Timing is everything…

Jaswant Singh’s expulsion from BJP justifies the title…A bad thing if done at the right time becomes good and a good thing done at the wrong time becomes bad.

There is nothing wrong in releasing a book and expressing ones opinion. After all we live in a democratic country (Of course “Clauses attached”). Did Jaswant Singh being such a senior player of the party deserve to be ousted from BJP? Or more critical than that, based on something related to past, which does not have any significance now, (the damage is already done…right??) can somebody be punished? He just expressed his personal opinion. Or BJP like many parties is engulfed in the mire of hypocrisy!!! One can’t give a convincing reply to these questions, but I am very much sure about one thing….”JASWANT SINGH CHOOSE THE WORST TIME POSSIBLE”. Being such a senior member of the BJP, he should not have gone against the party’s ideology (out of many situational ideologies) while serving in the party. A president of a company can’t suddenly wake up one fine morning and go against its policies just because he doesn’t like some of them. It greatly undermines the credibility of the organization. Similarly if a party’s senior member differs with the ideology that it often preaches or boasts about, credibility will surely take a beating. Already after the general election, BJP was in doldrums. This event further added salt to injury. What could be worst time than this? He should have known the ramifications of releasing such a book or could have released such a book after bidding adieu to BJP. Many celebrities and luminaries normally right books or express their express opinions after they retire (nikalne ke baad kachra failao…kya farkh padta hai…just kidding). Jaswant Singh should also have taken that route.

Now consider BJP which claims to have strong values, once again falls flat on its face. Certain questions which BJP will never answer are:

(1) Why Modi wasn’t sacked after the 2002 riots?

(2) Is writing a book, a bigger mistake than the 2002 riots in which scores of people lost life?

(3) Why BJP has a soft corner for RSS?

(4) Why RSS ideologue H V Seshadri wasn’t taken to task in which he opines Sardar Patel was responsible for precipitating partition?

Incidentally this book is under circulation for 27 years and there is no way that Modi wouldn’t have known about it. Why didn’t BJP take action on this? Why there is step motherly treatment towards only Jaswant Singh? As far as BJP is concerned certain questions are better left than answered.

Last but not the least the fourth estate, that is press plays a pivotal role in creating an impression in aam aadmi’s mind. Media has the power to make a wrong thing look right and a right thing look wrong through repeated telecast in 10 channels. Media should shoulder its power and responsibility with care and stop blowing the issue out of proportion. There are far more grave national issues for the media to throw light and government to do chintan baithaks.

GULAAL

Power, money, betrayal, sex, slang, ragging, heavy duty drama….You name a thing and this movie has it. After watching the movie I was simply confused about the intention of director, what he intended to show? Then I remembered this is the same director that directed “NO SMOKING” as well. To understand the movie you have to extract all the grey cells from your brain and put them to use….Guys that’s “ANURAG KASHYAP” for you.

The movie kicked off little slowly and confusingly with many things happening simultaneously…one won’t understand what each person is trying to do or rather you won’t understand the scenes for a while and will take some time to get the feel or get into the groove of the movie….

The movie is all about Rajputs demanding a separate state for themselves through there army called rajputana rifles….but the movie didn’t portray the fight for separate state but mainly about the fight for becoming the next senapati, fight for power and money.

A new gullible guy called Dilip Singh who is a Rajput comes to college to study law but is diverted from his goal due to his new friend with whom he stays in his new house. While trying to get a room in the hostel he was severely ragged and bitten and was thrown into a room where he found another girl Jesse Randhawa(real name) completely naked. Dilip’s friend stands for the college election with the help of the great senapati of Rajputana Rifle Kay Kay Menon…but gets killed by the illegitimate brother of Kay Kay Menon. The illegitimate brother (Aditya Srivastava) then plans to become the next senapati with the help of his sister (Ayesha Mohan) and was ready to go to any extent to gain power. His sister tries to capture the general secretary post by granting sexual favours to Dilip Singh the new general secretary after his friends death and was a mere puppet in the hands of senapati i.e. Menon sahab. Ayesha wins confidence of gullible Dilip Singh and makes him to resign from the post of general secretary, which she readily accepts.

As the illegitimate siblings cross the first huddle, comes the second plot. Ayesha again tries to get close with Kay Kay Menon to spur Dilip who was in true love with her. Dilip gets mad and kills Menon and clears the sit for senapati…to be taken by Aditya Srivastava.

The middle part of the movie was well depicted but the movie ran helter-skelter towards the end where Dilip killing Menon with such ease as if he is a mere common man lying on the road…after all he is the senapati and torch bearer of Rajputs.

The role played by Kay Kay Memon was truly amazing and deserves a award for his powerful portrayal. His dialogue delivery will simply hook you to your sits. Piyush Mishra and Deepak Dobriyal also add some points to the movie with their acting skills.

This was just the theme of the story and ofcourse not the script, so watch it to know the intricacies and the nitty-gritty of the finely woven plot. I think I am also complicating things without coming to the point…This movie is not for entertainment or passing time…if you watch in that mindset you are sure to fall asleep….Before watching get into the intellectual mode and enjoy the plot as it slowly and confusingly unfolds.

Bottom Line : WORTH WATCHING ATLEAST ONCE!!!

KASHI-YATRA-08

-melting potpourri of talents

The never ending yatra of Kashi-Yatra, the annual fest of IT-BHU, brought mixed bag of emotions, albeit can be argued that KY-08 was far more successful than KY-07.
KY-08 kicked off on 24th Jan with a rough start but caught up pace in the subsequent days with more junta thronging to Swatantrata Bhavan.
First day was poised to start off with a bang as it was the day of rocks. The starting of events took time due to technical difficulties(sound checks etc.) and was a bit frustrating but the rock pros.(Hobos & The Works) really managed well and got the junta to head bang.
Second day was one of my favourite nights and I hope the same for the rest of the junta as it was the DJ night. Everybody danced their heart out for nearly two hours. For some it was shear joy and ecstasy while for others it was a good way to chill out and shed their frustration. In the end DJ made everybody euphoric because one could swing every limb of his/her body to the tunes of the music in any fashion he/she desired.
Third day was the day of laughter as one could relax his mind happily sitting at one place. It was the day of Kavi-Sammelan when all the kavis unleashed their repertoire of humour and jokes one after the other non stop for 2 ½ hours. Unlike the laughter challenge show where it is only laughter, here it was laughter served to the audience blended with philosophy of life. Six kavis with six different genres showcased the amount of humour that can be generated by subtle usage of words. While everybody was superb, Dr. Surendra Sharma proved what a vintage player can do. It was a wonderful experience and junta really had a blast.
On 28th, the last day of KY, everybody was waiting for Shibani Kashyap. Even after facing some initial hiccups, the team worked together and pulled it over in the end. Though Shibani's concert wasn't a hit, but got compensated by DJ thereby finishing KY-08 in style.
Apart from these events there were many events like dances, informals , toolika, plays etc. While the dances and plays were entertaining, informals kept the bored crowd busy. I don't have much idea about photographs and paintings but from the feedback it was obvious that it was enticing for the esoteric people.
Overall KY -08 ended well and the four nights of complete entertainment marked the melting potpourri of talents. Being in fourth year and my last KY, I will really miss this grand festival which is engraved indelibly in my heart.

“THE FOURTH YEAR BONANZA”

Let us play cards; can we play volleyball; shall we go to Ramnagar or should we enjoy the sunrise at the ghats….on and on…..

What am I talking about?? Folks! Welcome to 4^th year… As we reach the fag end of the 7^th semester, we wish to make each day special and more thrilling. Why not? This is the last time we are mobile, in other words, we can talk and move freely. After this our life will be fraught with formalities and gradually we will transform into professionals from amateurs. In simple words we will become uncle(ji)s.

Even if this is our last year, we are not left to go scot-free… There are plenty of exams & classes. Adding to that, we are the renowned metallurgists of India. We reside at the “MECCA” of metallurgy, right!! (at least that’s what our teachers tell us). Wait a second! Did I tell renowned metallurgists? Oh yes, that means almost every day you have to attend classes, try to generate enthusiasm (the same enthusiasm that you had when you attended your first lecture at IT-BHU) and interest towards the subject and listen to the teachers. I can compare our classroom décor with hanging gardens of Babylonia where the flowers (rather the budding flowers like us) are rooted to pots (we on our benches), which are arranged on a stairway. Class room scene is routine, the first benches are occupied by the students who want to concentrate in the class and take notes so that they themselves and the other students reap the benefits of their notes during exam time. Second benchers also take notes, but are selective and choosy i.e. to say based on subject and teachers interest is kindled inside them. Third benchers are those who are interested in everything but metallurgy. They read novels, magazines, write reviews (as I am writing this in the middle of a class) or play some small games. They are good actors as well and come completely prepared so that the teacher feels as though they are atleast listening to the lecture, if not taking notes. Then comes the fourth benchers, “The abode of Saints”, who have already attained salvation (moksha). Most often than not, they are in the dormant state. Metaphorically these four years can be compared to four years in our engineering tenure. First benchers are like 1^st yearites, serious in studies and craving to create an impression upon teachers…Same analogy can be drawn to the other three rows. Is it not a wonder..like the ancient gardens of Babylonia!!

Next is the GRE and MBA syndrome. Barring a few, students neither prepare for MBA nor enjoy properly. They are entrapped in between which results in a bit of anxiety.

We are like a bunch of buccaneers trying to steer our sheep towards a safer place away from the police (classes and teachers) and thunderstorms (CAT exam). Apart from the aforementioned two factors there is no hindrance to our great voyage of enjoyment.

Many of my friends are busy making videos and publicizing it. Some are busy in planning for weekends, yet some are preparing a long itinerary for visiting distant places in December. Each one is trying to make each day special so that he can cherish these nostalgic memories in the years to come. The discussions in the batch, run from cricket to F1 race, from serials(not hindi serials, ofcourse) to business and anything in this world that can be discussed is invariably discussed.

I have noticed a change in 4^th year. Classmates tend to get closer to each other, forgetting their past differences (what ever little they had) which is quite unavoidable. 32 students with 32 different mindsets are bound to have difference in opinions. But at the end of the day, nobody wants to leave the college having a bad taste in his mouth about anybody or anything. Thus everyone joins in to celebrate the great 4^th year bonanza.

I feel a little apprehensive about our last day at IT-BHU. I can’t imagine parting from my dear friends or BHU. The BHU campus is beyond comparison, and is the best campus in Asia. I will miss my nocturnal errands to Lanka where we sip in mostly tea.., and also the Saturday “The Experiment Day” nights, we try out different hotels and restaurants…sometimes we get delicious food and sometimes you know what..!!

In these four years, each day was ushered in with new experiences (pleasant or unpleasant) for life. I am going to miss each and every moment of my BHU voyage but change is inevitable….Life goes on and life moves on.

If at all I can rewind my college days back!!

ROGER "GOD" FEDERER
“His greatness can exceed only his greatness”

I don’t know how to start with…… How do you describe god. “An imaginary mythological version of a human being having extraordinary powers and can perform virtually any miracle possible in the mortal and the immortal world”. But Federer is the only god who is real and performs all his miracles and tricks in front of the total world.

My nocturnal errands (with my friends to different hostel as cable connection wasn’t there in our hostel) to watch US Open-2007 grand finale left me aghast and spellbound. Even if I had an exam the same day, the match was worth watching, not for the quality of the game (that Federer normally displays) & sportsmanship that both players executed but for the greatness that god has bestowed Roger Federer with. As in science ideal conditions never exists but Federer is an ideal man who not only survives but also dominates the non-ideal conditions.

Being a Federer fan I watch him regularly. In early part of his career, his aggressive attitude used to show a bit on the court, but now with success at every grand slam Federer has become more humble & modest. He is naturally a very simple man whose mental toughness is unfathomable. Adding to that, his repertoire of shot making provides him the real cutting edge. His game is altogether at a different level where very few players have succeeded in sustaining it (may be Nadal).

In the US open final it was never like Federer was dominating or thrashing his opponent black and blue in typical Sampras style, but was like a dagger which cuts through the skin neatly without a single drop of blood oozing out. You know that you are done, but alas!! Nothing can be done. Federer defeated Djokovic 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-2), 6-4. From the score it is evident, that Federer didn’t dominate the match totally but he has the knack of shifting gears at the crunch situation. It is as if he gets up from the slumber only when it is needed. Djokovic made early inroads in both the sets and laid a wonderful trap for Federer, but Federer with his typical cool, calm and composed nature clinically disentangled the trap and threw Djokovic to such a position where the only thing he could do was break rackets and to see the match slipping away from his hands.

There is no doubt about the talent of Djokovic (he has already proved it in Montreal where he defeated Federer), but he lost points when it was most needed. At the crunch situations Federer would shift gears and steal the crucial points, whereas Djokovic at the same time became more nervous, shaky and vulnerable leading to his final nemesis.

I have little doubt that Federer would surpass Pete Sampras (14 grand slams) one day(possibly next year) given that, he is free from any injury and is at his best. Barring French open, Roger has ruled the roost in all the three grand slams. I hope he wins French open one day. As many would say I am hoping against hope but being a true fan of FEDEx I want him to be the heralded emperor of tennis.

Alas!! Like all legends he will fall one day but I hope those days are not in the near vicinity. Touchwood!!

“UMRAO JAAN”

As the director says “Making a film like this is like delivering a baby”, surely the movie deserves plaudits for the effort made by the director. “Umrao Jaan” has taken her fourth birth on celluloid, while it is a futile exercise to compare it with the yesteryear’s movies like “Umrao Jaan(old), Mehendi, Zindagi Aur Toofan” based on the same story line, an adaptation of Mirza Ruswa’s novel, this story really stands on its own legs. This movie was really a classic piece beside the original script, while this movie may not appeal to the mass but surely this movie will be appreciated by esoteric people. Albeit the movie seems to stagnate a bit in between due to rapid fire of songs one after the other but once again Javed bhai has shown his true genre and class depicting his eclectic taste as a lyricist through Alka’s sensible voice. Choreography can be extolled as it plays a major role in a movie which revolves round a courtesan as protagonist.
Now comes the main part “acting”. Aishwarya (as Ameeran and Umrao Jaan) playing the role of a courtesan in the movie was really captivating. Aishwarya looking glamorous in the glitters, proves herself as a versatile actress. Really as Javed Akhtar told only Aish with her sharp and enigmatic features can get into the shoes of Umrao Jaan. She succeeds in most part of the movie in doing justice to the strong character that she portrays. Then comes Umrao’s beloved sultan(Abhishek Bachhan) who always does his role quite elegantly. He once again showed that he has all the capabilities to become a great actor like his legendary father Amitabh. At last not to forget Khanum Jaan(Shabana Azmi) who did her part with utmost panache. She has a touch which sets her apart from her cotemporaries as far as acting is concerned. The movie has got some great touching moments(when Ameeran was being kidnapped in a sack, her eyes only being visible, which looks helplessly at her father crying for help), some great dialogues and some great picturesque of quaint Lucknow and Jaipur palaces. One who has got a taste for art and wants to revive his nostalgic memories of old Umrao should at least go once to watch the movie at least for the sake of class that this great script possess.
-amaresh