multiple identity disorder

“It’s written, no?”

2009-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

4 Golden Globes, 11 Bafta nominations and 10 Oscar nominations later, India is rejoicing! As TV screens beamed an ecstatic cast and crew of Slumdog Millionaire, I knew I had to get to the nearest cinema hall… as soon as possible. So with my leg in a plaster, I limped to the silver screen… more to whet my curiosity than to watch the film. I guess that’s how films gross huge returns during the first weekend of their release. In Slumdog’s case, the hype was well-deserved. And I have to admit that as we groped to our seats in the dark, I was a feeling a little taller than usual- with pride for the recognition of Indian artistes.

After all, the cast of the film is Indian or of Indian origin. It’s been shot in aamchi Mumbai. The star music composer is Indian. So is the story… but the treatment of the film isn’t. It was made with a Western audience in mind…with ONLY a Western audience in mind. Why so? After all, a rags-to-riches story has always had universal appeal. But Mumbai’s slums and their filth, her local trains and the sea of people that flow through them, her poor children and their destinies… are unfortunately, a very integral part of the Indian consciousness. The looking lens of the director and his team is so conspicuously foreign! To put it plainly, it’s a film by the goraas, for the goraas. (It is, in fact, a British film).

But I won’t hold it against them. Though the film failed to move me in the soul-wrenching scenes, put there with an intention to shock, the spirit of the film is magnificent. It’s about a young boy who got damn lucky. Destiny had willed him to get there… but not before showing him the worst in life. The directorial ingenuity and technical brilliance shine in some well-executed shots that I have never seen before. (Watch the movie to find out, I am not going to play spoilsport). Rahman’s music is so Rahman-like that it’s difficult to tell who’s catching up with whom-the story or the background score.

On the acting front, one clear negative is Anil Kapoor. He’s a great actor and though he has a strong part to play, one regrets not seeing the Anil Kapoor of the nineties who could convince audiences with one scene. Positives: A big hats-off to whoever conceived the character of Jamaal’s (the protagonist) elder brother Salim. I have not seen a more complex character essayed in a long time. If anyone wants to know the meaning of “a character with grey shades”, please observe Salim- the protector, the friend…but also the rogue, the heart-breaker… and the street-smart.

Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Mahesh Manjrekar…all do justice to their roles. But the film belongs to its child actors…HANDS DOWN!! They lift the film onto their tiny shoulders and place it on a pedestal higher than most adult actors can ever hope to reach.

Now, we wait for February 22… when destiny opens its cards on the fate of the film. Maybe it’s written, no?

The day I almost drowned

2008-03-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

What I did last weekend is something everyone must try at least once in their lifetime. For those with weak hearts and even weaker stomachs, I promise you, there must be less dangerous alternatives. But it's a thing to be done- to set a part of yourself free, to take a risk, to appreciate the force of nature, to brag about having done it or simply put... just for the sake of the experience!

Yes, I went white water rafting last weekend. It might sound banal at first- I mean, so many people we know or who others know have done it before. They all came back saying they loved it. It looked fun, adventurous. Wasn't too far from Delhi- so what the heck, was worth giving a shot!

Lucky to get a double off on a weekend, like normal people do, my friends and I were bent on making the most of it. The Ganga at Rishikesh was to host us on our mission. After checking into our lovely hotel at Muni ki Reti, unsuspecting visitors like us headed straight for Shivpuri, the base camp from where our rafting trip was to start. We were told we would be joining a rafting trip that had already set off from Marine Drive- a stretch of the river some kilometres away. So we played in the sand, next to a largely serene-looking aquamarine Ganga... waiting for our ride to come. And that's where we were wrong- it was not meant to be a ride at all. It required superb skills and courage to match.

As soon as our rafts got there, life jackets and helmets were strapped onto us. We were given our paddles and quickly told basic directions on how to row. And off we were...into the unknown (quite literally!).

As it was just the start of our mission, enthusiasm was high, our shoulders were working faster and the raft was moving forward. And there we saw the first rapid approach! Water lashing fiercely, each wave struggling to make space for itself and in the process, setting off a thick battle of foam. "Paddle harder," yelled our instructor and we put in all the strength we could. The raft tossed and turned, like a roller coaster ride on water and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I, for one, was having a gala time, relishing the adrenaline rush...wanting more.

Then the second, then the third. "This is fun!" I was passing high fives in air to Aparna and Avantika (my partners in crime) and we were on a roll.

Then came the fourth rapid- Club House. We saw the raft in front of us, being thrown around like a piece of paper. And I looked straight at the water. I could see a huge, really huge wave building up right in front of me. In the next few milliseconds, before I could react, I had been sucked right in! There was water all around me and suddenly, the sky disappeared!

I realised I had fallen into the water. There was no time to be scared. The life jacket was firmly in place and as soon as I had fallen in, the life jacket started pushing me up. But I then realised I hadn't reached the surface. Everything around me was still blue-green. I raised my hands and felt something above me. I was stuck under the raft!!

I then remembered what Avantika had told us that very morning. She had spoken of a little boy who died because as a raft turned upside down in the Andamans, the poor boy's life jacket kept pushing him up and the upturned raft kept pushing him down. He got stuck in the water and drowned... just below the suface. (It's amazing how I could think so clearly in that situation.) I raised my hands again, the raft was still there. I must have panicked for a second because as I opened my mouth to express shock, the water went right in- through my mouth, then my nose. Thankfully, that little swimming I had learnt and conveniently forgotten came back to me.... quite surprisingly. I shut my mouth and tried hard to remember what my swimming coach had said. "When in a tough spot in the water, just calmly exhale." Tried that, didn't work. Because I hadn't had the time or realisation to inhale while falling off. My mind was thinking again, the waters around me had calmed down slightly. I didn't care, I was choking.

And all this had taken just about 10 seconds. No breakthrough yet. Then my mind did the scariest thing... only that it seems scary in retrospect. At that moment and in that condition, the thought hit me quite casually, calmly. I remember thinking, "Oh! So is this the way I am going to die?' A second of acceptance. And then... "Okay, so I just have to wait for a few seconds to pass out, for everything to go black."

Meanwhile, I must have been moving. Because at that very second, my hand touched a rope and I heaved myself up from under the raft! It was a big loud breath, that of a person come back to life. Before I knew it, I was pulled out amidst cries of "Don't worry, you are okay!"; and dropped in the raft. For the next few seconds, every breath I took, I uttered a tired 'Mamma'. I even remember thinking how a child thinks first of its mother. What a strong bond that must be!

My life jacket was unfastened, and as the spinning in my head slowed down, I saw concerned faces looking down at me. I explained very clearly to them, "I was stuck under the raft, I couldn't breathe."

I then managed to raise my head and I saw that even the raft ahead of us had stopped. Terrified faces were staring at me. A firang professional kayaker had stopped too. He was asking me if I was okay. As I caught my breath, I must have smiled, as all tense faces around me relaxed. Some of them flashed thumbs up signs at me. Aparna was talking, asking me, telling me... I am not sure all of it registered in my head. But I realised those 12 seconds were long enough to have left everyone worried. And the truth is- I was completely shaken up!

The trip was far from over. And my fellow rafters couldn't believe it when they saw me being pulled back into the raft a second time, from the rapid that followed Club House. I had gone berserk when I fell into the rapid again, expecting the worst and holding on to the instructor who had jumped in to ensure everyone was safe after more than half the raft had emptied out. Here, I felt the real force of nature, of what I was talking about in the first paragraph. The water throws you around you like you don't matter; waves, a few feet high, rush to drown you and all you can do is wait for the rapid to get over so that you can be helped back into your place in the raft. I decided not to paddle in the rapids for the rest of the trip, fearing I would make a hat trick.

Of course, I realised the irony of the situation much later, as locals we met after rafting asked us how many of us fell in the water. So that was the point of it all! Falling in the rapid, taking fear head on, respecting the skills and strength of character of those who do it for a living...

For the 2-3 days that followed, I couldn't get that near-drowning experience out of my mind. Now, I am slowly learning to live with it. A friend said it would bring a radical change in the way I look at life, especially after knocking at the doors of death and then running away like a naughty child when the doors were opened. Well, that hasn't happened yet. But yes, it has opened up new avenues of thinking for me- like how I'll try snorkeling next or assisted sky-diving. Of course, I have vowed to continue going on more weekend trips. And now I also know the meaning of 'death by drowning'. Or shamelessly feeling that I understand 'water films' better than most others ...like when I was watching 'A Perfect Storm' last night.

Will I do it again? Hmm... tough one to answer. Maybe a year from now, I'll have accumulated enough courage again. Or maybe I'll let it remain a once-in-a-lifetime experience...

2008-03-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

Written a few days ago- an attempt to revive my blog

"You Marathis!" Yes, that's what people call us now...especially after Sena's former youth leader and now MNS chief launched his recent tirade against 'outsiders' in Mumbai. The violence was unwarranted, deaths of two innocent men in Nashik...shameful! Much has already been written about Raj and his ways. So how was the experience for a Maharashtrian, watching the happenings from a distance? From a state where she could easily be deemed an 'outsider'?
Working in 'bhaiyya' land, living in a multi-cultural Delhi... and as a journalist, deeply missing the coverage in Maharashtra. Luckily, DTH allowed the viewing of Marathi channels, continuously beaming Raj's war of words. An absolute entertainment! If, even for a moment, we could keep Raj's deeds aside, we would see in him an excellent orator. The ideas, the tone, the face...much like his Uncle whose public appearances have been legendary for the Sena's electoral fortunes. And the ease with which those daring phrases flowed, the face not flinching for a moment...in fact, the sarcasm intentional.
So is the above praise a show of support for the taandav Raj launched in one of India's most developed states? Hell no... not in a hundred years! In fact, apart from MNS goons and some misguided youngsters, I am certain no well-meaning Maharashtrian would have hurt even a fly. A senior at work said- it's not the mentality of an ordinary Maharashtrian to indulge in hooliganism, Maharashtrians are content leading their own little lives- and I, who was brought up in an ordinary middle class Maharashtrian family, had to agree.
When Raj claims that jobs in Maharashtra belong only to the Maharashtrian youth; he is not only making a politically volatile statement but also threatening the validity of a part of the Constitution. But the Marathi manoos is not devoid of political opinion. And he is certainly not devoid of a strong sense of his cultural identity. So when mediapersons rushed to get the view of the common (Marathi) man, surprisingly, many seemed to be on Raj's side...not for the vandalism, but for the debate that had ensued.
It's at these times I shy away from being a journalist- a mere observer- because the sentiments being tossed in public are part of my personal identity. In vain, I try to explain why Raj's dramatic claims touch a familiar chord somewhere in a Marathi mind. Born and brought up in Pune, I never had to speak Hindi... not with the Marwadi grocer, unknown rickshaw wala (auto wala for the people up here) or my Gujarati neighbours. I spoke in English with my friends, most of whom were non-Maharashtrian, as was expected in my convent English-medium school. Hindi was limited to mugging dull poems for exams and Bollywood films.
So my first few months in the national capital must have been quite amusing to whoever spoke to me in Hindi about anything under the sun. From being unable to string together a single Hindi sentence without stammering, my Hindi has improved to haggling quite comfortably with the ready-to-fleece-you auto wallahs and behold, doing simple lives with our sister Hindi channels. So surprise surprise... when I went back to Pune last year! No matter where I went, people spoke to me in Hindi!!! The Marwadi grocer, the unknown rickshaw wallah, the employees at my favourite Udipi restaurant and the assistants at the never-needed malls in Pune. Some of them were Maharashtrian, as I later found out from their conversations with colleagues. And I was left trying to absorb a city that was no longer the Pune I knew. Imagine my relief when Pune's only commercial radio station had RJs speaking to us in Marathi... at least, 70% of the times.
The changing face of Pune- I call it cultural erosion, and people call me xenophobic. Let them. Punekars take pride in their language and culture and it's disappointing to see it fade out like that. Especially after the year I spent studying in Chennai. I have never seen a people so fiercely possessive of their language, a defining feature of their culture. And contrary to what the ignorant have to say about 'Madrasis', I had an excellent time... because I attempted to learn their mother tongue. My half-baked Tamil opened several doors for me... and I earned many friends there- the grocer, the Kollywood-crazy rickshaw walla, the Annas at the local restaurant and even the frowning big moustached policemen.
We are not talking about violent anti-Hindi riots here, like the one Tamil Nadu saw in the late sixties. In fact, that should be the last thing on the mind of a mature democracy. And nothing or no one can make native Indians leave from Maharshtra's cities or abandon their respective languages. But let the unique cultural fabric of each city be preserved, not by force but by habit.

It's 'Krrish'man!

2006-07-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

Getting back to doing what I love…. thrashing movies!!! I love watching movies…any language, any genre and I also love to hate them…especially the ones that suck royally!

Though yesterday was a nice surprise…

I spent the worst part of the day roaming around in the North Campus of Delhi University…looking for an enquiry office. There were various kinds of offices, each more futile than the other. Rude people behind the desks…one of them smoking a beedi and chewing tobacco and speaking the Delhi-style Hindi all at the same time. I couldn’t understand a word of what he said. I was just worried a jet of the tobacco spit would hit my face as he attempted to be generously arrogant.

Anyway, on my way back home in the Metro [yippee…it’s so cool!!] I thought I should get back to my good ol’ pastime…watching a movie. And I had the supreme privilege [hehe] of watching India’s latest superhero in action…Krrish!

First thing I didn’t like was the Rs. 140 I shelled out for watching a film I had absolutely no expectations from. All news and entertainment channels have been raving about this one…even I remember working on it briefly when the movie had just hit the screens. But let’s get real…I thought. A sequel to Koi Mil Gayaa?? …A film that should have been categorised as a strictly ‘children’s film’. Hrithik Roshan has good acting potential. But Rakesh Roshan wasn’t fair to his son’s talent in that one. He really made him overact to the point of making me almost pull out my hair in desperation. We have to seriously do something about our stereotypical depiction of mentally retarded/ill/handicapped [whatever the term is…Sorry, I’m not sure] children. It’s despicable of us to portray them like this in mass media.

Anyway, the movie resembled ET. Kids of this generation must have liked it but for those of us who were born in the late seventies and eighties, the original ET was the big thing…a childhood fascination come alive [on screen]. Even the special effects in Koi Mil Gayaa were not that effective but I must admit…better than in most other Hindi movies.

But then in 2006, you see… “Is it a bird…a man…No, it’s (desi) Superman!!” Krrish starts with Hrithik Jr. and grandma Rekha in the pristine hills of some remote village in the North. Grandma is trying to save her little boy [with supernatural powers courtesy Jadoo] from the big bad world. Super boy grows up to be Super man, free like the wind and strong like the mountain rock. Then comes his ladylove Priyanka Chopra and woos him out of the safe cocoon of high mountains to congested high-rise buildings of Singapore. And then trouble begins…

Things I like about the movie

Hrithik is back to being a mature actor…very little overacting…by Indian standards. And I congratulate him for the immense training he must have gone through to execute those action sequences with panache. The highlights of the film are, without doubt, the action scenes and special effects! I was pleasantly surprised to see that at least for once, great action sequences were not a monopoly of Hollywood flicks. It’s not that such scenes haven’t been attempted in Hindi films before but they have all ended up looking sadly amateurish and fake. Except one tiny scene, everything looks almost perfect to the T. Rakesh Roshan has spent a fortune…and he has spent it WELL! Kudos to action director Tony Ching Siu-Tung and special effects guys Mark Kolbe and Craig Mumma. Also kudos to stunt doubles, if any.

Beware: This film is not for people who despise Shaolin-style action…I love intelligent films but I’m also a big fan of action films… the Bruce Lee types as well as the Hollywood ones. For those who like action films…please don’t see a cheap version pirated version at home…besides piracy being a crime, you also won’t enjoy the film because of its poor quality. Though find a cheaper cinema hall…Rs. 140 was a tad too much…

Things the film could have done without

Melodrama melodrama melodrama…!!! Fine, the plot had to have a personal angle blah blah but more action scenes next time, please!

And not so much make-up on Rekha’s face, for God’s sake…NO!

Priyanka could have done a little more than be chirpy…she’s gorgeous and she was the turning point of the film…the story starts because of her effect on Hrithik…when are we going to ever give our actresses substantial roles? She did have one or two inspiring scenes there though.

Terrible music…there was nothing foot tapping or melodious about it! And if there’s anything that spoils the mood of the action sequences is the background score. Observe Western/Eastern action flicks…the music creates the mood of the scene to a great extent.

In conclusion, the film is worth a watch…though the romance dominates a part of the plot, it’s a welcome change from the mushy films we are churning out these days…especially those Karan Johar kinds…

Happy Cine-going!

[Info from http://www.krrishthemovie.com/]

Getting back to business

2006-06-29T08:06:00.001-07:00

It’s been a long time since I posted anything on the blog- my very own space. After much persuasion [almost coercion] by my friend Ashish, I decided to revive this space…for my own good. I may be busy with my new job [yipppeee!] but one of my professors said, “Always keep writing.” I now understand the value of his advice. It’s absolutely critical for a journalist to keep writing, even if (s)he works for a TV channel. When we don’t do certain things often enough, we forget how to do them skillfully…and writing is a classic example! I wouldn’t be able to bear ‘not being able to write’…because writing has always been my first love!

I would also like to issue a caveat: I am writing after almost three months and so, it may not be too impressive. Kindly bear with me…

Well, after more than a month of exposure to the real life ‘newsroom’, the rhythm is finally beginning to set in. It’s an exciting atmosphere…watching news break all the time, people running all over the place just before a show is about to air, people yelling at you…asking you to hurry up- the deadlines are slightly crazier- and the fast pace which keeps you alive.

Yes, but television is not glamorous…not at all!My relatives and friends have been asking me, “So, when are we going to see you on TV?” This is one question I have begun to despise. First of all, it’s a long uphill climb for a fresher…and I am right at the bottom [by the way, I feel there’s no better place to start!]. And TV journalism is not about being on TV…it’s much more than that! It’s talent and sheer hard work. Recent films have been portraying journalism in not-a-very-pleasant light…I wish those who criticise journalists could hold their tongues before trying to be journalists themselves…just for a week maybe.In that respect, the Asian College of Journalism has prepared our minds well, at least my mind, for the profession of a journalist. There’s a lot to be learnt everyday and I guess it’ll be the best part about the job for years to come.

Things Politicians Say

To get to the main topic of this post, I have been observing how certain politicians respond to questions that ‘question’ their inaction.Take the farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha for example: In an interview with Karan Thapar for Devil’s Advocate, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar didn’t seem too fazed by the fact that farmers were jumping to their death because of their failed crops and indebtedness. He thought it was nothing out of the ordinary. And this considering that just in the last 2-3 days, eight farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra. And PM Manmohan Singh has taken it upon himself to ensure that the relief packages prepared but not yet implemented, are introduced on a war footing. After intially refusing to accompany the PM, Pawar finally decided to go on the tour...not without controversy though.

What was Sharad Pawar waiting for? And how can he show an apathetic attitude towards farmers’ suicides? Okay, let’s consider farmers’ suicides as "normal": Does it mean Pawar can justify his inaction, just because suicides have been happening for a long time? For God’s sake, these are people’s lives we are talking about!!

Then comes Rajasthan’s leading lady, Vasundhara Raje. When Rupashree Nanda asked her why there was caste-based discrimination in the distribution of water, Raje gave a fearfully similar response.

Just because caste discrimination is rampant in India and has existed for centuries, citing it as some sort of an excuse is just not right! Ideally, a politician, especially a Chief Minister must know what's going on in his/her state. But we all know it's not practically possible. A polite, "Thankyou for bringing the problem to our notice. We'll look into it," would have probably been more appropriate. Why did she have to get so defensive? Was she already aware of the problem? There's no way of finding that out and it would be unfair on my part to make that allegation.

But my stand continues to remain firm: Just because something has been happening for a long time doesn't make it right!

Comments are welcome...

A meaningful ‘war’

2006-03-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

It was back in the first term at the ACJ that we were preparing our website on ‘Violence against Women’. I was working on a section called ‘Violence against Sex Workers’. To understand this complex reality, my friends and I had gone to the Indian Community Welfare Organisation, a group that works to spread HIV/AIDS awareness among sex workers. That was the first time I spoke to sex workers and got a harsh yet clear idea of their lives. Sunday [12^th of March] was the second time.

I saw a play organized by SANGRAM [an NGO based in Sangli district in Maharashtra] at the Alliance Française in Chennai. Sangram works with sex workers and their children. It was once again an overwhelming experience…an interaction I thoroughly enjoyed.

The actors are none other than sex workers and their children who play themselves. The stories are all real…and so are their feelings. They played out a day from their lives: the lover of a prostitute who promises to marry her, the humiliation suffered by sex workers’ children in school, the harassment by the police, false assurances by local politicians and so on.

The play also shows the complexity of the relationship between the prostitute and her lover [the maalak]. It portrays how sex workers act as support systems for each other and how ‘normal’ their lives are. And of course, the viewer rejoices in the little celebrations the sex workers have every now and then.

The effort was mighty impressive considering that they performed in Hindi when none of them could speak the language until about two years ago. Some of the protagonists are illiterate, making it even more difficult for them to learn a new language. But they surmounted this obstacle, like they have surmounted every other in the course of their lives.

In the Q&A session, I was more than happy to ask them questions in Marathi. And they were just elated to hear someone speak their mother tongue in a not-so-Hindi-friendly Chennai! Their confidence and courage could put anyone to shame. They were eager to speak and share their experiences with a hope to change people’s perception of them. They succeeded when newspapers in Sangli like Pudhari and Lokmat, which had written objectionable stories about them, changed their reports to positive and inspiring ones.

I would like to write more about them and the immense strength of their characters but this one is a must-see for everybody. They perform next in Mumbai and Bangalore.

Watch out for news about a meaningful ‘war’…a Sangram that is changing their lives and our perceptions.

Feels great to be back!

2006-03-11T01:54:00.000-08:00

Hi all!
It feels great to be back to blogdom! I have been quite busy all this while trying my best to be at least half a journalist. Our daily news shows are over and we'll have only special reports now.
A big thanks to all who have been visiting my blog while I was gone. Hope I can post more interesting stuff on my blog...
As I haven't had time to write much, I am posting my Politics assignment for now. It's about the Shah Bano case of 1985 and the debate over the Uniform Civil Code. I'd like to mention that it's only an attempt at understanding politics. All comments and suggestions are welcome...

It’s International Women’s Day on the 8th of March…a day celebrated by the United Nations to honour ordinary women who made a difference. And yet, all is not well. Like last year, Imrana and Gudiya lent faces to the horrible treatment meted out to women even in this age. Their life stories have brought back into focus the debate over the legitimacy of Muslim Personal Law and the demand for a Uniform Civil Code [UCC].

It all started in April 1985 when the Supreme Court gave Shah Bano, a Muslim divorcee, the right to maintenance for life. The judgment had entered stormy waters by challenging the Shariat that governs the personal life of a Muslim. And there emerged the demand for a more just personal law i.e. the UCC.

What could have been a chance for women to break away from the patriarchal domination over their lives became political warfare. The communal tone of the judgment and the reporting of the incident sparked hatred and insecurity between Hindus and Muslims. Political parties feasted on this disharmony to get back at each other and the issue of gender justice became only a disguise for mindless plotting.

For sometime now, the UCC has been on the agenda of the BJP and other right wing groups. In a debate at IIT-Kanpur in 2005, lawyer and BJP leader Arun Jaitley argued that even eminent members of the Constituent Assembly aimed at the final goal of a UCC. His party colleague and Rajasthan CM Vasundara Raje supported the demand asking for equal rights for women. They oppose the validity of triple talaq and polygamy.

Such views have emerged from a perception, natural or deliberate, that Islamic personal law is regressive. But, it’s important to remember that practices such as polygamy are as prevalent among Hindus as among Muslims. In fact, Muslim law grants more equal property rights to women than Hindu law. Also, the concept of a UCC contradicts, in principle, Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. Every person in secular India can profess, practise and propagate any religion of his/her choice. So how can the State impose a common law on everyone without a national consensus?

In the same debate, Mani Shankar Aiyar, a Congress member, questioned Jaitley as to why he hadn’t, in his six years as Union Law Minister, even tabled a bill for the BJP’s vehement demand for a UCC.

A debate between political parties is still digestible. We should worry when religious groups become fanatical in supporting or opposing the UCC. Muslim groups are strictly against the imposition of any kind. Muslims are constantly told how they need ‘protection’, with the recently constituted Ministry for Minorities being one such message. There has been enough violence against the community in the recent years. They feel ‘Islam is in danger’. And many are ready to do almost anything to protect what they think is the sanctity of their religion.

It would be wrong to think that most Hindus would support a UCC. First of all, their personal laws are already governed by the Hindu Code. In addition, there is diversity within the religion itself with marriage and family customs being different in different parts of the country. Would the Hindus from Tamil Nadu agree to compromise in favour of a marriage custom of Haryana?

When the Government is questioned about the cruel treatment to a Muslim woman, it chooses to stay out of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s way. They insist ‘the reform must come from within’. Such a reform is not likely to come about easily enough. Dr. Vibhuti Patel points out how reform has become a conflict between community authority and individual rights with each pulling at the other in the opposite direction.

It is in this scenario that Asghar Ali Engineer suggests ‘legal pluralism’ as a solution. Every religion must try to change regressive practices in their own religion to make it more humane toward women. Imposition in a pluralist country like India would not be without its share of communal violence. Even in a ‘modern’ country like France, the State’s version of secularism [forced uniformity] hasn’t gone down well with its immigrant population.

If things are to improve, religion in India will have to depart from communal interests and actually start working for gender justice. In 1985, Shah Bano had asked for the Supreme Court judgment to be withdrawn. She feared communal carnage against her community.

How many more Shah Banos will India see before it can promise its women citizens the right to an honourable life?

डोंबिवली फास्ट!

2006-01-20T05:12:00.000-08:00

नमस्कार!
'डोंबिवली फास्ट' ची link शोधत माझ्या ब्लॉगवर भरपूर मंडळी आली. यावरून हे prove होतं की मराठी चित्रपटांविषयी जाणून घेण्याची लोकांना इच्छा आहे. I'll try to write more about Marathi movies.

Demanding Answers

2006-01-08T20:53:00.000-08:00

One day, my cousin Manita pointed out to me how one of the ‘extras’ falls while she is dancing to a song of the Paresh Rawal hit ‘Hungama’. Both of us just couldn’t stop laughing at how funny it looked…of course, it went well with the mood of the film. The editors either didn’t notice that little mistake [which is quite unlikely] or were hoping the viewers wouldn’t notice it. It’s amusing to find these flaws with films…like how did the bandage shift form the left to the right hand or how did he change his jacket from this action scene to the next etc etc.

What I am about to write are not mistakes of carelessness…in fact, I am not sure I can call them mistakes at all. It is just something I found disturbing in two recent films I saw.

One is Bunty aur Babli…a load of crap I say! I didn’t like the movie at all. There is this one song that has become hugely popular called ‘Kajra re’. It’s quite a catchy number and has Big B, Baby B and the most beautiful woman in the world [Ha! Ha! What a joke!] Aishwarya Rai dancing to it. It’s a regular item number.

But, what I would like to ask the Maharashtra Government is how is it that they are allowing the song to be telecast on television screens in the state. It looks like a dance bar…I mean….there is a bar and Aishwarya is dancing in it. Now how is it that the song doesn’t prick our pure conscience? Isn’t it spoiling the youth and destroying men’s families anymore? Or is it okay to see it on a television screen but not in a bar? Or is everything forgiven because after all, it has the Big B shaking a leg and the lovely [?] Aishwarya doing her oh-so-decent dance moves? How come this doesn’t challenge Maharashtra’s culture now?

What’s the use of protesting? Even if the song is taken off air, Aishwarya is not going to lose her source of livelihood. It’s not going to affect her at all! But I wonder what will happen of those thousands of dance bar girls who probably have no means to earn now. Funny how those girls danced to the very songs performed by big names in Bollywood. Strange how item numbers became big hits but dance bars didn’t. Ironical how our conscience filters out those unknown faces and raves about film stars…even if both of them do more or less the same thing…dance for money!

Another thing I noticed some months back was in the movie Page 3. Before I go on to thrash a part of it, let me say that the movie was a good attempt at showing life as it is in the ‘real’ world. People are mean and everyone works for his/her own interests. Also, the movie has been bold enough in showing what our ‘ethical’ minds know exists but are too uncomfortable to accept it. Infidelity, homosexuality, corruption, power-wielding…you name it…it’s there! But there was one thing about the movie that just didn’t work for me…

I must first congratulate the director, Madhur Bhandarkar, for bringing to the forefront a serious issue like Child Sexual Abuse [CSA]. Unfortunately, it is rampant everywhere in the world. It is one of the most heinous crimes mankind is capable of. The movie shows Konkona Sen-Sharma revealing a huge CSA scandal involving big names in the business world. During the movie, I knew what was going on behind closed doors. The climax makes it sufficiently clear. But I was definitely not expecting to be shown how it’s done. That scene was just too shocking to digest! What I object to is not the depiction of the crime but to the fact that child actors were subjected to it. There are a few questions I would like to ask Madhur Bhandarkar…

How did he explain to those children what they were supposed to do? Even if they are young, children are aware of their private parts. I am sure they found it strange to be asked to sit in the laps of grown up men who were not dressed decently or rather sufficiently . And if I remember correctly, there was alcohol being consumed. In addition to that, the scene shows the police barging in and a social activist hurriedly escorting the children away. So how did Bhandarkar arrange the whole shoot? Were the children counselled by a psychologist to tell them that what they were doing was only make-believe, not real? I sincerely hope so as such things tend to leave an imprint on children’s minds. Adults know the difference between real and reel but I think children need to be told of that difference.

I am surprised no one questioned how the scene was shot. I did try to look on the net for some way to contact Bhandarkar and ask him how he shot it. He must have taken all precautions…but I would just be at ease if he assured me of that.

By the way, the Jackie Chan starrer, The Myth, which has our very own Mallika Sherawat [who made very famous appearances at international film festivals and film premiers as well as on the film posters], has been released with ‘U’ rating. This means even little children can go watch the movie. After seeing the way she has been posing on the posters, I wonder how the ‘U’ rating came about…

A paradise called Anaikatti!

2006-01-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

Enterprising Journos...all ready to go!
with Dr. Solonski....Hehe...our Solanki sir
[photo by Security Guard at the NGO where we were staying]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank and salute Solanki Sir. He is one of our broadcast sirs. An expert cameraperson with an even more expert understanding of lighting. He is so possessive of all the equipment that it can get annoying sometimes...but most of the times, it's just funny.
All jokes apart, the man saved me from so much pain. The first day we got there, we had a tough trek of 16 kms to a tribal village. Of course, when this was being told, Yours Truly was lost in her own world (as usual). So, I arived at the base of the mountain with nice sandals with heels...so silly of me! Within 10 minutes of climbing, the sandals were out of service with a broken strap hanging loose. Solanki Sir insisted on me wearing his floaters. I refused but he just wouldn't listen to my pleading. Mr.Solanki of the Asian College of Journalism did the whole trek barefeet!!! And mind you...it was no easy task...as the stones and thorns hurt our 'precious city feet' even through our footwear.
Hats off to this man!!! Which professor would have done something like this for his/her student? We meet very few such people in our life and Solanki Sir is one of those people I'll always be grateful to.

Cattle hitch-hiking in a lorry [ photo taken by my dear friend (and adopted son..hehe) Ashish Dikshit]

Clear waters of the River Bhavani [photo by Ashish Dikshit]

Window to the world

Simply beautiful! A village in Anaikatti

A media champion[of sorts] of farmers !

2006-01-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

The first week of 2006 started brilliantly at the ACJ. To give us an idea of rural deprivation, ACJ had invited The Hindu's Rural Editor, P.Sainath. He started by asking us to give an account of our trips to 'disadvantaged' regions. We had been divided into groups that went to places like Anaikatti [where I went], Kancheepuram, Vellore and Guntur [Andhra Pradesh]. Since then, the guy has left the class spellbound with his knowledge and analysis of some critical issues that are crippling India's countryside, farmer suicides in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and other states being one them.
Of course, there are those in my class who didn't like his 'I-know-and-have-done-more-than-thou' attitude. What I would say is that P. Sainath knows what he is talking about. I was lucky to have been introduced to practical methods of approaching rural India. This was something we needed to know before we went on our trips...I realised that at least in Anaikatti, we hadn't always 'asked the right questions'- something that is essential to being a good journalist. But to explain in polite words what many thought of his teaching style, I would say that he is an extremely engaging speaker. Funny thing, I didn't feel sleepy even once in his class. In fact, Sainath would make a great 'motivational speaker'. My impression of motivational speakers is not too flattering. They are the ones with those cheesy smiles...smiles they think are so confident and comforting. Frankly, I would be only to delighted to break their sparkling white teeth....the teeth they got polished from the dentist paying money they got from their sad friends. I hate it when they have catch lines like 'change your life, Take control of it' and all such stuff.
Oh, P.Sainath is none of what I just explained. I digressed a bit too much while thinking of those annoying newspaper ads. Before I move on, this is to say that I have nothing against motivational speakers. I am sure they are nice guys who want to genuinely help people. It's just my perception that is problematic.
Yes, so Sainath is an excellent orator. His enthusiasm is contagious. In fact, for the past few months, I have been thinking of spending time in my home state, Maharashtra, to understand where I come from. And Maharashtra is those hundreds of villages, those lakhs of people...my people. It does not begin and end with Mumbai and Pune...which is what my world used to be, having led a comfortable yuppie lifestyle. Sainath has inspired me to go ahead with my thoughts even more.
Everything said [or rather written], I am glad we had the opportunity to listen to P.Sainath speak. At least someone is looking at our food producers, poor farmers who ensure that we eat well but don't have much of it for themselves.

Chal Chaiyan Chaiyan...

2005-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Going back to Chennai this evening.... back to journalism from Monday!
Hate to leave home...don't know when it will be possible to laze around the house again...like I did in the past 10 days. Oh! I am taking Chitale's bakarwadi and my mom's besanache ladoo [Dada...tuk tuk!]. Of course, food can never replace the warmth and affection of home!

I am taking a train…. I love train rides!!! Always reminds me of that little toy train in the old Peshwe Park…my Dad took my bro and me there on some Thursday. And I just love taking the train to Mumbai…the Deccan Queen…the train that is always on time…the pride of Indian Railways that completed its 75 years recently…the yummy Cheese toast you get on the train…when it stops in the ghats and little adorable monkeys gather around hoping to get leftovers from passengers…and that stop at Karzat for their delicious wadas! The expressway may be a boon to Punekars and Mumbaikars…but nothing can replace the magic of the train ride!

There are so many memorable incidents associated with train travel that I could write now…but my mom is not too pleased with the packing I have left unfinished. Maybe a detailed post when I get there. Till then…

Palti jhaade pahuyaa….AMMAchya gaavaalaa jaauyaa….!!!

To speak and to know

2005-12-29T23:05:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was watching the 2005 review of Hardtalk on BBC. They had selected some of the best parts of their shows of 2005. Stephen Sackur was in India speaking to P. Chidambaram, our Finance Minister. I would like to congratulate and thank Mr. Chidambaram for making me feel like a proud Indian yesterday.

Sackur was asking Chidambaram how India was going to manage to emerge as an important player on the world economic scene when our neighbour and traditional rival, China was developing its manufacturing and services sectors much faster than we are. He was trying to intimidate our moneyman with stats and reports as follows: [not reproduced exactly…. just from what I remember]

Sackur: When Indians return from China after having observed the development the Chinese have made, they are so stunned that they are unable to speak for two weeks after their return.

FM: But they do speak later on…

Sackur: He is unable to speak for two weeks after his return…

FM: But he can at least speak…he can speak his mind in India!

What’s development without freedom of speech and expression? The Chinese may be truly efficient and we have a lot to learn from them but I could never accept being told when to open my mouth and when not to. Of course, India is not the ideal country where the Constitution and its aspects are applied completely. There are thousands of people/groups who are gagged and not allowed to reveal or speak about the things they want to. But I believe we are much better off. Our media are also freer than that of many of our neighbours…China, Malaysia…

Along with expressing oneself freely, every citizen must have the right to know what the government is up to. The Right to Information Act is a step in the right direction. But its scope is doubtful with bureaucrats wanting file notings to be excluded from the purview of the Act. Wonder what happened to the PM’s will to make Indian bureaucracy more accountable…

A Balancing Act- By Dr P.C. Alexander

AT LEAST SOMEONE IS THINKING!!!

2005-12-27T22:12:00.000-08:00

Feels like heaven!!! I am at home, of course. There’s no place like it!

My mom and I have decided to catch up on the latest in the Marathi film and theatre world. The first step towards this goal was watching ‘Sarivar sari’. One of its slogans in the newspaper read ‘Vayaat aalelyaa mulilaa saambhaala’. I was obviously turned off by it, as it sounded preachy- right from the mouth of the moral police. It asked people to be careful once their daughters had grown up…. what about their sons??? Aren’t young men just as vulnerable to getting spoilt?

After I saw the movie, I realised the slogan had been purposely and intelligently given. The story revolves around a lower middle-class family living in a chawl in Mumbai [I think it was Mumbai but for those who are going to watch the movie…all college scenes have been shot in Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce, Pune…my alma mater. Yippppeeee…!] The elder daughter is a medical student, studious and reserved. The younger one couldn’t care less about studying, is bold and a talented dancer. Of course, the father hates it when she dances in public because of all the unwarranted attention she attracts. But the girl feels suffocated in her middle class mundane existence. She leaves home to become a model.

The movie is a must watch for all parents and daughters. The film shows how important it is to understand the new generation and to have faith in them. I am sure all young women will identify with at least one of the questions raised in the movie.

The movie does suffer a little because of its snappy storyline and editing. The whole thing ends up looking a wee bit amateurish. But the actors, with their super performances, rescue the film from falling flat. And it’s such a relief to see that Marathi cinema has the nerve to make films on current issues…issues that concern us all.

Another movie that will make Marathi cinema proud for years to come is Nishikant Kamat’s ‘Dombivli Fast’. Repeating the middle class factor, the film is about a bank employee who commutes to work in the Dombivli Fast local train everyday. He lives with his wife and children in a cramped accommodation like any other in Mumbai. He is tired of his routine life. The stress plays on his ‘I-will-not-compromise-with-my-principles’ attitude and finally drives him insane. What follows is shocking. In fact, as the audience slowly made their way through the exit doors after the film got over, no one spoke. Our minds were numbed by the story of this common man that could easily be anyone’s story.

Sandeep Kulkarni as the average Joe, Shilpa Tulaskar as his wife and Sandesh Jadhav as the aamchi Mumbai cop steal your hearts with their excellent performances. The viewer starts with clear-cut views on life and its tribulations but soon, the boundaries between right and wrong, good and bad diminish.

I applaud this effort of the filmmaker. It’s such a relief to see that at least someone is thinking. These days, even the trailers of Hindi movies turn me off. There is absolutely no substance in them. I am not against entertainment…entertainers are needed to make money. But recent films are concentrating too much on presentation and down the line, they lose sight of the plot. There have been some good movies like Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, Iqbal, Viruddh etc. [I haven’t seen Iqbal and Viruddh yet but I have heard good reviews.] But today, I’d rather watch a Marathi movie than waste my time on some senseless Hindi masala flick.

Here’s one for those Marathi filmmakers who are at least trying to make a difference…Jai Maharashtra!

Respect Nature, Please!

2005-12-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

This place has internet!!! So, I won't be away from blogdom after all. We are in the middle of a forest but the NGO where we are staying has net. Ironical!
Just a short post to tell everyone how important it is to respect nature...Yesterday, we trekked 16 kms to visit 2 tribal villages. The tribals here have to face the 'elephant menace' everyday. Elephants come, feast on the crops and villagers lose their earnings.
Everyone here is extra careful when it comes to these elephants. As against tame elephants, their wild counterparts feel threatened by human presence and hence, they attack.
We miscalculated our time of return from the mountains. So, when we were actually supposed to be indoors by 6 pm, we were groping about in the dark forest around 7 pm. It was a so-called 'jeep track' on our way down. A jeep going up told us that there was a lone elephant in the vicinity...which is the most dangerous. We walked together in a group and kept silent. Loud sounds make wild animals panic. There are even reports of a cheetah doing rounds of the forest.
I was so scared that even though I had managed to pull a muscle in my leg, I was numb! I could feel nothing. All I wanted to do was reach a tar road. All of us were hoping and praying so hard that we would be safe!
All of us have to learn to respect nature. We tend to take nature for granted. But yesterday, I realised that the forest is actually theirs. We are THE INTRUDERS!
Please try to avoid buying fur and ivory products or any product that involves killing of wild animals. Deforestation and poaching are destroying the balance in nature and soon, it's going to get us if we don't do something about it.
Leave Nature Alone! Only then will she protect us!

Absence

2005-12-10T03:25:00.000-08:00

I am off to an elephant sanctuary near Kerala to cover rural deprivation. And then I am going home to Pune. I will be away from blogdom for the next 7-8 days. Looking forward to put in a lot of posts in there after my return.
Enjoy!

Naming a potential disaster

2005-11-30T07:31:00.000-08:00

After Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma.....now even we are naming our approaching cyclone as Baaz. What is going on? Sounds like following a fashion statement to me. Maybe the Met Dept. names them for easy reference. So, let's give them the benefit of doubt. But then why do newspapers have articles on the naming of a cyclone? Doesn't anybody realise the extent of possible damage that a cyclone could leave behind? Sounds slightly insensitive to have such articles when the cyclone is right at our doorstep...especially after the rains have left southern states ravaged by the rains. 'Trivia' articles should be reserved for other times...when lives are not in danger.

On what we wear

2005-11-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

As a part of those 90-minute shows we just finished, once, I had to prepare a public service message as an insert in the programme. For someone who sits up immediately when she hears people talk of gender and women’s rights, ‘self-defence by women’ as a topic for the insert was a natural choice. To find out more about how women can protect themselves when faced with danger, I went to a nearby police station.

For the uninitiated, ‘Tamil Nadu has the largest strength of women police personnel in the country. It also has the highest number of women police stations in the country.’- Tamil Nadu Government website. The state also does well with respect to social indicators such as sex ratio and literacy among women when compared to northern states.

So beaming with pride, I walked into the police station and asked if I could meet a woman inspector. After some curious interrogation in their broken English and my broken Tamil, they were finally ready to give me the required information. The policewoman on duty kept on saying ‘Learn Karate’. Then, after much probing, she gave me some practical tips about moving around in groups as far as possible, keeping pins at hand, using pepper spray etc.

What she said next punctured all the confidence I had in how women in Tamil Nadu were emerging as strong and capable individuals. ‘Women must dress decently,’ she said with much contempt. She didn’t approve of the clothes college girls wear these days. She intended to suggest that the clothes we wear provoke men to harass us.

I appreciate the policewoman’s efforts at warning me about my safety. But could someone please explain to men AND women that sexual harassment takes place not because women ‘ask for it’ but because men are ‘sick’ in their minds???!!! And if that’s not it, then I hope to find out why men commit such heinous crimes when I study Gender next semester or in the future.

It is disgusting how the victim is held responsible for the crimes committed against her. Even our judiciary has been biased in delivering some of its judgments in case of serious crimes such as rape.

Every woman comes across sexual harassment in the streets. The age of the woman does not matter. And the clothes she wears certainly don’t!!!

Someone is attempting to prove just that and more. Her name is Jasmeen Patheja and she is from Bangalore. I read about her yesterday [27^th November] in The Hindu Magazine and just had to visit her blog today. She is raising her voice against eve teasing…something every woman puts up with every single day. That’s the problem! Why do we put up with it?

Jasmeen is using her talent as a student of art to speak out against those ‘sick’ guys women come across in almost all public places. She asks women who have been harassed in the streets to send the clothes they were wearing at the time of the incident. She obviously proves that women don’t provoke men with their clothes.

There’s more to come on this issue on my blog…

What the floods brought us

2005-11-24T15:05:00.000-08:00

This little darling is GMC. When our team was coming back to college while covering the 27th October floods in Chennai, this baby was outside our gate, wimpering. She was wet, cold and shivering. Some of our team members picked her up and got her to college. They rubbed her dry and fed her warm milk. It was love at first sight for most of us. Since then, GMC was staying in rotation at some flats in our accommodation. She is now in an animal shelter.
Why is she named GMC? GMC stands for 'Good Morning Chennai'. 27th October was supposed to be our first 90 minute live show. The show was cancelled because of the floods. Today was the last show of Good Morning Chennai. 15 shows of shooting, editing, voicing, producing, not sleeping, skipping meals have come to an end. It was one of the best times I have ever had. GMC, the show and the puppy, will stay forever in our hearts...

P.S. I haven't yet found out who took this snap. I'll credit the photographer in a future post as soon as I know who it is.

Bringing Gandhi Back To Life?

2005-11-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara...the film title was strange enough to arouse my curiosity. One evening, when my friends and I were relatively free, we found ourselves at Sathyam Theatre here in Chennai commenting on the several teasers played before the movie began. Finally, the movie with the strange title started and I wasn’t left too disappointed.

If not for anything else, it’s a must watch for Anupam Kher’s rendition of the role of the retired Hindi professor. The old man’s mind begins sinking in dementia and his hurtful memories as a child start taking over. The professor, a dedicated follower of Gandhi’s philosophy, begins to believe that he killed The Mahatma.

What I liked about the movie was that there was no needless song and dance [Thank God for that!]. Also worth admiration is the sensitive treatment of the bond between Anupam Kher and his daughter, played by Urmila Matondkar.

Sadly, the film falls short of being considered as an excellent film. The filmmaker attempts a daring solution to his protagonist’s condition but, fails to carry it off. By the time we come to the main message of the film, the viewers are so distracted by the mockery on screen that Kher’s emotive effort just falls flat.

The film’s National Award-winning director, Jahnu Barua, has received several compliments for his work but, if only he had paid greater attention to the central message of the film than to the ambience created...

Barua made the film to revive the importance of Gandhi’s philosophy. It is true that the Father of the Nation has been reduced to picture frames on walls, statues and road names. In fact, I am quite sure almost all cities in India have a Mahatma Gandhi Road. The film questions the Indian’s conscience, “Do we still apply Gandhi’s ideology in our daily lives?” The question is ‘Is the Gandhian way of life still applicable?’ Barua thinks it is.

Man who brought Gandhi's ideologies back

I don’t think Gandhi’s way of life is practical in today’s times. But, I sincerely believe that even if we could put into practice half of his qualities, the world would be a slightly less complicated place to live in. I am no devout follower of Gandhi...have never been. There are a few things he did in his public and private lives that are totally unacceptable to me. However, every youngster...at least every young Indian must make a small effort to understand the soul that India gifted to world history.

I am very glad I read Gandhi’s ‘My Experiments with Truth’. Before reading his autobiography, I didn’t have a very high opinion of him as a national leader and human being even though he dominated a generous part of our history text books. Maybe it’s that rebellious blood running through young veins that make him a character in history to be forgotten once the exams are over and done with. Maybe his peaceful methods don’t appeal to the youth who want to make things happen fast and radically.

However, his life is a must read! With his timid mannerisms, the man could have been a totally insignificant character in history...a lawyer who had a boring practice...a routine life gone unnoticed. Instead, Gandhi went on to become an inspiration, not only to the lakhs of independence aspirants in India but also to the civil rights movement in South Africa. Moreover, the man’s life teaches as it progresses. Even though some of his decisions annoy the reader, Gandhi’s nature grows on him/her and the reader develops admiration for him.

People may like him or hate him, but no one can deny the Mahatma his greatness.

Retired Hurt!

2005-11-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

I see a great discussion has developed on my blog in my absence. That was the intention...thanks everyone!
I have been out of action for some days now. For the first time in my life, I fell seriously ill while away from home. But, during this period...I discovered just how superb my friends are!
This one's for you my Chennai friends...for taking care of an annoyingly demanding person like me.
Thanks to- Ashish [Dikshit and Thakare], Divya, Arunima, Aparna....
and for all those who visited and called to ask how I was.
Thanks again!

Return Fire!

2005-10-31T21:35:00.000-08:00

I think my reply to the comments in the previous post could constitute a new post altogether. So, here goes…

Why did I link to the picture? Anonymous, the picture is already in the public domain. Readers across Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in India woke up on Sunday to see the ‘insensitive photo’ [according to me] on the front page of their daily. Here, your ‘crack cocaine’ was provided to the masses with their morning coffee. It’s not like I was in sole possession of an objectionable picture that I purposely showed to the world.

I linked to the picture so that I could have people’s views on what they thought about the picture. Also, broadcast [television] is all about visuals. You may have exclusive information about an event but if you don’t have the visuals to support it and justify it, it’s not broadcast at all. You might as well look for another job. As a broadcast student, I wanted people to know what it was that I was so upset about. Hence, the link…Honestly, your claims about ‘teasing’ my readers appear quite silly to me.

Broadcast [TV] is an AUDIO-VISUAL medium, true! We struggle to get visuals, true again! But, like every other profession, we also have our ethics. They are not engraved in stone anywhere and also their observance depends on the policy of the channel. I feel a responsible channel:

- Should not show the face of a rape victim or a juvenile criminal so as to protect their identity

- Should not show a corpse/ injured body unless it is covered [No one would like the body of their loved one to be shown on television. Death is an immense personal loss and I think the sentiments of the family should be respected.]

I am shocked where you say that the picture could be another one. I wonder if you would say the same thing about the picture if someone you knew personally were the unfortunate victim.

About reporting the facts [as they are] about what is going on in the world…yes, we know our responsibility, thank you very much.

‘The only perversion we should worry about comes from uneducated readers, viewers or commenters.’

I think you live in some fairy tale world yourself, Anonymous. News is not meant only for armchair critics like you. News, especially TV news because of its reach, is also meant for these ‘uneducated’ readers/viewers you talk about. I think it is highly conceited on your part to make that statement. In my country i.e. India, 36% of the population is still illiterate. Even a large number of the literate can probably only sign their names. They sustain our democracy by casting their votes. They are also the ones on whose shoulders our ‘growing’ economy depends. And you think the only perversion comes from them???!!! Please remain in that ‘cushioned, multiple university degrees, educated’ world of yours. Your 'perverted' view of the majority is highly disturbing.

I think news channels must also be socially responsible even if commercial considerations pull hard at their principles. After all, we have the power to influence ideas and opinions of the masses.

Who decides what's good and what's bad?

2005-10-30T02:58:00.000-08:00

As a part of my course at the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, we have had several discussions on sensationalism by newspapers and mainly news channels. We have discussed at length on how the broadcast medium is insensitive in the coverage of tragedies. The tsunami reports are recent examples.
I would like to point out a photograph from the blasts that shocked Delhi yesterday. The explosions killed more than 50 people. [Sorry, each source gives me different death figures]. A terrible tragedy and an even terrible coverage:
Please click on the following link:

Serial blasts kill 70 persons in Delhi

I was shocked or rather disgusted to see the photograph on the front page of a respected paper like The Hindu. Where have the media’s ethics gone? I understand that what happened yesterday was pathetic. It is impossible to imagine the pain suffered by this injured man and his family. But, I think this photo is highly voyeuristic. It’s not the man’s condition but the insensitive use of his condition that makes me sick in the pit of my stomach.
It would be unfair to raise fingers only at The Hindu. In fact, I hope today’s picture is only a rare occurrence in the newspaper’s history. TV channels do it even more.
Like asking a tsunami victim who has lost his family to the sea… “How do you feel?” OR
Debating to decide with whom a woman should stay- her first husband [a prisoner of war in Pakistan] or her second husband whose child she is expecting? OR
Repeatedly showing the body of a suicide bomber explode.

I understand that it’s the TRPs that matter to news channels today and this kind of sensationalism attracts viewers. And I know that as a broadcast journalist, I will have to endure the struggle between commercial concerns and my ethics every single working day.

behind the scenes...

2005-10-29T01:59:00.000-07:00

The Newsmakers of 2005-06

A Scene from our Production Control Room [PCR]

Discussion with Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Mr. Naresh Gupta in our college studio

[With sincere thanks to our step-brother from Print stream- Mr. Ashish Thakare, Journalist and Photographer]

rain rain go away...

2005-10-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

Chennai was flooded! And yours truly was out with the rest of her group moving around the city trying to cover the situation. It rained continuously since the night of 26th of October. The streets were flooded, there was no electricity, the transport system was disrupted and thousands of people from low-lying areas in the city have been evacuated. The water level in the rivers, especially the Adyar river, was rising steadily. The worst part was seeing slums on the river banks getting submerged. The wind was blowing at a crazy speed. Rains have let up for the moment but the Met Office says the wet spell will continue. People from South India i.e. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and then Orissa[ in the east], please check weather updates for any cyclone warnings.

Nature has her own strange ways...rivers that usually run dry were overflowing this time. [Look up Mettur Dam for more Info]. Rain gods have been the villain this year with multiple hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Stan, Wilma. In India, Gujarat and then Mumbai were overwhelmed by Nature's fury. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are the latest targets. I have a feeling all of this has something to do with the way we (mis)treat the environment. Even if pollution and global warming are not responsible, we better wake up right now to protect our surroundings before the ecological balance tips too dangerously.

A less serious word of advice: Please don't believe anyone who says that it is always hot in Chennai. They may be right to a great extent but, when it rains...it is extremely chilly. So, if you are visitng Chennai during the monsoons, please carry moderate warm clothes and don't make the same mistake I made of leaving my woollens back in Pune. I almost froze yesterday.

Here's praying that Nature is merciful to those affected by the floods...

The Cure begins...

2005-10-25T05:46:00.001-07:00

I have ‘Multiple Identity Disorder’. And this post is one of my first symptoms. Who am I? Jemima, of course! But also, a woman, my parents’ daughter, my brother’s sister, a student, an aspiring journalist, an Indian, a Maharashtrian, a proud Puneite….these identities are distinctly different and yet they connect to form a complex web called ‘my life’ . Every role demands that I behave in a particular way. I want to explore each of these identities…the first one being my religion. I am Jewish. The identities are not in any order of preference. And here what being a Jew means to me:

Recently, I read an article by Mike Marqusee called ‘Realities of Israel’ in my favourite-for-now…my idli-dosai paper ‘The Hindu’.

What I really liked in this article was the part where he speaks about his identity as a Jew. After being Jewish for the past 21 years [i.e. all my life], I am beginning to wonder what it really means.

What I find most difficult with this identity is explaining to people which religion I belong to. I think something is seriously wrong with the educated middle-class in Pune. They just don’t know who the Jews are…even if our community has been on Indian soil for several generations now.

Some ignorant ones ask, ‘Jew? WHAT is that?’ When I am in one of my hysterical moods, i.e. when I am being myself, I complain to my parents saying, “How can anyone not know who the Jews are? Didn’t they read about us in their school history on the Second World War?”

The same argument goes on to prick my conscience when I am much calmer. Do I want people to recognise my religion solely on the basis of the horrific tales of the Holocaust that killed more than six million Jews?

Another reference point to help people understand who I am is mentioning ‘Israel’. The Israel- Palestine issue receives considerable focus in the ‘International News’ section of English-language newspapers. Of course, Israel-Palestine comes AFTER we have obsessed enough about the U.S.-Iraq/Afghanistan/ North Korea etc. issues.

Though people find it easier to associate the religion to Israel, I hate the analogy. I am an Indian, not an Israeli. My mother tongue is Marathi. Of course, my convent education has ensured that I know only how to read, write and speak relatively simple Marathi...my parents make fun of my Marathi like I make fun of their English. But, I hate it when people assume that I might have a sense of affinity towards Hebrew/Ivrit. Absolutely not! I would definitely like to learn the language but only because I love languages, not because I am Jewish.

My reader might wonder why there is a strong desire to dissociate myself from my religion. Honestly speaking, this is where the confusion lies.

The Jewish community in India is very small. We are only 5,000 in a population of more than one billion. And every year, the number reduces as Bene Israelis [Indian Jews] emigrate to other countries, especially Israel. There is no clear consensus on where we came from but, a cousin in Israel tells me that there, they believe Indian Jews came from Spain.

As a child and even today, I love Sabbath because the whole family comes together to pray. Of course, distances have separated us but, that Friday evening is sacred to me because I get to spend time with my family. I also love the fresh grape wine and the special food that my mom makes for dinner. As for the religious significance of Sabbath in my life, I am not quite sure. Though I do know the Sabbath prayers by heart and also their general meaning, I don’t feel deeply attached to them. Except of course, when it was time for exams and remembering God was an urgent need. But then, a prayer of any religion and in any language would have reassured me.

I would like for the synagogue to be one of my favourite places in the world. We have two of them in Pune and they are really beautiful, especially the Ohel David Synagogue. Set in red stone, the building transports you to another era of charm and magnificence. But, just the idea of meeting the other Jews from my community there turns me off. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are some nice people there. But, I have always been unable to identify with them or relate to them on any issue. My parents have brought us [my brother and me] up teaching us to be very open-minded. My perception is that the Jews I know in Pune and Mumbai have locked themselves up in their own comfortable circles. They haven’t had the willingness or the courage to step out from their cocoons and get to know people from other communities. Many of them are narrow-minded, living in an atmosphere that existed some thirty years ago. Of course, there are some exceptions and I am glad most of those delightful exceptions are related to me.

There are several incidents involving Indian Jews that have cast doubts on their capacity to be more rational and respectable. So, do I avoid them because I am ashamed of them? Or is it because I am ashamed of myself…my identity? I think the second one is a more likely possibility.

We might be Jewish but, our culture and values come from the Maharashtrian culture. In my state, it is natural to think that a Maharashtrian is necessarily a Hindu. A faulty assumption…I agree…but that’s the way it is. As a people, we might have the Maharashtrian mindset and even Maharashtrian surnames but the Hindu religion doesn’t justify our Marathi identity. Several times, people have questioned how I could be a Marathi girl with a name like ‘Jemima’. And I, in my desire to have a sense of belonging to this state, have argued for my legitimacy as a Maharashtrian. I must confess that at times, I have even let people believe that I am a Hindu just to avoid confrontation and make them think that I am one amongst them.

So, ABCDs i.e. the American-Born Confused Desis are not the only ones to have an identity crisis.

Am I a god-fearing Jew? I am god-fearing alright but, I am not too sure my observance of religious practices is going to make Jewish elders too proud to have me around. I have stopped fasting for Yom Kippur as I think fasting is a hypocritical and useless practice. [I have another post coming up on that]. Do I pray? I believe in the power of a prayer called Shema Israel but, that is because my mom told me it would give me personal strength. So, whenever I recite it, its power lies in my mom’s assurance to me.

I have also begun to believe that humanity is the most important religion. If we can’t learn to be good human beings, no amount of praying and observance of religious rituals can give us a life full of contentment.

One might think that I am on the verge of giving up my religion. No way! That would make life too unchallenging and consequently, boring. I wish to find a way to be at peace with my religion. I have no idea how to go about it and it will probably take my whole life. But, this self-questioning will make the journey worthwhile.

My blog...my call...!

2005-10-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

I had written this article for our Print Project called "Mozaic". We were divided in groups of four-five and were asked to create any page of a newspaper. Each of us did stories of our choice for the project. One of my stories was on the treadle press...the printing machine used in the past. My co-correspondent, Lakshmi, and I had gone looking for printing presses that still had these old machines on Triplicane High Road, the 'Printers' Paradise' of Chennai.
Doing the story was a great experience. My generation is so used to computers that it was difficult for us to digest that sentences were composed letter by letter on a tray.
The most exciting part was when the press owners switched on those dust-covered treasures. Ah! That rhythmic sound of the treadle press...! Very exhilerating!
This article never appeared in our project coz when we were designing the page, we realised we didn't have enough space for everything. So, I volunteered for my article to be left out. No probs coz my other article was the lead story.
But, this is MY blog...finally, my article finds a place for itself.

Chennai, Sept 8: “Printing is essential at every stage. There are no alternatives to it,” says Syed A. Kareem, owner of Tahir Printers located on Triplicane High Road. In a corner of his small and cluttered shop lies his old treadle press under a generous layer of dust.

Letterpress is a printing technique in which a raised surface is inked and then pressed against a smooth substance to obtain an image in reverse.

When the shop was opened in 1987, Kareem used the treadle press, which uses the letterpress technique, to print handbills. Though business was lucrative in those days, clients for the treadle press today are few and far between. Change in technology has forced him to invest in a mini offset printer which he uses for almost all the printing jobs.

Printing using letterpress technique is a time-consuming process as only 1000 copies can be printed in an hour as against 4000-5000 copies in a mini offset printer. As letters are composed manually on a chest, there were times when the letters would fall out and the entire process would have to be repeated again.

The changeover to the mini offset printer has affected dye manufacturers, type foundries and block makers who were dependent on the older technique for their business. Kareem says that there was a time when the mini offset printers was even banned considering the loss incurred by these people.

In this Printers’ Paradise is another printing shop called Vasantha Achagam that had three treadle presses when it was set up 28 years ago. Today, it has only one treadle press that is used for the occasional printing of files.

When asked whether he would sell the machine considering that the machine was no longer used for major printing jobs, A.S. Sankaran, the owner, replied. “We can’t sell it as they will break it and weigh and accordingly pay the money. Instead we can utilize it for odd jobs and keep the machine intact.”

Citing the example of a film, Server Sundaram, a waiter who keeps his server coat even after becoming a rich man, Sankaran says, “I have kept the treadle machine for memory.”

causes and effects!

2005-10-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

Ah! I finally turned in this assignement after 2-3 weeks of delay. This is an assignment from a class called Language and Style conducted by Mr. Srikumar Menon in the first term. He teaches the Print Stream. An amazing prof! His classes were so inspiring! I hope I can be at least 0.5% of how great he is by the end of my journalistic career. Oh wait! There will be no end to my journalistic career. I'll always be a journalist!

We had been asked to write either the causes or effects of an event/topic. So, as I am obsessed with everything French, here is my attempt to analyse the events of May 1968:

Effects of May 1968 on French Society

The dictionary defines ‘revolution’ as ‘a single complete turn’. France has turned the world around twice, once in 1789 when the French overthrew the monarch to usher in democracy and the next time in 1968 when the country almost got rid of its Second World War hero and democratically elected leader, General Charles de Gaulle.

The May 1968 revolution is intriguing because like other movements in Europe, this movement was not limited to fighting for the cause of racial minorities. It cut across multiple ethnic groups and knew neither age nor class barriers. In spite of its sobriquet of ‘conservateurs’, the French society has always been one to question its social structures and change them whenever necessary. Obviously, these changes have taken place over a number of years.

The revolution began as a student protest in Nanterre University but ended up involving two-thirds of the French workforce. The chaotic situation escalated further to threaten de Gaulle’s term as President. Strangely, the revolution died down just as fast as it had arisen. De Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly and called for new parliamentary elections on June 23, 1968. This time around, he won with an even bigger majority.

The revolution was a culmination of several causes such as frustration over poverty, unemployment and de Gaulle’s conservative Government. The French society felt that it led an unfulfilled life despite the middle class enjoying all the basic needs. It wanted to break the shackles of its boring existence.

The May 1968 Revolution brought about very interesting effects on the education system in the country. According to Sandra McNally and Eric Maurin [Vive La Révolution: Long term returns of 1968 to the Angry Students], the Baccalauréat was disrupted by the Revolution. A student must pass this exam if he/she wants to pursue further education in a University. The students demanded easier exams as ‘they had spent a lot of time struggling for a better University’. Hence, more number of students passed that year than usual. With access to university education, they got better jobs and were paid higher salaries. Their children were found to have performed better at school. In this case, the positive effects of May 1968 spanned across two generations.

That summer also boosted the development of French feminism. In 1971, the Mouvement de Libération des Femmes [MLF] i.e. the Movement for Liberation of Women was started. In 1977, the Socialist Party succeeded in getting the Bill of Rights for Women passed. Abortion was legalised in 1975.

Prior to 1981, there were many anti-homosexual laws in the French legislation. The 1968 movement brought about wider political and social acceptance of all persons irrespective of their sexual orientation. In 1999, the Pacte Civil de Solidarité [PACS] i.e. the Civil Solidarity Pact was introduced which gave legal status to all unmarried couples, including homosexuals. The law now not only recognises a homosexual union, marriage or otherwise, but also gives the couple equal social security and housing rights.

Though the May 1968 movement has affected French society in several ways, an interesting outcome during the revolution itself was the series of slogans that the protestors used in the strikes. Some of them are given below:

· Nous ne voulons pas d’un monde où la certitude de ne pas mourir de faim s’échange contre le risque de mourir d’ennui.

- We don’t want a world where the certainty of not dying of starvation brings the risk of dying of boredom.

[This slogan shows how the French were bored of their comfortable lifestyles and wanted some ideal to follow.]

On ne revendiqera rien, on ne demandera rien. On prendra, on occupera

- We will claim nothing, we will ask for nothing. We will take, we will occupy.

[This shows the rebellious spirit of the protestors.]

L’alcool tue. Prenez du LSD.

- Alcohol kills; take LSD.

[This slogan shows how many youngsters moved to drug addiction: a negative effect of the revolution.]

May 1968- a single complete turn that affected the French society for generations to come.

getting started...

2005-10-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry about that huge gap in the last post. I am just getting started and don't really know how to go about this. Nishat Sir, our broadcast prof. would call that space a 'blank shot'. He would have said," You can't have blank shots...it spoils your show." Looks like I am really getting into the broadcast mode...hehe
Before I begin posting seriously, a word of Thanks to my friend Ashish Thakare who helped me set up the blog. Oh...Ashish....I need visitors....can you add me to your blogdom royalty list? :)
Signing off....

Photo Journalism!

2005-10-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sigh! Those 10 weeks of Photo Journalism! I miss them! Usually, a broadcast student isn't given the photo journalism elective because he/ she is already working with camcorders [which is just magnificient!]
Learning how to use an SLR camera was a great experience. Of course, we learnt to use an automatic SLR and a digital camera too. The automatic SLR was good but, after using the SLR, the digital one just didn't make sense! Nevertheless, it's an essential tool for a journalist because it guaruntees speed and convenience.
Here are some of the photos I took as a part of our class. Comments are welcome.
Enjoy!

It's a new world!

2005-10-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

I finally have a blog! It was quite unplanned actually. Everyone was saying how important it was for a journo to have a blog. So, here I am! Hope it's turns out to be a great experience.