Facts n Fiction

Exactly a week ago, last Sunday, most of the TV viewing population was glued to their seats watching the rescue operation of Prince. Prince, a 5 year old boy had accidentally fallen into the 60 feet deep hole and all the news channels had flocked to Kurukshetra to telecast the live proceedings of the operation. Prince was safely rescued followed by overwhelming pampering of the kid’s will power, many felt their prayers were answered, the army & rescue team walked out with pride for their efficient work. Truly it was a rewarding Sunday for many. The news channels must have already made some handsome revenue out of the whole act. So must have the mobile operators by making people SMS their views about the fate of the 5 year old. Prince himself has got some good rewards, which includes offers from Bollywood. These facts would seem to be obvious conclusions after the happenings of Sunday. Let us quickly travel to Gujarat from Kurukshetra to learn something different. The state truly kn...

13 years and finally we are going to hear something concrete about the disastrous tragedy that Mumbai faced in 1993 – the serial blasts across the city that crippled its major operations. We had our SSC exams going on during that period and I understood less about these blasts, why they happened, who did them – not in details atleast. All I knew was that people were killed, some injured, buildings destroyed and there was a major destruction. I just heard some elders having discussions over it, newspaper articles and news channel (Doordarshan at the time) showing the proceedings. Something else was more important that time, my SSC exams. As I grew up I started understanding things a little better and thinking about them. There were a few updates on the blast case trail that made news once in a while. However, there was nothing that was definitive. Though the memories of the tragedy are still fresh in the minds of the people, the hopes of punishing the conspirators soon looked fading awa...

I was waiting to cross the road after getting down from the bus this morning. Just then a plush Octivia stopped at the crossing, the polished glass rolled down and out came a blood stream like spit. Nothing to be horrified, it was a ‘paan’ spit, red in colour that came out of the window and turned into some form of a modern art as soon as it touched ground, just in front of my shoes. Two surprises back to back, one was that at 9am in the morning people like to chew ‘paan’ (I always thought it has to be had after meals) and second was that a man can own an Octivia and still spit out on the road to make it dirty. I otherwise get angry and irritated at such a sight. However, today I just smiled feeling pity for that person, as I was just reminded of the new regulation that BMC would pass to keep Mumbai clean and maintain it. The BMC wants to educate people and make them understand civic sense. Though fine is one option that has failed time and again, the authorities now plan to introduce ...

Subsequent to the recent blasts in Mumbai, major blog sites were blocked on the pretext that blogs could be used a medium to propagate terrorist activities. Many active and small time bloggers were a little agitated with Government’s this move of blanket ban on blogs. The blogger’s community was questioning the Government and many demanded an explanation under the RTI Act. A lot of confusion over who, how and when about the blog blocking now seems to be ceased a little. The Government’s action was definitely illogical and they certainly owe a justification of this issue to the entire Indian blogging community. For the time being, the issue is resolved and blogs can now be posted and viewed. I had a hearty & contented laugh when my fellow blogger announced after finally being able to view his blog - “WE ARE BACK”

It was pleasant Sunday evening. However, staying at home all of Saturday and Sunday I had got bored. I thought of meeting up some of my friends that evening to kill my time and boredom. The rains, local trains, statue desecration, routine job life and other local happenings helped us keep busy. The recent serial blasts on the city’s western railway line had soon replaced these topics and exchange of ideas on reasons, anger, agony, possibilities was a hot subject to be conversed. As the conversation galloped to heated argument and debate, one of our friends questioned what this Mumbai spirit is. His point of argument was that there is nothing called as spirit of Mumbai but it is in reality the urge to earn a livelihood. It is the question of his survival that urges a Mumbaikar to take a train to work the very next morning after the blasts. My Mumbaikar ego was definitely challenged at that point, somewhere I knew that it was correct but somehow Mumbai spirit is being taken in a wrong wa...

18th July 2006, 6.25 p.m. - The city, always on the move, full of life, enthusiasm and rush had finally come to a standstill, however for a very short period of time. Transportation had stopped, people stood at their places, most offices stopped their functioning for some time, TV transmission was suspended for few minutes and the there was no activity happening across the entire length and breadth of this city. Almost every citizen of Mumbai paid their homage to the victims of the serial blasts that had took place on 11th July. Exactly a week after the blast at around 6.24 p.m. a siren was heard across the city to signal its citizens to maintain a 2 minute silence for the people who were killed or injured in the blasts. Though not everyone could participate, all those who heard the siren did express their respect and grievance for the sufferers. For the first time in the history of the city that proudly is known as “a city that never sleeps”, everything had stopped and everyone was u...

Rhythmic trains on the rails, confident faces on the platform and ticket queues make it evident that Mumbai is back on track after the mishap of 11th July. It indeed was a nice sight that people are up again and moving ahead. No, people definitely are not indifferent or insensitive but believe in fighting back and standing strong against all ill fortunes. At a glance it would appear that the city is full of haste and people barely have time to notice each other. However, a closer look will reveal that we care; every citizen is tied with a common thread of humanity. People do get angered and frustrated but they know their priorities well – of lending a helping hand when in need. All differences of caste, religion, age, sex and so on seem dwarfed in front of humanitarian trait that binds Mumbaikars. We have proved it again that we stand united and strong against all natural or man-made threats. Be it July 2005 rains or the serial blasts of 93 and 11th July, Mumbaikar is resilient to ever...

Agitation and enrage are obvious when someone you respect is insulted. However, the insult and the anger should be in some proportion. Yes, it may not be possible to evaluate this proportion in a maddening situation, but it is not impossible either. I am referring to the desecration of the statue of Meenatai Thackeray (wife of Sena chief, Bal Thackeray) on Sunday and the Shiv Sena’s rampage thereafter. Incidents of violence, bandhs, morchas, stopping trains & local commutation – all were a part of Sena’s protest against the insult to their ‘Mother’ – Meenatai. Anybody would get angry at the insult to his or her mother but the reactions would differ. Sainiks (Shiv Sena members) reacted with what they are best at – creating a chaotic situation all across the city and eventually spreading it in the entire state. It is indeed saddening that innocent people and public property were victims of this rampage. Some handy few ill people must have carried out the act but the masses had to pay...

Excellent! Is what I uttered when I got up after watching Madhur Bhandarkar’s latest project – Corporate. Madhur Bhandarkar known for his thorough study of topics proves his forte again in this film. The movie is perfectly deeply research, minutely well worked and superbly presented. I don’t say this because Bhandarkar is among my favorite filmmakers but the movie is really commendable. The movie cruises through the entire boardroom to bedroom focal points that are required for the corporate world to hit their bottom line i.e. earn profit. Surely the movie presents how things are and can be manipulated if you want to stay ahead in the game. It showcases the symbiotic relationship between politics and business. Corporate at certain instances gives you an essence of the Coke-Pepsi rivalry. Emotional sabotage, blind faith, insider news and flesh can be tactfully used if a business wants to sustain in the corporate world. However, the movie is completely not about negativity and manipulati...