay, who starts out as a boot polisher and becomes a dockyard worker in his youth, becomes a smuggler and a leading figure of the underworld. Their mother, who had sided with Ravi despite the fact that Vijay was her favorite, is tormented by Vijay's decisions and rejects him. When the two brothers meet for a final clash, however, it is Vijay who dies in her arms seeking forgiveness. Vijay's character is said to be loosely based on real life smuggler Haji Mastan. Deewaar was a ground-breaking work. It was one of a few films which established Bachchan as the "angry young man" of Bollywood cinema. Deewaar received the Filmfare Best Movie Award of 1975 in addition to six other Filmfare Awards and was a "superhit" at the box office.

Don: Don (Amitabh Bachchan) is the leader of an underworld gang until Police Officer D'Silva (Iftekhar) tracks him down and in an attempt to catch him ends up killing him. But Don's death is only known to D'Silva. So Officer D'Silva tracks down a lookalike of Don named Vijay. Vijay impersonates Don to take down the rest of Don's gang. Officer D'Silva is killed by Malik who is introduced as the Interpol officer, but is in fact the real king of the underworld. It's now a race to retrieve the diary in which the DSP has documented the substitution of the real Don with the innocent Vijay. The film has gained cult film status in India and a dialogue of the movie “Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai (It is not just difficult to catch Don, it is impossible)”, an all time famous dialogue.

Shahrukh Khan / Baazigar (1993) / Darr (1993)

Baazigar: “Playing villain is one of the greatest highs. Evil or devil, black or little grey characters, be it in books, stories, films or television have some sort of attraction.”- Shahrukh Khan. He has, indeed, done his fans proud with some of the most spine chilling negative roles in Bollywood cinema. He started it all with Baazigar, where he played a guy who wanted to avenge his father’s death, and goes ahead to ruin the man financially, kill his elder daughter and try to marry his younger one. Baazigar, inspired by the novel A Kiss Before Dying, is a contemporary thriller about a young man who stops at nothing to get what he wants. This was Shahrukh Khan's breakthrough role as the sole lead and was also the first film where Shahrukh Khan played a negative role. The negative character played by Shahrukh took his career to new heights and established him as an acclaimed actor in Bollywood.

Darr: A psychological thriller, Darr is a story of an obsessive lover, played by Shahrukh to get his love- Juhi Chawla, who is already happily married to Sunny Deol. Shah Rukh Khan plays a mental case who stalks Juhi Chawla, and he did it with elan. There are some sequences which later made into the template of a one-sided love story. The anti-chemistry between SRK and Juhi Chawla was out of this world. It is considered to be one of his best performances and earned Shahrukh a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Villain. In 1993, Khan won acclaim for his performances in villainous roles as an obsessive lover and a murderer, respectively, in the box office hits, Darr and Baazigar. In Khan's entry in Encyclopædia Britannica's "Encyclopedia of Hindi Cinema", it was stated that "he defied the image of the conventional hero in both these films and created his own version of the revisionist hero."

Sanjay Dutt / Khal Nayak (1993)

“Khalnayak” belongs to the genre of films where two male characters are from opposite lanes of life and their ideals clash. The story centers around the escape and attempted capture of a terrorist criminal, Ballu (Sanjay Dutt), by Inspector Ram (Jackie Shroff) and his girlfriend Ganga (Madhuri Dixit). The film was well received by critics as well as the audience. It became an instant blockbuster, breaking many previous records. Sanjay Dutt is in his element in the title role expressing fury, resentment and sadness. His interactions with other performers crackles with chemistry, be it Madhuri, Jackie or Raakhee. Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit were nominated in Best Actor and Best Actress categories, respectively for Filmfare Awaeds.. “Khalnayak” is a solid entertainer, with sterling performances, catchy music and some very good direction, and Box office India declared the film a "super hit" at the box office.

The list of strong villains does not end here. In “Sarfarosh” Naseeruddin Shah came up with a brilliant performance as Gulfaam Hassan who is well known Gazal singer but also a Pakistani agent who is working against India. In “Yuva” Abhishek Bachchan in his first negative character, is not the ultimate villain in the movie but the most effective and eye catching character who can do anything for money and power. His character could be called as gray character rather than totally black evil one. He did justice to the character. Saif Ali Khan too has experimented with dark characters. His career took a different turn after he played negative roles in Ek Haseena Thi, Being Cyrus and Omkara. John Abrahm in “Dhoom” wasn’t evil, he was villain just because he was a thief. The character was in itself so brilliant and applauded by the audiences that it was repeated in “Dhoom 2” with Hritik Roshan playing the villain and now Amir Khan is slated to play in “Dhoom 3”. Sanjay Dutt who plays the negative role of Kancha Cheena in Karan Johar's Agneepath remake has generated more buzz than the lead actor Hrithik Roshan, who steps into the big boots of Amitabh Bachchan. Reportedly, even Krrish 2 has a powerful villain. The role played by Vivek Oberoi is said to be on the lines of Joker from the Batman series. In fact, as is apparent from the trend, we are going to see most of the heroes turn anti-heroes.

Superstars As Star Comedians

2011-12-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

Cinematic comedy can be considered the oldest film genre and one of the most prolific and popular. Comedy films are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. These are light-hearted screenplays crafted to amuse, entertain and provide enjoyment. Comedies observe the deficiencies, foibles and frustrations of life, providing merriment and a momentary escape from day-to-day drudgery of life. Here is a tribute to the heroes of Hindi cinema who apart from their remarkable performance in whatever role they played in a movie, also provided the funniest moments and scenes ever seen on screen.

Ashok Kumar
Reverently called Dadamoni, Ashok Kumar was one of the finest actors that India has produced. He has been awarded the Padmabhushan & the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. An iconic actor for over six decades, starting his film career in 1930s he starred in over 275 films and won several awards for his performance. A very natural actor, his comic timing was also impeccable in his most remembered comedies that include Choti Si Baat (1975), Khoobsurat (1980), Khatta Meetha (1981) and, of course, Chalti Ka Naam Gadi (1958), a true classic. Simple story, wonderful music, great acting, brilliant cast and phenominally hillarious. The story, like the 1928 Chevrolet in the film, ran amok. It gives you more laughs than you can handle. The movie stands tall amongst the greatest comedies ever.

Motilal
Indeed, Motilal had a glorious record as filmdom’s smartest hero. For over two decades, he reigned supreme over the hearts of swooning fans. Noted for his mastery over histrionics, Motilal’s name became a byword for effortless acting. He even excelled in the light comedy roles. Motilal’s success in comedy was due to his air of gaiety and informality, which people had missed so far in the rigid, copy-book variety of film acting on the Indian screen. Even in sombre roles, a give-away twinkle in his eyes indicated that Motilal had the last laugh. He took the filmworld by storm with his comic role in Roop K Shorey’s comedy 'dhamaka', Ek Thi Ladki (1949), the biggest runaway hit.

Dilip Kumar
Comedy and action were, in fact, an escape route for Dilip Kumar. He provided audiences with his distinct brand of action- cum- comedy in Leader (1964). In Kohinoor with just a jerk of a shoulder while he is in disguise as Kohinoor baba, he sparked more comedy than any comedian can. It is difficult to say which performance was better— the slick, smooth-talking collegian of Leader or the bellicose villager of Gopi.The sedate, sober Dilip Kumar can be outrageously funny. He can be sharp and saucy. He can display his flair for comedy in many languages including Bengali, Marathi, Parsi, Gujarati, Punjabi, besides Urdu and English. Azad (1955), Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Sagina (1974) - these films catch him in other hues of comedy. He played these roles with compelling conviction, lacing humor with an inner meaning and social comment.

Raj Kapoor
Also known as The Show-Man, was an outstanding actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema, but above all an ace comedian. The winner of nine Filmfare Awards, his performance in Awaara, was ranked one of the "Top-Ten Performances of all time", by the Time Magazine. He went on to produce, direct and star in many box office hits such as Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Chori Chori (1956), Jagte Raho (1956) and Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1960). These films established his screen image as The Tramp modeled on Charlie Chaplin's most famous screen persona. Outside of his home productions, his most notable comedies were Anari (1959), Chhalia (1960) and Teesri Kasam (1963). He produced, directed and starred in his ambitious film, Mera Naam Joker (My name is Joker).

Dev Anand
The actor, writer, director and producer, is remembered for his work in Hindi cinema spanning more than 65 years with acting in 114 Hindi films.The Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 for his contribution to Indian cinema. A rapid-fire style of dialogue delivery and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's style in films like House No. 44, Pocket Maar, Munimji, Funtoosh, C.I.D. and Paying Guest. His style was lapped up by the audience and was widely imitated. He was often compared to the famous actor Gregory Peck the world over. Dev Anand and Nutan's four-film association in comedy roles, Paying Guest, Baarish and Manzil culminated with Tere Ghar Ke Saamne. Teen Devian (1965) was amongst Dev Anand's hilarious hits. This delightful musical romance revolves around a winsome guy, his inability to say 'no' and how it lands him in a spot with three pretty but clearly dissimilar women. Dev Anand is at his flirtatious best around Nanda, Simi Garewal and Kalpana in this lively pageant of May-the-best-girl-win.

Dharmendra
Film star Dharmendra was first noticed in a Filmfare spot- the- talent contest and was signed by Arjun Hingorani for the film "Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere". At the start of his career Dharmendra was usually cast as a romantic hero. Dharmendra was also superb in comedy films like "Chupke Chupke", a masterpiece from Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Dharmendra's most memorable role as action-cum-comedy hero was in the blockbuster film "Sholay" where he was teamed with Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. Apart from Amitabh Bachchan, no other film star can claim to be equally good in comedy and action as Dharmendra. In almost all his movies he shows his flair for comedy and succeeds in bringing big smile to the viewers. In his latest film Yamla Pagla Diwana, the family, Dharmendra, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, reunites for the second time and produced one of the most hilarious movies of 2011. This film was a huge success both critically and commercially and brought Dharmendra back in the limelight in a big way.

Amitabh Bachhan
He is, undoubtedly, the Shehansha of Indian commercial Hindi cinema. His first appearance was in the movie Saat Hindustani (1969). He showed his mark in the Hindi film world with Zanjeer (1975), which set the trend for the ‘Angry Young Man’ action roles in Hindi films. With his tall and lean looks, Amitabh became emblematic of the new kind of action hero. This continued in his other films like Deewar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Hera Pheri, Shakti, Lawaris and others. So total was Amitabh's dominance of the movie scene in the 1970s and 1980s that the late French director Francois Truffaut called him a "one-man industry". The secret of the astounding success of this angry young-man has been his additional ability to make people laugh with his excellent comic timing. His subtle but very delightful style of comedy was behind his super hits like Amar Akbar Anthony, Sholay, Lawaris, Namak Halal, Silsila etc. With every scene rib-tickling, every dialogue hilarious, and a story that has the audience in splits, Chupke Chupke ranks as one of the top comedies in Hindi cinema. Performances in the movie are the backbone of the film. Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore keep you spellbound for the initial part of the movie while Amitabh Bachchan steals the show in the later. The high point of this comic caper is his perfect timing.

Akshay Kumar
This Bollywood actor personifies the real life story of a guy next door who makes it big in the Bollywood. From the by lanes of Chandni Chowk in Delhi, where he was brought up, this actor has reached dizzying heights in his Bollywood career, more recently for his comic timing in hit comedies.
The comedies which did well were Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi(co-starring with Salman Khan) and Garam Masala with actor John Abraham. The zenith of the actor's career was yet to arrive. 2006 saw the launching of Phir Hera Pheri which was again a big movie. Bhagam Bhag was a great comedy which was enjoyed by the audiences. 2007 was the most successful year in the career of Akshay Kumar. Namaste London was a lovely movie with Katrina Kaif. This movie was a big hit. Other super hits were Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Welcome and, of course, Siingh Is King. Akshay Kumar has delivered many more hits and had his fans coming out laughing from his movies and his producers laughing to the banks.

Salman Khan
A great face, one of the best bodies in Bollywood and a smile which can charm anyone are his most visible assets. Maine Pyaar Kiya, a story of timeless love, was the movie that propelled Salman Khan to instant fame all over India. In Andaz Apna Apna, a light and frothy comedy, Salman Khan played his role with élan and poise. His comical timing was excellent and along with Aamir Khan he gave us one of the most enjoyable hits of 1993. The film was a lot of fun to watch and Salman proved his versatility as a comedian. In Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, one of the biggest Bollywood hits of all time, Salman was at his best in comedy sequences. His comic timing is truly fantastic. Mujhse Shaadi Karogi was another film where Salman proved that he was quite adept at doing comedy roles . The film had Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra as his co-stars, and went on to become a great box office hit. Salman has also become renowned for his depiction of the strong angry young man with a flair for comedy. Wanted was among his best performances in this category. After Wanted came Dabangg, Ready and Body Guard which were made along the same line – lots of action, lot of stunts and loads of fun!

Aamir Khan
Aamir was first introduced as a child artiste in the 1970's hit Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) -- he was the youngest child in the trio. His debut movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak(1988) was a run away success and he achieved instant stardom. In the year 1990 he delivered the biggest grosser of the year in the form of Dil and since then he has not looked back giving several commercial and critical hits, like Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander( 1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke( 1993), Parampara (1993), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Baazi( 1995), Rangeela (1995), Raja Hindustani (1996), Ghulam (1998), Sarfarosh (1999), Dil Chahta Hai( 2001), Lagaan (2001), Fanaa( 2006) and Rang De Basanti (2006). Using classic "method acting", Aamir acts in all genres of Indian films - action, drama and romance, but above all comedy. His 3 Idiots is considered among the biggest classic comedies.

Sanjay Dutt
After seeing his performance in Vaastav: The Reality (1999) that earned him the Best Actor in a Leading Role award at Filmfare Awards, no one could believe that it was the same star who played Munnabhai M.B.B.S. ( 2003), one of the most uproarious and successful films in recent times. The comedy causes rip-roaring laughter. The emotions and comedy have been integrated perfectly. The film is one of the funniest to come from Bollywood and that is due to spot on comic timing by Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani. Sanjay Dutt puts on the performance of a lifetime as the title character, enacting a wide range of emotions with ease. When his parents visit him from the village, his transition from a Bhai to a doctor makes you roll with laughter. After the phenomenal success of this film, Sanjay Dutt has been sought after by producers for mainly comedy roles and he has proved his skills as a comedy avatar quite often.

It is said that in Bollywood fates are made and broken in just a matter of few Fridays. While we have seen several who were superstars of the year but just disappeared after a year, there were some old warhorses that trudged and moved along, giving guaranteed money spinners – if not critically acclaimed ones – year after year, month after month and in some cases, week after week, because they all had one common quality – their perfect comic timing.

Hilarious Hits Of Comedy Icons

2011-12-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

Bollywood has carried on the tradition of discovering and rediscovering the comedians from the bygone era till today, who excelled in evoking laughter with their talent and perfect comic timing. Comedy is a tough thing to enact and to do a comic song is all the more demanding. Still, thanks to the comedy icons, especially of the bygone era of Bollywood, there is no dearth of such songs. These are joyous, naughty, swinging songs with deliberately clever wordings which were immensely enjoyed by the audiences. The way these songs have been sung with sparkling comic timing by some of the ace comedians, is what makes them classics in their own right and rage of their time. Here is a pick, my most favorite ten, from the long list of popular comedy songs, with a tribute to the comedians who made the magic happen:

1. Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon – Patanga (1949)
Even sixty years after the original song was sung by Shamshad Begum and Chitalker ( C. Ramchndra), many re-mix versions have been made till recently. Not only that, even the song seems to have inspired the Lady Gaga/Buoyancy hit duet “Telephone”. The screen version of the song was an instant hit, chiefly because of the charm of leading lady Nigar Sultana and the popularity of comedian Gope, on whom the song was picturised.

Gope
Beginning his career in the early 1930s, Gope Kamlani went on to become one of Hindi cinemas most popular comedians. Such was his appeal that at the height of his career, he shared credits with the films lead actors. His first film was Insaan Ya Shaitan (1933), which starred among others Jaddan Bai, the mother of actress Nargis. Gope soon won critical and popular acclaim for his comic roles and became the leading comedian of his time. Amongst his better-known films are Hindustan Hamara, Patanga, Mirza Sahiban, and Chori Chori.

2. Lara Lappa Lara Lappa Layee Rakh Da - Ek Thi Ladki (1949)
The song meant instant fame for Meena Shorey and the film, in which she shares the screen with legendary actors such as Motilal and I. S. Johar .This light-hearted funny Punjabi-Hindi song became immensely popular because of the lyrics and the free flowing tune and not to forget the magic of Lata and Mohammad Rafi. The film gave break to the legendary comedian I. S. Johar.

3. Ye Do Diwane Dil ke, Chale Hain Dekho Milke - Johar Mehmood In Goa (1965)
Comedians Mehmood and I. S. Johar hit a surprise jackpot with this rollicking number that made Johar Mehmood in Goa a runaway hit. The film is remembered for Mohd. Rafi and Manna Dey's hit duet.

I. S. Johar
Johar made his acting debut with Roop K Shorey’s, Ek Thi Ladki (1949). He acted in numerous Hindi films from the 1950s through to the early 80s, and played cameos in international films such as Harry Black (1958), North West Frontier (1959), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) [4] and Death on the Nile (1978), besides acting in Maya (1967), a US TV series. I. S. Johar also wrote and directed films in which he co-starred with comedian Mehmood. Comedians Mehmood and I. S. Johar hit a surprise jackpot with the rollicking entertainer Johar Mehmood in Goa. Mehmood's no-holds barred comedy provides the perfect match to Johar's subtle, cynical humour and the sparks flow. The comedy team clicked in a big way and the comic duo went on to make several more capers which immortalized them. He also starred in films with his own surname in the title such as Mera Naam Johar, Johar in Kashmir and Johar in Bombay, which is a testament both to his immense egotism, as well as his popularity with the common masses.

4. Bholi Soorat Dil Ke Khote - Albela (1951)

This song is funny in its own way. The lyrics are one of the most meaningful songs considering the way of life is in this era. And the tender dance steps of Bhagwan Dada became his trademark dance step. In fact, every major star from Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda to Mithun Chakraborty and Rishi Kapoor has copied Bhagwan-style slow-moving dancing in their movies. Even today crowds go hysterical every time they hear Shola jo bhadke, dil mera dhadke … or Bholi surat dil ke khote, naam bade aur darshan chhote… from the film.

Bhagwan
Bhagwan Abaji Pandav, better known as Bhagwan or Bhagwan Dada, was acknowledged as an ace comic actor. Bhagwan was different from our concept of a romantic hero. He was portly, slow-moving and had bulging eyes. But in "Albela" he clicked well with Geeta Bali. The film became a super hit and Bhagwan had everything he had dreamt of — money, fame and friends. A veteran actor of about 600 films in the course of more than five decades, Bhagwan ultimately gave up as he could not adapt to the indiscipline of the present set-up. Bhagwan was in particular grateful to Dilip Kumar who would stop his car and honk whenever he passed by his window and would not move till they greeted each other. Some other industry folks too would salute him on the odd occasion he attended a public function.

5. Charandas ko peene ki jo aadat naa hoti – Pehli Jhalak (1954)

In this song, Kishore Kumar enacts Charandas as well as Charandas’ harassed wife. And needless to say, he sings the song too (lending voices to both the characters). The lyrics by Rajinder Krishan are very amusing and his description of the behavior of a drunkard is quite realistic and life like. C Ramchandra is the music director.

6. Paanch Rupaiya Barah Aana - Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1956)
Kishore Kumar has to recover five rupees and twelve annas which Madhubala owes for getting her car repaired in his garage. But he also uses this opportunity to profess his love for which he can sing dadra. And now he chooses SD Burman’s classic Dheere se jana bagiyan mein to give it a comic twist. Kishore Kumar is not done yet. In the end he declares he can become a jogi for her love – and now he chooses KC Dey’s iconic Teri gathri mein laga chor.

7. Mannu Tera Hua Ab Mera – Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1956)
This song sung by Kishore and Manna Daa has to be one of the most beautifully sung songs ever. It talks about the haves and have-nots as far as having a girlfriend is concerned. Kishore having besotted Madhubala with his boyish charms belongs to the haves while the eternal bachelor Anoop bemoans his lack of a girlfriend, and the ensuing duet makes for compulsive rib tickling viewing.

Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar was a genius who died before his time. He was a comic par excellence and if you have not seen films like Chalti Ka Naam Gadi, Padosan, New Delhi then do yourself a favor and watch them. Of course he sang romantic melodies, sad songs and children’s songs and sung them all with unmatched talent, but he was by far the best in his uproariously funny songs. Kishore Kumar did not need to do an act. He was mad. He was crazy, he was wild. He would sing – in Hindi, in English, in Bengali, in Gibberish; he would dance, he would squat, he would jump, he would roll, he would sleep – all in the same song of 3 minutes. The man who started in 1948 in the KL Saigal mould under the baton of Khemchand Prakash with Marne ki duayen kyun maangun (Ziddi) and Jagmag karta nikla (Rimjhim) carried on for twenty years trailing behind Rafi, Mukesh etc, when suddenly post-Aradhana he zoomed off like a rocket redefining playback singing as the voice of Rajesh Khanna and later, Amitabh Bachchan and everyone else, leaving the great singers far behind. But singing was only one part of his multifarious talents. He was an actor, writer, producer, director and composer. It is the mad, crazy, wild and funny Kishore Kumar singing for himself on the screen that was absolutely adorable.

8. Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye - Pyaasa (1957)
The song "Sar Jo Tera Chakraye" was developed during a visit by Guru Dutt and Johnny Waskar to Kolkata (Calcutta) before the filming of Pyaasa. While once having breakfast at a roadside joint, they happened to watch a local masseur apply his talents to a gentleman's head, and Guru Dutt asked Johnny to keep that scene in mind. Even after more than five decades the legendary comedy song from the classic movie is rhymed and is an inspiration to many lyricist and composers.

Johnny Walker
Anyone who’s seen Hindi movies of the ‘50s and ‘60s would remember Johnny Walker in several films enacting a particular scene. His dialog during the sequence, his expressions and his andaaz make him a scene stealer and it must be very few people who cannot remember Johnny Walker for his ability to evoke a laugh in us. However, the man we knew as Johnny Walker is not really so. That’s just his screen name, given to him by famous film actor and director, Guru Dutt, who first gave him a break in his film Baazi. After Baazi, he acted in several films such as Aar Paar (1954), Mr. & Mrs. ’55 (1955) and in 1956, he starred in Guru Dutt’s C.I.D. From his entire career, Johnny is remembered most of all for his role in C.I.D in which he sang the famous song, Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan, a tribute to the citizens of this city. In the 1950s, film producers always had a song picturized on Johnny because he was the audience’s darling. All in all, he acted in 300 films and won many awards as a comedian or supporting actor.

9. Hum Kale Hain To Kya Hua Dilwale Hain - Gumnaam (1965)
A phenomenally popular song sung by Rafi and picturized on Mahmood and Helen in a dream sequence (of Mahmood). This is an out and out tapori song that became an out and out evergreen classic song. In fact, Mehmood’s comedy and Rafi’s this song made this movie a huge success. And let us not forget the contributions of the lyricist (Shailendra), the music directors ( Shankar Jaikishan) and, of course, Helen too, who dances along with Mahmood in this song, and does a great job as always.

10. Ek Chatur Naar - Padosan (1968)
In the film, Kishore Kumar has graduated into a love guru. But his task is now immensely more difficult. He has to help his protégé, the village idiot Bhola (Sunil Dutt) wean away the next window neighbour Bindu (Saira Bano), to whom he has got infatuated, from the influence of Mehmood. The only reason why she should have any tolerance for the clownish Mehmood is his music capability which has helped him get into her proximity as her music and dance teacher. Teaching music to the tone deaf Bhola was impossible, so the Guru KK sets up this duel with Mehmood, with Bhola lip-synching while KK and his team sing in playback mode. Padosan was a Mehmood film, but an understated, cerebral Kishore Kumar holds his own against over-the-top mannerisms and slapstick of Mehmood.

Mehmood
After Paravrish, Mehmood came to be recognized for his comic talent. He landed himself meatier roles in films like Gumnam, Pyar Kiye Jaa and Pyar Hi Pyar. In 1961, he played the lead comedian in Sasural. He was paired with a character actress named Shobha Khote. Their zany combination was so successful, that they went on to become a “comedy pair” in many hit films thereafter – hits like Love in Tokyo and Ziddi. Later, Aruna Irani replaced her in the comedy team. As the 60s progressed, Mehmood kept expanding the role of the comedian in Hindi movies and a time came, when he was so much “in demand” that producers approached him, offering him full-length comedy films. By the early 70s, Mehmood was at the peak of his comic career. He exhibited a rare ability to gauge the moods of the cinema-going audience – especially the front-benchers! This was the time when Mehmood decided to concentrate on his own production house. He had already started his company in the early 60s, with his first production called Chhote Nawab (1961). This had been followed by a suspense-comedy–thriller called Bhoot Bangla, in which Mehmood had taken the director’s chair for the first time. His company’s Padosan – in which Mehmood locked horns with Kishore Kumar in a South-Indian-versus-North-Indian war – became a massive hit in the 70s. At that time, Mehmood’s star was at its zenith. By the time the 90s set in, Mehmood had played his entire hand -- as actor, director, storywriter and producer. But Mehmood will forever be remembered as he appeared in his heydays – as the King of Comedy.

The rise of item numbers after the phenomenal popularity of 'Munni badnam hui' and 'Sheila ki jawani' and their increasing popularity has a damaging effect on comedy songs in films. But thanks to some of the present day filmmakers like David Dhawan, Priyadarshan, Rajkumar Hirani etc., who distinguish with their blockbuster comedies filled with the innovative vigor and creativity of the classic comedy, we still have an occasional comedy song, that comes quite close to hilarious hits of comedy icons.

Early Icons Of Item Numbers

2011-12-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

The Dirty Picture released on Dec 2nd, transports back the audience to the 80s when item girls stole the hearts of the nation. In the film, Vidya Balan plays the role of Silk Smitha, an up and coming item girl of southern cinema and follows her rise to fame. Down memory lane, I'm reminded of the early icons of item numbers of Hindi cinema, from Cuckoo in the 1940s and 1950s, to Helen in the 1960s and 1970s, but especially the now forgotten father of item numbers, Mumtaz Ali.

Mumtaz Ali
Renowned choreographer, actor of ‘Bombay Talkies’, Mumtaz Ali was famous as a dancer and character- artist in 40s and early 50s, when he was sought after by producers for dance numbers and training new entrants in the industry as item girls. His item number, Main Dilli Se Dulhan Laya Re, became the rage of the time. Although a familiar figure of item numbers in Bombay Talkies' films, he had formed his own group and started doing stage shows all over the country, performing popular Hindi songs as dance numbers. The show travelled from city to city and was called Mumtaz Ali Nites. His son Mehmood, who later became the most famous comedian of Bollywood films, would most of the time accompany his father to these shows. His job was to sit outside and sell tickets and then to make announcements on the stage. His daughter Malikunissa, who was later known as Minu Mumtaz, the well-known dancer and character actor, also accompanied her father but did not perform till the circumstances forced her to. Indeed, Mumtaz Ali was not only the father of his famous children Mehmood and Meenu Mumtaz, but could rightly be called the king of item numbers in Hindi cinema.

Meenu Mumtaz
Addiction to drinking had proved detrimental to Mumtaz Ali's show business. In Benares, all the actors working for Mumtaz Ali refused to work. They had been working without any salary, but were now at the end of their tether. The show was about to begin and Mumtaz Ali was the only actor. Malikunnisa said she was willing to work with Mumtaz Ali. At first, he refused. He knew that Malikunnisa was fond of dancing and singing but what he did not know was that when the actress Sheela Nayak came to Mumtaz Ali to learn dancing, she would watch her father’s steps closely and then practice them alone before the mirror. Malikunnisa auditioned before Mumtaz Ali. She danced and sang Mumtaz Ali’s famous song “Main to dilli se dulhan laya re…” and convinced him that she could indeed perform on stage. By now, Mumtaz Ali knew that he had winner in his family and presented her to perform on the stage that evening. This was the beginning of Malikunnisa’s career in dancing. Malikunnisa gained a great deal of experience and self-confidence in facing an audience, having travelled with Mumtaz Ali’s stage shows and worked on stage. She now began doing the rounds of studios to find work and soon became a star in her own right. Minoo Mumtaz, the name Minoo given to her by Meena Kumari on the sets of Bandhan, started out as a dancer and subsequently as a character artist in quite a lot of films. Her debut film was K Amarnath's Baradari (1955), which also had her brother Mehmood in the cast as a comedian. They both, the children of Mumtaz Ali, subsequently ended up acting together in about 10 films together including Chitralekha, Jahan Ara, Akeli Mat Jaiyo, Faulad, Jagir, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Qaidi No. 911, Howrah Bridge, Ek Saal and C.I.D. Meenu Mumtaz appeared in many films of the 50s and 60s, mostly as a dancer. In many films she was paired with comedians including Johnny Walker and in few films she was also cast as the leading lady including Black Cat (1959), opposite Balraj Sahni.

Cuckoo
Cuckoo Moray, popularly known as Cuckoo, was the first major dancing star who ruled the cabaret scene in the Forties and Fifties. Maybe because of the era’s social dynamics — or perhaps it was a novelty that filmmakers introduced an unconventional face —this petite Anglo-Indian danced her way into Bombay filmdom. Cuckoo’s vivacious demeanor and lusty moves were completely in sync with the playful dance numbers she starred in — cabaret, club and party. Be it that mesmeric dance sequence in Aan (1952) or in Kabhi Haar Kabhi Jeet in Shabistan (1951), she had her moves for all occasions. Cukoo was the queen of film dancing in the 1940s. Her talent made cabaret a must in the Bollywood films during the 1950s and 60s. Cukoo made her screen debut in the film Arab Ka Sitara in (1946). The turning point in Cukoo's career were in Mehboob Khan's films. Her dance numbers in his film Anokhi Ada established her as the lead dancer of the era. Andaz (1949), a romantic drama starring Nargis, Dilip Kumar, and Raj Kapoor, gave the dancer an opportunity to display her acting skills. Cukoo was a family friend of the Anglo-Burmese dancer and actress Helen. Cukoo had introduced a 13-year-old Helen into films as a chorus dancer in the films like Shabistan and Awaara(1951). Cukoo and Helen most notably appeared in song and dance sequences together in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. Her most popular movies are: Andaz (1949), Barsaat (1949), Arzoo (1950), Hamari Beti (1950), Hulchul (1951), Awaara (1951), Aan (1952), Mr. and Mrs. 55 (1955), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Yahudi (1958) and Mujhe Jeene Do (1963).

Helen
Helen (Richardson Khan), of Anglo-Burmese origin, is best remembered as the Bollywood item dancer of the 60s and 70s. She entered the industry as a chorus dancer in films like Shabistan and Awaara (1951). Helen in the years following was in high demand with many successful roles as a cabaret dancer which lead to the nickname Cabaret Queen. If transformation was an art, Helen perfected it. She could be the sexy siren calling for her lover in Piya Tu Ab Toh aaja (Caravan, 1971), the avenging angel in Yeh Mera Dil (Don, 1978) or the gorgeous gypsy queen shimmying unabashedly to Mehbooba in Sholay (1975) — all with equal ease. Although she had little success as a leading lady, her seductive dancing made her a star and is still respected today for her contribution to cinema. Long before the concept of item dancers was established, the coquettish Helen had etched herself in the Indian cine-goer’s mind as the eternal item girl. As beautiful as her namesake from Troy, Helen was graceful, but never lewd; sexy, but never vulgar. She lent the concept a level of artfulness and sensuality that all the other item dancers who followed her, can only aspire to reach, but never really can. Evergreen Helen, the queen of cabaret, remained for more than three decades an essential part of almost all first-rate movies, with at least one hot dance and song scene, that was invariably the star attraction of the movie. Her role in Don will ever be remembered for the depth of emotion and the height of characterization the 'vamp' could reach in a movie. She has worked in over 200 films, starting from Awara (1951) to the recent production Marigold. Dancing all the way to unprecedented heights of popularity in her half a century of career in Bollywood has baffled many, including the renowned producer director of documentaries in Canada, Eisha Marjara, who has produced a full length movie on Helen, Desparately Seeking Halen (1999).

In the early part of the 1970s actresses Aruna Irani, Bindu, and Padma Khanna entered into what was Helen's monopoly. The range extended from the likes of the sexy Asha Sachdev and Prema Narayan, to out-and-out garish Kalpana Iyer and Jayshree. Between them, these beauties had the item song market cornered, and many a famous tracks were picturized on them. If Jayshree had songs like ‘Naach Meri Jaan’ with Mehmood from Main Sunder Hoon, then Asha Sachdev had the suggestive ‘Jis Kaam Ko Dono Aaye Hain’, from the Jitendra-starrer ‘Ek Hi Rasta’, while Kalpana Iyer had the disco genre cornered through the ‘80s and Prema Narayan sizzled her swimming costume with a host of other beauties in ‘Mausam Mastana’ from Satte Pe Satta…

After Sushmita Sen, beauty queen turned popular star, was roped in for the sensational super-hit item number of Fida, “Mehboob Mere...”, the vamp and the heroine merged into one figure and the lead actress had begun to perform the bolder numbers. The vampy item girls were thus outpaced by the heroines performing item numbers. The most beautiful actress in Bollywood, Aishwarya Rai showcased her seductive moves in Bunty Aur Bubbly super hit item number “Kajra re...”.. , followed Bipasha Basu's hit number “Bidi jalaile...” in Omkara. The super hot Bebo turned an item girl in Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Don’. The actress looked extremely hot and sensuous in ‘Yeh Mera Dil…’ which was earlier done by dancing diva Helen. Deepika Padukone in a rainbow of bikini tops and leather pants danced on 'Love Mera Hit Hit' with Shah Rukh Khan in 'Billu Barber’. Deepika and Shah Rukh looked amazing in this one. Priyanka Chopra did a sexy item number for Shah Rukh for his Billu Barber. This foot tapping number showcased Priyanka in her super hot avatar. The super hot Lara Dutta did an item number for Khakee. Her super sexy moves in Aisa Jadoo drives you crazy. Shilpa Shetty flaunts her figure on a sunny beach in ‘Shut up and bounce…’ song in Dostana. Bollywood is no longer about the Shah Rukh Khans and the Salman Khans, but rather the tantalising twirls and twists that the Sheilas and the Munnis are bringing to the big screen. Now, everyone's hooked, hawking out their shakin' skills in exchange for the instant fame a hit song can bring. The female superstars seem to be having cat-fights over bagging an item number in a Bollywood film, but it is doubtful if they can ever match the mesmerizing dancing moves of the early icons of item numbers.

Legendary Leading Ladies Of Bollywood

2011-12-03T05:57:00.000-08:00

“Just a few smart male actors can completely change the face of a commercial, star-driven film industry. Looking at the one playing the female protagonist here, Vidya Balan – Paa, Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica, and this – it appears, that change could well originate from the leading lady instead. This is Balan’s, or for that matter any contemporary Bollywood heroine's, ballsiest role so far.

Though Conrad Hilton didn’t put it this way, Silk (or Balan) concludes – There are three things you need for a successful film: entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. Over here, “I am the entertainment.” She is absolutely right, beyond first-rate.”
- Mayank Shekhar's review: The Dirty Picture in Hindustan Times

Bollywood is basically a hero oriented industry. Male leads would often see that their female co-stars got less footage, less meaty roles, less publicity, that they do not turn scene stealers. Nevertheless, some of the most memorable films have been those that were women-centric. These films have given some great female stars who commanded an equal position with the male leads and also no less a superstar status. They are some of the most beautiful actresses, many of them Beauty Queens, who emerged as superstars, with their awards- winning talent and some very successful films to be proud of :

Devika Rani: First Lady of the Indian Cinema and an acknowledged beauty, Devika Rani goes down in the annals of Hindi films as actor par excellence. Karma (1933) gave her instant fame and rave reviews for her performance. She made a very successful team with Ashok Kumar - Jeevan Naiya, Janma Bhoomi, Achut Kanya, Izzat, Savitri and Anjaan. For her contributions to Indian Cinema, Devika Rani was the first recipient of the prestigious Dada Sahib Phalke Award in 1970.

Naseem Banu: Daughter of the legendary playback singer Shamshad Begum, Naseem was one of the most beautiful figures to grace the Indian screen. She was the Beauty Queen of her time and a superstar of her days. Starting her career in Khoon Ka Khoon (1935), she was an overnight sensation on release of Sohrab Modi's all time classic, Pukar (1939). Her song in the movie 'Zindagi ka saaz bhi kya saaz hai, baj raha hai aur beawaz hai' was a big hit. Her other hit movies include Talaaq, Ujala, Begam, Jeevan Sapna, Anokhi Ada, Chandani Raat and Sheesh Mahal. She retired in the mid-50s so that she would groom her daughter Saira Banu for an acting career.

Durga Khote: A strong woman, Durga Khote had a glorious career that spanned 50 years, which included acting, production and direction. Starting her career in Ayodhecha Raja (1932) she acted in over 200 films. Her powerful performance in Amar Jyoti (1937) made her an overnight star who was thereafter sought for woman-centric films, especially historicals. Her major films include Rajrani Meera, Nand Kumar, Adhuri Kahani, Maya Machindra, Patit Pawan, Jeevan Natak, Inquilab, Saathi, Narsi Bhagat, Geeta, Vijay, Bharat Milap, Prithvi Vallabh, Mahatma Vidur, Pannadai, Mirza Ghalib and Mughal-E-Azam.

Shanta Apte: Whanever films about strong women are discussed, V. Shantaram's Dunia Na Mane (1937) tops the list. In the film, Nirmala, an orphan girl is given in marriage to an old rich widower. She revolts and refuses to consummate the union with her husband. Shanta Apte played perfect Nirmala. This was her third most memorable performance in a row - the earlier two being in Shantaram's classics, Amrit Manthan (1934) and Amar Jyoti (1936). Shanta Apte's other great movies include Zamindar, Apna Ghar, Mohabbat, Duhai and Subhadra. She was also a great singer of her time, who sang her own songs in films.

Madhubala: The most beautiful star of Hindi cinema, she was brilliant in both, comedy as well as in high dramatic performance. While she matched Kishore Kumar step by step in his madcap antics in Chalti Ka Naam Gadi, her performance as the doomed courtesan Anarkali in Mughal-E-Azam equalled that of Dilip Kumar as Prince Salim. Madhubala began her Bollywood life in Kidar Sharma's Neel Kamal (1947) opposite Raj Kapoor and became a superstar in Mahal (1949), a super super suspence thriller. A spate of hits followed - Amar, Howrah Bridge, Kala Paani, Phagun, Passport, Half Ticket and Sharabi. Madhubala's memorable career in Hindi films was cut short by her untimely death.

Nargis: One of the greatest Indian actresses, Nargis started her Bollywood journey with a break by the ace director Mehboob in Taqdeer (1943), but real stardom came her way with Mehboob's Andaaz and Raj Kapoor's Barsaat. Both movies were mega hits. Nargis played the lead in a spate of super hits opposite Dilip Kumar - Mela, Jogan, Babul and Deedar. After Awaara (1951) she worked exclusively with Raj Kapoor - Aah, Anhonee, Ashiana, Bewafa, Shri 420, Chori Chori and Jagte Raho. Her magnum opus Mother India (1957) represents the pinnacle of her career and won her the Best Actress award at the prestigious Karlovy Vary Festival. Nargis was the first film personality to be awarded Padmashree.

Meena Kumari: She was one of the most beloved actresses of Bollywood. She took performance to new heights with her classic contributions including Parineeta, Baiju Bawra, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Daera, Ek Hi Raasta, Sharda, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Dil Ek Mandir, Aarti, Kajal, Phool Aur Pathar and Pakeeza. She also excelled in light hearted roles - Azaad, Miss Mary, Shararat and Kohinoor. She won Filmfare awards for Best Actress in Baiju Bawra (1952), Parineeta (1953) and Sahib Bibi Ghulam (1962) and made history in 1962 by bagging three Best Actress nominations - Aarti, Main Chup Rahungi and Sahib Bibi Ghulam. She was called the Tragedy Queen for playing the suffering woman to perfection.

Vijayantimala: The first South Indian actress who made it big in Bollywood, Vijayantimala's greatest legacy to Indian cinema is that it has become a must for any inspiring actress to be an accomplished dancer. She started her career in Hindi films with Bahar (1951), a big hit, primarily because of her dance numbers. In Devdas (1955) she played dancing girl Chandramukhi and won Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actress. Naya Daur (1957), a mega hit, made her the most sought after star. Bimal Roy's Madhumati (1958), shot her to the highest echelons of stardom. She won Filmfare awards for Best Actress in Sadhna (1958), Ganga Jamuna (1961) and Sangam (1964). After her last big hit, Jewel Thief (1967), she retired from films.

Waheeda Rehman: Another great dancer from South Indian films, Waheeda Rehman was spotted by Guru Dutt in a Telgu film and brought to Bombay to work in his production, C.I.D. (1956). The film was a big hit but her role of a vamp was not that big. The real srardom was offered to her on a platter in Guru Dutt's masterpiece Pyaasa (1957), followed by two more classics from Guru Dutt, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). Her hit movies include Chowdhavin Ka Chand, Kala Bazaar, Bees Saal Baad, Mujhe Jeene Do, Kohra and Ram Aur Shyam. With Guide (1965) she reached the peak of her career, playing the difficult role of a desperate housewife.

Nutan: Launched in Hamari Beti (1950) by mother Shobhana Samarth, Nutan's major breakthrough as an actress par excellence came with Seema (1955), which won her Filmfare Best Actress Award. Whether it was the light hearted Paying Guest (1957) or Bimal Rai's intense Sujata (1959), brought out the best in her. She continued with her bright career with Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Anadi, Chhalia, Milan, Khandaan, Sarswatichandra, Saudagar, Sajan Bina Suhagan and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki. Her greatest performance was in Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963). She won record-breaking 5 Filmfare awards for Best Actress - Seema (1957), Sujata (1960), Bandini (1964), Milan (1969) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1979).

Sharmila Tagore: She won a timultuous welcome to Hindi cinema when she appeared with her glorious dimples and sassy smile in the romantic comedy Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) opposite Shammi Kapoor. With Evening in Paris (1967), she went on to become one of the hottest and most glamorous actresses. She won Filmfare Best Actress Award for Aradhna (1970) and National Award for Mausam (1975). Her other great movies include Anupama, Waqt, Chupke Chupke, Satyakam, Khushboo, Griha Pravesh, Namkeen, Desh Premi and Mississipi Masala.

Rakhee: One look at Rakhee and you are immediately drawn to her gaze. There you find the fire as well as melancholy, depending on her mood of the moment. In Sharmeelee (1971), her debut film, the cameraman devoted half an hour to her close-ups. She is truly a photographer's dream. She has a long list of super hits, to her very successful career spanning 30 years in the industry - Reshma Aur Shera, Lal Pathar, Be-Iman, Heera Panna, Daag, Black Mail, Banarsi Babu, Joshila, Angarey, Tapasya, Kabhi Kabhie, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Jurmana, Kala Pathar, Lootmaar, Shaan, Laawaris, Shradhanjali, Bemisal and more. She won Filmfare Best Actress Award for Tapasya (1976), Best Supporting Actress Award for Daag (1976) and Ram Lakhan (1989).

Hema Malini: She entered Bollywood as the 'Dream Girl' of Raj Kapoor in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968), but became dream girl of multitude of movie goers with Johnny Mera Naam, the mega hit of 1970. Then came Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and she was the top female star, winning the Filmfare Best Actrss Award for the film. Her stocks went high with a string of hits opposite Dharmendra - Raja Jani, Jugnu, Solay, Pratigya, Phandebaaz, Dream Girl, Dillagi, Charas, Azaad, Aas Paas, Andha Kanoon etc. Gulzar brought to limelight Hema's histrionics excellence in Khushboo (1975), Kinara (1977) and Meera (1979). Hema Malini has the distinction of bagging Filmfare Best Actress Award even for her comeback film Baghban, more than 30 years after she won her first award. She was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1999.

Shabana Azmi: One of the greatest actresses of our time, leading light of the Indian New Wave cinema, she dominated the films of the 'parallel cinema' in 1970s and 80s made by India's famous arthouse directors Shyam Benegal, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Aparna Sen and others. Her most memorable movies include Ankur, Nishant, Junoon, Atithi, Sparsh, Mandi. Madam Sousatzka, City of Joy, Fire, Earth and Morning Raaga, besides the Filmfare Best Actress Award winning films Swami, Arth and Bhavna.

Rekha: Superstar of South India, Gemini Ganeshan's daughter Rekha entered Bollywood with a bang, with her first film Sawan Bhadon (1970) becoming a super hit. Her most memorable movie is Umrao Jaan in which she played the role of the poet-cum-court dancer with the charm that captivated the audience as never before. She won the National Award for the film. Her big hits include - Mr. Natwarlal, Khoon Psina, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Namak Haram, Suhag, Ram Balram, Kasme Vaade, Do Anjaane, Alaap. Khoobsoorat and Khoon Bhari Maang won her Filmfare Best Actress Awards. She also won Best Supprting Actress Award for Khiladion Ke Khiladi (1998). The icon of beauty and glamor in Bollywood, she credits Yoga and balanced diet as the secret of her ageless face and figure.

Sridevi: Stunning beauty and an accomplished dancer, Sridevi came to capture Bollywood in the 80s, after conquoring the South Indian cinema. In fact, she is the only actress to have attained superstar status in Hindi cinema and the South Indian regional cinema at the same time. Dance has always been Sridevi's forte in all her films. Her dance number in the mega hit Chandni - Mere Hathon Mei Nau Nau Churiyan - made the dance mendatory at every marriage in any nook and corner of the country. Childlike, spontaneous and comic, she excelled in the art of slapstick and physical comedy - Mr. India (1987) and Chalbaaz (1989). She won Filmfare Best Actress Award for Chalbaaz and Lamhe and nominations for Sadma, Chandni, Khuda Gwah, Gumrah, Laadla and Judaai. She is now more active as producer than as an actress.

Madhuri Dixit: N. Chandra's Tezaab (1988) - Ek Do Teen Char - took the nation by storm and celebrated Golden Jubilee. The sensational newcomer, Madhuri Dixit, who performed the super hit song-cum-dance number, became a superstar overnight. The Ek Do Teen girl, as she came to be known, gave another stunning performance in Dil (1990) and Madhuri was now the most sought after star. An ultimate beauty and a wonderful dancer, she has achieved milestones in her career with her flawless performance, winning Filmfare Best Actress Awards for Dil (1991), Beta (1993), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1998) and Best Actress - supporting role for Devdas (2003). She also got nominated for Best Actress for her Tezaab, Prem Pratigya, Saajan, Khal Nayak, Yaraana, Pukar and Lajja.

The great performance of these actors and their glorious and shining artistry par excellence have made Indian cinema unparalleled. Dirty Picture proves beyond doubt that Vidya Balan may be the next to join the league of legendary leading ladies of Bollywood.

Wal-Mart - The Conspiracy Theory!

2011-11-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, November 28, 2011
“NDA convener and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain
said the question of allowing Parliament to function does not arise till government withdraws the decision on FDI.”

“Anna Hazare has announced that he will go on a fast at Ramlila ground from December 27 to January 5 if the governmnet fails to pass the Lokpal Bill.”

“BJP today backed Anna Hazare's decision to go on fast next month if the government fails to pass the Lokpal Bill in this Parliament session, saying it stands firmly behind him for a strong anti-graft watchdog.”

These are three separate news splashed in the media the same day. And what an anomaly! On the one hand BJP, the main opposition party in the Parliament, is dead set to stall the winter session of the House, and in the next breath it declares to back Anna Hazare's decision to go on fast if the government fails to pass the Lokpal Bill in this session. And Anna Hazare announcing the same day to go on fast next month if the government fails to pass the Bill in this session – is it a coincident or behind the scenes Anna Team is conspiring with the Opposition to corner the Congress party? Time will tell, but for now seems obvious the way the three news came the same day. In any case, the common man in India is too intelligent to be taken for a ride and will see through their tactics sooner than they can imagine.

The Opposition argument that retailers will be ruined with Wal-Mart entering the retail business falls flat in front of the facts. Nowhere in the world such a thing has happened and the Indian retail sector, one of the largest in the world, is too strong to be adversely affected by a single store such as the Wal-Mart. Here is an example from the actual happening that demolishes all such doubts:

Alwar, not so big a city in Rajasthan, was all excitement when Big Bazar, the large department store chain announced their decision to open a branch there. The consumers could not wait to see this happening in their comparatively small town, but the retailers lost their sleep having nightmares of the big store swallowing their business overnight. But no such thing happened. Not even one out of the numerous already existing small retail stores had to close down because of the Big Bazar competition. Now, nearly five years after the Big Bazar entered the Alwar retail scene, all the retailers, Big and small are flourishing in this fast expanding city. The only difference is that the neighborhood retail store has to think twice before overcharging its customers because of the Big brother's presence in the city, for whom the consumer has obvious affection for its price-cutting ethos. As shoppers become increasingly focused on the price of everything they buy, Big Bazar continues to work even harder, helping customers and their families save money while providing their associates with opportunities to build skills, advance their careers, and make a difference in their communities. In short, Big Bazar has a positive effect on Alwar economy, stimulating growth, lowering prices and creating jobs. What Big Bazar has done in Alwar, so can Wal-Mart in big cities when it comes there.

With foreign direct investment (FDI) being allowed in multi-brand retail, the Indian retail scene is set for a dramatic makeover. In the past two decades, Indian consumers have experienced the best that sectors like telecom, IT have to offer - thanks to these sectors opening up. That cannot be said of the Indian retail sector. The gap between the Indian and the international retail experience is huge - a yawning gap. In fact, that gap is the widest in the developing world. The opening of retail for foreign investment will reduce it. In modern retail, when a consumer walks into a hypermarket and buys a pack of detergent, s/he makes a choice between 10 and 15 brands and then chooses one out of 400 packs. That's the starting point of the art and science of shoppers' choice in the modern retail world. Everything, from packaging to promotion to pricing, is designed to get the attention of the shopper. The art of merchandising is far more evolved. Displays are better, lighting in the hypermarkets are standardized and there are either sales promotion people who educate on which brands you should buy or a promotional video running in the background. If you are buying a food product, the chances are that you will get to sample it. Mall culture is the norm of the day, its good for consumers to window shop and then decide to buy. This is the global way of retailing and large stores like Wal-Mart are only a part of it, no more. Quite contrary to BJP's perception, such stores are a boon for the consumers, and certainly not the monsters that may destroy the livelihood of people, who currently are engaged in the wholesale or retail business. It is a false propaganda of the Opposition and a dangerous move in the wrong direction that would take the country backward, instead of contributing to its emergence as the next super economic power. And all this only to serve their own interest to wrest power from the ruling party by whatever dubious means they can adopt, even by conspiring with Anna Team to create chaos through Anna's threats to fast. But at the end of the day they will be severely disappointed as they are underestimating the intelligence of the people of India, who will surely understand that the story of Wal-Mart is really the story of the transformation of the global economy for the consumer benefits and see Wal-Mart's staggering growth in the larger context of globalization. Both BJP and Anna Hazare also must already be aware of these realities of the modern world but prefer to keep their eyes closed in order to remain key players in the play: Wal-Mart – the conspiracy theory.

Where Is Relegan Siddhi?

2011-11-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

The above question is asked by Big B at the stunningly successful fifth season of KBC. And the options are: A – Iran, B – Pakistan, C – Malaysia, D – India.

The contestant on the Hot Seat weighs all the above options, one by one, keeping in mind the recently revealed remedy for alcohol addiction – public flogging – in Relegan Siddhi:

Iran

Alcohol consumption, under Islamic law, is automatically punishable by lashing. Carried out frequently in the tumultuous early days of the 1979 Islamic revolution, floggings have once more become a popular form of punishment, usually meted out on young people for consumption of drugs or alcohol. The following episode has been reported in Iranian and foreign media.

His face covered by a balaclava, an official brandishing a cane repeatedly lashes the back of a man found guilty of breaking Iran's morality laws. Two police officers hold the legs of 25-year-old Saeed Ghanbari and another his arms to ensure there is no escape from the punishment of 80 lashes handed down by a religious court. Traffic was brought to a halt in Qazvin, 90 miles west of the capital Tehran, as more than 1,000 men gathered behind barricades to watch the public flogging. Saeed Ghanbari receives 80 lashes for abusing alcohol. Some took pictures on mobile telephones, others climbed traffic lights for a better vantage point as Ghanbari was marched to the centre of the square under the watch of blue-uniformed guards carrying machine guns. A four foot long metal bench was taken from a police van and the convicted man was made to lie on it on his stomach, his fawn checked shirt pulled-up to his shoulders to expose his back and waist. One police officer held his hands together beneath the bench, two others gripped his legs to ensure there was little movement. Two police officers stood-by, their faces covered with balaclavas - each to administer 40 lashes. Both men then lashed Ghanbari, taking the cane back behind their heads to guarantee maximum impact, each stroke leaving a distinctive red mark and bruising on his back. Several wounds began to bleed. He had been convicted of abusing alcohol.

B – Pakistan

Soon after he took over, General Zia ul-Haq, who came to power in a military coup in 1977, arranged a big public flogging-show. The victims, who were charged for consuming alcohol, were all men, most of them middle-aged. They looked pale, and they shook with fear when the flogging began, but it had little effect on their captors.

The stage was built in a big open space where normally, children played football, cricket and hockey. It was an open platform, about fifteen feet high, and could be viewed from every corner of the huge ground. A wooden frame was fixed in the middle of the platform where every victim was to be tied, his hands and feet separately as on a cross. His face would be turned towards the stage where the policemen, the magistrate, and other important people were sitting; the press had special seats so that they could watch the flogging closely and report every detail. His hips, which would receive the whip, were to face the audience. A microphone was fixed on the frame, near where the victim's mouth was to be, so that everybody could hear him scream. The whipper was now ready to flog, all his muscles tightened and bulged. As those on the stage prepared for the flogging, thousands of people had already gathered to watch it. Some might have committed the same sin for which the fifteen victims were to be flogged: drinking alcohol. But they did not seem bothered. They were safe in doing whatever they did because they belonged to the so-called 'VIP' class where no law, religious or secular, applies.

Now the flogging was to start. The man with the stick indicated that he was ready. Two constables brought the convict on to the stage. He looked utterly helpless. He was not trembling. He did not even look afraid. He looked more like an animal about to be slaughtered and unable to understand what was happening to him. By now the crowd was completely silent. The constables lifted the man up on to the frame, and tied his hands and feet to the scaffolding: his face was turned towards the stage and his buttocks exposed to the crowd. Now all eyes were fixed on the whip-man who was fiercely slashing the air with his whip. The crowd was so quiet that the microphone picked up the slashing of the whip and carried it everywhere. The man on the scaffolding also heard the sound. He started trembling and then cried, very loudly. The loudspeakers carried his voice to the crowd and beyond, but nobody spoke a word.

Now a magistrate, also sitting on the stage, asked the whip-man to begin. He tested the whip for the last time, slowly hitting his left palm, and then came running, stopped a foot or two from the scaffolding and hit the victim with full force. The whip touched his skin, went into his flesh and came out again. The man shrieked in agony. Those sitting on the stage could see blood oozing from the wound. One, said the official counting the whips. The man was sobbing now which could be heard on the loudspeakers. The constable untied the man after the fifteenth lash and he fell on to the stage. They removed him on a stretcher and brought the next man.

C - Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — An Islamic court in Malaysia has sentenced a Muslim woman to be flogged with a rattan cane for having a beer in a nightclub, a court official said. Rattan canes used in the punishment are made from palm plants common in tropical parts of Asia. They have been used for decades for corporal punishments in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. The caning sentence is generally carried out by specially trained officials at prisons.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was sentenced to six lashes and a fine of 5,000 ringgit ($1,400) for consuming alcohol, said a Shariah High Court official who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to make public statements. Shukarno, a 32-year-old model, pleaded guilty in the court in eastern Pahang state to a charge of drinking beer when Islamic authorities raided a hotel nightclub in August 2008. Consuming alcohol is a religious offense in Malaysia only for Muslims, who make up nearly two-thirds of the population. Offenders are prosecuted in Shariah courts, which handle cases mainly related to family and moral issues for Muslims. The law provides for a three-year prison term and caning. Shukarno was the only Muslim caught in the raid at the Pahang nightclub. Malaysian clubs and lounges typically serve alcohol but are not legally required to check if customers are Muslim before serving them, so the hotel nightclub operators were not charged with any offense. The punishment "is aimed at making the accused repent and serves as a lesson to Muslims," the newspaper quoted Judge Abdul Rahman Yunus as saying.

D – India

Anna Hazare in a recent interview has said that people who drink alcohol should be served with three warnings and if they do not quit drinking habits then they should be beaten up and humiliated in public. Anna, a prominent leader in India's anti-corruption movement, practices nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Such a statement from Anna has lead to strong reactions from various sections of the society. While Anna Hazare had been working upon Prohibition of Alcohol earlier too, this time people have strongly reacted against his opinion. Questions are being raised whether he can act as a moral police within the democratic framework of India. People have also questioned whether a non-violent movement enthusiast like Anna can talk about beating up people.

Hazare's remark came in an interview with NDTV. Hazare recounted his way of going after drunkards when he spoke of how he got people in his native village in Maharashtra to give up drinking. If after drinking anybody creates trouble he would be simply warned thrice because he is "our man," Hazare said. "But even after warning him thrice if he again drinks then we will take him to a temple and he has to swear by god that he won't drink in future. And even after all this he drinks then we will tie him up to the electric pole in front of the temple and then beat him up so that he gets scared," Hazare said. Hazare justified his method, saying it would help drinkers get rid of a bad habit.

The 74-year-old Gandhian, known for his abhorrence to intoxicating substances, had earlier also kicked up a debate when he had issued a diktat in his native village in late 80s and early 90s to “flog people who consume alcohol.” Remembering this piece of knowledge worked as a cue to the contestant on the Hot Seat and he came up with the correct answer – D India.

Bollywood Superstars' Bullfights!

2011-11-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

Bollywood is a competitive platform where all the celebrities compete with each other through their movies. But never before this competition became personal and unhealthy till recent times when we often hear of many star fights and other tantrums. This emerging unfortunate trend was earlier limited to the few top leading ladies of Bollywood and was commonly called cat-fights, infamous examples being:

Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra: The two had a major mudslinging on KJO’s chat show on TV. While Kareena pointed fingers on Priyanka’s accent, the former beauty queen raised some eye brow by saying that no one in the industry took Kareena seriously.

Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor: When the actresses made their Bollywood debut; they were not exactly on talking terms with each other. After Deepika started dating Ranbir, Sonam who was earlier said to have been pretty comfortable with Ranbir, was very miffed.

Sonam Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: With Ash having been the face of L’Oreal for several years, the cosmetic brand also chose Sonam to represent a particular product under the brand name. At the Cannes Sonam, who was slated to walk the red carpet, was at the last moment denied the opportunity after Aishwarya put her foot down and expressed her displeasure in sharing the carpet.

Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee: Starting on as great buddies, the two lost ease somewhere down the line and started cold shouldering each other. While the two actors have acted in many films together, there has always been an unspoken war of words between them.

Kareena Kapoor and Bipasha Basu: Kareena‘s words will hardly be forgotten when the pale skinned actor dared to call Bipasha a ‘kali billi’. While filming for Ajnabi together, Bipasha made fun of Kareena’s outfits that led to the war of words.

Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra: The two ladies went on to win International beauty crowns the same year. Their rivalry goes back to the time when they made Bollywood debuts together. Apperently, Lara and Priyanka haven’t been talking to each other on the sets of Shahruk Khan’s latest film Don 2.

And the list gets longer and longer with new stars joining the league. However, the only plus point in this 'dirty picture' was that it only had female stars and the male actors were conspicuously missing from the cast. But the sequel has absolutely a different story to tell with male stars' bullfights dominating the action drama.

The study of Hindi cinema from early 1930s, when the first Indian 'talkie' was made, to date reveals that there are generally three superstars shining simultaneously at a given time – 1930s-40s: Ashok Kumar, Motilal and Surendra; 1950s-60s: Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand; 1970s-80s: Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan; 1990s-till date: the three Khans – Shahrukh, Salman and Amir. The superstars of the bygone decades were known for their decent, dignified and elegant behavior between each other and not to speak of bullfights, even discreet use of dirty words by one against the other star was unimaginable. Alas, this graceful relationship amongst rival stars is gone and become history. Now its not uncommon in Bollywood to see big stars slug it out, exchange heated arguments, develop cold relationships and use the media to vent their frustration in public (remember Vivek-Oberoi – Salman Khan spat over Aishwarya Rai). What we see is the most disgusting and disgraceful relationship emerging amongst male actors too, especially the superstars of today – Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Amir Khan.

The Sallu-SRK rivalry has been going on for quite some time now. The friction between Shahrukh and Salman dates back to 2003 during the filming of Chalte Chalte which originally starred Aishwarya Rai; The duo got into a fight when Salman disrupted the shootings of Chalte Chalte to meet Aishwarya Rai (his girlfriend during those days), this resulted in Shahrukh replacing Aishwarya with Rani Mukherjee. The rivalry between the two Khans has been one of the most controversial news in Bollywood. Their rivalry attained nasty proportions when they even almost came to blows during a party. The two had a nasty exchange of verbal assaults in front of friends and fans. It happened when Salman threw a star studded birthday bash for girlfriend Katrina Kaif. Shah Rukh Khan attended the party with wife Gauri and Karan Johar. It is said that the ‘diplomatic attire’ of the two khans lost after a few drinks and they got in a serious exchange of verbal assaults. Friends intervened before they came to blows. The feud is still simmering between the two, though not so apparently.

The cold war between Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan shows no signs of thawing. This rivalry began way back in 1996 when SRK won the Filmfare award for his act in DDLJ. As King Khan was being crowned at the function, our chocolate boy vowed to never again attend award ceremonies. Why? Because Aamir felt he deserved to win the award for his role in Rangeela. Since then the two are well known for taking potshots at each other, especially when either of their films is up for release. Post Ra. One release, seems like Shah Rukh Khan – Aamir Khan rivalry has become even more dirty and has reached new heights with reports that alleged that Aamir Khan was keen on pulling Shahrukh Khan’s new film Ra.One down. This has made SRK totally miffed and upset.

The ugly fight amongst the three Khans, the male superstars of today, confirms the fact that after watching the ongoing cat-fights for so long amongst leading ladies of Bollywood, it's time for a long spell of Bollywood superstar' bullfights.

Superstars Turn Star-salesmen

2011-11-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

New Delhi: In another one of his unique promotional strategies, superstar Shahrukh Khan is turning salesman on the small screen to sell merchandise from his upcoming film ''Ra.One''. The 45-year-old actor is all set to enter people's living rooms via TV as he showcases ''Ra.One'' merchandise on a special series on the virtual retail platform HomeShop18.

A Bollywood buff since its bygone era, reading the above news I was shocked and amused at the same time on the sea change advertising has gone through in the industry since the early years of Hindi cinema. Actually, producers never promoted their movies, much less the stars. Having finished the film, they had done their job, and now they just had to wait for the viewers' verdict. Advertising was entirely left to the distributors and exhibitors, who did it by putting billboards and posters of their forthcoming films on the city streets and the cinema halls where the film was to be released, apart from exhibiting some stills from the film in the lobby of the theaters. As time progressed, they started showing trailer of the film with the movie currently running. That was it as far as film promotion went. From the early decades of cinema I can recollect only two instances of exception when stars and producers did play a role in promotional effort:

The time was early 1940s when singer-actor Surendra's film Gharib was to be released. It was Surendra's first film after his near fatal accident during a film shooting which kept him hospitalized for over six months. The distributer, instead of showing the trailer of the film, showed an interesting 2-reeler short on how the hugely popular actor spent his time with doctors and nurses in the hospital and who all the celebrities and dignitaries were who came there to wish him speedy recovery and most interestingly, the postman carrying cartons full of his fan-mail to the hospital every day. It was, indeed, a unique way to profit by star's popularity to promote his film.

The second example was the enthusiastic participation of film industry's all time super showman, Raj Kapoor, in promoting pictures produced by him in 50s, 60s and 70s, the Golden era of Hindi Cinema. He made it a point not only to be personally present at the premier of his films in prominent cities, particularly Delhi, his most favorite, but also to address the audience on salient features of his film. Later, some other stars and producers followed suite and would appear in theaters on the premier night.

That was then, now it is entirely a different scenario. Bollywood is going through a crazy trend of promotional era where the stars are beating each other in the race to promote their respective films. They have to adopt new and interactive ways to promote their films. Star's promotion of movies is a must today, as much as his good performance in it. Most of the time they are under the producer's pressure to do uncommon things to promote their movies. If one is doing it, then another has to do it as well because it becomes an expectation for the audience to watch such things. Superstar Aamir Khan travelled across the country in disguise, Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza spent a night together in a car, Amitabh Bachchan read news on a TV channel, while actress Neha Dhupia threw condoms at a college crowd – all this to publicize their films. After these unusual activities were successful in creating a positive buzz around the films, it has now triggered a new race for fresh and more aggressive marketing methods. Shahid Kapoor reportedly turned weather forecaster for a day to promote his film Mausam. Amitabh Bachchan turned guest principal of colleges across the countries for Aarakshan. Mallika Sherawat made jalebis to promote the song Jalebi bai for Double Dhamaal. Ekta Kapoor promoted naughty threesome parties during the promotions of Ragini MMS. Ranbir Kapoor milked cows to promote Rockstar. Tusshar Kapoor turned bootlegger and earned money from selling books on the streets for the promotion of Shor In The City.

In earlier times the stars used to do their bit sincerely and were never part of promoting the films. These days the actors are begging the audience to watch film and doing cheap publicity like distributing money, dancing on the popular television shows and shamelessly doing any and every action to promote their future films. And with the importance given to marketing and promotions, no one’s blaming them. From tattoos to haircuts, merchandise to trips to the most interior areas of India, actors and actresses are leaving no stone unturned to publicize their film well before it releases. Who says only films can be entertaining? The antics and promotion gimmicks used by film stars to promote their flicks has become even more amusing and entertaining. It is all for box office and the magic Friday when film actually releases. Wonder does this really pay? The answer maybe yes, the hike they create rakes in huge opening weekend returns. And this is all that matters and makes everyone happy if the superstars turn star- salesmen.

And this is very serious business. Since 70 percent of the earnings typically come within the first week of the movie’s release, marketing virtually shapes the film’s destiny, says producer Riteish Sadhwani of Excel Productions.

Anna Hazare's Tea Party

2011-11-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

It is a well known fact that India's entertainment world, whether it is Bollywood moviemakers or the producers of TV reality shows , owes much of its success to copying, or as they like to call it 'taking inspiration from', the original works created and crafted in the West, especially Hollywood, USA. It seems, taking a cue from them, Anna Hazare and his Team have adopted the same formula to produce media's most favorite political drama ever staged. It has the same script, same characters and the same characteristics as Tea Party, an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative. The two movements not only had a very similar start but also the same aim and objectives - to discredit the ruling parties in their respective countries. Striking similarities in the two movements prove the point that Anna Hazare's Civil Society is the Indian version of the Tea Party in USA:

Tea Party:
Tea Party protesters filled the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and the National Mall at the Taxpayer March on Washington on September 12, 2009, to announce their arrival on the political scene. The theme of the Boston Tea Party, an iconic event of American history, has been used in the 2009 Tea Party movement that emerged in USA through a series of locally and nationally coordinated protests. Tea Party protests have invoked themes, images and slogans similar to those used during the pre-revolutionary period in American history. The 'tea' in Tea Party has been used as an acronym standing for Taxed Enough Already. But at its core, the Tea Party movement is rife with contradiction, incoherence and a willful contempt for facts or reason. Consider the Tea Party movement, whose foremost demand of a president, who in his first month passed one of the biggest tax cuts ever, is for tax cuts. On July 14, 2010, a Tea Party group in Iowa removed a billboard comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin after receiving sharp criticism from other tea party leaders. The entire tea party movement may not be racist, but there definitely are elements in the movement that have displayed racist posters of President Barack Obama, spit at black congressmen and used veiled language to warn that “our way of life” is threatened by our first black president. Some of the Tea Party followers are fanning the flames created by a group that wants to take down the president and “wants the president to fail”. There is ample evidence that certain elements within the tea party movement have been tied to white extremist elements. Pictures from some tea party rallies show racist and anti-Semitic images. Essentially, it is a new face of the same old right-wing, reactionary forces that have long been working to turn America into a more religious, racist and militaristic country. The Tea Party's most noted national figures include Republican politicians and the movement's supporters have tended to endorse Republican candidates. The movement is not a new political group, but simply a re-branding of traditional Republican candidates and policies. One of the best guides to the Tea Party movement is that a member of the movement is essentially someone who would've earlier identified as a Republican but now calls himself an independent despite being a conservative and voting pretty much exclusively for Republicans. In other words, they are Republicans under another name. The movement's main agenda is to restore power to the Republican Party which lost it badly to the Democrats during the last elections when for the first time a Black was nominated by the party and elected as president in the country.

Civil Society:
Almost 5,000 people from all walks of life gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on April 4, 2011 to show their support for social activist Anna Hazare who began his anti-corruption campaign announcing hunger strike unto death. Political pundits have always been suspicious that embattled BJP was closely affiliated with the Tea Party movement. It has now been confirmed that the Anna Hazare-led so-called ‘second freedom struggle’—as some sections of the media have mistakenly chosen to call it—has close links with the RSS. From conceptualizing this media-propelled movement to successfully organizing it, the RSS, it appears, played a key role in it. The movement was heavily based on the support and assistance of the RSS. Members of the so-called ‘Team Anna’ may or may not concede this but the RSS has itself officially acknowledged this fact. The massive crowds that poured out onto the streets to participate in the movement was, to very a large extent, the handiwork of Hindutva organizations. It is now evident that not only did the RSS mobilize crowds in support of Anna Hazare’s movement but that it even prepared the movement’s very roadmap. The decision to launch a campaign against corruption was taken by the RSS at its All-India leaders meeting in Karnataka in March 2011, and it was only after that, in April and then in August, that Anna Hazare sat on a fast against corruption. Interestingly, a top RSS leader, the late HV Seshadri, even wrote a book on Anna Hazare’s so-called ‘model village of Ralegan Shiddi, which he hailed as supposedly heralding the arrival of Ram Rajya! When the BJP recently failed in its attempt to topple the government, it suddenly remembered its favourite hero Anna Hazare, and, accordingly, so it seems, Hindutva forces decided to achieve their objective by creating this movement ostensibly against corruption. For this purpose, activists of the RSS’s students’ wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, floated an outfit called ‘Youth Against Corruption’. At the same time, Arvind Kejriwal, who was running an organization called Parivartan, got together with flag-bearers of ‘soft Hindutva’, men like Baba Ramdev, Shri Shri Ravi Shankar and other such religious leaders, and established a group that called itself ‘India Against Corruption’. It seems that both these organizations, with very similar-sounding names, were established in accordance with the RSS’s plan of unleashing a countrywide agitation ostensibly against corruption. Sushma Swaraj, the senior BJP leader made it very clear during a debate in Lok Sabha that RSS is very much a part of India Against Corruption, the body under whose banner Anna Hazare is agitating for a strong Lokpal Bill. Swaraj emphasized on the fact that even though there is no secret pact between Anna Hazare camp and the RSS but the Hindutva organization is officially mobilizing support through Youth against Corruption, an arm of the RSS student wing, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad. RSS is using this movement to make BJP backdoor entry to power. They want to mobilise people against congress. This movement has become anti congress rather than anti corruption, as was very clear during the recently held by-election in Hissar, and Anna Hazare's declaration to work for the defeat of Congress Party in the forthcoming elections in five states next year.

The civil society movement and the issue of corruption have been weakened with the recent turn of events. Had it not been for the bad name earned by some of the Team members because of their financial bungling, Anna Hazare would have eagerly grabbed the opportunity to copy another political drama - “Occupy Wall Street” - the current hot favorite in USA, and we would have by now seen the emergence of “Occupy Dalal Street” or whatever name and place Anna would have preferred. The Civil Society needs to re-establish the movement and work for a society where people in a real fashion enjoy the corruption-free space in the country. The burden of responsibility therefore lies more on Anna Hazare to make the movement immune from those people and political parties which are abusing his popularity to grab power and let them not make the movement look like Anna Hazare's Tea Party.

India - A Major Economic Player

2011-10-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Diwali and wishing you all a very happy and prosperous year ahead. And a sincere “Sorry” for not being present on my blog for a prolonged period. I have recently returned to USA from a long trip to India with my wife where I had purposely not taken my laptop, though addicted to it otherwise. I wanted to devote absolutely undivided time to see and enjoy the colossus development taken place in the country since we last visited it some years ago and I''m proud to say the ongoing progress is simply mind-blowing.

Long written off as chronically hobbled by poverty, in today's India we saw on the roads Toyotas and BMWs traveling alongside brightly colored buses, motor rickshaws, scooters and bicycles. We were as much amused as amazed to see the lowest paid worker on the street talking on cellphone to his family at home, the morning newspaper man distributing the paper driving a motorbike instead of the bicycle and most of the urban families owning a car and their school going children driving scooters. The standard of living of the common man in the country is so strikingly improved that it looked unbelievable to us. And why not – the minimum wage earner who was available for rupees fifty a day we found it difficult to get for 300 rupees for a day's work. Our friend's son who managed to earn a place in an elite university after surviving a merit- based selection that is most competitive in the world, has a payback that was beyond our belief: a degree from Ahmadabad Indian Institute of Management was worth starting salary of rupees one million per year plus perks. Another friend who is looking for a match for his daughter is outright rejecting any proposal where the boy is earning less than ten-lac package per year. Can you believe it, we could not unless we had seen it ourselves.

It is commonly known that India is now leader in information technology and home to many multinational companies that dominate in developing computer programs for key players in the field, providing software for satellite GPS codes and video-enabled cellphones. But what we did not know was that some of these companies are providing their consulting services to the mighty ones like Google, Wikipedia, Youtube and Myspace. The success stories of the young software engineers in these companies convincingly prove that if there is a place where hope is still young, this place is India. India churns out more than 20,000 engineers annually – more than double America and Europe combined. A nation that the West no longer looks down on with compassion, but now gapes at with admiration, India represents a new idea of modernity – a model for so many underdeveloped nations who might wisely ask: “If India can do it, why can't we?” Its success is already inspiring hope in South America, Middle East and Africa. Foreign tourists, especially from the West become inebriated not only by the country's colors, its natural landscapes, the poetry of its customs and the elegance of its simplest people, but also by the new atmosphere of optimism and energy that one breathes here. No wonder, India today is poised to emerge on the world stage as a major economic player.

Broadway That Is Different!

2011-02-09T06:14:00.000-08:00

Manhattan is the jewel of New York with Broadway at its center. Early settlers of the island of Manhattan were amazed by the amount and the diversity of the wildlife and the beauty of the forest. Lobsters as long as a man's arm were stacked upon the ocean floor, and fish jumped freely into canoes.
Obviously the natural diversity is gone these days, yet diversity remains in the people who walk the streets of New York. Broadway, as the name implies, is a wide avenue in New York City, which runs the full length of Manhattan and continues into the Bronx. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to the first New Amsterdam settlement. The name Broadway is the English literal translation of the Dutch name, Breede weg. The Dutch explorer and entrepreneur David de Vries gives the first mention of it in his journal for the year 1642.

In 1866, "The Black Crook" was the first staged Broadway musical. The show ran for over an astounding five hours and for 474 performers. For decades, audiences made up of all nationalities, races and backgrounds have enjoyed coming to see a Broadway show filled with dance, song, laughter and tears. Some of the longest-running Broadway shows include "Cats," "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Fantasticks" with each having over 7,000 productions. Broadway musical theater history is rich in shows that range from dramas to comedies to witches to lions, all which are unique and special to each of their fans.

In the 1920's Broadway blossomed and began showing the true colors of what it would come to be in the later half of the 20th century. Broadway was the hangout for most of the famous people in the 1920s-the gangsters, like Owney Madden, rubbed shoulders with celebrities like Charlie Chaplin. If the 1920's are known for being modern society's answer to the prudery and uptight nature of the Victorian age, Broadway is the antithesis of polite society. Yet people fell in love with the beautiful girls and beautiful shows. Fashion was taken for granted, Broadway was full of beautifully dressed dolls and dapper sultans. Getting dressed for a Broadway Show meant a great looking dress for the woman, and a well fitted men's suit. As anyone who has ever gone to a Broadway show knows, the real history of Broadway New York lies in the characters who graced the streets as well as the stage. America fell in love with the black and white morality of the law of the Broadway. Most American cities started to have a "Broadway" of their own.

In San Francisco, Broadway is an east-west street that runs from The Embarcadero to the Cow Hollow district. The neon-lined stretch of Broadway through North Beach is the city's home to strip clubs and other adult businesses, as well as many nightclubs and bars, and has been featured in several films and television shows. The Broadway Street is a thriving street that is referred to as the "red light district" of San Francisco. The street is bustling with people after dusk when several hardcore clubbers come together to spend a night of excitement, drinks and dance. It has some of the City's best gentlemen's clubs. The Broadway showgirls cabaret sets the standard for the quintessential evening out-- a limo service, a five star restaurant with a chef that takes requests, wine and champagne to tempt every palate, plush atmospheres, VIP lounges and even a shoe shine service. A major Broadway feature is the dramatic 12th century Spanish palace, the Orpheum Theatre. Built in 1926 as a showcase for theatre magnate Alexander Pantages, the Orpheum has featured vaudeville, silent films, motion pictures, musical comedy and other theatrical entertainment. The Orpheum has since been named a San Francisco Historical Landmark. All year round, the Broadway Street plays host to several local events like the New Years' Eve, Halloween parties and block parties among others.

Twenty miles away, Millbrae downtown Broadway is the dream-street of culinary arts, especially of the Chinese cousin. No matter what your tastes are harking for, you will find something to satisfy that craving at the best of eateries – American, Asian, Bar & Grill, Barbecue, Bistros, Breakfast & Brunch, Burger, Cafes, Chinese, French, Italian, Mexican, Pizza, Seafood, Steak and Vegetarian. Broadway is amongst the distinguished downtowns where Starbucks competes with Peets, Safeway with Trader Jo's, Baskin and Robbins with Yubi, Kohls with Dress Barn, and where you have 24 hours Walgreen and Fitness. It makes Millbrae so opposite of the neighboring Hillsborough where “zoning law” forbids any kind of commercial activity, including banks and postal services. Even with all these businesses to boast of, Broadway is all the time having major makeovers going on with installation of numerous streets-cape improvements, including street trees, street plantings, banners, decorative paving, street lighting, street furniture, holiday decorations, and installation of community benches. A farmer's market on Broadway? That's right. This is held on Saturdays in the early morning till about 1 p.m. or so. The peaches are delicious in the summertime, and the grapes, navel oranges and all the rest are just as scrumptious. There are also a good amount of flower stands and veggie stands. The veggie stands bring their vegetables fresh from Fresno and sell them for super cheap, cheaper than even the Dean's Produce, the most popular destination for daily purchase of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Every year, the last unofficial weekend of summer brings large crowds to Millbrae for one of the Bay Area’s biggest Labor Day weekend events, transforming its delightful Broadway street into a resplendent sea of people and colorful tents. They stroll, browse, relax and enjoy a friendly and vibrant street fair with two days of stellar live music, gorgeous handcrafted work by 250 talented artists, fabulous food and wine, and the best family entertainment value around. Millbrae retains its "small town" feel, while undergoing a major revitalization, especially on its Broadway that is different.

Era Of Classic Comedy

2011-02-04T06:02:00.000-08:00

Cinematic comedy can be considered the oldest film genre and one of the most prolific and popular. Comedy films are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. These are light-hearted screenplays crafted to amuse, entertain and provide enjoyment. The common man, living most of the time in stress and strains of the day-to-day drudgery, has always looked to comedies for respite and relief. Bollywood has carried on the tradition of discovering and rediscovering the comedians from the bygone era till today, who excelled in evoking laughter with their talent and perfect comic timing.

The conventional comedian came on the screen as the hero's companion and clicked in a big way when Lal Haveli, made in the early '40s, became the biggest hit of the year. Yaqub, the great comedian of that era, played singer- actor Surendra's friend in the film. Followed another hit, Ustadon Ke Ustad in which Mukri, the shortest comedian with longest innings, played companion of the tallest hero, Sheikh Mukhtar. And the formula for the hit film was ready. Playing the hero's friend in film after film, comedians Agha, Gope, Johney Walker, Mehmood, Rajendra Nath, Deven Verma, Jagdeep, Keshto Mukherji, Asrani and others became increasingly popular. Tun Tun and Shobha Khote deserve special mention for their heartwarming performances. Later many of them even turned producers.

Character artistes-cum-comedians had been often cast in important roles in Hindi films but no one ever reached the heights Om Prakash touched in his long career. Right from his Dassi days in Lahore to Aye Bahar, Pehli Jhalak, Chaman, Ladki, Azaad, Namak Halal etc., he dominated the Hindi cinema for decades. The only other actor who came close to him in comic timing and innovative humour was David. His long list of hit movies included Kismat, Naya Tarana, Dharti Ke Lal, Chandni Raat, Ladli, Samadhi, Sargam, Hamara Ghar and Boot Polish. Jeevan, Ajit, Shakti Kapoor and Kanhaiya Lal, the veteran artistes of long standing, used their comic talents to turn their negative roles into comedy. Jokes revolving around Ajit's lines have ever remained popular. Radha Krishan was another bright artiste who was able to make audience roar with laughter by his peculiar way of using his voice. He was also the luckiest comedian whose every movie was a hit.

Growth of star system in the '70s and increasing popularity of action thrillers in the '80s sidelined the comedians for quite sometime. With the arrival of Johney Lever on the big screen in the 90s, there was a welcome revival of the comedians' role in Hindi cinema. Paresh Rawal, Arshad Warsi, Rajpal Yadav joined in to steal crucial scenes from big stars with their bright comedies and super timings. They are in great demand and deserve long innings like their predecessors of the bygone era, but it is not that easy for them. They are facing big competition from stars turning comedians, especially after the super success of situational comedies sans conventional comedians, such as Andaz Apna Apna, Mujh Se Shadi Karogi, Maine Pyar Kyon Kiya, No Entry, Partner, Singh is Kiing, Hera Pheri, Gol Maal etc. Still, with their outstanding talent in comedy they have created a fan following of their own and likely to keep coming for us in film after film to tickle our funny bone.

Here is a tribute to the makers of Hindi cinema's top ten comedies which have the funniest moments and scenes ever seen on screen.

1. Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (Satyen Bose, 1958): This is a true classic. Simple story, wonderful music, great acting, brilliant cast and phenomenally hilarious. The story, like the 1928 Chevrolet in the film, ran amok. It gives you more laughs than you can handle. The lead duo, Kishore and Madhubala were a treat on the screen. The film's highlights are the songs, 'Ek ladki bhigi bhagi si', 'Panch rupaya barah ana' and 'Babu samjho ishare', besides, of course, Kishore Kumar's antics. The movie stands tall amongst the greatest comedies ever.

2. Johar Mehmood in Goa (I. S. Johar. 1965): Comedians Mehmood and I. S. Johar hit a surprise jackpot with the rollicking entertainer Johar Mehmood in Goa. Mehmood's no-holds barred comedy provides the perfect match to Johar's subtle, cynical humour and the sparks flow. The comedy team clicked in a big way and the comic duo went on to make several more capers which immortalized them. The film is also remembered for Mohd. Rafi and Manna Dey's hit duo, 'Ye do diwane dil ke, chale hain dekho milke'.

3. Pyar Kiye Ja (C. V. Sridhar, 1966): A mad mad comedy highlighting the eccentric Kishore Kumar and the comic genious of Mehmood, Pyar Kiye Ja spawned many remakes. Mehmood, Om Prakash's son, plays an aspiring film director in the movie. The classic scene when he narrates his to-be-made horror film story to his dad replete with sound effects of raindrops, door creeking and wind blowing, is one of the funniest scenes of Hindi cinema. Not surprising, Mehmood won the Filmfare (1967) Award for Best Comedian for his role in the film.

4. Padosan (Jyoti Swaroop, 1968): This is an unforgettable gem. Every scene, song and dialogue remains etched in mind. The two uncrowned kings of comedy, Kishore Kumar and Mehmood are at their best. Add to this an excellent performance by Sunil Dutt as Bhola, a simpleton to the core youngman, and you have a super entertainer. The trio enact their characters magnificently. A highlight of the movie is some hilarious numbers, particularly, 'Ik chatur naar karke singar' and 'Mere samnewali khidki mein'.

5. Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar (Rajendra Bhatia, 1973): To cover up his disappearance from home whole night atop a giant wheel at a carnival with an attractive young woman due to power failure, Sunil Mehta (Kiran Kumar) tells his very suspicious wife, Geeta (Radha Saluja) a lie. This lie takes them through one impossible situation after another. The highlight of the film is Champak Bhoomia, both the fictitious (Asrani) and the real (Paintal), who between them create the funniest situations in the film. In fact, Asrani won the Filmfare (1974) Award for Best Comedian for his role in the movie. The movie is also remembered for Kishore Kumar's hilarious number, 'Mujhe meri biwi se bachana'.

6. Chupke Chupke (Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1975): With every scene rib-tickling, every dialogue hilarious, and a story that has the audience in splits, Chupke Chupke ranks as one of the top comedies in Hindi cinema. Performances in the movie are the backbone of the film. Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore keep you spellbound for the initial part of the movie while Amitabh Bachchan steals the show in the later. The high point of this comic caper is the perfect timing that Dharmendra and Om Prakash share, making their scenes a treat to watch.

7. Golmal (Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1979): Immensely witty and hilarious, Golmal comes out to be one of the most favorite comedies of all times. Utpal Dutt, with his impeccable comic timing is the backbone of the movie. Amol Palekar perfectly fits into the role of Ram Prasad, who has to keep covering up throughout the film for his one lie at the beginning when he goes for a job interview. He outrightly proves why he is renowned as an actor of extraordinary calibre. The movie is also remembered for its hummable number 'Aanewala pal'. Golmal won Filmfare (1980) Awards for Best Actor (Amol Palekar), Best Comedian (Utpal Dutt) and Best Lyricist (Gulzar).

8. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (Kundan Shah, 1983): No cheap humor, no poor jokes, just a simple inexpensive movie, yet a great script and wonderful actors make it one of the best comedies ever produced by Hindi cinema. Rib-tickling, side- splitting, it is a comedy as it should be, and so very rarely is. Everyone in the cast - Naseerudin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Punkaj Kapoor, Satish Shah, Satish Kaushik and Om Puri have given brilliant performances. Probably amongst the best. The wittiest satire ever, JBDY will ever remain a cult classic. The film won Filmfare (1985) Awards for Best Comedian (Ravi Baswani).

9. Hera Pheri (Priya Darshan, 2000): A fun ride from start to finish, Hera Pheri took everyone by surprise. Except for Paresh Rawal, the other actors, Suniel Shetty and Akshay Kumar were not looked upon as comedians. But the trio just rocked the nation with this screwball comedy. The film is a comedy of errors. It is one roller-coaster ride of laughter. The script is superb and the laughter infectious. The film won Filmfare (2001) Award for Best Comedian (Paresh Rawal).

10. Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (Rajkumar Hirani, 2003): A warm charming film, Munnabhai M.B.B.S. is one of the most uproarious and successful films in recent times. The comedy causes rip-roaring laughter. The film is one of the funniest to come from Bollywood and that is due to spot on comic timing by Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani. Munnabhai M.B.B.S. won Filmfare (2004) Awards for Best Actor in Comic Role (Sanjay Dutt), Best Film-Critics, Best Dialogues (Abbas Tyrewala) and Best Screenplay (Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Joseph).

The rise of television and its increasing popularity has a damaging effect on film comedy. Screen comedies have declined in number with the rise of TV situation comedies ('sitcoms') and comedy variety shows. But thanks to some of the present day filmmakers like David Dhawan, Priyadarshan, Rajkumar Hirani etc., who not only believe in the age old saying 'Laughter the best Medicine' but also distinguish by distributing this medicine with their blockbuster movies filled with the innovative vigor and creativity of the era of classic comedy.

The Right Answer!

2011-02-01T04:16:00.000-08:00

The world seems to be increasingly polarized. We can see it clearly in the USA where the political discourse is being dumped down or whipped up. Looking at the last elections, marked by angry protests and mud-slinging campaigns, it's easy to believe that American politics has become insanely, politically polarized and the political climate has gotten so ugly as never before. In the hysterical “us” against “them” world we are living in, it is increasingly difficult for people to allow themselves to see the other person’s point of view. Instead of reasoning that the other person must have a valid reason for thinking the way they do, the tendency is to paint the other as insane, stupid or evil. Living in a culture where other points of view cannot be tolerated and people who hold them must be denuded of their human capacity to think, means living in a culture where cognitive functioning is impaired and mental health in general begins to suffer.

"A cocktail of political and technological trends have converged in the last decade that are making it possible for the idiots of all political stripes to overwhelm and paralyze the genius of our system. Those factors are: the wild excess of money in politics; the gerrymandering of political districts, making them permanently Republican or Democratic and erasing the political middle; a 24/7 cable news cycle that makes all politics a daily battle of tactics that overwhelm strategic thinking. Finally, on top of it all, we now have a permanent presidential campaign that encourages all partisanship, all the time among our leading politicians. I would argue that together these changes add up to a difference of degree that is a difference in kind — a different kind of American political scene that makes me wonder whether we can seriously discuss serious issues any longer and make decisions on the basis of the national interest."
-Thomas Friedman
New York Times September 29, 2009

People can often overcome political differences, because they like one another and give each other credit for good intentions. But it is the media environment where both sides treat each other with suspicion. There's no more sort of 'noble opponent,' where we differ on things, but we all have the same goals. But is there really any sanity, or at least any moderate views, left in American politics? According to political scientists and psychologists, the answer is yes. You're just not likely to see it on television -- or in Congress, but if you look at the American public as a whole, there is a "vast middle" of unengaged people who aren't very polarized. People are mostly quite social, as proved by the immense popularity of social networks. What is most important to most of us is our relationships. We are affected by others’ behavior toward us and what they say about us. We adapt to others and they adapt to us. We develop a way, or ways, of relating to others in different situations. We can see our lives from one point of view as adapting to and influencing others. I may learn something of great importance from you or impart some information that is helpful.

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” - Gandhi.

The united part in the United States seems to be endangered as we watch partisan politics play out in Washington. Our legislators believe that voting with their own political party and against the opposition is more important than seriously considering the merits of the bill. Are they not putting partisan politics ahead of the national interest? We have become a nation of people so disrespectful of others' beliefs that we have lost the habit of respecting those with whom we disagree. Rather, we prefer to demean others so as make ourselves look better. The hostile climate and the nasty tone of debate dominates today’s policy-making environment. Statesmanship has given way to anger and scoring. The losers are the American people. So given our differences and our psychological impulses to divide and conquer, is there hope for a return to national political cooperation and goodwill? Can political parties and the media ratchet down the drama to better reflect the electorate?

The answer lies in the explanation of Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Me.) why she was supporting the Senate Finance Committee version of the health care bill. As she remarked so succinctly: “When history calls, history calls.” While admitting she had qualms about the Committee’s bill, Snowe — unlike all her Republican colleagues on the Committee — clearly understood that her job was not to obstruct the law-making process, but to negotiate ways to make it happen. She understood that, among other things, as a U.S. senator she had to find a way to help 45 million U.S. citizens get health insurance, as opposed to denying President Obama a political victory. Let us wish there are many more Olympia Snowes ready to step into the breach. To quote John F. Kennedy:

“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer."

1000 Bows For 1000 Blogs!

2011-01-13T15:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Amitji,

Thank you so much for your wonderful 1000 blogs in 1000 days on www.bigb.bigadda.com. Blogs which have been a remarkable resource of new ideas to your regular readers and fans, honored to be addressed by you as your Extended Family. You have proved Weblogs have a place in society that's as strong as their place in decentralizing news gathering and reporting. And there's more. All you are doing is lowering the barrier, making it easier to get in. That's a big deal of course, because every year, and each time through the loop, it's bigger, and it gets easier. You, I have felt, place no restrictions on the form of content being posted. It can be anything: a passing thought, an extended essay, a quick reflection on some subject or another, or a rare childhood recollection. Everyone could publish, a thousand voices could flourish, communicate, connect, nothing less than an outbreak of self-expression. Each is evidence of a staggering shift from an age of carefully controlled information provided by sanctioned authorities, to an unprecedented opportunity for individual expression on a worldwide scale.

Your readers, by virtue of simply writing down whatever is on their mind, are confronted with their own thoughts and opinions. Commenting often, they become more confident writers. A community of people has sprung up around the public record of their thoughts. Being met with friendly voices, they gain more confidence in their view of the world; they begin to experiment with longer forms of writing. As they enunciate their opinions daily, this new awareness of their inner life may develop into a trust in their own perspective. Accustomed to expressing their thoughts, they are able to more fully articulate their opinions to themselves and others. They remember an incident from their own childhood when you relate a memory. They click back and forth between blogs and analyze each reader's point of view in a multi-blog conversation, and form their own conclusions on the matter at hand. Doing this, they begin a similar journey of self-discovery and intellectual self-reliance. The beauty of your blog is that while you have done a bit of work many people contributed useful comments and links which greatly increases the value. I thank all who have commented and contributed. It was always an exciting moment for me whenever I read your real life experiences and thought-provoking comments. Thanks everyone!

Oh, well when people say your blogs changed their lives – they are absolutely right! Your site has been both a practical and inspirational tool for them. It has been one amazing…really amazing experience with your readers! Blog grown from nowhere to quite impressive size in 1000 days! It has been a lot of work and a lot of fun. We enjoy reading and writing. Personally, I may have relatively less time to spend on the blog. But for me, the spirit of helping people and to enjoy life by seeing people benefit from this site are the very core enjoyment I have in my life. It is part of my value and my life. You are indeed my mentor in my own blog writings and I'm ever thankful for the 10 most important lessons that I have learned from your blogs:

1. Blogging is not ‘writing a blog’. Blogging is linking and commenting. Any writing is a bonus.
2. Regular posting is important…
3. But quality posting is even more important.
4. First knowledge, then analysis, then ideas.
5. A picture is worth a thousand words.
6. The best reason to blog is not to show everyone else what you know, but to find out what everyone else knows
7. A blog doesn’t open doors for you, it just gives you the idea to try knocking.
8. Do what you do best and link to the rest.
9. Leave posts open ended if you want people to comment.
10. Blogs are far more ethnically representative than mainstream media.

Staying consistent enough for 1000 posts and over 3 years worth of info is an accomplishment when most others, especially from your fraternity, are quick to drop out if results and response aren't immediate. This is an impressive feat and more importantly, you have provided an incredibly valuable service to all of us with class and integrity. You should be extremely proud. And we too are proud to be part of it. While looking forward to your next 1000 posts, we applaud you with 1000 bows for 1000 blogs.

Regards

Tilak Rishi

Big B - The Biggest Star Of The Decade!

2011-01-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

In July 1999, Amitabh Bachchan was named the "Greatest Star of stage or screen of the Millennium" by BBC online poll where he defeated many Hollywood legends such as Alec Guinness, Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier and Charlie Chaplin. On Dece 31, 2010, he was declared “Best Actor of the Decade” at the Big Star Entertainment Awards, telecast worldwide by Star-plus. As one of his millions of big fans, I'm proud to present here his top ten movies of the decade with comments taken from reviews of the respective films by renowned film critics:

1. Mohabbatein (2000)

Directed by Aditya Chopra, the movie stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan in pivotal roles, along with six young debutantes. Aishwarya Rai appeared in flashbacks as Khan's lover. The movie was filmed at Oxford and Longleat. The film went on to do well both critically and commercially. It became the second highest grossing film of the year and won two Filmfare Awards, given to both Bachchan and Khan for their respective roles.

Mohabbatein has all the ingredients peculiar to Yash Raj films that also the audience seems to like forever, but the one ingredient that dwarfs everything else in this three and a half hour Diwali treat is Amitabh Bachchan. As a strict disciplinarian, a stern man, a patriarchal figure, Amitabh strikes just the right note. On seeing the film, you realize that nobody but nobody else could have been Narayan Shankar. The story is okay, but it is Amitabh and Shah Rukh, who rise above their roles and give the film an altogether different feel, height and look. And if you must know that one person who stands out in the crowd and gets the maximum applause on his entry, the answer is, Amitabh Bachchan.

2.Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)

Director Karan Johar's second movie (after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), it was the highest grossing Indian film in the overseas market until 2006, when its record was broken by Johar's third film, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, another Amitabh Bachchan movie. The film also broke the American box office top 10, and was the first Bollywood feature to see a theatrical release in Germany (with German subtitles, a dubbed version was produced too). The film received fifteen nominations at the Filmfare Awards and ultimately won five awards, including the Best Supporting Actor award for Amitabh Bachchan.

In the most attractive star-cast in the Bollywood, the scintillating pair of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan (onscreen after such a long gap) engages the viewer considerably. While Jaya Bachchan looks unmatchable in the role in which she has seldom been seen, Amitabh's role of a stern patriarch (who demands strict principles and morals from his children) is reminiscent of the one he did in �Ek Rishta and Mohabbatein.

3. Baghban (2004)

B.R. Chopra's BAGHBAN, directed by Ravi Chopra, is a healthy family entertainer that takes a look at the lives of parents who are left in lurch in their old age to fend for themselves by their children. BAGHBAN works, mainly because of the rich emotional appeal it has to offer. The film is rich in emotions and a couple of sequences linger in your memory even after the show has concluded. Amitabh Bachchan delivers a wonderful performance. Although the veteran had enacted the role of the family head in the recent past [EK RISHTAA, K3G], this one towers above the rest. It's yet another memorable performance in his illustrious career.

On the whole, BAGHBAN has strong emotions as its trump card, which appeal to the family audience. At the box-office, as the word of mouth caught on, this 'gardener' [BAGHBAN] was rewarded with fruits, like its predecessors.

4. Black (2005)

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Black revolves around a blind and deaf girl, and her relationship with her teacher who himself later develops Alzheimer's disease. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and eleven Filmfare Awards, an all-time record at the Filmfare Awards, beating the previous record holders: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Devdas (2002) with ten wins each. Time Magazine (Europe) selected the film as one of the 10 Best Movies of the Year 2005 from across the globe. The movie was positioned at number five. Amitabh Bachchan received Best Actor award at the 53rd National Film Awards.

5. Sarkar (2005)

Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, it is a dramatic thriller set in the world of politics and crime. It stars Amitabh Bachchan in the title role alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Kay Kay Menon, Katrina Kaif, Anupam Kher, Supriya Pathak and Tanisha Mukherjee. Sarkar was an above average success at the box office and was greeted very well by critics. The actors, particularly the trio of Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Kay Kay Menon, were lavished with praise for their controlled yet intense performances. Abhishek Bachchan in particular, was rewarded for his portrayal as a son who is inexperienced but enters an unknown world so as to save his father. He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award.

THE GODFATHER may've inspired a number of films in India, but RGV takes the essence from the classic and narrates the games political heavyweights play, besides focusing on the politician-underworld nexus in Mumbai. SARKAR is without doubt an interesting film. The story, its execution, the performances, the drama... The outcome leaves you spellbound.

Subhash Nagare [Amitabh Bachchan] is Sarkar, the man who rewrites the law. He possesses the magnetism, aptitude and power to control the workings of the city. He even metes out justice when the common man does not get it from the law keepers. Amitabh Bachchan has portrayed diverse roles in his illustrious career. Some of his landmark performances include those in ZANJEER, SAUDAGAR, ABHIMAAN, DEEWAAR, TRISHUL, AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY, DON, AAKHREE RAASTA, AGNEEPATH, BAGHBAN and BLACK. Now add SARKAR to this impressive list. The veteran is in complete form this time around and even his harshest critics will have to admit that there's none in the industry who can match the versatility of Bachchan Sr. The veteran is not only getting the best roles now, even his performances have been scaling greater heights with each release.

6. Cheeni Kum (2007)

Made by advertising executive and debutant director R. Balki. it is an unconventional love story between a 34-year-old woman and an older man of 64. CHEENI KUM talks of two consenting adults wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. But there's a hitch The groom-to-be is elder than the prospective father-in-law. This relationship is highly objectionable to the bride's father! In a nutshell, a film like CHEENI KUM signifies the winds of change in Bollywood. An effort like this is sure to find its share of bouquets and brickbats. The elite wouldn't mind the film, the commoners might.

Amitabh Bachchan proves his supremacy yet again. Playing an arrogant chef, the actor is natural all through, but his performance in the finale makes the character all the more believable. Tabu stands on her feet despite a formidable co-star's domineering presence. She's excellent. Paresh Rawal is only adding to his credibility with every film. Zohra Sehgal is adorable. Swini Khara is supremely confident.

On the whole, CHEENI KUM is absorbing. The film gets a boost with a much energetic second half and that elevates the film to the watchable level. At the box-office, feel-good vibes ensured a positive run at the multiplexes.

7. Sarkar Raj (2008)

Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, it is the sequel to Sarkar (2005), the dramatic thriller film set in the world of politics and crime.The primary cast features three members of the Bachchan family - Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, who reprise their roles from the prequel, and new entrant Aishwarya Rai. Supriya Pathak, Tanisha Mukherjee and Ravi Kale also reappeared in their respective roles from Sarkar.

Sarkar Raj grossed almost Rs. 34 crores in India in its first two weeks and over $1 million in the USA. The Filmfare Magazine (August 2008 issue) and other media declared it to be among the only four hits in the first half of 2008 (along with Race, Jodhaa Akbar and Jannat). The producers retorted that the movie had earned more than the entire grossings of its hit prequel in its first two weeks itself. The movie has mostly garnered a positive critical reception, stating it was eons better than its prequel and took the series to a whole new level. There was unanimous praise for the relevant premise of development politics, the numerous plot twists (especially the final one) and the histrionics of Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Prabhavalkar, debutante Rajesh Shringarpore and Ravi Kale. The performances of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan received special mention, with most critics praising their performances. Many labeled it as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's best performance till date. Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, once again, employ the intensity of their piercing eyes to give sight to Ram Gopal Varma’s distinctive vision. The critically and commercially successful movie had many nominations and wins in the awards season.

8. Bhoothnath (2008)

Directed by Vivek Sharma and produced by Ravi Chopra, the film is an adaptation of the Oscar Wilde short-story The Canterville Ghost. 'Bhoothnath' is not a horror film, but is a bonanza for kids. The winning point for Vivek in this film is that he has made it a point to stick to the basic soul of not only his story but to his narration style as well. There are no major special effects; no background score gimmicks and no major masks or getups. The story is about a relationship between a kid Banku (Aman Siddiqui) and his friend Kailash Nath (Amitabh Bachchan). Bhootnath is an absolute fun movie that holds the attention of both children and adults. It shows a never seen before amazing relationship between a kid and a ghost. It's a must watch movie.

Director Vivek Sharma is lucky enough to get not one but two super stars -- Amitabh and Shah Rukh Khan, and that too in his debut film and he has not let this golden opportunity slip from his palms. Good work! Amitabh Bachchan keeps on coming up with surprises -- surprise of making a character like Kailash Nath so lovable. His bag of experiments still has some more to come out with. And, if Aman Siddiqui could really understand as to who this Amitabh is, with whom he is sharing the frame, he would have never been able to give such memorable performance. There is not even a single sign on Aman's face in any scene that he is working with The Super Star. Juhi and SRK who just come in to oblige friend Ravi Chopra end up doing some good job.

9. Paa (2009)

Can you ever imagine watching an Amitabh Bachchan film and not watching Amitabh Bachchan in it? Seems impossible, isn’t it? The towering persona and the rich baritone just cannot be overlooked. But R. Balki transforms the legendary actor into Auro, replaces the rich baritone with the voice of an adolescent [who's neither grown up, nor a kid] and taps the hitherto untapped talent of the icon. 10 minutes into the film and you forget you’re watching Amitabh Bachchan. For, Auro takes over the moment he is introduced to the viewer.

PAA is a simple film told in the most simplistic manner and that’s one of the prime reasons why this film works big time. The emotions would’ve fallen flat had the writing been sub-standard or the execution of the material been humdrum or the actors been inferior. But, thankfully, PAA scores in all three departments. PAA is an outstanding film. A film for every paa, every maa… for everyone with a heart. Take a bow, Auro!

Director R. Balki deserves a salute for thinking out of the box and also presenting Amitabh Bachchan like never before. No amount of praise, no amount of adjectives and personifications would do justice to Amitabh Bachchan’s performance as Auro. Sure, the icon has enthralled us with superlative performances in his four-decade career, but PAA is something else. The icon keeps surprising you at regular intervals and PAA is one of those beautiful surprises, which will remain etched in your memory forever.

That doesn’t mean that the remaining performances get dwarfed by Auro. Sure, PAA belongs to Auro, but not once does Abhishek Bachchan dither from his position or seems less inferior. This is the hallmark of a tremendous actor, which Abhishek is. Vidya is another surprise of PAA. She takes giant strides as an actor and proves yet again that given the right roles, she can match up to the best in the business. Paresh Rawal is effective. Arundhati Naag is amazing. So is the kid, Pratik, enacting the role of Auro’s best buddy. His telephonic conversation with Auro is superb. Jaya Bachchan’s presence is lovely.

On the whole, PAA is an amazing experience. It makes you realize two things. One, the Hindi film industry is also capable of narrating fresh stories. Two, Amitabh Bachchan is truly the most accomplished actor this side of the Atlantic.

10. Rann (2010)

Ram Gopal Verma, the maverick film-maker, does an expose on the games the heavyweights in the media play to further their interests. RGV goes into the newsrooms and also behind it and throws light on the politician-industrialist-media nexus. Also, it's an insider's account of how news channels that are greedy for ratings sensationalize stories to grab eyeballs. RANN is for those who enjoy serious cinema. It's more for the intelligentsia, for the thinking viewer. On the whole, RANN is truly a well-made film. No two opinions on that.

RGV's movies, generally, are embellished with competent actors who deliver super performances. In this film, every member of the cast shines in his/her role, the length of the role notwithstanding. Amitabh Bachchan is spectacular yet again, especially towards the finale. His speech and the way he delivers it are remarkable.

Indeed, this blog is dedicated to Big B – the biggest star of the decade.

Change Your Life!

2011-01-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.
- Vince Lombardi

The new year is just barely getting started, but all across the land folks are busy gobbling goodies they've passionately pledged to eschew or smoking cigarettes they've solemnly sworn not to touch again. The rap on new year's resolutions — that all too often they're broken almost as soon as they're made — is more than a myth. One survey found that 25% of resolutions bite the dust within a week, and about half do so within six months. And any number of people don't make resolutions at all because they're afraid they'll feel bad if they don't keep them. They may be missing a golden opportunity. Though many resolutions come to grief fairly quickly, many others live to see another day ... or month ... or year. And at least one study has found that the mere act of resolving to change may increase your chances of actually changing — not by just a little, but tenfold.

As the holiday season comes roaring up to greet us with the full force of its excesses, many people surrender to temptation with the explanation that they lack the willpower to resist. This word is used often to explain the inability of folks to stop themselves from eating, drinking, smoking, or engaging in any type of bad habit to which they are attracted. The ability to resist our impulses is commonly described as self-control or willpower. Studies now show that self-control is a limited resource that may be strengthened by the foods we eat. Drink some orange juice. It turns out that glucose is one of the key ingredients that your brain needs for effective self-control. Laughter may also help boost a person’s self-control, as was most convincingly depicted by Boman Irani in all time favorite comedy Munna Bhai MBBS

So if you've made some resolutions or if you want to hurry up and make one, here are some scientifically valid tips for how to maximize your chances of success.

Make sure your resolution is at least theoretically possible and the outcome is at least theoretically in your control. Meaning, don't resolve to lose 50 pounds by tomorrow or to win $50 million in the lottery.

Specificity is better than generality. Resolving to be a better person is a noble goal, of course. But what exactly is "a better person"? Someone who reads more books? Wastes less time? Gives more money to charity? Uses fewer plastic bags?

Avoid extremes and absolutes. If you resolve that never ever again in this lifetime will you eat the tiniest little tidbit of chocolate, then your resolution is setting yourself up to fail with just one nibble.

The biggest difference between those who kept their resolutions and those who didn't was their confidence beforehand that they could do it.

There's a universal principle for realizing potential: things will flourish spontaneously when the conditions are right. Apart from relying on willpower, create those conditions in advance.

A sequoia seed is an unimpressive thing -- about an inch long, smaller than an apricot pit. And if you drop it on concrete, or linoleum, not much happens. Yet it contains the complete blueprint for creating a huge sequoia tree - one of the oldest, largest organisms on the planet. So the seed has the potential to become something pretty impressive. But when it's stuck in the wrong spot, it'll just shrivel up or get eaten by birds. On the other hand, let's say this sequoia seed fell on some nice, moist earth. And let's say a passerby happened to bury the seed under the earth. Now the seed's got a chance. And according to its innate program, it will start to grow spontaneously. At first, a wispy little thing. Then it puts out a root system and becomes self-sustaining. Pretty soon, it'll be it's own little ecosystem and provide shelter and food for thousands of other creatures. Sometimes the right conditions are about preventing harmful events. If a bird swoops down and eats the seed, end of story.

Now with people, we have a similar scenario. We all have vast amounts of talent and potential within ourselves; most of us just don't tap into them as much as possible.

I usually don’t make resolutions because I find them so difficult to keep. But, if I do make one I see to it that it is not too difficult to keep. For instance my most recent resolution was to spend more time commenting on other blogs than writing my own. Building relationships with other bloggers is important, I have realized. This profound experience of engaging other bloggers in conversation about the interests they share is, indeed, very exhilarating. I must acknowledge here that I was motivated to make this resolution by many of my fellow bloggers and readers who were kind to make comments on my blogs from time to time and enriched me with their views by posting comments on my blog posts. I thought if they could do it, why can't I. This year my wife and I resolved to turn vegetarian. It was no easy task to make such a resolution especially when we had always remained non-vegetarian all our life and we still have to occasionally cook non-veg cousin whenever our son and more particularly our daughter-in-law have craving for Mom- cooked chicken tikka masala or mutton biryani. In making this resolution the motivation was provided mainly by the prestigious institution PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), particularly its celebrity members like Amitabh Bachchan, Paul McCartney and former president Bill Clinton, who is reported to have become its member recently. The thought is the same, if they can do it why can't we.

Bottom-line is while making a resolution, make sure it is practically possible to keep it and you have the will to make it work. With this mantra in mind, go ahead and make your New Year's resolution, even if belatedly, and change your life.

New Year Wish For Facebook Friends!

2010-12-29T04:56:00.000-08:00

The following news on CBS Early Show put me on alert and prompted to put in this post in the interest of my friends on Facebook:

Everyone you consider a "friend" on Facebook, may not have the friendliest intentions. That was the hard lesson homeowners in New Albany, Ind., believe they learned after their home was ransacked by two men. Keri McMullen and Kurt Pendleton left a status update on Facebook Saturday night that said they wouldn't be home because they were going to a concert in nearby Louisville at 8 p.m. At 8:42 p.m., two burglars entered their house, using a screwdriver to force open a back door. However, luckily for McMullen and Pendleton, they had recently installed a surveillance system in their home. The cameras caught the entire episode on tape. The video shows the two men going through McMullen's purse, stealing electronics -- more than $10,000 worth -- including a plasma television right off the wall. The burglars are then seen driving away with a laundry basket filled with the stolen goods. After posting images of the suspects on Facebook, McMullen realized one of them had "friended" her about six months ago. On "The Early Show," McMullen said after looking over that Facebook "friend"'s page, she thought the man in the surveillance video was him. "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez added that if the surveillance camera hadn't captured the burglary, this person wouldn't have been suspected in a million years.

Facebook, enables its users to present themselves in an online profile, accumulate "friends" who can post comments on each other's pages, and view each other's profiles. Intensity of Facebook use is positively associated with individuals' perceived bridging of social and strong ties with family and close friends, who might be in a position to provide emotional support or access to scarce resources. As a social networking site, Facebook encourages you to find old friends and meet new ones. As you find friends, you can add them to your account, opening up a range of options for sharing your news and daily happenings. Now Facebook claims to be signing up 150,000 new members a day. Oxford professor Robin Dunbar has posed a theory that the number of individuals with whom a stable interpersonal relationship can be maintained (read: friends) is limited to 150. Facebook begs to differ. It encourages adding up to 5000 friends. The Facebook obsession of amassing 'friends' creates the impression that some users are wildly more sociable than others. It encourages a disturbing competitiveness around friendship: it seems that with friends today, quality counts for nothing and quantity is king. The more friends you have, the better you are. You are "popular"!

The creators of the site need do very little bar fiddle with the program. In the main, they simply sit back and watch as millions of Facebook addicts voluntarily upload their ID details, photographs and lists of their favorite consumer objects. Once in receipt of this vast database of human beings, Facebook then simply has to sell the information back to advertisers. Indeed, this is precisely what's happening. Furthermore, have you ever actually read the Facebook privacy policy? It tells you that you don't have much privacy. As if this was not enough to pierce through your privacy, here comes news of another technology tool from Facebook that would reveal your present location to all your “Friends”. Facebook's 500 million-plus users will soon be able to track friends' whereabouts across the United States, as the world's largest Internet social network adds technology to increasingly tie its virtual world to everyday life. The new "Places" feature is touted as a tool to help users share where they are, figure out who is in the vicinity, and check out happenings and services within the same locale. The addition of so-called location services to Facebook opens new revenue opportunities for the company, but also presents it with delicate privacy challenges.

In all this scary scenario, if you’re experiencing a bit of bloat on your Facebook friend list, here is a silver lining. You can snag a free burger by dropping 10 of your Facebook friends, courtesy of Burger King. That’s the gist of Whopper Sacrifice, an advertising campaign from Burger King to promote a new version of the company’s flagship sandwich called the Angry Whopper. To earn their free burger, users download the Whopper Sacrifice Facebook application and dump 10 unlucky friends deemed to be unworthy of their weight in beef. After completing the purge, users are prompted to enter their addresses and the coupons are sent out via snail mail. Brian Gies, vice president of marketing for the fast-food chain, said the company had been eyeing Facebook as a marketing platform but wanted to use it in a way that was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. “Facebook is an amazing way to keep current with your friends, but it’s becoming more of a popularity contest with how many friends you have as the barometer,” said Mr. Gies. “We wanted to be part of its momentum and growth, but in an inverse way.” Facebook declined to comment on the campaign.

If you're on Facebook, you've no doubt got a bunch of friends. And if you're like most Facebook users, you're certain those friends are exactly who they say they are. And you might be right. Or you could be wrong. They could be scammers posing as your friends. Facebook represents a perfect storm of fraud factors. The whole "friend" system creates trust, but the reality of social networks prevents verification that people are who they say they are. While some Facebook fraud involves strangers posing as existing "friends," other types involve making new "friends." Eventually, that fraud may become so widespread that signing up for Facebook will require a verified cell phone number. But in the meantime, difficult-to-detect fraud is exploding on Facebook, and you would be well-advised to verify every unfamiliar friend. And you may ever remain prosperous and never fall prey to any fraudulent friend on your page is my New Year wish for Facebook friends.

Benchmark Of Urban Oasis!

2010-12-23T05:55:00.000-08:00

One of the hallmarks of a happy day is when we view from our second floor window people sipping coffee on the sidewalk bench in front of our house or they just having joy sitting there watching the world around. The perfect resting space for pedestrians on a sidewalk, this bench, actually a combination of three benches, comes complete with a bike stand and is most appropriately placed where people can view the action going on right in front of them. For us from the window, it is often a more interesting and enlightening experience than watching the same old stereotypes on cable TV. At times we get so much attached to some of the persons on the bench, especially the regular ones, that we start missing them if they do not make it to the bench for a while. We can never forget the face of an elderly person who would spend several hours sitting on the bench, but never ever lying on it even when he was there till late in the evening. During all this duration he would never sip a drop of water or have a bite on any snack. Feeling sympathetic for the strenuous routine of this regular on the bench, my wife sent me down one day to ask him if we could share some food or coffee with him. He did not only decline the offer rather bluntly but also disappeared from the bench thereafter never to be seen again. We felt guilty of hurting his ego and learned our lesson not to under estimate the status of a person sitting on a sidewalk bench, no matter for how long a period he may be there.

The importance of sidewalk benches in a city cannot be emphasized more than how the San Franciscans demonstrated their determination to use them. As soon as it became clear that Prop. L, the ordinance that bans sitting and lying down on city sidewalk benches, had passed, the opponents organized some sort of mass sit-down or sleep-in as a response - "Calling all San Franciscans to a solidarity sit-in against the passage of proposition L--the so-called Sit/Lie law. We are going to assert our right to sit anywhere we please by having lunch on the sidewalk benches. The purpose is to hang out, have lunch, be visible, embody TRUE San Francisco values, network with folks about the next steps in the anti-prop L fight and to have fun. Of course getting cited for sitting on the sidewalk is a totally glamorous possibility that we will opportunistically use to the most dramatic effect possible. This is lunch, but it's also a protest. If you can't make it to city hall, sit on the closest sidewalk." It urged participants to bring food to share and also encouraged people to bring their kids along.

In sharp contrast to San Francisco that bans sitting or lying on sidewalk bench, there are many cities that are blessed with neighborhoods that offer cafes, restaurants and small parks with tables and chairs or benches out on the sidewalk. In Washington, D.C. the neighborhood around the historic Eastern Market is a vortex for public life, especially on a weekend when merchants and shoppers sip coffee amidst strollers, kids in sports uniforms, musicians and groups of slightly overwhelmed tourists. One does not have to visit Paris or Vienna to enjoy the sights and sounds of life on a sidewalk. The café and the park bench are universal concepts familiar to foreign travelers. In India, China and most of Asia outdoor life takes on a whole new dimension as entire blocks are occupied by food vendors whose tables spill out into the street. It’s a festival of food and acquaintances at every meal. The idea is meant to enliven the street, to lure pedestrian traffic, to support local businesses, and generally to increase the fun quotient of an otherwise unappealing stretch of sidewalk and roadway.

Mexico City seems to have surpassed every city in the world in emphasizing the beauty of sidewalk benches. It has put up an incredible and practical expo right on the sidewalks of the main street of the city--Re-forma Avenue. It is an expo of BENCHES!!! They had artisans from the country each create a unique bench that was put on the sidewalk. There are perhaps 60+ of them in a 5 block area, and they are great! People come to take photos and actually, they are in use at all hours of day and night. This is an amazing way to bring people together, and get them out even doing some exercise as they walk from bench to bench. Kids play on them. Teens hang out on them. People wait for buses on them. One set of benches is even a game board, so they play chess on them! There are various levels of seating in some of them. They are artistic, useful, and versatile. This is a wonderful idea if cities would like to encourage its people to explore their city, and walk, and relax and visit with each other. Hats off to the Benches on Re-forma in Mexico City!

There is no place better than a sidewalk bench in the city for a foreign tourist to sit and take the true picture of the people there. For many travelers coming to India, poverty immediately strikes them and overwhelms their impression of the country. This is especially true of Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta,) whose suffering was painfully highlighted by the work of Mother Teresa. The poverty definitely persists in the West Bengal capital, but left untold in so many tragic travel tales is the joy and exuberance that pushes through, and beautifully captured in impressions of Kolkata by a foreign tourist: “I cannot overstate the beauty of the joy that resonates through the city, day and night where I spent long moments on sidewalk benches with inexplicable tears of joy in my eyes. I drink chai on a bench on the sidewalk, oblivious to the screams of car horns and the bells of rickshaw pullers. A mentally handicapped young man walks by, laughing to himself. A cab driver shares his papad ( a snack) with him, and laughs along; and my heart soars with joy. A rickshaw puller rings his bell for him. ‘Please give this man a chai,’ says he to the stall owner. The owner throws in a cookie as well. The puller grins, eyes bright; he’s lucked out, for a brief moment in his hard life.”

The sidewalk bench with its interwoven mix of cafes, shops and offices, is a place of energy, activity and interaction. The City governments that invest considerable resources on green or open space around the sidewalk benches deserve a big applause because trees and benches beside a pedestrian path are not only good for the environment but also good for the soul. These benches engage passers-by physically and mentally, as well as visually, by providing places to sit and think. Urbanist Jane Jacob captured the value of these interactions best, “Sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a city’s wealth of public life may grow.” An occasional place to sit can be more than welcome, even a necessity for someone whose arms are full, who is weary or has a long wait for a rendezvous. For them the sidewalk bench is a benchmark of urban oasis.

Early Achievers Of Indian Origin

2010-12-18T14:58:00.000-08:00

In the midst of the all important national debate on illegal immigrants in the United States, particularly President Obama's steps to reform immigration laws and legalize illegal immigrants, it would be appropriate and interesting to recall the remarkable efforts of early immigrants from India that made the country proud of them.

Dalip Singh Saund

Dalip Singh Saund, the first native of Asia elected to the United States Congress, came to study at the University of California, Berkeley in 1920 and after completing his M.A. in 1922 and his Ph.D. in 1924, it became clear that he would make the United States his home. But he found few career avenues open to him. The only way Indians in California could make a living was to join with others who had settled in various parts of the state as farmers, and so in the summer of 1925 he decided to go to the southern California desert valley and make his living as a farmer.

Life was not easy for the young farmer. His first lettuce crop was a total loss. But even with the demands of farming he was still able to find time for study and for public speaking. Saund became a U.S. citizen, on 16 December 1949 and was elected as judge in Westmoreland, where he built a reputation as a reformer who could achieve results.

In 1956 he decided to run for U.S. Congressman from the 29th district of California. Judge Saund faced formidable challenges running a cash-strapped campaign as a Democrat in a district that had always voted Republican. Saund relates that his colorful opponent, Jacqueline Cochran Odlum, who flew her own plane from campaign stop to campaign stop, hosted a widely advertised barbecue in the Riverside County fairgrounds, with a stellar lineup of guests, including Bob Hope. Still the grassroots campaign won many supporters and when the ballots were counted Saund won. He served three terms, working vigorously for the all the constituents of his district. While running for re-election for a fourth term in 1962, Saund suffered a disabling stroke that ended his political career.

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, was an Indian-born American astrophysicist who, with William A. Fowler, won the 1983 Nobel Prize for Physics for key discoveries that led to the currently accepted theory on the later evolutionary stages of massive stars. Chandrasekhar was the nephew of Sir C. V. Raman, who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930. Chandrasekhar served on the University of Chicago faculty from 1937 until his death in 1995 at the age of 84. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1953.

In July 1930, Chandrasekhar was awarded a Government of India scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the University of Cambridge. The following year in January 1937, Chandrasekhar was recruited to the University of Chicago faculty as Assistant Professor. He remained at the university for his entire career, becoming Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics in 1952 and attaining emeritus status in 1985. Chandrasekhar did some work at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, which was run by the University of Chicago. After the Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research (LASR) was built by NASA in 1966 at the University, Chandrasekhar occupied one of the four corner offices on the second floor. During World War II, Chandrasekhar worked at the Ballistic Research Laboratories at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his studies on the physical processes important to the structure and evolution of stars. Chandrasekhar's most notable work was the astrophysical Chandrasekhar limit. In 1999, NASA named the third of its four "Great Observatories'" after Chandrasekhar. The Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched and deployed by Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999. The Chandrasekhar number, an important dimensionless number of magnetohydrodynamics, is named after him. The asteroid 1958 Chandra is also named after Chandrasekhar. American astronomer Carl Sagan, who studied Mathematics under Chandrasekhar, at the University of Chicago, praised him in the book The Demon-Haunted World: "I discovered what true mathematical elegance is from Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar."

Dr. Har Gobind Khorana

Dr. Har Gobind Khorana, is an Indian-born American biochemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968 with Marshall W. Nirenberg and Robert W. Holley for cracking the genetic code, research that helped to show how the nucleotides in nucleic acids, which carry the genetic code of the cell, control the cell’s synthesis of proteins. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1966, and subsequently received the National Medal of Science. He currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States serving as MIT's Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Biology and Chemistry,

Khorana was born in Raipur, a village in Punjab, British India (now Pakistan). In 1945, he began studies at the University of Liverpool and earned a PhD in 1948. In 1970 Khorana became the Alfred Sloan Professor of Biology and Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he worked until retiring in 2007. He is a member of the Board of Scientific Governors at The Scripps Research Institute, and currently holds Professor Emeritus status at MIT.

Khorana and his team had established that the mother of all codes, the biological language common to all living organisms, is spelled out in three-letter words: each set of three nucleotides codes for a specific amino acid. Their Nobel lecture was delivered on December 12, 1968. He was the first to isolate DNA ligase, an enzyme that links pieces of DNA together. These custom-designed pieces of artificial genes are widely used in biology labs for sequencing, cloning and engineering new plants and animals. This invention of Khorana has become automated and commercialized so that anyone now can order a synthetic gene from any of a number of companies—one merely needs to send the genetic sequence to one of the companies to receive an oligonucliotide with the desired sequence.

Didar Singh Bains

Didar Singh Bains followed his father and grandfather into the orchards of Sutter County. His grandfather migrated first to Canada in 1890, and to California in 1920. Bains' father arrived from India in 1948 and Bains himself followed in 1958, 18 years old, fresh from Nangal Khurd village in Hosiharpur. Those were long, hard days. "You know, we came here empty-handed, and I worked like a manual laborer," he says. "We worked really hard, borrowed, struggled, took risks our whole life. God is always good to us." Driving tractors and irrigating orchards for 75 cents an hour, he did the work of four men, and soon bought his first peach orchard. He bought another, then another, and by 1978, had become the largest peach grower in California. He is known as the Peach King of California, but also cultivates prunes, walnuts and almonds.

Didar Singh Bains who came to American with $8 in his pocket in 1958 owned 12,000 acres in California and Canada by 1980 and much of rapidly developing western Yuba City. The Bains Ranch office, surrounded by orchards on the outskirts of Yuba City, is well-appointed but unpretentious. Trucks and tractors are parked outside near a large, aluminum-sided barn. It is the business hub of one of the largest farmers in the Central Valley and one of the wealthiest men in Northern California, Didar Singh Bains.

Amar Bose

Amar Gopal Bose is an American electrical engineer, sound engineer and multi-millionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Bose Corporation. In the year 2007 (Forbes 400), he was listed as 271st richest man in the world, with a net worth of $1.8 billion.

Bose was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a Bengali Indian father and a white American mother. His father, Noni Gopal Bose, was an Indian freedom revolutionary, who having been imprisoned for his political activities, fled Calcutta in the 1920s in order to avoid further prosecution by the British colonial police.

Amar Bose first displayed his entrepreneurial skills and his interest in electronics at age thirteen, when, during the World War II years, he enlisted school friends as co-workers in a small home business repairing model trains and home radios, to supplement his family's income. Bose enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in the early 1950s. He completed his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from MIT, writing a thesis on non-linear systems.

Following graduation, Bose took a position at MIT as an Assistant Professor. He focused his research on acoustics, leading him to invent a stereo loudspeaker that would reproduce, in a domestic setting, the dominantly reflected sound field that characterizes the listening space of the audience in a concert hall. Bose was awarded significant patents in two fields which, to this day, are important to the Bose Corporation. These patents were in the area of loud speaker design and non-linear, two-state modulated, Class-D, power processing. Bose was elected Fellow of IEEE, 1972 - for contributions to loudspeaker design, two-state amplifier-modulators, and nonlinear systems.

During his early years as a professor, Bose bought a high-end stereo speaker system in 1956 and was reportedly not pleased by the performance of his purchase. This would eventually pave the way for his extensive speaker technology research, concentrating on key weaknesses in the high-end speaker systems available during Bose's time. The Bose Corporation is a multifaceted entity with more than 12,000 employees, worldwide, that produces products for home, car, and professional audio, as well as conducts basic research in acoustics, automotive systems, and other fields.

Today, Indian-Americans are one of the fastest-growing and most successful immigrant groups in the United States. The three million Indian Americans in the US continue to top the US Census charts as the best-educated, highest-paid and top-placed community among the 38.1 million foreign-born population in the country. Indians have proliferated in this country in the fields of health care, information technology and engineering, with higher education levels and incomes than national averages. All of this progress is result of the ongoing hard and honest effort of Indian immigrants to prosper here and thereby contribute to the greatness of this great country, as did the early achievers of Indian origin.

Time To Celebrate!

2010-12-12T05:56:00.000-08:00

December 14, 1960, was the D-day when our decade long love and courtship culminated in happy marriage. In our 50-years' journey together, there were, of course, many joyous moments which we'll cherish for ever. But there also were few bad times which even if we try to forget, we cannot. This is what life is all about. Thankfully, like in 'feel good' films, the bad patch passed over early in our journey and the going thereafter was just good most of the time. I would like to first mention the two most anxious moments of our life together, before recalling some really good times till date.

Jeet was my mother's best friend after our marriage, and a true follower of the traditions my mother believed in – 'atithi devo bhav' (guest is God) . There was hardly a day when God had not visited our house. We really were having a wonderful time with mother around when she was suddenly diagnosed with serious condition of cancer and died within a few weeks. It was too big a loss to bear, especially in early years of our marriage when we were still settling down to lead a happy married life. Before she breathed her last in the hospital, she kept holding Jeet's hand and spoke the last words, “I may not come back home with you, but promise you will continue to keep the house always open for everyone to enjoy its hospitality.” This wish we have always tried our best to fulfill.

The second biggest setback was the sudden failure of my fast growing start-up because of a very sinister maneuvering by my rivals in the business. After serving for the first twenty years of my career as an executive in one of India's biggest companies, I started my own business of retail sales of consumer durables which flourished so fast that even my competitors of long standing could not match my sales. What they did not digest was how could I, operating from home, defeat them despite their big showrooms and large establishments. They manipulated delay of deliveries to my customers from the manufacturers during the festival sales season, which not only caused colossal monetary loss to me but also credibility with my customers for future business. During this worst time of our life, if it wasn't for Jeet, I would have completely fallen apart. Throughout that bad patch she always stayed positive. I don't know how she did it those days when she had to wake up at five in the morning and drag herself to take the bus to work and attend to our kid on coming back. She was exhausted, but never failed to turn the focus and her attention on me and to find ways to come out of the financial crisis, which we did overcome, earlier than could be expected. Knowing that she has been there for me through thick and thin has made life wonderful.

Birth of our first and only child was, of course, the happiest moment of our married life. When we looked at the newly born baby boy, we were immediately transported to our trip to Sanovar, a very beautiful village in the interiors of Himanchal, about sixty miles beyond Simla, and our dream destination in one of our annual vacations. There we had also climbed “Chur Peak”, the highest peak in the area at a height of 14,000ft., where Lord Shiva's statue stood majestically on the mountaintop. We had both prayed to the Lord to bless us with a happy married life and a beautiful child. We had absolutely no doubt that Alok, as we named him, truly was a gift of God. As he grew up, his godly qualities of kindness, compassion and caring were quite obvious to every one who came in contact with him.

Our next happiest moment was when Alok went to USA for higher studies after graduating from St. Xavier School in Delhi. As Alok was kind to others, God was kind to him. When he wished to go to USA for higher studies, it was almost impossible to achieve this ambition. The government would not grant permission to send fees in foreign currency for studies abroad because of very stringent foreign exchange situation. Nothing short of a miracle could help Alok cross this hurdle, and there it was. Jeet had a chance meeting with a Member of Parliament, who happened to be very close to the Finance Minister. He went out of the way to help us get the foreign exchange permit from the government. And Alok left for the United States at the age of seventeen to pursue further studies at the University of San Francisco. Today, he is amongst top computer technologists in Silicon Valley and cofounder of Yunteq, a start-up company of cloud computing which is creating waves with wonderful prospects for progress.

One of our proudest moments as a married couple was our close interaction with Pandit Nehru, the first Prime Minister of free India. As officials of International Cultural Forum, we took a group of children to Prime Minister Nehru's residence for his blessings before the children were to leave for a Summer Camp in the then Soviet Union. Mrs. Indra Gandhi, the PM's daughter, treated us with refreshments while Pandit Nehru remained attentively engaged with us in his study speaking to us about the beautiful Black Sea site where the children were to spend the summer months. Indeed, it is beyond imagination how extraordinary we felt when we came out after spending the most wonderful hour of our life with the great world leader.

We also always feel proud of our interaction with former president Bill Clinton, even if by correspondence. During the eight years of his presidency we wrote several letters on varied subjects to President Clinton and we're proud to possess his personal replies to each one of them. The unique privilege of corresponding with President Bill Clinton remains our most rewarding experience in life, next only to experiencing the greatness of Pandit Nehru.

One thing we realized and always remember is that when you are really up to it, you can find happiness from even little happenings in life, as we discovered from the innumerable day to day incidents, interactions and experiences, some small and some big, but all giving us great pleasure when they happened. The most significant of these happenings for us was my joining Aravali Ispat Ltd., Alwar (Rajasthan), one of the most modern foundries in Northern India. Far bigger than the happiness of building our house in Alwar was our unique bonding with my managing director, the noblest man we ever met in life, and his very loving family. Our relationship remains as solid today, several years after my retirement, as when it started in the seventies. We continue counting our blessings such as these and thank God for His benevolence. While we pray for health, happiness and prosperity for all our friends and family on the eve of our 50th anniversary, we cannot describe how delightful we feel on this day to join our son Alok and daughter-in-law Ranjan, who insist it is just the time to celebrate.

UC Berkeley's Idealistic Young Men

2010-12-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

{In the midst of the all important national debate on illegal immigrants in the United States, particularly President Obama's steps to reform immigration laws and legalize illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico and other States in South America, it would be academically interesting to recall the remarkable efforts early students from India made to overcome difficult situations in a similar scenario.}

Early 20th century, Indian students began coming to the United States to study engineering, medicine, agriculture, and manufacturing. The students represented all parts of the subcontinent and were more evenly distributed throughout the United States than the early Indian immigrants who were mainly confined to California; Robindranath Tagore’s son studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana, the son of the Maharaja of Baroda attended Harvard, other Indians were at Columbia and at universities in Nebraska and Iowa. But most Indian students chose institutions on the Pacific Coast -- the University of Washington, agricultural colleges in Oregon, Stanford, and, above all, the University of California, Berkeley. Taking everything into consideration, the University of California suited really the best for Indian students. Tuition was only $15 a year and living expenses about $250. Opportunities were plentiful in Berkeley for “self-support, the American custom of working your way through college, and a student could also make extra money selling shawls, ivory, art works and other Indian handicrafts. During the summer months students could make $125 a month as agricultural laborers.

In December 1911. the Modern Review, a widely-read Calcutta journal for Indian intellectuals, published an article entitled "Information for Indian Students Intending to Come to the Pacific Coast of the United States," by Sarangadhar Das, a student at the University of California, Berkeley. Das recommended bringing along a basic kit for the stay in America that could be acquired for about Rs. 125 in India, including soap, shaving brush, a pair of pump shoes, linen, athletic summer underwear, colored or striped shirts (plain not plaited, half a dozen), a pair of Paris garters, one black serge suit, an Indian-made artistic scarf pin, a few dhotis (sometimes handier than night shirts), and two collar studs. The students who came found many sources of support. The Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan had purchased a hostel at 1731 Allston Way where Indian students could stay rent-free. In 1912, one successful California potato farmer, Jwala Singh, funded the Guru Govind Singh Sahib Educational Scholarship, awarded through a competition held in India.

Students formed individual relationships with their professors, who were often helpful and encouraging to promising scholars. A small group of faculty on campus worked closely with the Indian students, including Arthur Ryder and Arthur Upham Pope. Ryder, a Sanskrit scholar who came to Berkeley in January 1906, encouraged the Indian students to participate in activities to promote understanding of Indian culture, including productions of the classical Sanskrit plays that he translated into English. Gobind Behari Lal presented the prologue for “Shakuntula” in 1914 and Tarakhnath Das also had a part. Pope, a junior professor in the Department of Philosophy and advocate of Indian independence since his undergraduate days at Brown, chaired the committee that selected the Guru Govind Singh Sahib Scholarship recipients. He, as well as any faculty member who was in contact with the Indian students, came under surveillance by the British during this period.

Prejudice and stereotyping were also part of the student experience. Many Americans, even on university campuses, were surprisingly ignorant about India. Dalip Singh Saund, a student at UC Berkeley from 1920-1924 comments: “In those days the picture of India which most of the American people carried in their minds had little basis in reality. It was a confused jumble of yogis, snake charmers, and maharajas. There were very few good books available about India, most of them written by former members of the British Government in India who were on the whole extremely unfriendly toward the history and culture of that ancient land..” Sometimes the manifestations of prejudice were relatively harmless, like the hazing incident described in the San Francisco Chronicle, 15 August 1921:

Members of the sophomore class of the University of California, who engaged today in upholding the university tradition of the hazing of freshmen, faced a real problem this afternoon in the form of three Indian scholars who were captured and lined up for hazing. It was decided to make them take off their shoes and wade in the chemistry pond, explaining to them that they were “bathing their feet in the university’s sacred pool.” Then it was decided to unwind their turbans to solve the mystery of what might be underneath. To this, however, the Indians objected and showed fight. The three finally freed themselves from their captors and ran frantically for the president’s office with the intention of calling the office of the British consulate at San Francisco for protection. But they were overhauled by members of the senior class, who restored the peace. The three are said to be graduates of Oxford University and are here to take post-graduate work.

However, some manifestations were more serious. It was rare for foreign students to be admitted to the Greek-letter societies, for instance, and, in an era when these societies controlled most student social activities, this exclusion restricted Indian students’ full participation in campus life.

In the 1910s, UC Berkeley had a significant role in the Indian independence movement, when Indian students studying at the university took an active part in forming the radical Ghadar Party - especially in publishing its paper, The Hindustan Ghadar. The Ghadar Party was an organization founded with the aim to liberate India from British rule. The party quickly gained support from Indian expatriates, especially in the United States and Canada. The Hindustan Ghadar was published under the auspices of the Yugantar Ashram in San Francisco with donations raised with the help of the Indian diaspora, especially with the aid of Indian students at the University of California, Berkeley. Har Dayal, who had come to the area as a lecturer in Indian philosophy at Stanford, was living at that time in one of the Indian student hostels in Berkeley. He addressed a meeting of all Indian students at Berkeley and sought to unite their views, denouncing British rule in India and calling for the students to do their part in bringing it to an end. Looking for a way to serve their country, the Gadar Party became a significant force in the lives of the students, UC Berkeley's idealistic young men.

Indian Aroma In American Melting Pot

2010-12-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

{In the midst of the all important national debate on illegal immigrants in the United States, particularly President Obama's steps to reform immigration laws and legalize illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico and other States in South America, it would be academically interesting to recall the remarkable efforts early immigrants from India made to settle in a similar scenario.}

Early Indian immigrants, mostly from Punjab, opted for farming jobs because of their traditional agricultural expertise. Punjabi settlements began in fertile lands of the Sacramento valley, San Joaquin Valley and in the Imperial Valley in California, which offered irresistible farming opportunities to them. The similarity of the California landscape to Punjab gave a sense of homeland to this unfamiliar world - fertile fields stretched across the flat valley to the foothills lying far in the distance. As they became established in farming or successful in business they began to think of staying permanently. But immigration policies severely restricted the entry of the immigrants’ families into the United States. Nothing embittered the immigrants as much as this policy of exclusion; for it was not only injustice to them, but also to their innocent wives and children back home.

Since they could not bring brides from India, many men sought wives among women living in the United States. Anti-miscegenation laws, which stayed on the books in California until 1948, prohibited intermarriage between races. This meant that it was hard for the Indian men to marry white women. Most Indian men, therefore, sought wives among the Mexican women, many of whom were themselves recent immigrants to the United States, fleeing from the violence of the Mexican revolution. While these marriages were technically between different races, according to race definitions of the time, most civil authorities sanctioned them, giving the same race on the marriage registry for both bride and groom—“brown,” “black,” or “pale white.” When a Punjabi did marry a Mexican wife it was common for her to then facilitate the marriage of her sisters or other relatives to Punjabis. Thus a small "Mexican-Hindu" community formed in California that flourished in California's Yuba City and Imperial Valley.

The two cultures experienced different rights under the law. Punjabi men were unable to legally own land. The Mexican women, however, could own land, as they were unrestricted by discriminatory laws targeted at Asian immigrants. But if a Mexican woman married a Punjabi man, she would then become ineligible for land rights due to the specifications of the Cable Act. To get around this dilemma, the men turned to 'benami' land deals in the name of Americans willing to hold land for them. Later, they also put land in their children's names, who were American citizens. Cultural differences sometimes caused friction. The men were not used to the degree of freedom the women expected. And in a system where business partners became, in many ways, like an extended family, the women found they had the strange and unwelcome duty of cooking and washing for their husbands’ unmarried partners. Still the majority of the marriages were stable unions, characterized by tolerance and love.

However, not all immigrants married and the dominant pattern of social life continued to be bachelors living in dormitory-style bunkhouses or several bachelors living together on land that one of them owned or leased. They would hire one man to cook. Men in the camps ate mostly roti, an Indian whole wheat pancake, and vegetables, many grown in their gardens, including Punjabi favorites like karela (bitter gourd) and okra. The men were fond of cooking with butter and had a saying, 'ghi banaunda salan' (the butter makes the curry). According to one estimate the Indians consumed about 15 pounds of butter a month each. Ice cream was also a food universally liked by the Punjabis, and, when visiting, it was considered polite to bring along a package of ice cream as a gift for the host. One of their favorite pastimes was narrating jokes, many revolving around their birthplace in Punjab. It is reported that these men had very few bad habits except for the heavy drinking that was a regular part of their social interaction.

The immigrants were frugal, directing most free money to the purchase or leasing of land, but they also spent some money on luxuries. They enjoyed a good many comforts, such as silk shirts and turbans, scented oil and soap and perfumery of all sorts. Some even bought gramophones and sent for records from India. Movies were also an occasional treat and the bachelors at Van Tiger Ranch had pictures of Indian movie actresses on their walls. They were fond of modern vehicles, starting with bicycles, then moving on to Fords, and finally up to Buicks and Dodges. But they never went into debt for comforts. During hard times they would lower their standard of living and stayed within their means rather than borrow money.

Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) became the center of the immigrants' movement primarily because 95 percent of the immigrants were Sikhs. After a few years of farming and service, they managed to save some money and got involved in constructing places of worship such as the Gurdwaras in Stockton and Yuba City. They would meet in the Gurdwaras during the weekends to think about their common welfare. The Gurdwaras became places to welcome new arrivals and to help these new immigrants to look for jobs or until they can look after themselves. These Gurdwaras provided shelter, food, and social life to all immigrants without any consideration of caste, creed, or religion. Hindus and Muslims were also attending and living in these Gurdwaras.

A common feeling among the Punjabis who have settled in California is appreciation of America and pride in being American as well as Indian. One reason for this is a belief in shared values. Social welfare and education rank high with them, especially Sikh immigrants, whose philanthropy is not limited to the Gurdwara, but extends to causes that help everyone, from aiding rescue missions for the homeless to running marathons that raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Fusion may well be the byword for the active, community-minded Indian immigrants in California. And while many families weathered hard times, their good humored resiliency and appreciation of the Americans have gained them not only acceptance but extraordinary success. Undeniably, most Americans welcome the Indian aroma in American melting pot.

Fall Of The White Wall

2010-12-04T05:24:00.000-08:00

In the midst of the all important national debate on illegal immigrants in the United States, and the strong opposition, primarily from the White population, to President Obama's steps to reform immigration laws and legalize illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico and other States in South America, it would be academically interesting to recall the racial bias of the White workers that early immigrants from India faced in a similar scenario.

In 1849, the British annexed the Punjab region into the rest of its colonial holdings in India. The subsequent land reform laws disenfranchised many Punjabis, and younger generations were encouraged to find work abroad. Their destinations ranged from British territories in Africa to the Caribbean to Hong Kong and Singapore to Canada. Many made their way into the northwestern United States, where an economic boom was in the works. From Washington to Oregon, and eventually California, the Indian immigrants worked in the lumber industry, found jobs building railroads, and worked in the orchards and vineyards throughout the Sacramento and Imperial valleys. Having crossed the hurdle of admission to the United States, immigrants from India faced resistance from European and American laborers who were in competition with them for jobs and who feared they would be willing to work for lower wages. This resistance assumed tangible form in racist organizations such as the Asian Exclusion League.

"The preservation of the Caucasian race upon American soil" was the constitutional objective of the Asian Exclusion League. To achieve that end they pressured lumber mills into laying off Indian workers, lobbied to stop further immigration, and fomented riots to drive Indians from their homes. While not condoning the crude methods of the Asian Exclusion League, still the United States Congress, Judiciary, and Bureau of Immigration were sympathetic to their objective and the immigrants from India found themselves confronted by a great White wall. The group was responsible for violent incidents, such as the "Anti-Hindu" riot in 1907 at Bellingham, Washington. The word “Hindu,” meaning people from Hindustan, as India was popularly called then, was used then for Indian immigrants to differentiate from Native Indians.

On the night of September 4, 1907, a mob of between 400 and 500 white men attacked Bellingham's Hindu colonies. Many of the Hindus were beaten. Some escaped from their quarters in their night clothes. Several sought refuge on the tide flats. Others were driven toward the city limits or jailed. During the course of the disturbance, the indignation of the crowd was fanned to action by speakers who addressed impromptu audiences on the street corners and incited citizens to "help drive out the cheap labor." Unfortunately, the Bellingham riot was mirrored by similar assaults in California during the months that followed in Marysville, Stege, Live Oak, and other communities where the immigrants had settled.

These incidents, however, didn't reflect the attitude of the whole community. As the immigrants continued to work hard and achieve success some of their neighbors began to accept them. A retrospective account in the Daily Astorian gives an idea of how Indian workers were viewed in Astoria, one Oregon mill town. "We thought they were terrible coming with their turbans," said Hattie Spencer. "We were afraid of them at first. But my dad said, 'They have to make a living same as the rest of us. We are foreigners too.' Chris Simonsen remembered the men in "Hindu Alley" making "chapatti pancakes" patting the dough between their hands. The Indians were especially well-known for their prowess and agility in wrestling. "They were light-heavyweight champions," Bill Wootton said. Helmer Lindstrom remembered that the Indians "never undercut wages" -- they wouldn't work for less than the other employees. And most of the Astoria community considered the Hindus "vastly interesting and peaceable."

Citizenship remained an elusive dream, despite a major change in the attitude of many people towards the pioneer immigrants, until arrival of a prominent individual from Punjab, Dalip Singh Saund, on the scene. He came to the United States as a student and earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley. Over the next 20 years of his life, he worked in agriculture and became a successful businessman. Saund advocated for the rights of Indian immigrants to attain citizenship. In 1946, the Luce-Cellar Bill passed through the U.S. Congress and granted citizenship to the existing Indian immigrants in the country. Later in 1952, the McCarran-Walter Act overturned the racially discriminating bias against non-Whites and allowed all immigrants the opportunity to become naturalized. In 1957, as a member of the Democratic Party representing District 29, the Riverside and Imperial valleys of California, Saund became the first Asian to hold a congressional office.

“This system violated the basic principle of American democracy -- the principle that values and rewards each man on the basis of his merit as a man. It has been un-American in the highest sense because it has been untrue to the faith that brought thousands to these shores even before we were a country. Today, with my signature, this system is abolished.” -- from President Lyndon B. Johnson's address to mark the signing of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 3 October 1965

The Act created a wide crack in the great White wall. In era of civil rights awareness, the system, which heavily favored northern Europeans, had come under increasing attack as being racially biased. The Immigration and Nationality Act led to a dramatic increase in the number of immigrants from all over South Asia. Majority of the new immigrants, like most of the students who had come in the early years, were scientists, engineers and doctors. In California, the post-1965 group with Networking ambitions became a force in Silicon Valley and major urban centers, emerging in recent years as successful entrepreneurs and professionals and have achieved notable economic success. On American campuses, second- and third- generation South Asian Americans have made their presence felt. In the University of California system alone, six endowed chairs and two lecture endowments in South Asian studies have been established, funded almost entirely by members of the South Asian American community. In the political arena too, they are progressing to make their presence noticed with the position of Governors in two states and high ranking officials in both the political parties as well as at the White House.

As of today, with over a century of hard and honest work along with love and loyalty for their adopted country, the estimated three million Indian Americans community feels proud of its presence here and happy to have contributed to the eventual fall of the White wall.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-22T05:33:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, America's biggest national festival next only to Christmas, is celebrated primarily to express thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation to God, similarly as we celebrate Lori, Pongal, Maghi and so many other harvest festivals in India.

"For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The traditional origin of modern Thanksgiving in the United States is generally regarded to be the celebration that occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in Massachusetts in 1621. This celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original Thirteen Colonies that later were to become the United States. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. However, this "first Thanksgiving" was not a holiday, simply a gathering. The first official Thanksgiving can be traced back to October 3, 1789, when President George Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America:

“ Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be....”

In the middle of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, prompted by a series of editorials written by Sarah Josepha Hale, proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November 1863:

“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God....It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens....”
- Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
Washington, DC—October 3, 1863

And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;
to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow."
-Edward Sandford Martin

U.S. tradition compares the holiday with a meal held in 1621 by the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It is continued in modern times with the Thanksgiving dinner, traditionally featuring turkey, playing a large role in the celebration of Thanksgiving. Certain kinds of food are traditionally served at Thanksgiving meals. Firstly, baked or roasted turkey is usually the featured item on any Thanksgiving feast table (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as "Turkey Day"). Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, other fall vegetables, and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. The less fortunate are often provided with food at Thanksgiving time. Most communities have annual food drives that collect non-perishable packaged and canned foods, and corporations sponsor charitable distributions of staple foods and Thanksgiving dinners. During Thanksgiving Day families and friends usually gather for a large meal or dinner and Thanksgiving prayer.

"Without Thy sunshine and Thy rain
We could not have the golden grain;
Without Thy love we'd not be fed;
We thank Thee for our daily bread."
[Anonymous]

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Thanksgiving is a four-day or five-day weekend vacation for schools and colleges. Most business and government workers are given Thanksgiving and the day after as paid holidays. Thanksgiving Eve, the night before Thanksgiving, is one of the busiest nights of the year for bars and clubs, as many college students and others return to their hometowns to reunite with friends and family. There are Thanksgiving parades in many cities, the biggest being in New York City, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade features floats with specific themes, scenes from Broadway plays, large balloons of cartoon characters and TV personalities, and high school marching bands. The float that traditionally ends the Macy's Parade is the Santa Claus float, the arrival of which is an unofficial sign of the beginning of the Christmas season.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, although not a Federal holiday, is a holiday for many companies, except for those in retail. It is also a day off for most schools. It is popularly known as Black Friday, so-called because of the heavy shopping traffic on that day. Another reason for the term 'Black Friday' is that many stores reach sales numbers that take them out of the red and (hopefully) keep them in the black for the rest of the fiscal year. Black Friday has been considered by retailers to be the start of the Christmas shopping season since at least the 1930s.

"So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart."
-Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving !

Addicted To Korean Dramas!

2010-11-19T05:53:00.000-08:00

Korean TV dramas were hardly ever heard of beyond Korea's borders, but beginning in the late 1990s they began to acquire a strong following in USA, especially in California, where ethnic Korean community has a predominant presence. Without a reference or recommendation from a friend on Facebook or a follower to Twitter, we started watching Korean TV dramas when my wife during one of her habitually repeated channel rolling sessions suddenly stopped on Stairway to Heaven, and we had a heavenly TV time. We remained glued to enjoy the rich experience even though we did not follow the foreign language the characters were speaking, no subtitles then. That was in the year 2004 perhaps, and since then we have watched so many Korean dramas that we cannot count them on fingers or even recollect all the titles to enlist them for our reference. Indeed, the Korean dramas are a class much above the Indian or American soaps we have been seeing, and the added attraction is that they now come with English subtitles. One most welcome feature of Korean dramas is that unlike Indian and American soaps they do not tend to drag on and on for year after year, but are limited to a length of 3-6 months at the maximum.

Korean dramas are fun to watch. However, sometimes there are cultural differences that may make it difficult for non-Koreans, not so much for Indians as for Americans, from fully understanding what is happening in the drama. By and large, it is easier for Indians to relate to the relationships and situations in the story because of the cultural similarity between the two countries. For instance, pre-marital sex is as much a taboo in Korea as in India and it is never shown in Korean dramas. Kissing in public is not as common in Korea as it is in the U.S. In many of the dramas, when a couple kisses, it
usually means the relationship is very serious and will likely lead to marriage. In most dramas the lovers are not even shown lip-kissing till the couple is eventually united permanently towards the climax portions of the drama. Engaged marriages are preferred and even when the couple is romancing, parents' permission is sought before the marriage. As highlighted in "Mothers and Sisters," sons are more desirable than daughters in a traditional Korean family. If the family has more than one son, the oldest son is expected to take care of his parents when they age. Daughters, on
the other hand, are valued less since they become part of their husband's family and are required to serve their husband's parents once they get married. One particular aspect of their culture seen in practically every drama may be difficult to digest by most Indian viewers– universal addiction to drinking. Every one, young and old, parents and children, start drinking at the slightest provocation or set back in their life and get so much drunk, especially the female folks, that they have to be given piggy-back ride to their residences. May look amusing to non-Korean viewers!

In order to give a glimpse of the Korean TV drama, I have here tried to introduce my most favorite five dramas out of the numerous dramas we have watched and enjoyed in the last 5-6 years of our love affair with the Korean drama:

Stairway to Heaven

Wow, what a spellbinding story surcharged with heartwarming emotional moments and above all class performance by the entire cast. This show was a big hit. This drama quickly became known as one that could bring on laughter and tears, pulling at viewers’ heartstrings every time they watched. The wonderful story-line kept people talking long after the final episode aired. The show incorporates the beauty and sadness of love set in beautiful filming locations with a sweet, mellow soundtrack. The story opens with two children who grew up together and become lovers. Song-ju and Jeong-seo grew up together as close friends. As the only son of a wealthy executive of Global Group, Song-ju went abroad to study management. During this time, Jeong-seo is in a serious car accident, resulting in memory loss. She remembers nothing of her childhood friend, Song-ju and is unexpectedly reunited with him. The young main characters have different ways of expressing love, making each character unique.

All In

It is a special TV drama based on the true fiction-like story of Cha Min-su, a pro gambler and a pro janggi (Korean chess) player. Mr. Cha is the model for the main character Kim In-ha, played by Lee Byung-hun, who has become a super star of Korean TV dramas after his highly acclaimed performance in All In. Mr. Cha has had a dramatic life. He went to Las Vegas with only 18 dollars and became a millionaire. 'All In' is a story about a passion for success, victory and defeat in business and at the casino, and a love, sorrowful and pure.

The Slave Hunters

An award winning period drama of slaves fervently wishing to live like a human being and slave hunters chasing them tirelessly. While doing his job as a slave hunter, Dae-gil is offered to get Song Tae-ha and is promised to be given a fair amount of money as a reward. Tae-ha was forced to become a state slave as he was wrongfully accused of stealing some provisions. Tae-ha tries to escape. Daegil, however, gets wind of his plan and the two ends up fighting a bloody fight. Having barely escaped from the fierce fight, Te-ha happens to accompany a beautiful woman named Hye-won. In the end, Tae- ha manages to run away from Dae-gil while Dae-gil feels affection for Hye-won.

Cinderella's Stepsister

With great lines, heartfelt scenes, and exceptional acting, Cinderella's Stepsister has been praised as the most beautifully compelling drama of 2010. A modern adaptation of the classic fairy-tale “Cinderella,” “Cinderella's Stepsister” is the story of the stepsister who must overcome her past to find her true colors. Love is a seemingly unattainable luxury for Eun-jo (Cinderella's stepsister) who spent an unhappy childhood with an extremely selfish mother. Hyo-seon (Cinderella), despite her loving childhood, can never seem to get enough affection after her mother passes away when she is just a child. The drama follows the life of these two very different girls on their journeys into adulthood, where they eventually find themselves vying for the love of the same man. The drama sends the message that whether you are Cinderella or Cinderella's Stepsister, the star of your own fairy-tale or a character pushed to the background, life can be equally painful and sweet.

Bread, Love and Dreams

The highly acclaimed, awarded and extremely popular drama is also known as King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo. It tells the story of how a determined young baker manages to become the best baker in all of Korea, facing many trials on his journey, spanning through the 1970's to the 1990's, beginning with his mother's past, through his childhood, and his adulthood, successes, and trials. Kim Tak-gu is the eldest son of Gu Il-joong, the chairman of Geo-sung Corporation, a legend in the baking industry. Although he is an extremely talented baker and seemed destined to succeed his father as president, Goo Il-joong's family plotted to rob him of his inheritance because he was born to Il- joong's mistress, Kim Mi-soon. Tak-gu's determination to become number one in the baking industry drives him to rebuild his career from scratch despite the many trials he faces. It is one of the best Korean dramas with incredible performance by the entire cast and very inspiring and engaging story.

Korean drama programming is publicly available in most broadcast areas in USA. Now, due to information spread via the internet, cable TV, satellite TV, and DVD rental businesses, along with k-dramas' quality English subtitling and good production quality, Korean dramas have become even more popular across a diverse American audience - i.e., not limited to families of Korean descent. I'm sure if you have a chance to watch any Korean drama, especially any one of my favorite five, you will understand what made my wife and me so much addicted to Korean dramas.

Singing Star Surendra's Centenary

2010-11-12T18:03:00.000-08:00

This generation may not have heard of him, but he was heard with pin-drop silence when he sang his soul-stirring song “Kyon yaad aa rahen hain guzare huye zamzne...” on the stage during Indian Cinema's Golden Jubilee celebrations in the year 1982. The audience that included biggest of the Bollywood names knew him well and had their eyes moistened by the touching melody which looked so true to life. The glorious bygone era of Surendra, the singing star sensation of the 30s and 40s and heartthrob of thousands then, seemed to have suddenly come back before them. Their spontaneous applause and standing ovation made him overwhelmed with emotion, as their so much admiration and regard was, perhaps, his best recognition in many decades since his most melodious early years of Hindi films. Celebrating the centenary of this great singer, born November 11, 1911, let us remember him highlighting some of his great moments in movies.

Bombay, although the movie capital of India, was left behind at the Box Office by Calcutta film makers because the former had no singer to match Saigal's mass appeal. The directors here were desperately looking for a singer to play a lead in their movies when Surendranath, B.A.LL.B, landed in Bombay to start his practice in law-courts, but, as destiny would have it, was picked up by producer-director Mehboob Khan from a party where he was singing some of Saigal's songs . Surendra, as he was credited by Mehboob in his movies, became a part and parcel of Mehboob's Sagar Movietone, after his very first song, "Birha Ki Aag Lagi More Man Mein"(Deccan Queen) became an instant hit. Since the song was inspired by Saigal's hit song, "Balam Aye Baso More Man Mein", Surendra came to be known as Bombay's Saigal. However, when "Tumhi Ne Mujh Ko Prem Sikhaya"(Manmohan), from his second movie with Mehboob, became hugely popular with the masses, Surendra made his place for himself as a very talented singer-actor, independent of the Saigal tag. Then followed Surendra's hit musicals, Jagirdar, Gramophone Singer, Jiwan Sathi, Alibaba, Aurat, Gharib, Jawani etc. and movies made in Bombay were on top of the Box Office charts, the place they had been missing for want of a singing talent. Surendra's peak time of a super popular singing star continued into the 40s when two of his movies became the greatest musicals of that time. "Bhartrihari", a mythological with music by Khemchandra Prakash, and Mehboob's alltime musical hit, "Anmol Ghadi", with music by the maestro Naushad. "Bhiksha De De Maiya Pingla' from film "Bharthari" is still played, after 60 years of its rendering, wherever the classic play on the life of the king-turned-saint is staged every year during the festival season. The duet from "Anmol Ghadi", "Aawaz De Kahan Hei" has immortalized both Surendra and Noorjehan as the most popular singing pair in movies.

It was the era of singing stars. Surendra, brought by Mehboob in the 30s as Bombay's counter- strategy to Calcutta's reigning singer Saigal, was already the most sought after singing star of Bollywood. Noorjehan, the queen of melody, had cast a spell in the country with her melodious voice and hit songs. What more was needed to make a big musical hit than to bring the two together. The ace director Mehboob Khan and the mastreo Naushad Ali did exactly the same to produce one of the greatest musicals of all times, Anmol Ghadi (1946), with Surendra and Noorjehan as the lead pair. The two singing stars had already given a huge hit, Lal Haveli (1944), and though not a great musical, the film proved their potential as a popular pair. Anmol Ghadi put them on the pedestal of great acheivers, the most popular singing pair. The film was unique for the fact that the lovers did not come face to face till towards the end, and yet were able to express their deep emotions of love throughout with their melodious voice, especially, singing from long distance the all time greatest duet, 'Awaz De Kahan Hei'.

After the Partition when Noorjehan moved to Pakistan, the popular pair of Lal Haveli and Anmol Ghadi never got another chance to sing and act together. Surendra did sing some solos in movies thereafter, including the haunting melody, "Teri Yad Ka Dipak Jalta Hei"(Paigam), but eventually switched over to character-actor roles, some of his movies becoming greatest hits of 50s and 60s, such as Baiju Bawra, Waqt, Mughal-E-Azam, Milan, Johar Mehmood in Goa, Dil Deke Dekho, Evening in Paris, Sarswati Chandra, Haryali Aur Raasta etc.. A few years before his death in 1987, Surendra, then better known as Surendranath, started an advertising company and devoted much of his time to making TV commercials for some of the big brands like Colgate and Lyril. His very talented sons, Kailash Surendranath and Jeet Surendranath inherited the business and continue to make hugely popular TV commercials and short films. The all time popular musical short, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, made by the two brothers and directed by Kailash Surendranath, put them on the top amongst their fraternity of short film makers. As a tribute to their father on his centenary, Jeet Surendranath, along with his sister Rohini Pinto, has started a website to commemorate the memory of their father – www.singingstarsurendra.com. You may go to this website if you wish to know more about the veteran singer or like to listen to some of his select songs.

Obamas' Charm Offensive In India!

2010-11-10T13:34:00.000-08:00

.For the three days, November 6-8, when President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama made their historic state visit to my home country India, I along with my wife remained glued to NDTV, India's prime news channel, to enjoy watching them charm our countrymen as never before by any U. S. president, surpassing even the super-hit performance of President Bill Clinton during his visit to India in the year 2000. From the villages in Punjab or the bylanes of Chandni Chowk...an old section of Kolkata or a new high-rise in Bangalore (all these names spoken by President Obama in his speech), Obamas reached out to the masses with their astonishing mass appeal. When Obama rolled up his sleeves and let loose a bit, he ultimately won over the world’s largest democracy.

Almost as soon as the Obamas arrived in Mumbai on Saturday, US First Lady Michelle Obama was an undisputed hit in India after winning hearts with a Bollywood boogie and displaying a common touch. Michelle Obama was winning compliments for her moves while dancing with disadvantaged children to a popular Bollywood tune. On Sunday, Obama won accolades among Indians for at least trying out his moves with folk dance performers at a Mumbai high school, though it was First Lady Michelle Obama that did most of the charming by sticking with the dance until the song was over. The clip of Barack and Michelle Obama’s dancing dominated India’s airwaves, replayed over and over again, to the seeming delight of Indian viewers. India was, indeed, captivated. The Times of India hailed her as a “dancing queen” after she took to the floor twice during her visit to Mumbai, shaking a leg to Bollywood hits on Saturday and joining in a local folk dance with schoolchildren. Videos of the First Lady dancing have been getting constant play on Indian news channels, with NDTV, describing it as “the defining image of the Obamas’ maiden visit to India”. India Today magazine drew attention to her “emotional appeal” with a headline which reads: “Michelle steals Barack thunder.”

As she chatted with the group of children – all between eight and 13 years old – one little girl told the First Lady that seeing her was a “dream come true”.

“No, you are my dream come true,” Michelle responded to the delight of her young fan.

“Obama appeals to the head, Michelle touches the heart, despite her formidable intelligence,” Sunaina Kumar noted in the magazine, praising her “inordinate warmth” and calling the couple “a perfect team at work”.

Indian author and commentator Shobhaa De described the visit as “a charm offensive”. When Obama’s three-day visit to India is now said and done, people are going to remember the dance for a long time, as they continue to do of Clinton's dance with the village women in a tiny village of Rajasthan.

President Obama’s freeflowing event at St Xavier’s College in Mumbai was another feather in his hat that struck a sharp contrast with a more controversial town hall meeting in Shanghai last year, in which it became clear the audience had been handpicked by the Shanghai Communist party. Handling tough questions about Pakistan, Mahatma Gandhi, the US midterm elections and spiritualism, Mr Obama’s answers returned repeatedly to his desire for deepening ties with India. President Obama faced some tough questions from a group of 300 students . The invigorating interaction, which was watched by young people all over India, was spellbinding. Not only did the students ask some intelligent and tough questions, Obama handled them nicely as well.

“There is a strong bipartisan belief that India will be a critical partner for the US,” he said when asked whether last week’s Republican congressional victory would affect his India push. “The US has an enormous fondness for India.”

The US President made a strong statement by staying in Taj Mumbai and addressed businessmen at Hotel Trident. Both these hotels were targets of terror attacks on 26/11 in 2008. He charmed the India Inc by punctuating his 25-minute speech with some well known Hindi expressions and warm handshakes with a few leading lights sitting in front rows. There was a lot of rhetoric, "Namaste...Saal Mubarak...Diyas (Dipawali lights)... Diwali... Mumbaikars and Dharavi" were some of the expressions and words that Obama used in his interaction with a select group of leading industrialists. On the first-day of Obama's three-day visit to the country, deals worth $10 billion (about Rs 45,000 crore) were signed and much more are in the pipeline. His 25-minute speech to the CEOs was applauded several times as he talked about creating trade opportunities between the two nations -- for large businessmen to small shop owners in the bylanes of Dharavi (Asia's largest slum colony in Mumbai).

“A lot of people talk about India rising,” he said. “But, in our view, India has already risen. We see India’s emergence as good for the US and good for the world.”

In his address to the Joint House of Parliament, Obama uttered every word that the distinguished gathering present at the House wanted to hear. From Indian contribution of zero to Panchatantra and Gandhiji to Ambedkar, Obama spun his argument to drive home "the promise of India" and why India will have to shoulder greater responsibility with greater power. Beginning with bahut dhanyavad in Hindi for the warm hospitality he and Michelle Obama received, Obama struck a warm chord with his tone of humility.

"I am mindful that I might not be standing before you, as President of the United States, had it not been for Gandhiji and the message he shared with America and the world," said Obama as he traced Mahatma's influence on civil rights leader Martin Luther King.

Surely, there were no scenes of MPs climbing over benches in Parliament's Central Hall to shake hands with the world's most powerful leader, as they did for Bill Clinton, but, by the time he uttered Jai Hind to wrap up his 35-minute address, US President Barack Obama had sold his vision of India and must have created a record of sorts: several rounds of applause — almost one every minute — and a standing ovation that showed the success of Obamas' charm offensive in India.

Let Peace Prevail In Paradise On Earth!

2010-10-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Srinagar has always remained my most favorite destination for spending holidays, ever since my school days in Lahore. This was the city that my uncle had selected to set up a sports goods factory, and had extended us an open invitation to spend our summer vacations with him every year. The Bund, where uncle lived, was an expensive and exclusive residential area on the river front. River Jhelum that flows in front of the houses is so calm, as if making a deliberate effort not to disturb the peace of the neighborhood, who must have paid so dearly to live along its beautiful bank. The scenic splendor of Jhelum is as joyful during the day, as it is at night. Shikaras, with their colorful canopies and expensive interiors, provide luxurious ride to tourists and the locals on the river and the Dal Lake. Hundreds of lanterns hanging on the shikaras at night look like another body of stars with blue waters of the river as their horizon. Most tourists prefer to stay in ornately decorated houseboats anchored in the river. Waterway vendors in their shikaras, bring to the doorsteps of the houseboats, Kashmir's finest crafts and choicest fruits. Much of Srinagar life seems to be on the river that flowed through the city, dividing it into the old and the new inhabitation, connected by boats and the seven bridges on the river.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, is also the crowning glory of Kashmir Valley. The Valley has been celebrated since ancient times for its magnificent setting in the Himalayan Mountains. The snow-covered peaks overlook the lovely lakes, their surfaces spangled with the exotic blooms of lotuses and water lilies. There are several small towns and tourist resorts near Srinagar, like Pehalgam and Gulmarg, that attract thousands of tourists every year for vacationing. They find the feeling of tranquility that pervades the romantic places nested between the towering Himalayan summits. Tourists are the backbone of Srinagar and the surrounding towns. Apart from being tourist attractions, these places are the outlets for purchase of Kashmir's crafts, especially shawls and carpets, which are admired all over the world. Amirakadal, Srinagar's main market street, is seen bustling with big crowd of shoppers during the season, most of them tourists from abroad and other parts of the country. In winter they work indoor, creating their crafts, with 'kangri' – the earthen pot containing burning charcoal – in front to warm themselves, and samovar on their side to sip cups of freshly brewing tea. The 'hukka' – their favorite smoke – keeps passing around for enjoyable puffs, as they are engrossed in weaving and knitting for the next season.

Srinagar's biggest tourist attraction is the sightseeing trip to the famous Mogul Gardens – Nishat, Naseem and Shalimar – built by the Mogul Emperors three centuries ago as their summer resort. Beautifully decorated and luxuriously furnished shikaras are hired for the day long trip to the gardens through gorgeous Dal Lake. On the way to gardens, a break in the journey for lunch is a must at the mystical Chashma Shahi, the royal spring, the name given to the crystal spring by Emperor Shahjehan, who created this oasis around the spring. It impresses the visitors as the ultimate sanctuary, making it the most popular picnic spot near Srinagar. There is a magical quality in the spring water: whatever and how much you may eat, you will digest it instantly after drinking the spring water. After a couple of hours ride from Chashma Shahi on the Dal lake, enjoying the most magnificent views of the snow-peaked mountains and the waterfalls emerging out of them, you reach the royal Mogul Gardens. Built hundreds of years ago, the gardens have maintained their grandeur and glory under different dynasties that ruled Kashmir. Filled with flowers, terraced waterfalls, fountains, and great shade trees, chenars (sycamores) and evergreens, these are amongst the world's best preserved gardens. Another great place of tourist interest in Srinagar is Shankaracharya Temple on top of a hill. It is a hard climb but once you reach the top, the panoramic view of the city and heavenly peace at the temple fascinate you. The breath taking view of the Valley made a Mogul Emperor exclaim in awe, “If there is paradise on earth, it is here, it is here!”

Unfortunately, this paradise has been twice on the verge of being lost for the tourists, who throng in thousands every year to enjoy its scenic splendor. First time when the tribals aided by Pakistan army invaded Kashmir, shortly after India attained independence in 1947. I can never forget being an eye witness to the brave and proud saga of Srinagar. It was the last week in October of 1947, barely ten weeks after India became independent from the British rule. I was in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, and was an eye witness to Srinagar's proud record in war against terror, when the city was saved by the triamph of secular forces over the evil of communal fundamentalists. Tribal militias, backed by Pakistan military, had invaded Kashmir. Before the raiders had almost reached the outskirts of the city, all the Maharaja's men fled to Jammu and beyond. In the absence of any administration, the city's infrastructure had totally collapsed to leave us without water and electricity in our homes. It was then that the citizens of Srinagar experienced something very strange--a unique power to pull together, the vast majority of the Moslem population along with Hindus and Sikhs, to save the city from falling to the tribal invaders and to restore all the essential services in the city including law and order.
Imagine the scenario, Moslem fundamentalists, motivated to wage a 'Jihad', to capture Kashmir, pushing forward to within miles of Srinagar, the capital, could not cross the human barrier of brave men whose only weapon was their united stand for secularism and a strong will to overcome the forces of communalism. Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent struggle for India's independence was their inspiration, Pundit Nehru's passion for secularism provided the strength and Sheikh Abdullah's leadership gave the guiding light that led them to victory, and saved their beloved city, Srinagar.

The saga of Srinagar is as relevant today as it was then, in war against terror and extremist forces anywhere in the world. This paradise came under attack the second time, when in early nineties the terrorists from across the border intruded into Kashmir and turned it into one of the most dangerous places in the world to visit, even to live for an important section of its own citizens, Kashmiri Pandits. Thanks to succeeding secular governments in Kashmir and steps taken by the central government, terrorists have been on the run and the tourists have once again found their lost paradise back. Srinagar is again full of life with thousands of tourists traveling to this awesome city in the season. It is my greatest wish and hope that Kashmiri Pandits, the colorful community, will also find their lost paradise and return from Jammu, where they have taken refuge, to live safely and happily in their homeland, Srinagar.

If only Arundhati, Geelani and the alike, had been born earlier and witnessed the saga of Srinagar, they certainly would have resisted from making irresponsible and seditious statements that can only incite the terrorists, and encourage Pakistan to felicitate their infiltration into Kashmir from across the border. Please, for the sake of peace-seeking people of Kashmir and tourists from all over the world who travel in thousands every year to enjoy the Himalayan beauty, let peace prevail in Paradise on earth.

What A Wonderful World In USA!

2010-10-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

An old friend of mine is a typical Tea Party follower. He shouts out from house top when he has bad news to share, the news that no one is sure if true or false. He tries to cut short the conversation if I want to give him some good news. When unable to get sleep at night, he starts counting scams, real or imaginary, instead of the proverbial sheep crossing the fence. You may also be having someone in your circle like him- quite a common trait amongst true followers of the Tea Party. All their statistics are Satanic, all prophecies pronounce arrival of Doomsday, whatever the business of the House for the day, they would insist on the Speaker to first let them have their say on the depressing news, dished out in the morning by Fox, their most favorite cable channel. And if Members from the ruling party are ready with some really good news to share, they are sure to manipulate a misunderstanding of the real meaning of that news. If they could, they would just jam all those channels that carry cheering news and would rather request media Moguls to come up with 24-hour TV newscast that can hide all the inspiring happenings behind the bad news splashed prominently under bold headlines. Their listeners, fed up of false propaganda and earnestly looking for real news, are left with no option except to google for good news.

For my friend and alike in the Tea Party, nothing works in this country, not even the marriages, which they would like to be solemnized with a slightly amended vow, "...till divorce do us apart!" All their love stories end with-"and they lived miserably thereafter". It is beyond them to believe that the national pride is still a first priority, and Change is the mantra most people believe in, especially the youth and the ordinary American. Indeed, so much has already been achieved in health care, education reform, economic stability and so many other areas for all to see and benefit from, but for those who choose to be blind to their cheering existence:

Banking and Financial Reform: Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the biggest financial reform law since the Great Depression.

Economy: Economy grew 5.9% in 4th quarter. Manufacturing grew by most since 2004. GDP up 3.2% in first quarter. Consumer spending showed biggest rise in 3 years. US auto industry rescued. Federal deficit shrank 8% year-on-year. Financial reform has ‘strongest consumer financial protections in history.’ Wall St reform designed to end taxpayer bailouts.

Education: Enacted largest reform of student aid in 40 years. Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. Established President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. Created the Race to the Top Fund ($4.35 billion) to reward States that create comprehensive education reform plans. Children’s Health Insurance Program .

Employment: Jobs for Main Street Act (2010). American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. 3.7 Million jobs created by stimulus (May 2010). 682,370 jobs created under the Recovery Act Between January 1 — March 31,2010. New jobless claims tumble. March payrolls surge by 162,000. March jobs data showed biggest growth in three years . U.S. economy added 90000 jobs in April . Jobless rates dropped in 34 states and DC .

Foreign Affairs and International Relations: Re-established the United States standing in the world. World’s opinion of U.S. has “improved sharply”. 47 nations rise to Obama’s challenge at US nuke summit and agree to four years of non-proliferation efforts. Visited more countries and world leaders than any first year president. G-20 Summit produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis.

Health Care Reform: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act // Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (March 2010). Required large employers to contribute to a national health plan. Required insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. Prevented children from being refused health insurance coverage. Cut prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan’s gap (“donut hole”) in coverage.

Housing: Unveiled $275 billion dollar housing plan. Established “Opening Doors” – a federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program . Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, helping millions avoid foreclosure . Established the Making Home Affordable Plan, which will provide for the refinance or loan modification for 9 Million homeowners.

Scientific and Medical Research: Removed restrictions and provided support for embryonic stem-cell research and new biomedical research.

Taxes: Small business tax credits for the cost of health insurance for employees. Income floor for medical expense deductions for individuals age 65 and older (and their spouses) remains at 7.5% through 2016. Health insurance premium tax credits and subsidies available for those with income up to 4x the federal poverty level . Tax bills hit lowest level since 1950. Tax refunds up 10 percent due to stimulus.

In democracy we have learnt to live in the House with an Opposition, ever depressed as my old friend is. I wish and pray that he and all his friends from the Tea Party, presently blinded by politics, will one day open their eyes to perceive the true picture of our rapidly changing country – economically less privileged provided health care of the quality that the affluent afford, inner street students availing as much opportunity to college admission as the kids from the most expensive areas, the neighborhood grocery store feeling as good as the great Walmart, relatively recent happenings in IT, especially cloud computing, Carpathia Hosting and Yunteq, no less upbeat than the big time players, Microsoft and Apple, in short everyone from the lowest ring to the highest, ready to reap the fruits of Change that President Obama has sowed so far in less than two years of his presidency. I ask my friend is it not the time to exclaim with one voice - “What A Wonderful World In USA!”

Guest Obama God In India

2010-10-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama's visit to India may have been dubbed by both the countries as a "defining moment in the history of our bilateral relations", and the President may in his own words, “look forward to the history that we will make together, progress that will be treasured not just by this generation but by generations to come,” but what he is going to cherish for ever is the traditional Indian hospitality that will be showered on him by the warmhearted people of India whichever place he chooses to go to. This is not just a journalistic prediction based on positive thinking, but on the astonishing experience of five of the President's predecessors, including the three living former presidents, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. Can President jimmy Carter ever forget Carter Village in Haryana state, named to honor his visit to the village, or President Bill Clinton the village women of Noyla, who did away with their traditional veils to dance with the President, or president Bush, the tumultuous welcome he received in India which was beyond any imagination? No, never, these are the most treasured memories that will remain with them for ever. Now when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and over one billion citizens of India look forward to give a very warm and heartfelt welcome to President Obama and the First Family, let us look at what the traditional Indian hospitality is all about in common man's everyday life and culture.

The one thing that takes any tourist to India by surprise and also deeply touches him is the warm hospitality of Indians. A ready smile on the face, always willing to go out of the way to help somebody, exuding genuine happiness upon meeting a person - these are some of the common traits tourists find in maximum Indians. Even strangers on the road are so friendly and hospitable. If you ask them where a certain shop or place is located, chances are people will not only give you the direction, but also accompany you to your destination, especially when the place is nearby. Indian people feel that their guests must be given proper warm hospitality, which certainly requires extreme care and attention. So it's understandable why the tourists visiting India want to come back again & again. Many prefer to stay with families as far as possible. The aroma of sizzling vegetables, warm curry, lentils, and rice greets guests as they enter the foyer of a traditional Indian home. Most Indians live in a joint family where the womenfolk form the backbone of traditional hospitality. Apart from taking full care of all their family members, they never ever let a guest go away unfed or unhappy from their home. Indian women are great cooks and can scurry up delectable dishes in no time. Because the home is a reflection of an Indian family's life and pride, most go to great lengths to make a visitor feel comfortable and secure. Accordingly, Indian hospitality is a reflection of the family, their home, their culture, and their country.

E.M Forster's novel, A Passage to India, depicts India during the British colonial era. Amongst themes of cultural awareness, British and Indian relations, respect, and tolerance, Forster weaves aspects of Indian culture and daily life throughout the novel. Forster provides many examples of Indian hospitality through his main characters, Dr. Aziz, a Muslim doctor from Chandrapore, and the English Cyril Fielding, Mrs. Moore, and Adela Quested.

During a party, Mrs. Moore, curious about Indian culture and in search of the "real India," wonders if another guest, Mrs. Bhattacharya, would mind her visiting some day. When asked what day is convenient, Mrs. Bhattacharya, a proud Indian woman, quickly replies, " All days are convenient." When asked what time, she replies, " All hours." The guest is the first priority: prior plans become secondary and inconveniencing your family is never an issue.
Forster stresses the point that a guest in India may receive the pleasure of being respected and cared for, but a true host, when being hospitable, finds, "that it is more blessed to give than to receive." In addition, A Passage to India, shows that for Indians, hospitality is not only a beneficial ideal but also a priority and even a dream. Aziz explains to Miss Quested and Mrs. Moore that, " one of the dreams of my life is accomplished in having you both here as my guests".

Here is the age-old story that strengthens Indians' strong belief in their traditional hospitality:

A man who had never missed his daily prayer at the temple, one day spoke aloud, addressing God, "Oh God, I have been coming every day to your home, but you have never visited mine. I do not want any favors from you, but I do wish and pray that you pay a return visit to my house at least once." He heard God saying that He would visit him the same day, though late in the evening. The poor man kept sitting at the entrance of his cottage waiting for God. It was getting darker and colder, but he did not move in, hoping to receive God at the entrance. He had lit fire to keep himself warm. Late at night a passerby stopped to warm himself by sitting near the fire. The man offered him a cup of tea and a piece from the cake he had made for God. The passerby thanked him profusely and went his way. The man kept sitting till the next morning, but God never came. At his daily prayer at the temple, he complained to God that He had not kept His word to visit his house the previous evening. He again heard God's voice, "I did come my son, and enjoyed the hot cup of tea and the piece of cake you served, and also the warm comfort of fire you had lit. Thank you for your hospitality."

The above story and the Sanskrit adage, "Atithi Devo Bhava," meaning the “Guest is God”, dictates the respect granted to guests in India, as also gives meaning to the title - “Guest Obama God In India”!

Obama Goes Gandhi On Outsourcing!

2010-10-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

On October 2 every year the world remembers Mahatma Gandhi on his birthday, while India observes the day as a national holiday in honor of Father of the nation. There are discussions, discourses and seminars on the salient features of his teachings in schools and varied forums. Central to Gandhi's philosophy was the principle of 'swadeshi', or home economy, which still is of utmost relevance, remarkably so in reference to the debate on outsourcing, particularly in the U. S. from day one of Obama's election campaign and continuing till date during his presidency.

People outside India know of Gandhi's campaigns to end British colonialism, but this was only a small part of his struggle. The greater part of Gandhi's work was to renew India's vitality and regenerate its culture. Gandhi's vision of a free India was a nation of self-governing, self-reliant, self-employed people, deriving their livelihood from the products of their homesteads, weaving homespun clothes, eating homegrown food, using homemade goods. When India was flooded with machine-made, inexpensive, mass-produced textiles from Lancashire, England, the local textile artists were rapidly put out of business, and the village economy suffered terribly. Gandhi thought it essential that the industry be restored, and started a campaign to stem the influx of British cloth. Due to his efforts, hundreds of thousands of Indians joined together to discard the mill-made clothes imported from England and learned to spin their own yarn and weave their own cloth. He felt that Indians should recognize their own genius. It was a crime to spin cotton into yarn and weave yarn into cloth in India. It hurt factories in Manchester. Gandhi began spinning on a "charkha," or manual spinning wheel, and forced the British to relent.

Gandhi sailed to England in August 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference, and also to win the hearts of the British people. Gandhi spent eighty four days in England and most of the time he was meeting and talking to people. Climax of the Gandhi visit was the Mahatma's pilgrimage to cotton-spinning, overproducing Lancashire, to see for himself the effects India's boycott on cotton goods had had on the workers there. The crowd that awaited him was several thousand strong. By destiny or design, his simple peasant image combined with his reputation as the spiritual leader of millions made him irresistible. Intensely practical, Gandhi had no idealistic notion that he could relieve unemployment in this distressed British area by inducing capitalists to scrap their textile machinery, or unemployed workers to adopt the hand loom. In Darwen the well-guarded Mahatma was both booed ("Tear his eyes out!") and cheered ("Good old Gandhi!"). He met the Mayor, visited shut factories, gloomy homes. "It distresses me," said Gandhi, "that in all this unemployment I have had some kind of share. ... It is the result of a step I took as my duty to the largest army of unemployed anywhere—the starving millions of India. ... I have come in search of a way out of the difficulty. ... I am powerless without the active co-operation of Lancashire and Englishmen". Gandhi was received with sympathy and affection by the Lancashire cotton workers, even though they were the ones hit hardest by the boycott.

In his first State of Union address, the US President reverted to the anti-outsourcing stance that he had adopted during his election campaign. Recently, Speaking in Cleveland, Ohio, Obama made it clear that he intends to push this course to propel companies to invest more in the US, thereby opening fresh avenues for jobs.

“One of the keys to job creation is to encourage companies to invest more in the United States. But for years, our tax code has actually given billions of dollars in tax breaks encouraging companies to create jobs and profits in other countries,” Obama said.The president said he was determined to change that.
“I want to change that. Instead of tax loopholes that incentivise investment in overseas jobs, I’m proposing a more generous, permanent extension of the tax credit that goes to companies for all the research and innovation they do right here in America,” he said, with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland standing by his side.

Mr Obama's speech — that strikes a populist chord — comes at a time when the US job market has been slow to recover from the global financial crisis; unemployment remains at 10 per cent. In order to encourage more local hiring, Obama also gave a speech in January this year where he suggested a $5,000 credit for every job a company created (net new job) and an overall limit of $500,000 credit per company for availing such benefits. Jobs will be increased as more firm will stop/reduce outsourcing and look for American peoples more. In the time of recession jobs should be in America rather than other countries. As a president he cares for America, his motivation is very clear to help American Peoples in bad conditions when he declared last year that he wanted jobs in Buffalo and not Bangalore.

New Delhi’s concerns on outsourcing is expected to be raised during Obama’s maiden visit to India in November. Well in advance of the President's visit, consternation is rippling through India's US$50 billion annual outsourcing industry over the president's intention to block tax breaks to companies globalizing their IT operations. It is to be seen how President Obama handles his strong anti-outsourcing stance in India where more than 3 million jobs have been created and a huge infrastructure has sprung up to take care of the myriad needs and demands of the US companies. It would be a well advised gesture on his part to visit Bangalore, the Lancashire of Gandhi, and explain his viewpoint to the numerous Call Center employees who are on the verge of losing their jobs because of the ban on outsourcing which he is vigorously advocating. Indeed, it will be another historical event if Obama goes Gandhi on outsourcing!

Cloud Computing N Cloud Nine!

2010-09-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

Nothing in the world makes parents happier than seeing their children make significant progress in life. When we sent our 17-year son Alok to USA to study computer science after schooling at ST. Xavier in New Delhi, we were more scared of the challenges he would face in a foreign country than being enthusiastic of the success he might achieve there. It was a great relief, therefore, when immediately on graduating from the University of San Francisco, he got a good career break with Sun Microsystems, a computer giant of the 80s and 90s. Then onwards it was a pure pleasure to watch him progress at Sun for 20+ years as Software Engineer, Principal Engineer, Chief Technologist, Director and Patent Holder for his invention of a system and method for a "debugger Run-Time-Checking for valid memory accesses for multi-threaded application programs".

We were overjoyed and overwhelmed when Alok took us to the 7th Commencement & Alumni Reception-Carnegie Mellon University - Silicon Valley Campus, where Ray Bareiss, Director of Educational Programs, presented the Dean’s Return on Education Award to Alok with the citation:

“Having worked for Sun Microsystems for 19 years, this year’s recipient of the Return on Education Award joined the Carnegie Mellon Software Management program, seeking to ‘step out of his comfort zone.’ Shortly after enrolling in the program, he was able to gain the skills and confidence to begin thinking and behaving like a leader. His actions were clearly recognized by his global peer group of 1,500 engineers at Sun, who nominated him to be Principal Engineer. But he didn’t stop there … he left Sun after nearly 21 years to start Yunteq, a software company developing key enabling technology for Cloud computing … By continuing to tell his own story of transformation to his peers, he hopes to inspire others to make similar changes in their own professional lives.”

To provide the audience with flesh and blood testimony to the strengths of the program, Bareiss turned the microphone over to one of campus’ 144 current students Alok Rishi, who would soon be graduating with an M.S. in Software Management.

“I had Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, I wasn’t particularly looking to get an MBA, but I heard about this program, which is to me like an accelerated MBA tailored for Silicon Valley, and more specifically for the software industry. It gives you a complete end to end view of conceiving a software product or technology idea, innovating it, bringing that innovation to the market, building a company out of it, and running and growing that company, with all the people dynamics and technology dynamics around it.

“But the ongoing experience was not, ‘Wait until I graduate and then apply it.’ At work, my colleagues began to see very vivid changes in me almost immediately, I was manifesting what I learned at work, in two forms: I was assuming more of a leadership role, being much more comfortable in a larger people dynamics type of way, and also I had moved away from being sort of being in a silo and spreading out to harness innovation more broadly within Sun and from the industry. So it lead to profound transformative changes within, but it also resulted in my career taking off like a hockey puck. So I progressed from Software Engineer to Senior Engineer in the last year and a half to Principal Engineer, Chief Technologist and Director at Sun. A couple of months ago, I left Sun and started my own company. Yunteq Inc. is founded with the vision of dramatically reducing the cost and complexity of enterprise IT while providing agility, through the use of policy-driven clouds to host business applications as cloud-based services.”

The founding team of Yunteq – (Yun in Chinese means Cloud) - also includes the co-founders Nakul Saraiya and Punkaj Rishi (Alok's first cousin), who are successful entrepreneurs and industry veterans with deep collective experience, and the founding engineers Nicholas Sterling and Larry Matter, who are senior software engineers of long-standing experience in large Silicon Valley computer companies. Yunteq's initial encouragement was from the industry leader Citrix, which instantly approved its orchestration software to include Yunteq amongst its Solution Advisers and Distribution Partners. But the first big order came from Carpathia Hosting, a leading provider of enterprise managed hosting and cloud services. “Carpathia evaluated many cloud solutions before selecting Yunteq,” said Jon Greaves, CTO at Carpathia Hosting. “Our goals were to marry best in breed cloud technologies with our focus on enterprise and federal customers. Yunteq provided the basis for Carpathia’s innovation of compliance and hybrid cloud solutions for commercial and federal customers.”

While enthusiastically busy with presentations to potential buyers including some of the biggest IT enterprises, Alok likes to remain on low key, realistic about his work, rather than over-optimistic - “There are however, significant challenges to overcome, before the potential gains from Cloud Computing can be fully realized. Thus, Enterprises have been slow to adopt these new technologies and paradigms. Our early stage start-up is an attempt to solve many of these technical and business challenges. We envision an IT utopia for the Enterprise – where they will return to focusing on their core business and only use IT as an enabling and efficient service. We are focused on changing the way Enterprises consume and pay for business software,” he said in an interview to an IT analyst.

Cloud Computing is, of-course, all the rage and passion for Alok. While we are anxiously awaiting and wishing rewards for his hard work in the new role as an entrepreneur, we are happy to have a wonderful and caring son and his accomplished wife, Ranjan, a big support to him in all his endeavors. With so much going on in Yunteq, no wonder with all the excitement of Cloud Computing, we feel we are on cloud nine!

Presidential Passage To India!

2010-09-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Will it be chicken tikka in New Delhi, idli-dosa in Bangalore or pav-bhaji in Mumbai for the American president and the first lady? From November 7 to Novrmber 10 this year President Barack Obama will make his maiden visit to the country that he describes as a rising power and a 21st century center of influence.

"I look forward to advancing our partnership and experiencing all that India and its incredible people and its ancient culture have to offer," the President said. "And I intend to create an Obama platter," he said. Asserting that "relationship between India and the US would be a defining partnership of the 21st century", the President said, "That's why a third of my cabinet has visited India."

As India prepares for the visit of President Barack Obama in early November, down my memory lane land the unforgettable moments of the earlier visits to India of five former presidents of Unites States of America:

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The year was 1959. More than a million people greeted President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he landed in New Delhi as part of an 11-nation tour. The enthusiastic crowd chanted “Eisenhower zindabad!” as the motorcade carrying President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru proceeded from Palam Airport to Rashtrapati Bhavan. The entire city was decked with lights and thousands of Indian and American flags to greet the first U.S. president to visit India. As their motorcade arrived near the downtown Connaught Place in the heart of New Delhi, it stopped in front of the flourishing fruit and vegetable market. Both, Prime Minister Nehru and President Eisenhower came out of their cars for the traditional welcome with flowers and garlands by the vegetable and fruit vendors, enthusiastically waiting for them. They got themselves photographed with them and some lucky ones even shook hands with the world's two great leaders. This was the scene whenever a foreign dignitary, a President or a Prime Minister passed that point on their arrival. And this is the world I wish to rediscover, sans the threat of security that separates the peoples' leaders from their own people.

During the four December days he spent in India, President Eisenhower addressed Parliament, attended a state banquet, received a Doctor of Laws degree from Delhi University, was entertained by Indian
singers and musicians, visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and a village nearby. From Indian leaders to common people, the president created a bond that would endure despite differences on major international issues then and in the following decades. Speaking to the largest crowd ever gathered, up to that time, at the Ram Lila Grounds in New Delhi, President Eisenhower said, “I see in the magnificent spectacle before me a soul-stirring testimonial by half a million of India’s people to America, a sister democracy—and to the cause for which both India and America stand: The cause of peace and friendship in freedom.…We who are free—and who prize our freedom above all other gifts of God and nature—must know each other better; trust each other more; support each other.

Richard Nixon

President Nixon’s visit in 1969 came at a politically turbulent period. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was struggling to fight for her place with the old guard Congress leaders like her Deputy Prime Minister Morarji Desai, Home Minister Y. B. Chavan, and Lok Sabha Speaker Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. When the Air Force One carrying the Presidential party landed in New Delhi, the public welcome was none of the overwhelming enthusiasm president Eisenhower received ten years earlier. The visit was too short for discussion on substantive issues with the Indian leaders. ‘Neither Mrs Gandhi nor Nixon displayed much warmth. The substantive discussions, mainly on Vietnam, lacked spark and animation. After landing in New Delhi at noon, Nixon called on Acting President Hidayatullah at Rashtrapati Bhavan and held official talks later with Prime Minister Gandhi. That night he attended a Presidential banquet hosted by Hidayatullah and witnessed a cultural show for half an hour. The next morning, the presidential party left for Lahore after breakfast. The chemistry between Indira Gandhi and Nixon was not at the same level as that of Nixon and Pakistani leaders.

Nixon and Kissinger again visited India in 1971 when the US relationship with India had reached 'a state of exasperatingly strained cordiality like a couple that can neither separate nor get along,' according to Kissinger. Conditions in East Bengal were very serious. Some 3 million people are estimated to have been killed in the genocide unleashed by Pakistan's military government on East Pakistan, leading to a rush of refugees into India. But all along, the Nixon administration sided with the military establishment of Pakistan over democratic India. At that time Nixon and Kissinger were in Delhi and were invited for breakfast by her.

It is stated that on the eve of the breakfast meeting at her residence with Nixon and Kissinger, Mrs Gandhi phoned General Manekshaw, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Army. She just told him to come for the breakfast in the morning, and he should come in uniform. So, General Manekshaw went for breakfast and soon they were joined by Nixon and Kissinger. Mrs Gandhi was persistent in pleading with Nixon that he should try to restrain Pakistan for what was being done in East Pakistan because the conditions there were becoming intolerable and it was almost becoming impossible for India to remain silent at the mass migration from East Pakistan following the atrocities being committed there. Nixon and Kissinger tried to underplay the situation. Rather, Nixon in half annoyance is said to have told her that the US could do nothing about it. Obviously rattled, she made a last minute appeal to Nixon to do something otherwise she might have to do something herself which she was reluctant to do. At this Nixon again expressed his inability to do anything and asked her rather ironically as to what she intended to do. At that time she stood up and, pointing towards the General (who was in full military uniform), told Nixon that if he could not control the situation then she was going to ask him (meaning the General) to do the same. There was stunning silence for a minute and the sharp message was conveyed to Nixon in a very stark manner. Obviously, Nixon and Kissinger had their egos deflated and were not going to forgive Mrs Gandhi for such an attitude, as is apparent from the recently declassified some of the Nixon White House tapes and secret documents that bring to light the way in which the Nixon administration went about the Bangladesh saga, reflecting the potential of mindsets and personal equations taking precedence over ground realities in White House decision making.

Jimmy Carter

President Carter came to India in 1978 and instantly on arrival to tumultuous welcome became the most beloved U.S. President by his signature smile and irresistible charm. The sleepy village of Daulatpur Nasirabad in Gurgaon became the focus of media attention the world over when he chose it for a visit during his tour of India to enliven the memories of his mother's association with Nasirabad.

Carter's mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, who was an active volunteer in the US Peace Corps, came to India in the 1960s. And it was in Nasirabad that she stayed and worked as a nurse. Jimmy Carter wanted to make it a model village. He even promised to extend his support and co-operation to the Indian government for the purpose. Carter's announcement stirred the hopes and aspirations of the villagers and DaulatpurNasirabad was named Carterpuri. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter stayed an hour, presented the village with its first television set, visited the home where Lillian had stayed. Rosalynn was dressed up in the local costume, and they even ate some locally made bread, and 3 January, the day of the presidential visit, became a village holiday. Everything's changed since those days. The village has a high school as well as a primary school, a bank, drainage, electricity, telephone lines. All around is undergoing the radical makeover that accompanies soaring land prices, lifestyle aspirations, and a middle class on the move.

Bill Clinton

When former president, Bill Clinton, went to India on a state visit in the year 2000, he received a tumultuous welcome, never before witnessed during the visit of any world dignitary. People of India, irrespective of their political affiliations, loved him from their hearts and greeted him with the greatest welcome he could have ever imagined to get anywhere in the world.

President Clinton arrived in his limousine at the Fategarh Haveli, a mansion over 100 years old built by a former Prime Minister of Jaipur. He was garlanded and showered flowers by the village women, dressed in traditional attires, who sang a welcome song in the traditional Rajasthani folk style. As Dr Kanchan Mathur, sociologist who acted as the official interlocutor between the President and the villagers, translated the song into English, Clinton burst into laughter. Roughly it meant:

"I get up at four in the morning daily, I clean, mop, wash and cook. Even then they think I am not doing any work. Where do I go and tell my worries? Where do I go and tell my pains?"

Then as stunned officials watched, the women dance with Clinton, a senior official said, "Till a couple of days back, we found so hard to convince them to remove their veil while receiving the President. When he actually came, they broke every tradition, and dances with him!" After the welcome, as the women started narrating their struggles to over come social stigma and gain economic independence, the spoon-fed language gave way to more natural conversation, and the fear of facing the world's most powerful political figure vanished in the general air of informality. Stories were several more, and breaking away from a traditional head of state's formalities, Mr Clinton stretched his stay at the village much beyond the time schedule. When he began to depart, the village, where the women have made such a difference -- suddenly noticed that the limousine of their unforgettable guest was being driven by a woman.

George W Bush

President Bush's visit to India in 2006 can truly be termed as historic. India at large welcomed President Bush to India as a genuine friend. President Bush through the civil nuclear deal and the other agreements arrived at in the fields of defense cooperation, space cooperation and high-technology cooperation indicated through this comprehensive engagement that USA was truly interested in a strategic partnership with India. In his address to the Indian nation on the eve of his departure he publicly asserted that India was the United States natural partner for the 21st Century and praised genuinely India's vibrant democracy and its multi-ethnic and multi-religious free society.

George Bush launched a "historic" charm offensive in New Delhi, lauding India as a "grand democracy" and US partner in a bid to reach out to its people over the heads of tens of thousands of protesters. Standing on the manicured lawns of Hyderabad House, once a symbol of British power in India, the American president and the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh clapped hands and exchanged hugs after concluding a much-heralded nuclear deal and outlining a series of trade pacts.

"History was made today," Mr Singh said. "Our discussion today makes me confident that there are no limits to the Indo-US partnerships."

Looking forward to his visit to India, Obama quoted from an eminent Europe scholar who traveled to India more than a century ago, who said, "Whatever sphere of the human mind you may select for your special study, whether it be language or religion or mythology or philosophy, whether it be law or customs, primitive art, or science, you have to go to India, because," he said, "some of the most valuable and instructive material of the history of man are treasured up in India, and India only."

Obama said: "So when it comes to the sphere of our work, building a future of greater prosperity, opportunity and security for our people, there is no doubt; I have to go India. But even more, I am proud to go to India, and I look forward to the history that we will make together, progress that will be treasured not just by this generation but by generations to come."

President Obama has, indeed, eloquently explained in nutshell the need for Presidential Passage To India!

Midlife Enlivens Life!

2010-09-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

In younger years one leads a life as good as his parents can give him. In old age one lives as comfortable a life as his children contribute to it. But it is the middle age that one makes or breaks by himself. For most men, midlife is a time of achievement and satisfaction. For many others, however, the passage is not at all smooth - children leaving home, caring for both parents and children. Middle age is that point in our life when we shift from seeing the future in terms of our potential and begin to see it in terms of our limitations. It's a shift that's so slow, so incremental, that we don't even notice it on a day-to-day basis. But we start at one end and end up at the other. It doesn't happen overnight.

Middle age is the period of age beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. This is usually considered to occur approximately between the ages of 40 and 60. This is a period of dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals as a result of sensing the passing of their own youth and the imminence of their old age. Sometimes, a crisis can be triggered by transitions experienced in these years, such as the death of parents or other causes of grief, realizing that a job or career is hated but not knowing how else to earn an equivalent living, or children leaving home. The result may be a desire to make significant changes in core aspects of day-to-day life or situation, such as in career, work-life balance or physical appearance. Some studies indicate that some cultures may be more sensitive to this phenomenon than others. One study found that there is little evidence that people undergo midlife crises in Japanese and Indian cultures, primarily because of parental or family backing during the period of difficulties. Sincere and strong spousal support makes it much easier to overcome any midlife crisis. Here I must thank God for being one who had it in abundance from my wonderful wife.

Career change is the most common concern that may trigger midlife crisis. Often it's not choosing the specific new career that's the real problem; it's how to approach it when you're middle-aged with limited time and money. No one likes to make an expensive mistake. It could relate to someone who feels "burnt out" or "stuck" in his or her career, isn't interested in starting a business, but wants to find a different career. It can be a very challenging time. What we thought we knew, we no longer know. What we thought was important no longer seems to be. It can be a tumultuous and confusing time! You think back and consider your experiences over the years. Thinking of old skills, I wonder if I can write a memo without a word processor, or do arithmetic without a calculator, or find a location on a map without a mapping program? Can I deliver capabilities ensuring quality results without these gadgets which were not yet invented in our younger years. If you started out doing things the old ways and managed to learn the new ways, you’re equipped to make more changes that will enable you to map your future career path. If you’re middle-aged, you should recognize quality is not a destination but a step along the road. Be prepared for your career to be in transition. Consider moving up or moving out. If your first 15 to 20 years of work provided learning opportunities, it may be time to consider your options. It might be time for you to move into marketing, teaching, accounting, knowledge and asset management, or even executive leadership. Successful quality specialists frequently move to positions running operations and making key decisions. You are in a position to build alternative futures based on knowledge of what works. Assess your current position and career history. Your life experiences stretch your knowledge base beyond current employment. Focus your thinking on yourself and your capabilities, interests and desires.

The attitudes of the middle-aged are important when you consider that the people of this age group are most often found in positions of influence and decision making. The middle generation of adults tends to carry the burden of concern for the policies, programs and progress. In addition, the middle-aged wield a great deal of influence as the norm-bearers who help form the attitudes of the young. Midlife is far more than a handful of experiences and physical changes. It often brings a re-ordering of priorities, a change in values, deep soul-searching about the meaning of life, and facing of our own mortality. Every man, roughly between ages forty and sixty, begins to notice both physical and psychological changes. Some adapt to the changes reasonably well, and accept them as part of aging. Others find the changes very distressing.

"Midway on our life's journey, I found myself
In a dark woods, the right road lost. To tell
About those woods is hard - so tangled and rough..."
- Dante - The Inferno

"Wholly unprepared, we embark upon the second half of life... we take the step into the afternoon of life; worse still we take this step with the false assumption that our truths and ideals will serve as before. But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life's morning - for what was great in the morning will be little at evening, and what in the morning was true will at evening have become a lie."
Carl Jung

At midlife, many people try to “make right” what they perceive to be wrong in their lives. It is the time of “correction” before they’re too old to have a choice, too old to care. It is a journey sometimes called a “midlife transition” but more often incorrectly referred to as a “midlife crisis. In a nutshell, a normal development in life span that is essentially positive, midlife enlivens life.

Stop Slang Kill The Classics

2010-09-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

Urban slang is a hot, fresh way of talking which originated in urban America – African Americans in particular. Society is more geared than ever to young people, but their slang - and the speed at which it changes - can be a mystery to many. Any parent or teacher can attest that rap has birthed a whole different language that lives on the tongues of urban youth today. Rather than learning new words that build their vocabulary in a meaningful and academically significant way, students are often focused on learning new words that can only be understood in the contexts of MySpace and text messages. The following offers a glimpse inside the modern day classrooms, as experienced by Elissa Seto, a teacher at an urban middle school in the South Bronx, when she took to task Tiffany, a 12-year old sixth grader who did not do her home-work:

"Yo, Ms. Seto, you're beastin' over homework!"
"What do you mean, Tiffany?"
"You know, you're wiling out on me just for homework."
"So you're saying that you think I'm overreacting because you didn't do your homework?"
"Yeah."

Some people may brush this off as just a teenage phase of wanting to use cool words, but her overuse of slang is indicative of something greater. Tiffany is a sixth grader who, like many of her peers, reads and writes on a third-grade level.

Unfortunately for the English language, the slang is not only here to stay with the youth, but going overboard to kick the English classics. As its first victim, Charles Dickens has been translated into urban slang. A book has been released which translates classic texts by Charles Dickens into modern urban slang. For example in Oliver Twist it now reads: "Oi, mate," he said in da littlest voice ever, "gimme some more!" Author Martin Baum says he wrote the book to make the works of Dickens 'fun and accessible' for a younger audience. He also said the book makes the text less intimidating while still retaining the potency and beauty of the stories… like whatever in it. If the book becomes a best seller, there will be no stopping to slang-language virus spreading deep into English literature with many more classic writers re-written by modern day writers like Martin Baum.

Shakespear also is not spared by the writers in urban slang. William Shakespeare’s famous plays such as Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth have been translated into contemporary urban slang. According to Tonia Lee, New York City public school teacher, who has given Shakespeare a makeover in street slang, “young, urban, everyday members of the working class were some of Shakespeare’s biggest fans during the Renaissance. Many of the words in Shakespeare’s plays were considered slang for its time. Therefore, a translation of Shakespeare into urban street slang upholds the true spirit of Shakespeare’s plays as it reaches out to the same audience that it did over 500 years ago: the young, the urban, and the hip.” Soon to come are other plays by Shakespeare adapted into urban slang including Hamlet and Julius Caesar.

It is ironical indeed that in London, the land where the biggest names in English literature were born, a group of young actors has reinvented Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, described by its director as the 'ultimate knife crime', as a tale of urban violence by rewriting the script into street slang. Out goes The Bard's nuanced Renaissance language. In its place come chatter and text-talk from the streets of modern-day London. The plot loosely follows the original. Trouble begins when Caesar moves from Harvey Nicks Grove school to nearby Harrods High. He is marked out as a threat for wanting to become head prefect and knifed to death. Instead of adults in the Roman court, it is set in the classroom and all the teenage actors wear uniform. The vast majority of the first half, especially, is embellished with street slang. Director Darren Raymond, 27, said street talk was an important aspect of the play because language formed a large part of young people's identities.

Street Slang, is incomprehensibly poor grammar mixed with the deliberate misuse of words and slang that helps the illiterate feel good about their inability to improve or unwillingness to try to improve their spoken English. It's not slang per se that is the problem. One argument against such out-of-hand dismissal of the colloquial is Shakespeare himself, who spiced his poetry with the modern, using words and phrases that chimed with the ground-ling as much as with Elizabethan courtiers. But there is a difference between idiom and modern slang in literature. Shakespeare's use of slang opened up the world of the theater to all of the audience. Modern slang is different, being cut through with dark knowing humor and packing a linguistic punch. Take a line from the street slang Julius Caesar: "I come to bury Caesar, not big him up."

When well-meaning literary professionals seek to get down with the kids in this way, the world really is turned upside down. Those who should know better abdicate their duty to introduce the next generation to the very best of literature. On the contrary, they are themselves seen carrying Street Talk or any other of the numerous new dictionaries that describe the meaning of the modern urban slang language. Some teachers are even taking classes in urban slang to keep pace with their street smart students. Instead of watching or actively working to kick the classic literature in the name of the kids, the teachers and the writers must make serious effort to stop slang kill the classics.

Stress Free Life Style!

2010-09-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

A foreign journalist, a friend of mine, following Eat Pray Love unit in India was curious to know how most people could afford to have ever smiling faces in the countryside where he was covering the shootings of the film. At a get together in honor of the Hollywood super star Julia Roberts and other members of the cast and crew of the film, the journalist got the opportunity to ask a prominent person of Pataudi, the small town where the picture was being shot, the pertinent question that was uppermost in his mind since day one of his arrival there:

Q: “I'm pleasantly surprised to see all the people, young and old, in Pataudi always happy and smiling. Any special reason for them to retain the smile all the time?”

A: “It is their stress-free life style that keeps them quite happy and ever smiling. I give you my own example. When I was growing up, my parents told me that I do not have to worry for anything and I could study up to any level I want to, while enjoying my youth as much as I can. Now when I'm old, my children see to it that I live an absolutely stress-free life by providing all possible comforts to us in our old age. During the in-between period of life, whenever there was a problem, help was always instantly available from other members in our joint family on just a mention of my need. So, with everyone around in the family standing behind you, there was no way but to be always smiling in life, and praying to God to preserve our traditional family values till posterity.”

Wow, what an amazing simple solution to happiness in every home of that community in India's countryside, the journalist thought. That day onwards, alongside covering cast and crew of the extraordinary film, the journalist also kept contact with that person during the rest of his stay there to do some more research on the ever smiling Indians in the countryside. It was, indeed, an eye opener for him on how the traditional family values work to bring about peace and happiness in Indian homes that are still bound by them in their day-to-day life. The traditional family values are the foundation for how children grow, are taught and supported. These values are passed on from one generation to the next, giving families the structure and boundaries in which to function and thrive. The family supports and nourishes the members throughout the span of that family. A strong family unit creates a safe, positive and supportive place for all members to progress. They are able to utilize resources and to live together in a fairly healthy manner. They work together to solve problems, and they pass their skills on to the next generation. The most important element of the strong Indian family system is the feeling of being loved, of belonging to the group and being nurtured by it.

India is remarkable for its strongest family system in the world where people learn the essential themes of cultural life within the bosom of a family. The most widely desired residential unit is the joint family, all living under one roof, working, eating, worshiping, and cooperating together in mutually beneficial social and economic activities. Despite the continuous and growing impact of urbanization, secularization, and Westernization, the traditional joint household, both in ideal and in practice, remains the primary social force in the lives of most Indians. Loyalty to family is a deeply held ideal for almost everyone. The joint family is an ancient Indian institution, but even where the ideal joint family is seldom found, there are often strong networks of kinship ties through which economic assistance and other benefits are obtained. Not infrequently, clusters of relatives live very near each other, easily available to respond to the give and take of kinship obligations. Even when relatives cannot actually live in close proximity, they typically maintain strong bonds of kinship and attempt to provide each other with economic help, emotional support, and other benefits.

Depicting the importance of parents in our life, the finest anthology of verses from Indian scriptures for guiding towards better life, happiness and peace teach to respect and treat parents above everything else. If we keep our parents happy and satisfied then every god will be happy and satisfied with our deeds and acts. There is a mention in the Indian ancient scripture that if you have bad impact of Sun, you pray and seek the blessings of your parents and you will be alright. It is advised in Indian culture that every morning, immediately after waking up, we should touch the feet of our parents and seek their blessings for better day and fulfillment of our wishes and desires. Even today, in traditional Indian family this practice is followed like a ritual. So, to be happy and live life with utmost happiness, we must love, respect and offer our duty to our parents.

Another significant Sanskrit verse equates every member of the family to God - “Oh God! You are my mother and also my father. You are also my brother and sister and you are the supreme god for me.” If we see this verse in the context of our practical life and think of our father, mother, brother, sister as god and start respecting them like god; we will be able to live very happy, conducive and peaceful life on this planet.

Not only my journalist friend came back flabbergasted by the greatness of the Indian culture, the entire cast and crew of Eat Pray Love was visibly impressed and vocal about it. Julia Roberts is even reported to have converted to Hinduism on her return from India so that she can attain a serene and peaceful life in her next incarnation. Talking to the Elle magazine, Julia said, "I am definitely a practicing Hindu. " According to the actress, who was born to a Baptist and catholic couple, she observed Hindu culture and got herself immersed in Eastern philosophy and found the serenity and spirituality that she intends to have in her next incarnation. In the movie "Eat, Pray, Love", Julia plays the role of a woman who tries to decipher her inner self via spirituality and for this reason, she goes to India and studies and practices Hinduism.

The bottom line is that the basis of Indian culture is in the Indian family values and what inspires the ever smiling faces of ordinary Indians is clearly their culturally enshrined stress free life style.

2010-08-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Raksha Bandhan in Bollywood

Raksha Bandhan, or Rakhi, the Sister's Day, this year is on Tuesday August 24th. In Hindi cinema, the sister was the strong silent character in the background. The frail one for whom the hero played protector, wreaked vengeance. The one whose marriage or studies were on top of her brother’s mind when he entered a dubious deal. Mainstream Hindi cinema has, indeed, made a whole industry out of the brother-sister bonding.

The oldest historical reference to the festival of Rakhi goes back to 300 B.C. at the time when Alexander invaded India. It is said that when the great conquerer, king Alexander of Macedonia was shaken by the fury of the Indian king Puru, Alexander's wife, who had heard of the Rakhi festival, approached the mighty king Puru and sought assurance of her husband's life by tying the Rakhi on Puru's hand. The story goes that just as Puru raised his hand to deliver a mortal blow to Alexander, he saw the Rakhi on his wrist and refrained from striking at Alexander. The entire episode was well depicted in Sohrab Modi's great movie of epical dimentions, Sikandar (1941) in which Prithviraj Kapoor played Sikandar, Sohrab Modi Puru and Vanmala, Sikandar's beloved Rukhsana.

During the midieval era, Rajput kings were fighting Muslim invasions. When Rani Karnawati, the widowed queen of Chittor, realized that she could in no way defend the invasion of the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun, enlisting his support against the onslaught of the Gujarat Sultan. Touched by the gesture, Humayun hastened to the rescue of his Rakhi sister. The Mughal Emperor Hamayun coming to the rescue of his Rakhi Rajput sister is convincingly portrayed and pictured in Mehboob Khan's Mughal historical Humayun (1945). Cecil B DeMille apparently wrote in a letter to Mehboob Khan that this film was “a masterpiece of lighting composition.” And It is. Ashok Kumar played Humayun and Veena his Rakhi sister. Nargis was only 16 when she acted in this movie as the Emperor's beloved.

In 1959, director and producer L.V. Prasad released "Chhoti Bahen", one of the industry´s memorable films for tackling the emotion behind blindness, sibling emotion and how different persons in a family can react to it. Chhoti Bahen is also well known for the song that recurs to this day on Raksha Bandhan, "Bhaiyya Mere Rakhi Ke Bandhan To Nibhana". Shankar-Jaikeshen´s music is memorable, but this title track is more than your trip down memory lane. The song practically explains what the holiday is all about and how siblings idolize each other, the sister to the brother. The film´s main leads, Balraj Sahani and Nanda do just that.

"Rakhi", "Bhai Bahen" -- Two of the most successful tearjerkers of the 1960s, both directed by the eminently saleable A. Bhim Singh -- were about brother and sister outdoing each other for the martyr's cup. In "Rakhi", Waheeda Rehman and Ashok Kumar played siblings who just could not be without each other. Six years later, Bhim Singh made "Bhai Bahen", a straight-off saga of sibling suffering with Sunil Dutt and Nutan in the lead.

Manoj Bajpai's passionate possessiveness for sister Antara Mali in Ram Gopal Varma's Telugu "Prem Gatha" verged on the incestuous. Shah Rukh Khan went completely ballistic trying to keep sister Aishwarya Rai from Chandrachur Singh's arms in Mansoor Khan's "Josh".

Mahesh Manjrekar wouldn't let little sister Bhoomika anywhere near Abhishek Bachchan in Jeeva's "Run", and in Bapu's "Pyari Behna", hyper-protective brother Mithun Chakraborty smothers poor Tanvi Azmi in brotherly affection while the love-interest Padmini Kolhapure fumes and frets.

In "Bandhan", sister Ashwini Bhawe takes kid-brother Salman Khan to her in-laws' as dowry. Understandably, brother-in-law Jackie Shroff feels sidelined and spends his nights at the nautch girl Shweta Reddy's place.

This is a favorite cliche where the sister is tortured, raped or murdered before Big Brother goes on a vendetta binge. In Suneel Darshan's "Talaash" the entire drama depended on the brother's search for his sister.

Bollywood's resident screen-sister Nazima played the central role in Rajshri productions' "Mere Bhaiyya". The actress' sisterly image was seldom showcased with such splendid sibling sentimentality.

Shabana Azmi in "Anokha Bandhan" and "Yeh Kaisa Insaaf" played a sister willing to sacrifice marital happiness for the sake of her kid brother. In "Tapasya", Raakhee was the long-suffering 'didi' (elder sister) who tells her lover to take a walk when his mom says she must let her siblings fend for themselves.

In K. Balachander's "Aaina", Mumtaz becomes a prostitute to support her impoverished siblings. And in "Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam", Madhuri Dixit is willing to suffer her husband Shah Rukh Khan's taunts to look after brother Atul Agnihotri in her marital home.

In Nitin Sethi's "Angaaray", sister Smita Patil becomes a nautch girl for her kid brother Alankar's financial security. Tapan Sinha's "Didi" portrayed the best Sacrificial Sister of the lot -- Deepti Naval was a prostitute trying desperately to hide her profession from her kid brother.

In Manmohan Desai's "Sachcha Jhootha", Rajesh Khanna takes off for the city to raise dowry for sister Naaz...but only after singing 'Meri pyari behaniya banegi dulhaniya'.

And come Raksha Bandhan, there would be the mandatory song celebrating the brother-sister bond. The old songs that steered away from the stereotype remain classics to this day. Here are a few of them:

Phoolon Ka Taaron Ka (1971)
Two siblings share a song and a moment before they will be cruelly separated by their parents’ divorce. This song from Hare Rama Hare Krishna is still the top request on Raksha Bandhan

Bhaiya Mere Rakhi Ke (1959)
Nanda plays the title role in Chhoti Behan, with Balraj Sahni as the doting brother.

Mere Bhaiyya Mere Chanda (1965)
The brother is a priceless gem for Meena Kumari’s character in Kaajal.

Chanda Re Mere Bhaiya (1980)
This soulful Lata Mangeshkar song is the only thing memorable about Chambal Ki Kasam

Behna Ne Bhai Ki (1974)
This Shankar-Jaikishan song from the Resham ki Dor has come to epitomise the festival of Raksha Bandhan

O Meri Laadli (1963)
And finally, we end with a Mohammed Rafi classic from Dil Ek Mandir

The portrayal of brother-sister in films has come a long way. Today, the sister’s image has changed in Bollywood from the demure, to-be-protected little one to a sexy, with-a-mind-of-her-own individual. From Nanda who played the sweet devoted sister to her three over protective brothers in Choti Behen to Neelam in Hum Saath Saath Hai, Bollywood has come a long way where the sibling relationship is concerned. New age films are reworking the dynamics shared by siblings. The sweet, patiently understanding sister of Gol Maal has been replaced by the sassy, girl-about-town in B-town.

In Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, the brother is concerned about his sister’s welfare, but in a more subtle tone. It's a departure from past movies where the brother screams and vows vengeance because of his sister’s rape/murder/distress. The film also explores the mind of the sister as she grows to learn about the goodness of her brother even, all the while maintaining her own identity.

A film that was markedly different from the stereotype brother sister film was Josh. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan played the sultry twin sister to a brash Shah Rukh Khan. However, the film entirely veered around Ash and SRK with their respective love lives almost as a sub plot in the film.

Look up My Brother Nikhil and one would realize that Bollywood has stepped into new terra firma. Director Onir portrayed a genuinely close and affectionate bond between brother Sanjay Suri and his sister Juhi Chawla. From sipping their first glasses of wine together, this adorable pair even secretly smoked their first cigarettes together in the film. Moreover, rather unusually, brother Sanjay depended on sister Juhi, more than she did on him. Juhi Chawla’s role in the film was one of a saviour where she campaigned for her HiV+ brother to give him the respect that he deserved.

Another film, which had the brother-sister relationship at its core was Khalid Mohamed’s Fiza. The film explores the 1993 Mumbai riots, and communal tensions, through the eyes of Fiza played by Karisma Kapoor who was in search of her brother, Amaan (Hrithik Roshan) who vanished during the riots. Mohamed depicted a deeply caring relationship between elder sister, Fiza, and younger brother, Amaan, without resorting to any honor-saving stereotypes.

Bollywood is slowly, but surely coming around and realizing the role of the sister in films. Today it's more about the characters and the script than about rehashing the same old formula of Raksha Bandhan in Bollywood.

2010-08-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

A Friend For Life!

My first memory of friendship takes me back to the Forties in Lahore. The fondest memories of my life in Lahore were from my school days, especially the quality time I spent with Bazal, my next door neighbor and my best friend. Though we were not studying in the same school, still we were so close that there was hardly a day when he was not at our place or vice-versa. Together we would implement very innovative ideas, which were appreciated by one and all, especially the boys of our age in the neighborhood. Founding a library of our own when we were still fourth graders was one such idea which attracted everyone's attention. My father's library in our large living, spread over a dozen glass-paned cabinets, was not only our inspiration but also the sole source of supply of books to our “Boys' Own Library”. My father, who was the Chief Representative of Oxford University Press for Northern India, would pass on to us the books that he knew were surplus and suitable for our library, mostly story books and novels for school-age children. Apart from operating the library, we also started “Boys' Own Club” at the spacious bungalow of Ravi, our common friend in the neighborhood. There we would play badminton and many indoor games. Bazal's father being a professor at the nearby Government College, we also obtained passes to use the college swimming pool with his help. Life, indeed, was beautiful with a friend like Bazal around.

Everyone in our family loved Bazal and treated him a part of the family, particularly my mother who pampered him to the hilt. All the more ever since the day he had a miraculous escape from what could have been a fatal fall from our terrace to the street, three stories down. It was the day when everyone in Lahore would be on the terrace, looking at the sky that was covered with colorful kites of all sorts and sizes. One and all, irrespective of any caste or creed, celebrated Basant as the festival of kite flying at the beginning of the spring season. As usual with all festivals, Bazal was celebrating Basant at our place by flying kites with us from our terrace. When he was totally engrossed in a match with a rival kite-flyer from another terrace, he suddenly slipped over the low fence and lost control. A split-second move by my brother when he was about to fall down saved his life.

Since that fateful day my mother always loved and treated Bazal like her own son, especially so after his father suddenly expired due to deadly heart attack. A movie buff, my mother would even make me and Bazal her constant companions to watch the latest movie on every Wednesday, when it was a “Ladies Only” show at half the normal rates. Boys under twelve were allowed if accompanied with a lady. This was her own way to divert Bazal's attention from the sad demise of his father. Bazal too reciprocated by spending more time at our house than at his own. His step mother did not mind this, though some in our neighborhood did. They, the orthodox Hindus, did not digest a Muslim boy mixing so freely with our family, and even allowed to enter our kitchen where my mother would be serving us steaming hot meals, making fresh 'rotis' while we ate. They belonged to that section of the Hindu society who believed that the Muslims were impure and must be kept at a distance, and drank water at public places from the separate taps especially installed for them with the sign “Hindu Water”.

One thing about Bazal's house I will ever remember as that remains a a mystery to me, many decades after we had left Lahore for ever in the aftermath of Partition. It had a locked room that would come alive late in the evenings with mysterious sounds of music and dance. Nobody in Bazal's family, not even his elder brother, a Captain in the army, would dare disturb the ghosts during that time, by knocking or unlocking the room. The ghosts too seemed to reciprocate their gesture by refraining from entering any other room or disturbing them in any other way. But this mutual understanding between the ghosts and Bazal's family members was far too spooky and scary for any visitor to spend the evening in their home. I too invariably avoided visiting him in the evening and would insist on returning home before the sunset if I happened to be at his home in the afternoon.

And one thing that Bazal could never forget till our last day in Lahore, besides, of course, my mother's affection beyond any imagination, was that he owed his life to my brother but for whose miraculous move he would have lost his life on that Basant day. The time to pay back to my brother had arrived. On August 15, 1947, when the rest of the family was vacationing in Srinagar, my father and brother were still staying in Lahore, and actually continued to stay there for quite sometime when most other Hindus had left Lahore, which was now a part of Pakistan. Father firmly believed that sooner or later the atmosphere of hate and violence would calm down and people would settle peacefully as before, well protected by the new Pakistan administration. But his belief belied him when mobs of fanatic Muslims were roaming on the roads, resolving not to let a single Hindu or Sikh live in Lahore. They were on a killing spree and it was a miraculous escape for my father and brother when they forced their entry into our house on learning that they were still living there. Bazal and his brother came to their rescue, helping them escape by crossing over to their house from the terrace and later escorting them to airport to take a flight to New Delhi. This daring rescue by Bazal and his brother, as also Bazal's earlier Basant day escape from death with my brother's help, truly make Bazal a friend for life.

"Race To The Top"!

2010-08-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well – Aristotle

Aristotle's above quote cannot be appreciated enough unless we emphasize the urgency and importance of remarkably effective reforms in the education system. It is ironical that the U.S. academic achievement has stagnated or declined for almost a hundred years while virtually every other area of human endeavor has advanced tremendously. This year marks 25 years since the publication of the U.S. Department of Education's explosive report "A Nation at Risk." Its powerful indictment of American education launched the largest education-reform movement in the nation's history, paving the way for strategies as different as charter schools and the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. But even after a vast political and financial investment spanning two and a half decades, America is far from achieving the report's ambitious aims. In such a scenario, when students of the most developed country cannot compete with those from other developed countries of the West or even from the emerging economies like China and India, it will be worthwhile for the U.S. to emulate the example of Japan, the most developed country of the East, which did not find it below its dignity to learn a lesson or two from India's education system, considered amongst the best in the world.

India has the third largest higher secondary education system in the world. States control the school system, though the central government provides financial assistance and planning. Primary school is free and officially compulsory between the ages of 6 and 14. For women, education is free up to the undergraduate level. Schooling in India is considered amongst the best in the world. What better proof can be there than provided by the present elementary education scenario in Japan. Despite an improved economy, Japan is suffering a crisis of confidence these days about its ability to compete with its emerging Asian rivals, China and India. One result has been a growing craze for Indian education in this fad-obsessed nation. Many are looking for lessons from India, a country seen by many in Japan as the world's ascendant education superpower. Bookstores are filled with titles like "Extreme Indian Arithmetic Drills" and "The Unknown Secrets of the Indians." Newspapers carry reports of Indian children memorizing multiplication tables far beyond nine times nine, the standard for young elementary students in Japan. And the few Indian international schools in Japan are reporting a surge in applications from Japanese families. Indian education is a frequent topic in public forums, from talk shows to conferences on education. Popular books claim to reveal the Indian secrets for multiplying and dividing multiple-digit numbers.

Improving teacher quality is the educational mantra of the Indian education system. The well-established tradition of teaching and learning in India has retained its inherent strength ever since the Gurukul system of ancient India. The post-independence period was characterized by major efforts being made to nurture and transform teacher education, to adapt and up-date the teacher education curriculum to local needs, to make it more context based, responsive and dynamic with regard to best meeting the particular needs of India. The current system of teacher education is supported by a network of national, provincial and district level resource institutions working together to enhance the quality and effectiveness of teacher preparation programs at the pre-service level and also through in-service programs for serving teachers throughout the country. The current focus of researchers, policy makers and practitioners with regard to teacher education is on the development of professional competence, and on the most effective ways of achieving higher levels of commitment and motivation for performance on the part of teachers. The teacher performance pay program is highly effective in improving student learning. School-level group incentives and teacher-level individual incentives perform equally well. Performance-based bonus payments to teachers proved a significantly more cost effective way of increasing student test scores compared to spending a similar amount of money unconditionally on additional schooling inputs. The bottom line is, the teachers must be most qualified and best paid, to attract the best brains and retain them in the profession of teaching to turn out brilliant students, amongst the best in the world.

President Obama sure has shown he is a fast learner as far as adopting India's mantra for education reform to conditions in his country is considered. The Obama administration's "Race to the Top" initiative is the first shot fired by the administration in reforming public K-12 schools across the nation, with $4.35 billion in initial funds allocated from the 2009 stimulus package. "Race to the Top" was recently described in the Washington Post as "the crown jewel of the Obama administration's education reform agenda and the largest-ever discretionary federal grant program for public schools." And per his 2011 budget plan, the President wants to add $1.35 billion more for "Race to the Top" grant funding for the 2010-2011 school year. Briefly, "Race to the Top" pushes public school systems to improve by creating competition between states for school funding. Obama has advocated merit pay for teachers, and that states and school districts should take steps "to move bad teachers out of the classroom." Race to the Top (RttT) has affected more positive change in state and local education laws and policies than any other federal education program in history. It has mobilized policy-makers, principals and teachers to create the conditions that are needed to help schools meet high standards of excellence. Each state has taken its own unique route, yet the objective is common. Race to the Top has put wind in the sails of the education reform movement and, in just a year and a half, has accelerated the pace of change more than any other past federal effort and much more than most dreamed possible. The enthusiastic response of most states to President Obama's mantra for education reform clearly demonstrates the country is ready to break away from the status-quo and work to truly improve education for students – as envisioned by President Obama’s initiative - “Race to the Top”!

We're All Immigrants!

2010-07-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

Though there are several quotes associated with the Statue of Liberty, the most popular one is the above, from the sonnet written by the poet Emma Lazarus. A nation can never progress successfully without acknowledging its history. So, the Americans should delve into history and use lessons from the past to create the future. The inscription on the Statue of Liberty will always remind the nation of its past. This nation was founded by immigrants, all undocumented immigrants, who entered this land declaring they discovered the continent, even though it was already inhabited by the native Indians. Millions more came after them to discover this wonderful land, ships load of them from across the oceans, to join their earlier generations to taste the fruits of this discovered land. They all were welcomed to make it their home where they had the freedom to dream and to fulfill that dream, the American Dream. That is what this nation is all about – the Melting Pot for the varied worldwide cultures, assembled in this beautiful country from all over the globe, with one and only one goal, to make their lives richer than ever before, and thereby make it the richest country in the world.

The flow of illegal immigration continues to be almost entirely from countries of lower socioeconomic levels, and particularly from developing countries. While there are other causes associated with poorer countries, the most common motivation for illegal immigrants, as always, is the pursuit of greater economic opportunities and quality of life in America. They look only at the probability of success in immigrating and finding employment, and the increase in real income an immigrant can expect. Some illegal immigrants seek to live with loved ones, such as a spouse or other family members, who had immigrated earlier. Illegal immigration may also be prompted by the desire to escape civil war or repression in the country of origin. Non-economic push factors include persecution (religious and otherwise), frequent abuse, bullying, oppression, and genocide, and risks to civilians during war. Political motives traditionally motivate refugee flows - to escape dictatorship for instance. There are numerous cases of mass emigration from poor or war-stricken states. Some illegal immigrants entered the U.S. legally and then overstay or violate their visa to make it big here, as their brothren before. The bottom line is, all immigrants in America, legal or illegal, are here to add to the richness of this great nation, and not to harm it in any way.

The fact that illegal immigrants pay taxes at all will come as news to many Americans. A stunning two-thirds of illegal immigrants pay Medicare, Social Security and personal income taxes. According to a study by the Urban Institute, the 1996 welfare reform effort dramatically reduced the use of welfare by undocumented immigrant households, exactly as intended. And another vital thing happened in 1996: the Internal Revenue Service began issuing identification numbers to enable illegal immigrants who don't have Social Security numbers to file taxes. What's more, aliens, who are not self-employed, have Social Security and Medicare taxes automatically withheld from their paychecks. Last year, the revenues from them added up to 10 percent of the Social Security surplus. The file is growing, on average, by more than $50 billion a year. Beyond federal taxes, all illegals automatically pay state sales taxes that contribute toward the upkeep of public facilities such as roads that they use, and property taxes through their rent that contribute toward the schooling of their children. The non-partisan National Research Council found that they contribute on average $80,000 more to federal coffers than they consume. With anti-immigrant resentment running hot, many accuse immigrants of stealing American jobs. How can immigrants steal jobs nobody else wants? It is hard to imagine the native-born work force itching to return en masse to housekeeping, landscaping, car washing, meatpacking, poultry plucking and street-corner day labor.

Immigration is a bitterly fought issue in the United States today, where some 10.8 million illegal immigrants live and work. Arizona lawmakers passed the toughest anti-illegal-immigrant measure in a generation, a controversial immigration bill requiring police in the state that borders Mexico to determine if people are in the United States illegally, a measure critics say is open to racial profiling. The law requires state and local police to determine the status of people if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they are illegal immigrants and to arrest people who are unable to provide documentation proving they are in the country legally. It also makes it a crime to transport someone who is an illegal immigrant and to hire day laborers off the street. Passions about illegal immigration run high in Arizona, both proponents and opponents of the law are vociferous. "This criminalizes undocumented status and turns dishwashers, janitors, landscapers and our neighbors into criminals," say the opponents of the bill, prominent provisions of which have been blocked by a federal judge for now.

As the nation's attention turns back to the fractured debate over immigration, it might be helpful to remember that in 1986, Ronald Reagan signed a sweeping immigration reform bill into law. The bill made any immigrant who'd entered the country before 1982 eligible for amnesty. The law granted amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal immigrants. "I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally," President Ronald Reagan said in 1984. Nearly 25 years later, the Republican Party has changed its tune. The Republicans now seem to know better than to tread the path their own Republican President thought the right thing to do, even though they often invoke the former president as a champion of the conservative agenda. President Obama's call for bipartisanship on the immigration issue was answered by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. A bipartisan effort would be possible, he said, if Obama "would take amnesty off the table and make a real commitment to border and interior security." Do the Republicans need to be reminded It was in Ronald Reagan's bones — it was part of his understanding of America — that the country was fundamentally open to those who wanted to join us here, and we have to remember our roots – we're all immigrants!

The Tea Party

2010-07-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

Back home in India I grew up very fond of tea parties, friends' and especially my own birthday tea parties. I can easily call those one of the best days of my life when, as children, we longed for the next birthday tea party and made it the most memorable time ever with innovative games we enjoyed and the goodies we ate that invariably included cake, sandwiches and a variety of snacks. That was the time when the Britishers were counting their last days of the colonial rule in the country. During over 200 years of their dominating presence in India, perhaps anywhere they went in the world, two of their most traditional identities they always left behind – the English language and addiction to tea. They both remained with us even long after they had departed. What began as birthday tea parties in my childhood days had gained favor in many forms as I grew up - an Afternoon Tea Party suitable for many celebrations. When I would like to host a party that isn't as involved as a dinner party, a tea party was the answer. It was an ideal format for a bridal or baby shower, a retirement party, a birthday celebration, or time to catch up with good friends. It could be a very formal affair at some of the more elegant hotels, or it could be as casual as a pot of tea and some cookies.

As time passed, I saw tea parties taking another interesting form, known as Kitty Party, particularly popular amongst the elite women of New Delhi, my hometown in India. You can call it a time pass for bored housewives. From gossiping to enjoying a hearty tea, kitty parties became the new benchmark of social mobility in Delhi. An all out gossip session, a great place to flaunt your new outfit, share jokes and family feuds, a venue to showcase your creativity and a much awaited opportunity to shred your ma-in-law to pieces! The most common type of kitty parties were patronized by housewives who had plenty of time at hand once they packed off hubbies to office and babies to school. However, lately Kitties are much maligned as they are often associated with idle housewives who have nothing better to do but gossip.

After our retirement in India, we moved to USA to be with our only son settled here. Interestingly, though this country is amongst the biggest coffee lovers in the world, it was born out of the historic Boston Tea Party, 1773. Victory in the French and Indian War was costly for the British. At the war's conclusion in 1763, King George III and his government looked to taxing the American colonies as a way of recouping their war costs. It was the Crown's attempt to tax tea that spurred the colonists to action and laid the groundwork for the American Revolution. In May of 1773 Parliament gave the struggling East India Company a monopoly on the importation of tea to America. In Boston, the arrival of three tea ships ignited a furious reaction. The crisis came to a head on December 16, 1773 when as many as 7,000 agitated locals milled about the wharf where the ships were docked. Whopping war chants, the crowd marched two-by-two to the wharf, descended upon the three ships and dumped their offending cargos of tea into the harbor waters. Most colonists applauded the action while the reaction in London was swift and vehement. In March 1774 Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts which among other measures closed the Port of Boston. The fuse that led directly to the explosion of American independence was lit. And like the “Quit India” in the forties' India, the colonists were enthused to push for independence with the slogan, “Take your tea and shove it.”

The theme of the Boston Tea Party, an iconic event of American history, has been used in the 2009 Tea Party movement that emerged in USA through a series of locally and nationally coordinated protests. The protests are partially in response to several Federal laws: the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 ("bailout"), the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("stimulus package"), and the 2009–2010 health care reform bills. Tea Party protests have invoked themes, images and slogans similar to those used during the pre-revolutionary period in American history. The 'tea' in Tea Party has been used as an acronym standing for Taxed Enough Already. But at its core, the Tea Party movement is rife with contradiction, incoherence and a willful contempt for facts or reason. Consider the Tea Party movement, whose foremost demand of a president, who in his first month passed one of the biggest tax cuts ever, is for tax cuts. On July 14, 2010, a Tea Party group in Iowa removed a billboard comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin after receiving sharp criticism from other tea party leaders. The entire tea party movement may not be racist, but there definitely are elements in the movement that have displayed racist posters of President Barack Obama, spit at black congressmen and used veiled language to warn that “our way of life” is threatened by our first black president. Some of the Tea Party followers are fanning the flames created by a group that wants to take down the president and “wants the president to fail”.

There is ample evidence that certain elements within the tea party movement have been tied to white extremist elements. Pictures from some tea party rallies show racist and anti-Semitic images. Essentially, it is a new face of the same old right-wing, reactionary forces that have long been working to turn America into a more religious, racist and militaristic country with an unregulated free enterprise system, weak government and low taxation, which they prefer to call The Tea Party.

Supreme Power Of Five!

2010-07-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

The insularity of lifetime tenure of the Supreme Court justices in the U.S. offers a rare opportunity to the incumbent president to nominate one during his presidency. Therefore, whenever the occasion arises, the confirmation process attracted considerable attention from the press, and from advocacy groups, which lobby senators to confirm or to reject a nominee, depending on whether the nominee's track record aligns with the group's views. This is because Congress sees justices as playing an important political role in curtailing the power of the elected presidents. No judge is now neutral or a mere umpire. Ideology has the expected effect on judicial decisions. Some Court decisions have been severely criticized for injecting the Court into the political arena, and deciding questions based purely on political bias of the judges.

When Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified fellow Republican George W. Bush the winner by 537 votes over Democrat Al Gore in Florida's 2000 presidential election, at least 175,000 ballots remained uncounted. These had been excluded from the state's official machine tabulation. Based on both applicable law and historical precedent, plenty of time remained to manually examine and tally these 175,000 ballots, the majority of which contained easily decipherable votes. Accordingly, on December 8, 2000, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a manual recount of a substantial portion of these uncounted ballots. On December 9, 2000, five members of the U.S. Supreme Court stunned the nation by halting the Florida manual recount, claiming they wished to review its constitutional validity.
With two rounds of Florida election litigation behind them and the presidency hanging in the balance, Americans of all political stripes trusted the U.S. Supreme Court to provide for a satisfactory means of assessing the will of Florida's voters. When night fell on December 12, that faith was betrayed. In a brazen act of deceit, the five-justice majority reversed the judgment of the Supreme Court of Florida ordering a recount to proceed. If the Five's willful, premature conclusion of a presidential election vote count for partisan purposes is not wrongdoing beyond the pale, then nothing is left of this "good behavior" clause. And yet no one in a position of countervailing power has seen fit to call them on it.
This was a dangerous mistake. Not only because it holds the Five harmless at the bar of history, but because it can happen again. Future justices may feel similar license if the Five remain unchallenged.

More recently, The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that corporations have a First Amendment right to expressly support political candidates for Congress and the White House. The 5-4 ruling strikes down restrictions that had barred corporations from spending money from their general treasuries on campaign ads in the days before an election. The New York Times calls the decision "a doctrinal earthquake." The dissenters said that allowing corporate money to flood the political marketplace would corrupt democracy. The ruling represented a sharp doctrinal shift, and it will have major political and practical consequences. Specialists in campaign finance law said they expected the decision to reshape the way elections were conducted. President Obama found the ruling -- and its obvious implications -- so foul that he condemned it in January's State of the Union address. "The Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities," the president said. "They should be decided by the American people, and that's why I'm urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong." President Obama called it “a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans.”

And now another decision of far reaching consequences by a 5-4 vote, The Supreme Court has held that Americans have the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they live, expanding the conservative court's embrace of gun rights. The court was split along familiar ideological lines, with five conservative-moderate justices in favor of gun rights and four liberals opposed. The ruling is an enormous symbolic victory for supporters of gun rights. In Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley said he was disappointed by the ruling because it made the city’s handgun ban “unenforceable.” “Across the country, cities are struggling with how to address this issue,” Mr. Daley said. “Common sense tells you we need fewer guns on the street, not more guns.” In a dissent joined by Justices Ginsburg and Sotomayor, Justice Breyer said that history did not provide clear answers and that the empirical evidence about the consequences of gun control laws are mixed. But there was evidence, he said, that firearms caused 60,000 deaths and injuries in the United States each year and that Chicago’s handgun ban had saved many hundreds of lives since it was enacted in 1983.

The Supreme Court wrapped up its term last week after landmark decisions protecting the right to have a gun and the right of corporations to spend freely on elections. But the country's most important moment may come when the President's ambitious drive to regulate corporations, banks, health insurers and the energy industry will have the final word on those regulatory laws. Many legal experts foresee a clash between President Obama's progressive agenda and the conservative court. Their recent decisions came as a real shock to the administration and to the Democrats in Congress. It's also caused a sea change in their thinking about the court. Before, it was all about the 'culture wars' issues, like abortion, prayer and gay rights. Afterward, they saw this new activist thrust among the conservatives as a direct threat to their legislative agenda.

President Obama chose Kagan for the court believing she could bridge the gap with some of its conservatives. Her mission is to help uphold the laws that Obama and Democrats are pushing through Congress. But this does not provide a permanent solution to the basic problem, the power of five supreme court judges to subdue the power of the people enshrined in the Constitution. The people's elected representatives in the Congress, of any party or political pursuations, must come together to fight this menace and finish it for ever to save democracy. If it needs to amend the constitutional clauses on selection of the Supreme Court judges, to make them independent of political pressures, it must be done before the democratic principles are pushed further down the drain by the supreme power of the five.

Dividing Citizens Through Census

2010-06-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

When filling in the new U.S. Census questionnaire, I was startled by how much of the form was devoted to inquiring about my household's race and possible Hispanic ethnicity:

If you’re Hispanic, you can check a box that says you’re Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban or Spanish.

If you’re Asian, you can check a box that clarifies if you’re Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, Samoan or Pacific Islander.

If you’re black, you get less options: “Black, African American or Negro.”

But white folk get just “White.” And what does “White” even mean? Swedes are white. Iranians are white. Italians are white. French are white.

These complex topics are of more than philosophical interest: in an era of affirmative action, the size of the racial quotas depends on the precise mechanisms used for counting races. In another time, not too long ago, questions like this would have been incredibly racist.

Some people are afraid to answer the race questions. They believe, especially those with bitter experience in the past, that in times of perceived "necessity," they'll use it to round up any race of people they don't like at the time, take everything they own, and move them to godforsaken places in the middle of nowhere. Others are putting in answers for Race such as "Human" or "American." The intention is noble. But this game was rigged a long time ago. Your every move was anticipated. The beneficiaries of quotas pay a lot more attention to the rules of the game than do their quota benefactors. These issues are too crucial to continue to leave wholly to the good will of minority activists.

In India information about 1.2 billion Indians will be gathered by the 2010 census. India is deliberating whether to include details of caste in the massive national census that is now currently underway. This year's census has sparked off a spirited debate about the role of caste in politics and society. Those who advocate the inclusion of information about caste in the census include political parties from the Hindi heartland. They argue that the exact numbers have to be known so that members of certain castes can make use of caste-based quotas in education and employment. But the critics, who include several ministers in the ruling government, warn that including caste in the count could inflame social tensions and further entrench caste politics.

The caste system had been a fascination of the British since their arrival in India. Coming from a society that was divided by class, the British attempted to equate the caste system to the class system.
The word caste is not a word that is indigenous to India. It originates in the Portuguese word casta which means race, breed or lineage. The British government had stopped the caste based counting in 1930s, saying it to be discriminatory. Suddenly after 80 years some politicians, the so-called OBC leaders, woke up to realize that this was an issue of national importance and pressurized the government to include the caste in census. Government is helpless, even if this is not in its agenda yet the fear of losing a huge votebank at a time when Dalit and religion based divisive politics is on song, has led it to say yes. The point is where we are heading to! Is it for a structured India with opportunity to all or a mere political stunt to win back some votes and arguably pushing the nation in the dark ages on some issues of fake nature?

In the last 80 years, some caste names have changed, quite a few new ones have emerged, several castes have merged with others or have moved up or down the social hierarchy, and many have become politically active. Caste being a sensitive issue, the proposition of caste-based census naturally provoked serious debate. Even assuming that caste data are relevant, enumeration of the population on the basis of caste is bound to be vitiated by vote-bank and reservation politics. The renewed emphasis on caste via census operations does not bode well for India’s social and political stability. That caste has been one of the most divisive forces for centuries has never been in doubt. Its segmentation of Indian society into various mutually exclusive groups, who in many places do not marry or break bread with each other, has enabled politicians in recent years to garner support by pitting one caste against another.

At a time when the whole world talks about human rights and equality, India and the U.S. are heading into the politics of quota system in their ongoing census enumeration. In India it is caste based census which will enumerate the OBC people along with SCs and STs., while in the U.S. The Census Bureau's obsession with race has re-ignited long-smoldering controversies over racial identity. Isn't anyone not just a little appalled at humanity's constant need to divide other humans into neat little categories based on arbitrary crap like caste, race or ethnicity? Cannot anyone in the U.S. and India convince them to do away with dividing citizens through census 2010?

Spare The Rod!

2010-06-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

Hindustan Times
Kolkata, June 18, 2010

It took a Class 8 student’s suicide and the intense media scrutiny that followed to change a practice that La Martiniere for Boys had been following from the time the East India Company ruled India. Four months after 13-year-old Rouvanjit Rawla committed suicide after being allegedly caned by his principal and humiliated in school, the prestigious Kolkata school has banned caning and other forms of corporal punishment. Following a public uproar, La Martiniere principal Sunirmal Chakravarthi announced on June 15 that the school would discontinue corporal punishment.

Corporal punishment in one form or another has been around schools for centuries. It certainly is not a new issue. The age old practice of using rod to punish students continues to rule thousands of classrooms across many countries around the world, including India and the United States. Educators, who face the difficult task of maintaining order in the classroom, resort to corporal punishment because it is quick to administer and it's free, basically. All you need is a paddle. The schools are not much concerned with serious medical consequences resulting from corporal punishment, including severe muscle injury, extensive blood-clotting, whiplash damage and hemorrhaging. Ironically, the children who get in fights are the ones who are most of the times the victims of corporal punishment. So the schools are supposed to teach them not to hit by hitting them?

Corporal punishment is not allowed in the prisons, but it is still legal to hit students in schools. The research shows that children who are beaten and abused are more likely to be prone to depression, low self-esteem and suicide. The simple fact that corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure is not part of any education curriculum indicates that educators at every level know that corporal punishment has no place in the classroom. Most leading professional associations oppose corporal punishment in all its forms. The reason why is that they feel it causes irreparable emotional damage to young people. It perpetuates the cycle of abuse, apart from physical damage to the abused students. Schools need to find more enlightened and effective methods for dealing with disciplinary issues. Honor codes and clearly spelled out results for infractions can give them an edge in dealing with discipline. Basically, if students do something seriously wrong, fear of suspension or expulsion from school can work as an affective deterrent. Students can be grounded for mischief or punished some other way, but certainly not through corporal punishment.

It's time schools come of age and usher in an era where rule of law prevails over prevailing practice of punishing the students with rulers. A vast amount of evidence shows an urgent need to replace corporal punishment with enlightened and humane methods of discipline. Many studies have shown that corporal punishment causes serious physical and psychological harm to large numbers of children. Each year in the U. S., thousands of children require medical treatment due to corporal punishment administered in schools. School-inflicted corporal punishment has even caused the deaths of seven children - including a kindergarten girl. Among the emotional problems that can result from corporal punishment are depression, withdrawal, sleep disturbances, avoidance of school, learning problems, loss of self-esteem, and delinquency.

Harvard Medical School professor Alvin Poussaint, a psychiatrist who has written extensively on African-American issues, points out that 80 to 90 percent of black prison inmates were severely punished or neglected as children. He also says the more that children are beaten, the angrier they get and the more likely they are to use violence in responding to problems and frustrations. Our violent society has a tremendous need for people to be taught, through word and example, peaceful means of resolving problems. But corporal punishment causes schools to neglect nonviolent solutions such as counseling, detention, Saturday school, withdrawal of privileges, and use of student mediators. Those methods are effective and teach children to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. Moreover, corporal punishment is an ineffective means of discipline, because the same students are repeatedly the recipients of it. Corporal punishment does not teach a child appropriate behavior, but only suppresses the undesirable behavior when the punisher is nearby. Physical punishment may produce obedience in the short term, but continued over time it tends to increase the probability of aggressive and violent behavior during childhood and adulthood. One reason it does is that being physically assaulted causes many young people to develop resentment, rage, and a desire to strike back.

The number of organizations opposed to corporal punishment continues to grow. This is due to increasing awareness of the harms caused by it and the availability of superior disciplinary alternatives.
For the same reasons, corporal punishment in schools is prohibited in all of Europe, South and Central America, Japan, and China. A total of 109 countries ban it. In the U.S., more than half the states prohibit it, and thousands of local school districts in other states have followed suit. Because schools in those places have developed effective alternative means of discipline and successfully educate students, schools elsewhere can surely do the same. In fact, schools that have eliminated corporal punishment report many positive results, such as increased attendance, higher academic performance, decreased behavioral problems, and better relations between students and school personnel.

In view of the harmful effects of corporal punishment and the availability of far better disciplinary methods, government officials have a moral obligation to end these assaults on children. The evidence indicates that failing to do so will jeopardize the health and happiness of many children and perpetuate the high levels of violence in the society. As Mahatma Gandhi said, "If we are to reach real peace in the world, we shall have to begin with children." The age old philosophy 'spare the rod, spoil the child', must be substituted with the new mantra 'save the child, spare the rod'.

The 'India Story'!

2010-04-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

"A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance." - Jawaharlal Nehru

Those words were spoken by the country's first Prime Minister, just after midnight, on Aug. 15, 1947, when independent India was born. What Nehru was referring to, of course, was the birth of India as an independent state. What is happening today is the birth of India as an independent society—boisterous, colorful, open, vibrant and, above all, ready for change. India is diverging from its past, but also from most other countries in Asia. It is not a quiet country that is slowly opening up to world. It is the biggest democracy that has finally empowered its people economically. The Indian state, stunningly fast growing economy in the world, has been a roaring success on several fronts.

Statistics don't quite capture what is happening. Indians, at least in urban areas, are bursting with enthusiasm. Indian businessmen are proud of their progress. Indian designers and artists speak of extending their influence across the globe. Bollywood movies are expanding their audience abroad from their base of half a billion viewers in India. Producers are now looking to sell films on an even greater international scale. Large Western companies such as Sony, Viacom, and Disney have formed joint partnerships with Indian filmmakers and have created production houses in many of India’s large cultural centers. The popularity of information in India is evidenced in its press. More than 45,000 newspapers are published in India. Roughly 600 million Indians are literate, the largest numbers anywhere in the world. It is as if hundreds of millions of people have suddenly discovered the keys to unlock their potential. Indians bought 65 million mobile phones, 10 million television sets, 6.34 million personal computers, and over a million new cars. And all this happen in one year. A consumer boom of this kind has not been seen in India ever before. The growth is not restricted to just products. It is being driven to infrastructure projects like new airports, fly-overs, roads and bridges. The rising incomes in India have resulted in enormously increased spending on housing and consumer goods that is clearly reflected in the GDP growth, which makes India the second fastest growing major economy after China.

Among the sectors that are driving the Indian growth story are telecommunications, retail, information technology and the IT enabled services. Not surprisingly, telecommunications is among the fastest growing industries. Already, the market for mobile phones in India is a net $16.7 billion and it is growing at over 20% annually. With the addition of 6 million plus new mobile subscribers, each of the top telecom service providers are investing in the region of $2-3 billion a year in capital expenditure alone. In comparison, the $5.6 billion consumer electronics and appliance market is growing at around 10 percent. Retail consulting and research professionals predict that there will be 600 new shopping malls in India by the end of 2010 and retailing in India will cross the US $721.5 billion mark. Global luxury brands have opened outlets in metropolitan cities. As the foreign companies expand their India presence, they are getting their global vendors to set up plants in India. That will bring in further industrial growth. Among the sectors contributing to sustained growth are also the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). These enterprises account for nearly half of India’s industrial output and contribute to 35% of exports.

India is undergoing a retail revolution. Spurred by a new brand of consumerism, social classes are being invented with each glass-fronted shopping center that opens. An unprecedented generation of wealth, spurred by annual economic growth, is rapidly moving millions of people up the standard-of-living ladder. The result is an irreversible social and economic change that many believe will turn India into one of the next global superpowers. Untapped potential is the reason foreigners are itching to break into India, ranked for the past five years as the most attractive investment opportunity for mass-market and food retailers. What is happening in retail in India is quite unprecedented in the world. The huge population base, combined with heady economic growth, seemingly insatiable aspirations of the youth especially, can only create a unique and enormous potential. India's well-educated, young population has embraced state-of-the-art computer and information technologies, making the country one of the most important high-tech hubs in the world. Its information-technology and computer companies in Bangalore have been named as the world's second Silicon Valley.

One of the most powerful indicators of India's transformation is in the world of sport. ICC has recently ranked India's cricket team as number one in the world. India has been chosen as the latest Asian host for Formula One racing and as a site for the European Golf Tour. In India the moves are welcomed as another indication of the country's emergence on to the world stage. All the while India is busily preparing to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games, frantically building new facilities and giving Delhi a facelift, as never before.

“Every year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, there's a star. Not a person but a country. One country impresses the gathering of global leaders because of a particularly smart Finance minister or a compelling tale of reform or even a glamorous gala. Last year there was no contest. In more than a decade, no country has captured the imagination of the conference and dominated the conversation as India. It was not a matter of chance. As you got off the plane in Zurich, there were large billboards extolling INCREDIBLE INDIA. Davos itself was plastered with signs. WORLD'S FASTEST GROWING FREE MARKET DEMOCRACY! proclaimed the town's buses. When you got to your room, you found an iPod Shuffle loaded with Bollywood songs, and a pashmina shawl, gifts from the Indian delegation. When you entered the meeting rooms, you were likely to hear an Indian voice, one of the dozens of CEOs of world-class Indian companies. And then there were the government officials, India's "Dream Team," all intelligent and articulate, and all selling their country. The Forum's main social event was an Indian extravaganza, with a bevy of Indian beauties dancing to pulsating Hindi tunes against an electric blue Taj Mahal. The guests joined in the festivities. The impeccably dressed chairman of the Forum, Klaus Schwab, donned a colorful Indian turban and shawl, nibbled on chicken tikka and talked up the country's prospects with Michael Dell. INDIA EVERYWHERE, said the ubiquitous logo. It was.” - Fareed Zakaria, Editor News Week, USA.

THERE is a new-found vigor about India. You can positively sense the optimism and confidence that exists within the middle classes and political élite, a feeling that after all these years of waiting India's time has finally arrived. Words of a great scholar, expressed long ago, are today on the verge of proving true:

"If I were to look over the whole world to find out a country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power and beauty that nature can bestow – in some part a very paradise on earth – I should point to India."
Max Muller, German Scholar

It's all because of the economic boom, it's called the 'India Story'.