Expectations!

Have we ever tried to understand that only an expectation leads us to disappointment? Why is it so difficult to not expect anything from this world? Why are humans produced in a manner that from their birth till end their expectation bar is at the top? The moment we plant a seed of expectation in our brain; we give rise to disappointment, guilt, and sadness. If you share such thoughts with another person, the most common answer one gets is, ‘don’t think about it’. Is it that easy?

Life is NOT a race

Nobody is slow and nobody is fast. We are not in a race. We all are in our own time zone. Don’t feel jealous and don’t get too proud. Eventually we all will get to our desired goal.

Life and Death

Some random thoughts…

This picture depicts life in a nutshell. The harsh reality of our journey is that eventually it will come to an end. We all have an expiry date; doesn’t matter if you are rich, old, young or poor. Every living being who is born will eventually meet its creator. It is difficult for many to understand this truth. It is considered a bad omen in many cultures to even speak about this reality. However, if one can understand this bitter truth, it might make things easier to accept. Changes will occur in everyone’s life. If not today, then tomorrow. Slowly and gradually we all will lose our loved ones. It could be one’s parents, kids, friends, a neighbor, or someone special. Try not to ever discard this fact and silently instill the thought in our minds forever.

Life will come at your fast.
Know this reality.
Accept this truth.

Tu darr mat

This time I tried something different. Instead of writing a blog, I decided to write a poem. Hope you like it.

Tu darr mat,
Hataash na ho,
Niraash na ho,
Yeh duniya tujhe girayegi, rulayegi.
Tu samna kar,
Gira de uss shaitaan ko,
Hila de uss parvat ko,
Jo tujhe de chunauti.
Bhool mat,
Tujhse hi hai yeh duniya,
Teri hai yeh duniya,
Tu darr mat.
Himmat mat haar,
Karle buland hausla,
Tu hi hai Chandi,
Tu hi hai Kaali,
Tune hi karni hai, uss shaitaan ki sawaari.

Lipstick under my burkha!

Yes, the subject line is quite hatke. I couldn’t resist myself and had to write this blog. By the way, I have had a writer’s block for quite some time now. 4 years to be precise. In these past four years, I started to write many blogs but couldn’t continue on or even finish one. I have been succumbed to my daily chores and two of my beautiful daughters. I guess that’s my excuse. Ha!

Oh well! Lately I’ve been drawn to all the celebrities posting their selfie’s holding a lipstick and showing the middle finger. Then I saw the hashtags of Lipstick under my burkha and instantly youtube-d the trailer of this film. Surely, I got an idea it’s a creation of none other than Ekta Kapoor. In our Bollywood industry, she’s the only woman who actually has balls to showcase feministic films. I believe by now, as a reader, you would want to take a look at the trailer of this film. But, hold that thought…

More than the trailer, I believe I’m attracted towards how other actresses are doing free publicity of the film. And it’s not the film they are publicizing; actually it’s their own share of struggles, battles, pain, and tussles which they had to go through being a woman. Every woman has witnessed some form of discrimination, bigotry or inequality. It could’ve been in a business setting or a household or even walking down the street. I think these films speak common people’s mind and experiences. I know women who faced problems with their promotions just because they were a female. I know women who couldn’t wear what they felt like just because it wasn’t appropriate or didn’t meet the basic standards (of women). I know women who couldn’t talk out loud just because girls are supposed to act polite and mature. I know women who can’t say ‘bad words’ just because it’s only a male’s right to openly curse. I know women who had to face shame just because she gave birth to a baby girl. I know women who want to get out of a trouble and disturbed marriage but can’t just because of the humiliation in our society.

Come to think of it, how does a society form? Who creates such rules and conditions for male and females? Isn’t it the individuals working together for mutual benefit? But how exactly is this society benefiting the females? I’d say screw the society! If only, women in every corner of our country can stop taking their own gender as a weakness, we can overcome every battle. And, I would like to remind you, equations are changing very rapidly. Capable and strong women who are completely fed up are finally waking up and soon it will become a reality. A reality where women is not considered kamzoor.
#lipstickundermyburkha

Story of a demented girl

…and that special day was here for Lolita. Just like any other girl, Lolita too was delighted to step into the next phase of life. She was all set to wed Paul that day. As usual, being the bride, there was so much she was worrying about. She woke up early to be at the salon so she could give herself ample amount of time to get ready. Her bridesmaids accompanied her at the salon. They kept teasing her about her honeymoon plans. Lolita was all smiles that day. It was heartwarming to see her all excited about her wedding.

…as she started walking towards the love of her life, the nervous-ness kicked in. She tried to meet eyes with her fiance to find some comfort. The altar dimmed the lights around Lolita so everyone could embrace her beauty. Lolita’s parents were in tears as they gave their daughter to a complete stranger whom they trust blindly.

…the vows got exchanged and the two said the golden words ‘I Do.’

…needless to say, the honeymoon period of the couple was at its best. Those memories stay with the bride and groom until their last breath. Lolita too enjoyed each moment with her hubby. She enjoyed the beach, skydiving, snorkeling, swimming with the hubby and tons more. Lolita was on cloud nine!
***

…a year passed by and Lolita found her entangled in endless responsibilities. She realized marriage is not about a grand wedding, honeymoon plans, spending lavishly; instead it’s about compromising and taking responsibilities. In this one year, Lolita kept thinking about her courtship period, when everyone pasted a rosy picture of marriage in her mind. No one spoke about the daily life, the troubles, the arguments. No one told her to get prepared. All her friends and family members were too occupied in wedding preparations.

…those endless arguments over petty issues drove Lolita crazy. Those discussions where she tried her best to reason with her hubby and shared her thoughts were hopeless. Like many men out there, her partner also had an ego problem. He too was a male chauvinist! It was hard for Lolita’s husband to accept that he’s at fault. It was always Lolita’s fault no matter what.

…after some time, Lolita’s husband started finding solace in his friends. He stayed out late, partied, drank with his buddies all the time. Lolita was not allowed to go out with her friends or spend time with her family members. She was forbidden. Slowly and gradually, Lolita tried to find peace in keeping silent. She kept her thoughts and secrets to herself. She started writing a diary to pen down her thoughts. She tried to stay away from any discussions with her partner. From her past experience discussions turn into arguments; arguments turn into fights; and fights turn into broken relationships. It was hard for her to fathom a simple fact that how can one partner be always wrong? Is that how relationships are? The male partner is always correct and the female always wrong?

…a happy face; that’s the lie Lolita kept portraying to the world. She was the perfect actor in her marriage. No one could figure out if Lolita was going through a troubled marriage. And one day, when she could not use her mind beyond her married life; she decided to end it. Lolita committed suicide and ended her story.
***

WHY? Why did she take her own life? Why didn't she turn away from her marriage and start new? Why did she let her husband rule her life? - These questions will always remain unanswered. However, one can learn a lesson from Lolita’s life. One can always shed dominating men from their life. One can always find happiness…

Terrorist Attacks

Killing innocent people has always been the simplest way to show a nation that we are superior. This is the effortless mantra all terrorist groups use. Recently, we heard the terror attacks in Hyderabad. This news ‘as always’ jolted the nation. Few days back, we heard an attack took place in Pakistan. This has become a very interesting game now. You killed 15 people in India; I will kill 50 people in Pakistan. The animosity in both countries is only increasing by the day. However, why is the public suffering in this rage? The innocent people who are living their normal life; doing their daily routines; earning money to make their ends meet…why have they become the puppets of this show?

It is not okay to bomb a bus filled with passengers. It is not okay to blast a market. It is not okay to chop off the head of an army soldier who stands guard day ‘n’ night to protect his country. It is just not okay!

When these attacks take place, the citizens look up to their government hoping that things will get better and they will feel the pain as well. But, what is the government doing in these situations? Why can’t they step out of their comfort zone and give comfort to their people? The reputation of the administration is deteriorating with each passing day. It has become nearly impossible to have faith on our own nation. The one thing which excels in our country is ‘the blame game’. Blame it on the state or police or administration etc. This is the best way to escape from this mess.

Can we all rise above this? Can we actually make a life count? Can we?

Bollywood’s 100 Crore Club!

As we all know, B’town award functions are organized and publicized at a mass scale and the viewers are eagerly waiting for it to air on the television. I’m also one of those viewers who is keen on catching a glimpse of the star studded gala event. This year I started with the Zee Cine Awards.

As an avid Bollywood lover, I madly enjoy gawking at the attire’s actresses flaunt at these award functions. Who’s coming with whom, the gossip, the drama, the mishaps, the malfunctions…so on and so forth. There’s quite of brouhaha around this time of the year in the buzz world.

This year, I witnessed something very hatke in the awards. A 100 Crore club was introduced during the function. At first, I was taken aback because the movies which ‘supposedly’ hit the 100 crore success didn’t quite woo the audience. Apparently, movies like ‘Dabangg 2’, ‘Housefull 2’, ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, ‘Son of Sardaar’ got hugely recognized during the awards. How in the world would movies like these make 100 crore? Or is it just another publicity stunt to promote the directors of these movies? There was absolutely no storyline and no charm present in these films.

The makers of these award functions should be promoting movies like ‘Paan Singh Tomar’, ‘Kahaani’, ‘Shanghai’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Oh My God’, ‘English Vinglish’… These films left an impression on the audience and were applauded by all age group. The directors of these movies never get the kind of recognition which they actually deserve. These are filmmakers who have the power to change the mindset of our country and not afraid to bring change.

To me, 100 crore club only means how big of hoopla has your film created? How much money was invested in promoting the film? Is the main actor a big star? And that’s the recipe of a sau crore success. How idiotic is that?!

Recap of 2012

Wow…We survived the Mayans predicted ‘end of world’ date! The much awaited date of 2012 kept people flustered for many years. However, we passed it and moved on as well. 2012, like all the previous years had its ups n down.

Some events left a huge mark on our memories, while some slipped by without getting noticed. Obama Uncle again won the votes of millions of Americans and slapped Romney hard. Hoping that Mr. Obama will propose rigorous laws for Guns there are no more massacre’s at school, theaters, and Gurudwara’s.

Curiosity Rover successfully landed on Mars and it was yet another triumphant milestone in Space. Believe it or not, the tycoon Elon Musk introduced the new plan of shipping earthlings on Mars in the next decade. Now, that’s what I’m talking about!

Halkat jawani reined the B’town with latka’s and jhatka’s. Fevicol did the work and the audience was hooked to Mrs. Kapoor Khan! Numerous celebrities tied the knot but Ritesh and Genelia left a mark on everyone’s memory with their grand wedding. Legendary Rajesh Khanna and Yash Chopra literally brought the world to a standstill with their departure.

Just when it was time to rejoice and get started with the preparation of New Year, our country contemplated an extremely heinous act by a group of 6 men. Nirbhaya got raped, chastised, insulted, and slaughtered by 6 men because she was one of those ‘dented and painted’ women who had the audacity to stand up for herself. December 2012 witnessed a revolution in India when young and the old amalgamated against corruption and the lawmakers. Nirbhaya created history and her death will not go in vain.

As we leave behind 2012 and embark on another year; there are few things we must summon into our minds. It’s time to get your act together and learn from the mistakes we made in 2012. Let’s start to make some alterations in the society so we can make this entire world a livable place. If we all try to do out bit for the society, then we can expect a change to occur in the coming years.

Theek hai?

Uff…where do I begin speaking about the whole ‘Theek hai’ episode with our ‘dis-respected’ Manmohan Singh!

This man has finally shown to the world that he surely and undoubtedly runs by a remote control and has absolutely no brains of his own. These are the kind of situations which bring distress in the country. How can a Prime Minister not have a heart for his nation? He has three daughters of his own and not once did he ponder upon the sensitivity of the issue. Mr. PM could’ve shown at least some apathy towards the innocent girl and humbly apologized to his people for the atrocity in his country. It’s time to shed egos and the corrupt attitude!

Kehne ko we live in a democratic country but how is it a democracy when the entire desh is run by crooked Neta’s and narcissistic Gandhi family? Our youth generation has witnessed the barbarity of our government and it’s about time we bring revolution to the country. The government and police can exercise all of their man power. From this point onwards, there is no backing down!

Please tell me if this sounds theek hai to any one of you!!! A girl gets brutally gang-raped and beaten by 6 men in a moving bus along with her boyfriend. The Public decides to peacefully protest against the heinous crimes happening around the nation and police intervenes with lathi charges, tear gas shells and water cannon. A girl has no right to complain in our so-called-democratic nation if she’s raped, assaulted, tortured, or beaten. Aam junta is not allowed to raise voices over crime, bribery, or exploitation. From head-to-toe, the media is controlled by biased paisewallah’s! And while the entire country is raging over the chaotic circumstances; our PM decides to show up after four days to express condolences with a script. So yes, it is not ‘theek hai’, anymore!

Delhi Gang Rape

Firstly, if you live in Delhi and reading my article then please don’t say… ‘This is normal’. ‘So many rape cases come out every day, nothing new in this case’. Please, don’t make this a standard, don’t stay mum, speak about it out loud and act as well. It’s time to freak out, it’s time to spread the word, and it’s time to take some action.

A 23 year old decided to watch a film with her boyfriend. On their way back, the duo takes the public transportation to head home. Seven men who are already riding the bus decide to take advantage of the girl. They thrash the boyfriend and rape the girl numerous times. But wait, their lust is still not over. They chastise the girl with an iron rod and throw the duo on the road.

I would like to know what kind of world we live in??? After this episode, there is no doubt that humans are the biggest savages living on Earth. For some ‘fun’ these men decided to beat the innocent couple and raped the girl one by one. Not only should they get hanged to death, they should get the same torture and face humiliation in public to set an example for all the monsters out there.

The girl was so inhumanely beaten up that even after 48 hours she’s still not out of danger. She’s breathing with a full support of a ventilator. May God be with her in these tough times.

Let us all collaborate and spread the word as much as we can. Let us all come up with one deadly punishment for the seven savages and set a good example. Let there be justice for the innocent girl who’s fighting for every breath. Let us not forget that it could’ve been you or me on that ventilator support.

Torture them, punish them, and hang them. Please spread the word, my fellow readers…

CNN Hero of the Year – Pushpa Basnet

Once again, a Nepali woman awarded CNN Hero of the Year. In 2010, Anuradha Koirala received the CNN award for dedicating herself to combat women’s trafficking and sex slavery. And this year, the award was given to Pushpa Basnet. She devoted her life to support children whose parents get incarcerated and are forced to stay behind bars with their mothers.

At the age of 29, Pushpa received such a prestigious honor by CNN. Not only did she receive the honor, she also got awarded $250,000 to continue her work. Hopefully, this money will benefit her in nourishing the lives of these children and provide them with the best of education, food, and medical care.

It’s always relieving to see a common man supporting the mango people. Since we live in a cruel and a selfish world, not many come forward and do their due diligence for the poor and needy.

Pushpa has been helping these children since 2005 and takes care of more than 140 children of incarcerated parents. She has been a very focused and determined person from her teenage years. At the age of 21, Pushpa witnessed how children lived in prison with their mothers; and from that point onwards she was persistent to help them live a normal life outside prison.

Let’s all hope that Pushpa gets the best in her life, so she could accommodate a better life to all these children who have nowhere to go. Wish you all the good luck and the dignified life. Women like you, make us proud and make the whole nation content. *Big Hug*

Diwali in India!!!

We, pardeshi’s love visiting our desh any day, anytime! It’s hard to fathom how we have settled and accepted a foreign land!? Recently, I took a mini trip to India and couldn’t believe how fast our country is changing. If you think that India is still a backward country then it’s time for you to take a trip to your motherland.

One can find gigantic flyover’s all across the country; construction at every corner; all kinds of cuisines available; and all the luxury you find in abroad. And one of the biggest attractions for all tourists is the IGI Airport. Since I visited around Diwali time, I got to see Rangoli, lights, flowers decorated all over the airport. You get to see all classy and authentic shops with trendy items and very hatke décor.

It was sheer joy to see all the houses, market, roads, shops lit up everywhere during Diwali time. Experienced how chaotic people get in shopping, exchanging gifts, visiting family, decorating their houses, buying diya’s and candles after thirteen years. Even celebration Diwali has completely changed in India. People no longer distribute Mithai, these days fancy packaged gifts are trending. Mithaiwala’s suddenly started to experience a decrease in their market.

Fireworks in India are simply phenomenal. For almost a whole week, I heard fireworks every night. Watching all the kids light up chakri, phul-jhadi, anar was a delight. Neighbors’ showed off to each other with the most expensive fireworks. Just watching the whole society come together and blow up rockets was charming.

All in all this year’s Diwali will remain special and close to my heart.

There is no place like home…

Kareena Kapoor Khan

Finally, Bebo tied the knot with the most powerful person of Pataudi. The Kapoor girl has proved to the world that she is undoubtedly the queen who dominates the Industry…at least for now! Not only does she acquire every blockbuster hit in her kitty; she also creates brouhaha for her big day to remain at the top on media charts.

Kareena Kapoor was born with a golden spoon and now she pertinently secured her future with the Pataudi Legacy. The Pataudi’s hold colossal treasure and Kareena will be allotted a fair share. As one of the magazines said, ‘Kareena now holds the two most paramount surnames!’ She’s Kareena Kapoor Khan…!

I was wondering if Saifoo’s kids will be attending the grand second wedding of his father. Well, surprisingly they did. It must have been a super awkward moment for the kids to get clicked with their dad and the new mummy. Wonder if the kids will actually address her ‘Mummy’?! Mind you, the daughter is already on the road-way to the industry, I bet dad’s wedding just gave her another reason to flaunt her looks n physique.

From her debut in Refugee, Bebo mentioned to the media that she wants to be the No. 1 Heroine in our industry. And she lived her dream. In the Kapoor clan, she has always asserted herself to be acquainted as the Princess. She’s the Princess in reel life and the Begum in real life.

Both of the Kapoor girls have many similarities. A few of them: both became the eminent actresses of their time; both chose to marry second hand guys *wink*; both inherited step children; initially both had the perfect love interest but fate had other partners predetermined for them. Karishma would’ve dug a gold mine by marrying Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena could’ve made a pitch - perfect match with Shahid Kapoor.

But, the sister-duo wanted their wedding card to say:

‘Halkat jawani weds second-hand jawani’s…!’ - Hey, this isn’t my original, read it somewhere and decided to steal it. :P

Amitabh Bachchan’s BIG 70!!!

Many-a-times, life brings dilemmas but one must pull themselves together and get on with life. As the legendary actor Raj Kapoor once said, ‘The show must go on’…

***

This man needs no introduction! He was, he is and he certainly will remain the ‘The Superstar’ of our country. Our country is going insane over their megastar’s 70th birthday. The whole India knows how Mr. Bachchan survived after his near-death experience during the shooting of Coolie. His popularity escalated post the accident. It was sheer luck and the love of audience which brought him back to life.

Even today, it’s heart-pumping to see him on the big picture. His persona has won almost all hearts out there. He not only roped in the audience through his movies, he also brings joy to aam junta on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati. Many actors have tried their luck with television industry but fell flat. AB Sir is the only actor still standing with a firm foot in TV Land. There is one particular trait; I’d like to point out. His patience is awe-inspiring. The way he handles hoards of people with sheer humbleness is purely commendable.

Each time Mr. Bachchan visits the hospital for any medical reasons, there are numerous well-wishers praying for his speedy recovery. These people are not just followers but devotees.

Aam Junta went gaga over Mr. Bachchan’s Big 70 celebration at Film City in Mumbai yesterday. It was no less than a red carpet event. The who’s who of the country showed up and flaunted their best attire and attitude. The Bachchan clan rocked the party and looked ravishing in their flashy ensembles. The media and the internet went berserk uploading pictures of this event. My personal favorite is Shweta Bachchan Nanda. Who was yours?

This is what Shahrukh Khan once said in one of his interviews, “Amitabhji is God.” Indeed!

It is bewildering to see Mr. Bachchan hale and hearty at the age of 70!!! Wishing him a very Happy Birthday…

Barfi & Heroine!

Well, where do I begin? Barfi speaks for itself. The movie not only wooed the audience, it’s also heading for Oscar nomination. Undoubtedly, the best picture award goes to Barfi this year. Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra pair portrayed their character pitch perfect. For me, Ranbir aka the (Murphy baby) Barfi has truly proved himself.

The movie generated such positive vibes. Both of the characters brandished how simple life can be. No jhamela, no tension only fun! Ranbir acted out Barfi with such ease; it was nearly impossible to believe that he’s not mute. He silently showcased all the emotions with pure joy and mischief. There were many scenes which were copied from Charlie Chaplin film; however, he carried them vigorously.

Jhilmil (Priyanka’s character) played an autistic person and she literally got into the skin of the character to play her part. The director didn’t make us feel sympathetic towards Jhilmil, instead he demonstrated, irrespective of having a disorder, it is still normal to have feelings and emotions. It was heavenly to see Jhilmil and Barfi love each other in the most unusual manner.

Another Southie crossed over to our end to try their luck in B’town. Illena D’Cruz very well executed her part and didn’t get outweighed by two prominent stars or our industry. She was the perfect material for a Bengali girl. Overall, Barfi stole hearts and I wouldn’t mind experiencing it one more time…

Heroine on the other hand falls flat. The expectation had already died down when Madhur Bhandarkar announced that Ash is out and Bebo is in. However, with the hype of this film and the non-stop desperate promotional stunts by Heroine team brought back all the excitement. The PR team did an exceptional job otherwise this picture would’ve been a FLOP! The movie changed track in blitz. It was clearly visible that the entire episode of Ash opting brought Madhur under immense pressure and he had to revamp the entire film in short period of time. Unquestionably Kareena gave it all to the film, however, the script failed to excite the audience.

This brings us back to the previous blockbuster hits directed by Madhur. Fashion was a milestone for his career in Bollywood Industry and with that the expectation barometer was brought to a new level. In fact, Heroine ended on such an abrupt note that audiences felt it was a sheer waste of time.

Uncalled Attacks

When we were already mourning on the tragic loss of 9/11 terrorists attacks; there came news of violent protest and killings in Middle East. Why? Not a single day passes without an attack or innocent killings. Reading such news everyday has become a part of everyone’s daily agenda.

The biggest factor of such abhorrent violence is Religion. Killing one another in the name of God. This really makes me wonder how queerly people react these days. It’s quite evident that any comment against any particular religion can flicker debacle across the globe. Executing blameless people has become child’s play. The recent attacks in the Middle Eastern countries have charged up other uncivilized people to join hands in such massacre.

It’s hard to fathom how the families react when they discover their family member was intentionally murdered in a religious attack. The family who goes through such torture can care less about why the attack occurred or it was for a cause etc. The fact is that they lost a member and that’s the end. It’s irreversible, and time does not heal such wounds.

Lolita’s life – Part II

‘I can never forget that one vicious night; when I lost my dignity, self-respect, and myself’ said Lolita to a mass crowd. She stood bold in front of hundreds of people and took a pause. It appeared as if she froze in that moment and went into her past. However, she gathered all the courage and started speaking to her audience.

‘After I got physically and emotionally assaulted by that demon, I broke down. When I came back to my senses and the reality meter kicked in, I couldn’t imagine a future for myself. I was extremely disheartened and scared of this horrendous world. It took me months to come back to my senses. My parents never pressured me to get back to my normal life. They gave me enough space and time. I never wanted to leave my house. I always thought all the men out there are contemplating another horrifying experience for me. I went into isolation. But, one day as I was sipping coffee in my back yard, my mom came and sat with me. She didn’t speak a word. After sometime, tears came down my eyes and I cried out loud. My mom didn’t console me. When I stopped crying, she looked into my eyes and told me, ‘you have to become the strongest women in our family and in this world. Do not take this as the end of your life, fight this world and prove that you are not weak’. My mother spoke with me for an hour and I was very astounded by her words. I hail from a male dominated background and to see my mom rise up in such manner was staggering. I have never seen this side of my mom. She told me many things in that one hour and I took days and weeks to debate all she expressed that day. Finally, I gathered all my courage and decided to complete my studies and pursue higher education. I completed my studies, I performed social work, I helped rape victims, and I’m standing here in front of you telling my tale.’

The audience applauded and Lolita was thrilled to see all her accomplishments. Many ladies came up to Lolita and gave her a hug and whispered ‘you are such a brave women.’ She felt obliged to get such honor from this world. Slowly and gradually, the hush-hush of this event faded. It was hard for Lolita to digest the fact that she was the speaker for one of the most renowned NGOs. As her day ended, she kept thinking about her journey from a sixteen year old girl to a twenty eight year old woman. Whenever she recalls on her past, she always thinks how my life would’ve been… had I not been a rape victim?

It was painful for Lolita when she first came out of her shell and faced this world. She remembers how she used to cry all night long and how her fellow schoolmates used to pass remarks on her. When Lolita ponders on that phase of her life, she realized how her image was so weak in front of people. As the years went by, people around her started to see a change in her personality. She no longer looked weak; she always had a daring and fearless look on her face. That personality and gutsy attitude shut the world up!

Lolita’s parents were very supportive of all the decisions she made in her life. They never forced her or tried to change her mind. They knew that they’ll never understand the trauma she went through in her teen years. However, being a parent, they always dreamt of Lolita settling down and getting married to an educated and down to earth man. Because they knew how Lolita reacts towards men, they dared not to ever share this feeling with her. However, Lolita thought otherwise. She didn’t believe in having a husband which is the society norm. She believed to serve her entire life to those victims who struggle for years to cope with the torture they went through.

One day her team decided to nominate her for the “Hero of the Year” award. Lolita was overwhelmed by the gesture of her teammates. She decided to gladly accept the nomination. For her, this nomination was colossal. She wanted to show to her country how NGO’s work relentlessly for the betterment of the society. She wanted to show to all those creatures who believe in inequality. She wanted to show that all the women out there are not weak and can take up any challenge with our without the support of a male partner.

On the day of the ceremony, she went along with her team. Lolita was a bit nervous and happy. Throughout the ceremony, she kept thinking how she will react if she wins this nomination? How it will change her life? While her mind was wandering in her own thought process, she heard the speaker announced the winner and said, “LOLITA!” She won “Hero of the Year” award in her country. She had tears rolling down her cheeks and proceeded towards the podium to collect the award. With the award in her hands, she said to the audience, “We are strong and we will be strong.”

Are you addicted to the social network?

A day seems incomplete if you haven’t logged into Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn or Instagram or Pinterest or Youtube and those unlimited networking sites... Gone were the days’ when we used to hang out with friends outside college campus and wouldn’t stop bloviating about boys, classes, movies, politics, college etc. These days one only gets to gawk at people with their phones. I’m positive that everyone has begun to observe a pattern of less vocal communication. We are so technology bound!

When I attend a family get-together, the way we connect is by posting pictures on social sites. There are no face-to-face conversations left in this world. At times, I wonder how we were living our lives without the advantage of internet and social sites. When I look into my past, I remember coming home from school; gulping lunch; finishing homework; and off to the playground with neighbors or school friends.

Times have changed. Now-a-days, everyone is so engrossed into technology that nothing else is visible to people. Our generation has made technology a vital part of our life. Infact, it’s impractical to see a life without the social engine.

Be it birthday’s, anniversary’s, get well soon messages, reminder’s, status updates, vacation plans, messages every discourse occurs at the social engine. Phoning a person is simple over-rated these days!

From news to promotions to new inventions, everything is declared on the social sites. Once you get pinched by these friendly sites, there is no turning back! In yesteryears’ people used to pick up newspapers in the morning to skim through whereabouts of political leaders, local news, movies, articles etc. And now, morning tea is savored with the Internet…

Families have also adopted a new way to correlate now-a-days. It’s no longer a surprise to see your parents and grandparents liking a picture on your Facebook profile. And the new generation feels embarrassment in adding parents to their friend’s list. Which, by the way, is normal?!

There is not a single thing you can think of which is not populated amongst these social sites.

Hail to the internet!
Hail to the networking engine!

The Real Salman Khan

I couldn’t stop myself from blogging this. During the promotion of Ek Tha Tiger, I came across many interviews of Salman Khan. It is quite widely known that he’s a very arrogant man, however, after watching of one of his interviews I also found out that he’s a supreme male chauvinist.

Salman and Katrina were getting interviewed by Anupama Chopra; one of the most famous author, journalist and a critic. Of course, it was a promotional stunt by Ek Tha Tiger team, but it was amusing to see how eccentric Salman’s behavior is amongst ladies. Firstly, Salman has zero communication skills and secondly he’s quite illiterate when it comes to conversing in English. Which, by the way is fine, as long as he knows Hindi; which is our national language. However, while examining his past record, I failed to understand how he conceived relationship with foreign ladies when he lacks in speaking English.

So, Salman somehow managed with the mix of English and Hindi verbiage throughout the show. In between he felt like having Green Tea and asked the camera man to get him some. Um…You’re being aired on national television! Ever heard of something called manners?!

And then each time Anupama asked a question to Katrina, he would butt in to speak on behalf of Katrina, just so he can make a male dominating statement.

It was quite astonishing to hear that he thinks male actors will prevail but female actors will retire once they lose their charm and get old. This statement not only appalled Anupama but also made Katrina to look up and raise her eyebrows. To this, Katrina commented what if you retire and I stay on forever in the industry? And Salman egotistically looked at her and said, ‘yeah we’ll see, how you’ll survive…’
Now we know why Aishwariya left him and Katrina is running away from him… *rolls eyes*

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Started my day with an article on Social Networking and ended up on Salman Khan! I will publish ‘Social Networking’ article on Monday.