From the B of 'Business' till the B of 'Brands'...

From the B of 'Business' till the B of 'Brands'...

23rd Feb, 2012

A year on...

They (mostly friends/colleagues) kept on telling me for the first couple of months: Why don't you put it on FB? then.. it went on to why the hell (with affection) did you not put it on FB yet! A silent me would give a blank look and an assurance that soon it would be up there!

So what is it that so needed to be known to them? And I realised with time while some wanted it out of joy, others wanted to let the enthusiasm spread out...

Yours lovingly had received the "Business Standard-Seema Nazareth Award for Excellence in Journalism for 2010" on 23 February 2011... from the then Water Resources Minister Salman Khursheed.

[Also Dhan Bhaina, my eldest bro, got married and Mithu bhabhi came home]...The whole family was just celebrating evreywhere; and thus, it continued.

To those many sweethearts, hunks ... here's the speech -

I was getting ready for office, and making Papa's lunch; and I got a call my boss (editor), and she said the then managing editor wanted to speak to me. Upon receiving my call, he asked, "Arunima. So, you are coming to day na! Have you prepared your speech? Will it be an extempore one?"... I just responded, "aaawww... I've not prepared anything... I think I'll talk about my team only." He quickly responded back, "Meet me at office. I heard your dad is in town. Pl extend our invitation to him for the function in the evening."

I reached office and went to meet him; and he briefed me how the function is going to be... etc etc... I wrap up work; and colleagues promise me to see me in the evening. Me and Papa start at around 4pm to reach the Assocham house. It starts with a delay of half hour as the chief guest,

then the Water Resources Minister Salman Khursheed was stuck in some meeting. The then Business Standard Editor Dr Sanjaya Baru introduce all with the guests and right after an opening song, Malavika Singh reads out the citation aloud (with all, I too happen to listen to it for the first time)...What profound words. And I'm called upon the stage to receive the award. All done. Now, the editor asks me to say "a few" words... And I approach towards the podium with a smile and my piece of paper where I'd jotted down some names @work -- the elements -- of my speech.

... Good evening Papa. First, I would like to thank Veenu, Aloka and Manisha for dressing up for the evening. My colleague from the Bombay office, Sayantani's first statement after hearing it: "This time, strat has got it." The award goes to team 'strat' [Strategist is referred to as, in-house]...I thank my team @Delhi: the editor, who had hired me in BS and my senior, Amit (an ace photographer he is; he writes as well) and my boss currently for letting me do what I wanted to. The design team too was big-time a help. Debu (who designs my magazine) supported throughout that helped me manage time between production and writing.

(As I kept thinking what to say now, an incident struck me where a junior had congratulated me after a couple of days post 9th Feb, 2011- when the announcement was made - that was with a subdued tone)

6th March:

And, the award was thus dedicated to the writers everywhere, desk people in particular ;-) To Maa, who calls me a senior editor when someone asks her my profile. [I was then a senior SUB-editor]...I'll soon become one senior editor that, Maa, you won't have to edit a lot. To My juniors, seniors and batchmates from IIMC, who have read all that I write diligently and give their feedback to have made who I am today...

And to all, this is dedicated to, who know how to write, who wants to write and who have got the urge to write, there are still kind-hearted editors who will let you write. I've got some, so far! You got to manage your production, pages, editing, assignments, research, stories etc etc... but believe me, it happens if you want to let it happen...

[Now, happy b'day to you Deepa, again...] :) Guys, I'll write the rest of it in a while...

"Let Yourself Go!" Can you? Then, pl do!

A trip to Spain...La Tomatina (a festival held in the Valencian town of Burnol, in which participants throw tomatoes at one another)! The song, Senorita (A Spanish title of courtesy given to a young lady)! Encierro (a practice that involves running in front of a small group of bulls and that Pamplona is world-famous for) and Espanol (the Spanish language) and picturesque of Spain... If you've been to Spain, you would know where is what in Zoya Akhtar's "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara"; but if you haven't, then Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar do this task for you along with Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin.

They set off on this trip (an extended one) to Spain, where Abhay wants his special bachelor party before marriage (with his lady love, Kalki), with buddies Hrithik, a financial stock broker and Farhan, a copy writer with an advertising agency. Begins the trip, and among others they meet the diving instructor Katrina. The trip now takes the adventure mode, and they experience never-done-before things like diving...And in the middle of the sea, [if you have watched 'Finding Nemo', the jelly fish, star fish will remind you of the blue, vast sea...and just the water everywhere]...they learn to get over insecurities, fear, for that matter and keep happening stuff like checking in and checking out, food, fun [This time. Farhan is not into a much serious role and plays it fine to entertain with one-liners and of course, when he recites Javed saab's (Akhtar) magnificent poetry]... They talk, they fight and they patch up while they discuss what's worth it and what isn't... life on the road, relationships, work pressure back in office (24*7 available funda), romance, cross-cultural communication, thrills, emotions, [that poetry keeps coming in between], friendship and fun among loads of characters proceeds the drama.

First half: You feel you're in Spain, roaming and seeing around, trying to recall if you know the city (if not by being there but by its very name) and is just about the trip, while the second half unfolds more with decisions, confessions, bonding and values interwoven (Joya clicks here, if you've watched her 'Luck By Chance'). The men try to unburden themselves from things that have been bugging them. Answers that they have been seeking so far come to the fore at the end at the bull run. At certain instances, you predict the next particular scene, and that brings the smile on your face. They do halt en route, but the movie progresses on the road...

Performance-wise, you choose your favourite and watch it :) Kalki was cute, and Katrina said in one of the first few of her dialogues: "Me Hindi bolti hun or something of that sort"...Hrithik's six-fingered palm was mostly visible as he danced or just carried on with the sequences. Farhan too danced bare-chest, and Abhay was kind of the anchor; and, don't forget, he has got his fan following.

@the music: The fusion with a Spanish tinge is different to the ears and you will like it if you listen to world music. 'Senorita', the song is fun and melodious (some will think about the Russian influence like that of Daarling in Vishal Bhardwaj's "7 Khoon Maaf"); and so are others like 'Khaabon Ke Parinde'...That's nice @Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Luck By Chance (can watch it again) was intense and thoughtful by Zoya Akhtar. However, this one (a one-time watch) is entertaining with fabulous cinematography. Nothing much to decode or take home. If you don't follow your instincts, this one may give you that push. If you do otherwise, laugh aloud and enjoy.

PS: @the privileged Press people, said the guy at the soft-drink vendor machine: "Half of the crowd is not from the 'press' at the media screening."

The Cup's Home!

...is witness to 2 historic moments (the WC & the united India)...could see the entire city en-route India Gate...dance, masti, music, booze, hunks, babes & the police: all under one hood n in sync with one feeling: Team India (it felt the cricketers built another Team India of Indians) n who saw their first WC victory: This one is one of them... what more can a citizen ever ask for!!! For the first time, it felt nice to be in Delhi as I'll cherish the proud moment till we all keep bleeding blue!!!

Thanks bhai, bhabhi (would-be), Mr Pathak and troupe for letting me part of this speactacular spectator's paradise!

...Another Saturday...Went to work, did this & that (many of the newly formed friends are under the impression that this one doesn't follow cricket much)...and this one smiles and says she is these days after Spanish Rafael (Nadal), Swiss Roger Federor, Cypriot Baghdatis and Russian Maria Sharapova and the likes...while she is trying to get a hang of the strokeplays of Golf these days too, as it's less amount of tension when you don't understand the game much :) :) :) and all your focus remains in following the game than panicking for a victory...This apart, espncricinfo.com was another window that was open with the rest of the pages throughout the matches as & when India played...and I kept quiet with just watching the scores, and keeping my faith as well as those cheering collegues at work who flocked near the TV next to the bureau...They would shout in a jiffy & I would refresh the cricinfo page to see the update and then get back to work again...

...same was the practice yesterday; left office with music plugged in as usual but this time it wasn't playing the everyday playlist but some or the other radio station to, of course, check the scores! It was one down n by the time I was home, Sachin was no longer on-field (could be for so much of pressure from the people...it must be so difficult for them on-field to cope with all this, I keep wondering as this is one more thing, which is our cricketers' forte when they know it's about living up to the expectations of that billion-plus)...anyhow, while I again open the scoreboard n count the runs quietly, couple of close buddies, whom I found had been shifted to the internet medium to check the updates and had left the TV room. Indeed, it comes easy as compared to the TV screen to check the score online...and I see a lot of people on FB kept giving their running commentaries (they watched the match or were focussed more on Facebooking remained a question for me to find an answer to), which seemed of a better version, for sure, of what the age-old Hindi commentators have been doing since we played cricket and they got a chance to do the commentary on DD!!!

...when it was 95 runs, Maa called and told me how none (her pure cricket-fanned sons) is answering her phone calls, and how she is enjoying the match with dad (he gave me an account of the '83 World Cup & a bit of news on how India was happy in 1947, 1971 and 1983 & NOW again how when Pakis packed their bags for the home country; and which could again happen if they do it this time...this one can be chased to win, and so on)...After a long time, I hear Maa and Papa are enjoying something without that never-ending cold war sort of opinions...

...I hung up, and I say I'm going downstairs to my landlord's place to watch TV then. I knock at their door now, first time since I'm staying here just to catch a glimpse of the match with a family (may be some superstition, as another Indian I'm, who is too somewhere sub-consiously like the mass)...and Aunty asks as usual, if I need anything; and my reply, "Open the door, first; I'm here to watch the match with you all." She gives me that wowed look, as I finally landed up there to spend some time with them :) And now Ishu, Saumya and Daadi and Aunty watch the match, and Uncle prefers to read the newspaper or something at the hall, while keeping his ears towards the commentary! I watch on, Saumya wants 4s and 6s to feel the WC fever, and Ishu is that quiet kid in his mid-teens, who has all the feelings subpressed inside, and Daadi's eyesight was superb, when I took a minute to check the scores on the scroll bar, she was quick in reading it...and we laugh together...

...I text Arunav (my elder bro), Siddhant (my kiddo cousin who played under-16 from Odisha: Oh, a proud sister I am, who will keep mentioning it) and another friend (who thought I could have checked it via live-streaming over the web, but I replied that the romance of TV-watching can't be beaten by the web to which he agreed immediately ...like you may read the e-paper as I do everyday, but when you touch the newspaper, the smell of the newsprint and the touch make all the difference)...

...Then came a moment, Saumya and I decided to cheer up for the Lankans though we wanted India to win (ahh....because none was cheering for them, and we din't want a victory where everyone shouted for India!!!)..I must say, a serene thought it was for we wanted to feel that game spirit before we really won! And, I pause and think about Ansu (he's family, a crazy Indian), Abhishek, Su (Suanshu,from the land of Punjab, who just understands it these days when they bleed blue), Tom (Reetesh, oh!!! we believe in giving everthing a pass), Anshita (who said she was going to watch the match that afternoon when we chatted) Tuk Tuk (that's what we call her, who wanted to watch the match n float in her 2011 version of the Cleopatra & Antony version!); dad, and the family and friends with whom I watched the 2003 WC. As Abhishek (my eldest bro, who remembers every event that happens in the course of life, as I do) told me after we played Pakis out that I must get back to myself if for nothing but for Sachin and for Team India again, and I must cheer them up and I must join the Indians, and openly this time...

...Gambir goes off the field, we see as the camera zooms on him, and as he shakes his head 180 degree towards left and right...and we felt if not the cup, if not the victory (but we wanted it for Sachin like all Indians and his fans the world over), but for those 3 more runs...Ifs, and buts ....and ifs and buts...The thought of Sachin, Dhoni, Yuvi, Pathan n all helped us concentrate again on the match.

...Now, we cheer for Yuvi...I try to place a colleague from the Bombay office, who was in the audience (just like we do!) I think of buzzing the poet and watch the victorious moments over the phone, but no!!! and Saumya n I come up with the expert comments when people burst those crackers that they are making use of the value-for-money...

...It's been long..but couldn't get on to it...and my gratitude to all the players, men in blue, and men behind the scenes too for letting the country come together, which nothing else could have done...as it's so much about differences, second opinions, and bla, bla and bla (I want to keep my journo side off for a while now to say anything but bleed India... India)...

...the next couple of moments followed: Crackers, flags, merry, one-country, Arunav was leaving but this time with the Cup-feeling...I felt equal with dad, the editors and the genertion that had cheered for the '83 WC, and I say: "We, this generation, are on par with u all, now!!!"

...To my surprise, I discovered myself in deep sleep till Arunav called to say goodbye for now, as he approached for security check-in, and I hesitantly said bye and slept again in glory that I would visit him soon, till then I can bleed blue and keep happy that we WON it... And Matru calls, and Amit asks me to get ready and they reach in no time; I find myself among Indians, who are basking in glory...as if baratis were coming from every house and they were reaching at the rest of the Indian homes that awaited them with utter happiness...

PS: While all the charaters are real so are the feelings, no offence at some of the descriptions...

Back to the act of following cricket (after eight yrs), and back to blogging (after half-a-year)...I LOVE YOU INDIA & "INDIANS", who have made the INDIA :)

Kanpur Central & 4005

A bit of description on the title: Train no: 4005 (Lichhavi Express) : Source station: Sitamarhi (Bihar), and terminates at Anand Vihar, Delhi NCT via Kanpur. I wish if I could have glanced through this much info before boarding the train (since I've started travelling alone, by far, I've made it a point to check the details, as it's always better to have known the facts that to ask from strangers that may lead to stupid situations).

Anyhow...

Kanpur is a beautiful city (I loved it, as I got so much love from the people with whom I interacted in just a day over there). I went there recently for some work (shall give details on this later). Coming back to the point: The city people.... I get down from Rewa Express...walk down the stairs with 7 things in my checklist to do: Keeping in mind that I've stepped into a city I've never been before. Told myself: Never mind...And walked on till I reached the hawker wheel, and spotted a middle-aged man selling newspapers, along with those 'train-reading-specific' magazines etc etc. I ask him..If I can get a copy of TOI. He throws a quick glance at me (donned a pistachio green Khadi kurta), and I felt am I looking not-from-Kanpur type (but how come, by then two IITians had asked if I was going to the IIT, Kanpur:))...He gave me the copy of the newspaper (which I forgot to carry along). I asked him about the distance of the hotel, where I was supposed to check in, from the station. He gave me a fair idea, also told me how much should be the auto fare (and pictured which landmark should come before the hotel, ahead of the hotel, adjacent to the hotel and in front of the hotel.) Now, I'm clear. However, before the auto chaps go ready to fleece me, i made a smart move as I could see them coming from a distance (this expertise comes from my days at TOI, Hyderabad where people had started calling me the 'auto' reporter: The one who writes not on automobiles, but on auto rickshaws that ply on the city road. That was a subject I wrote quite frequently on)...

I reach outside of the Kanpur Central station, by then had got an auto. But suddenly I realised, TOI wasn't with me (went in again and got it). The disappointed auto chap looked suddenly happy when he saw me approaching his rickshaw. Now, I get in. He takes a bumpy bylane, and I ask (why this road, as if I know all the roads). But I was right, he quickly said: "short cut!!!" And, I was busy reading the names of the landmarks, lanes, bylanes so that when he asks me something, "I should be fluent and accurate"! I ask him: "any local market to get the local flavour of Kanpur?". His reply,"check out this big bazaar madam, you will like it". (He refers to some mall here.) And, I feel, no malls again. But there you go! And I got the feeling that why every retail giant (Indian as well as multinationals) have chosen to set shops in the cities and towns of the country?

I cross a big building of Kotak Mahindra bank (felt familiar), along with some other nationalised banks on one building, and some sign boards (one here is the same where I was supposed to report for work). And, I cross a fabIndia store (again familiar)...by then the auto chap had given me loads of gyan (history) of the hotel that I was going to. While getting down, he assures me of a cheaper deal of an air-conditioned room there. Now, a ray of smile reaches my lips, and I deny his offer, by even telling him that I've already got one done. But, he insists again. (I did tell him why did he charge me so much for not a great distance? I did interrupt him while he chose a short-cut route! I did not show my happiness when he wanted me to check out the mall near by!) But still, he was concerned.

I really like the view of the hotel, so much green, and quite that bunglow style! I enter the reception; I see tea trays are being carried to the lawn (yes, people do wake up in the morning, unlike me for whom that a morning to be seen because of her schedule). I sit now, and call up the person (Mr something...) And he greets me, and informs the room is booked and etc etc. Then I discover that I'm in the middle of a hospitality mess, (they have given my room to a guy, who did n't look Indian, and who was the first one to greet me with a 'good morning' while I was entering the hotel). And, I get to see the room where no one stays, and monkeys guard the flat with the guards, of course!, and from where the Ganga can be seen, and the other stories like how the German girl Amelia stayed there, and how that flat is the owner's favourite, etc etc. But these stories did not seem to make me feel pleased.

I ventured into some photography of the garden with the dearest CoolPix S4000. And the maid comes, and cleans the room etc etc. I'm now the silent witness to the mess, but I enjoyed the morning breeze, and by observing the gardener: The way he was treating every plant was so different in treatment: Such is life, you have to treat different things differently to make them look better. The flavour of life was just explained at the tip of his grass cutter.

And I shift to my room, a nice one, after around 2 hours, and I feel easy now. This and that happen then, the routine, etc etc...

now, I start my day after taking directions to reach near that gurudwara! They insist to get me a cab/auto to the hotel, but I choose to explore! I see cute, little rickshaws that remind of my native place back in Odisha, the texture is similar. I go left, then I go right, and I pause near a rickshaw puller (an old man in his 60s may be), looking forward to help me. I ask him if he could drop me at a place, from which I can reach directly at my destination. Now, this man again gives me options, and tells me he will take 10 bucks to get me an auto (looking into my eyes, thinking that I might yell at him). Now, I take into account what was going inside his mind, and I clamber into his rickshaw. He tells me now how much should the auto chap charge me, and how ancient the hotel is where I was staying etc etc. I'm in awe of the Kanpur people by now (There's more to come). He now talks to the auto chat chap (Raju bhai, an interesting fellow with Kanpur in his words!) and settles for a fare, and bids me good bye for he could help me out. I get into the auto, but I can't take my eyes off till the old man disappears from that chowk. Now, Raju bhai tells me not to let the auto guys know that I'm coming from Delhi, or they will leave no stone unturned to fleece me, and etc etc. And he also gives a brief on the hotel I was staying in that how it was urned out to be a hotel where the English men stayed during that era. And he revisits the history of people, the geography of religions, and the existence of God among his comments on the traffic rules at Kanpur. I ask him, how far is the IIT, Kanpur (may be the only place besides the leather industry that I knew about Kanpur, as a kid had heard a lot about it). And, he directs me that it's nearby the place I was going to, when he explains the names of the chowks, crossings, lanes! In between, he had given his contact number to me, and he asks me to go to Kanpur again, when he would let me see the city, and the local markets as local delicacies. And he makes me reach on time, and bids adieu with a 'namaste madam'!

And now, I meet Shukla jee at that office (a man, a wikipedia who has travelled across India, has worked with bigwigs, but he eats less:))...He approaches me: "Beta: Have you eaten? When do you have to go back? and where are putting up?"...While I'm yet to answer his first question, his flurry of questions make me feel I'm home may be! And he joins me for lunch. We talk on work, Indian Railways, my place, his place and etc etc. He greets me, and introduces his son to me, and feels sorry that I couldn't visit his place. And now, I tell him that I've worked already for more than 3 years, and had finished my studies long back...Then he moves to other topics (never mind, for Shukla jee, I would go for a pass on this). We come back, and I see the bill boards of those brands on whom I've been writing on how their strategy has become to be a leader in the tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Kanpur looks so familiar.

From Birhana road to Chowk Bazaar to Miston Road (famous for leather stuff), Gumti no5, GT Road (could recall these names): Amit Bhaiya, (an employee where Shukla jee also works), takes me to these places. He helps me do my random shopping of leather stuff. He didn't yell, neither did he show his disgust. And while coming back to the hotel, I remember a colleague who wanted Thaggu ke laddu and how can I forget that! When I just mentioned if I could visit the shop, a prompt Amit bhaiya says, why not? Let's go. And he takes me to the show where Mr Bachchan did the shooting for a Bollywood flick! The first shop. He smiles as I jump down the car to reach at the laddus (though I don't relish sweets much, but I love getting it for the sweet-lovers: They look so cute when they hog on to it:). I'm back at the hotel, and they say I should taste the food there, and thus I should have my dinner before leaving. And now I get another 'namaste' from the hotel boss! Amit bhaiya said, if my train is at 10 pm, I should rest, and leave for the station accordingly. I adore these moments now. He drops me at the station. And when he doesn't take my token of love towards his service, I say: "nothing else for he got me the laduus for my friends. And, he takes it with a gripping smile"...

Now my train -- 4005-- is two-a-half hrs late. I sit at the station till 12.45 pm, and finally I board 4005: A number that I can never forget (a lesson to remember): Another post sometime later. But one thing came to my mind: Had my friends not been there, I couldn't have got the updates on the time table of 4005 in anyway. I felt like they have the weighing machines (where you put a Re1 coin, and your weight comes in a platform-ticket size format, behind which is written your fortune or some interesting info about your favourite Bollywood actor)...if there could be any system, where one can go, and put a Re 1 coin, and get the status update of the respective trains (for when there is network problem to connect with someone far away from the particular station). I know, I might be asking for more, but is it something that can't be developed. I think, we have the brains in this country.

But I'm waiting to visit Kanpur again!!!Coming coming Kanpur: Still have to do some shopping :)

PS: I may have wrongly spelled some proper nouns, no offence though!

My pent house

And it seems today is the last night. And, I disappointed 2 Leos (by not talking 2 one, and by not visiting another: But I did talk to the 2nd one as I couldn't be present in person)...I probably wanted to be here at my my home (I remember Rahul: your words: Delhi for you is Mayur Vihar, phase-1, 33G, pocket 4)..as you put it: "the den of this lioness "...

This and that...again, I've got loads of emotions with this house...(of course, how can I forget that night, when it rained last year, and half of my books, DVDs got drenched..I was fuming literally). But...

12th September, 2010

With apologies, I am going to complete the above unfinished post (as it's unedited, and whatever is keyed in has to be published), which was put to a halt because of my mood swing for more than two months. This is what they call, the creative mood. One can get loads of other things at one go, but to get a hang of this particular thing, it takes ages, at times, here at least the wait was not too long.

But...

I really miss 33G yet. However, 359H, pocket-2 ain't bad, I'm sure now. May be that was the reason I took so long to finish this post. Let me thank Punyatoya, a junior from IIMC, a fellow Odiya (who also cooks well), and the English connection (the strongest one though amongst all), drew me today to get this half-finished one going. Her comment (on the first post) was the urge this time to write again. I bow down to get me going again: It was necessary.

She finally came home last evening (11th September, 2010), after yes, no, let's see kinda response since we got to know each other. Of course, the conversation started with the general office this & that, and how cheap can people think about others!

Sad...but this is where we all live in, right? Trying hard to let them know what's right and what's not. But failing with every attempt to make it possible.

Anyhow (the Leo says, this is again similar)...

Whosoever by now has come over: Rahul, Lopa, Abhishek, Mihir, Badri, bhai, Vibha, Raja and troupe (bhai's gang), and now Punyatoya : They have come and cherished these places (33G & 359 H). The more thay have opened up, and the more we have talked on anything and everything around whenever the night has set in. The terrace is a 'character' here.

Having said about the main character here, along with the night -- the central character -- let me move on to the discussion that we have had last night.

That was dynamic as life, and interesting as we were trying to decode relationships, and what goes wrong, and why so? While we got all the answers, the 'why' part was left unanswered.

When you really feel for someone, 'why' can't he/she get you right?

When you do all that to make him/her happy, why can't you get your share of happiness?

When you shed all that you can for him/her, why can't they complement?

So many 'whys'....sigh...sigh...sigh...

But that's how everyone is paired. Is it to draw an equilibrium? If yes, then why not with the right souls, for that matter? Is it that you are human that you are prone to such 'situations'? or is it that you can take it all, so you are given? If someone can't (popped up some characters from the discussion, who just don't care, but they get it all, and, of course, the other lot, who does everything but always left to the wonders of imagination)...

Be it the instance that Su (Suanshu) narrated about a close friend, or, the one that Punyatoya narrated about a fellow human; or, be it, the one that Shabda observed like the bullet just touched her (she felt the air when the bullet crossed her) --- it's the story of compatibility and what they call, 'real love'...Yeah, like the lyrics from the Bryan Adams numbers: You can relate to...

They have all met with it, which can't be termed as an accident, but no less than that. Here, there isn't a wound, but the aftermath prevails. You don't get the support system but you insanely need it. You can talk it out, but your lips are sealed. What is this? Any answers...

You are afraid of the the society (means mostly the Facebook feeds today) or back home, those crazy relatives, who just ask you about the trail of mishaps without considering how comfortable you are at the moment.

Is the answer: Men are from Mars and women are from Venus?, the book; or, is it time to get started on that "on-air system" to get to those people not to offer solutions to their feelings but to just be there to listen to them, and join hands with them till they get what they need (not want) to complete "this life", at least.

However, we crossed the mid-night also, but no answers yet. The day dawned, started all the routine work...but it's still lurking there? Can we get there to just get them back on track...Life's beautiful, and they are cutie pies, who have all the rights to blush in bliss....

....Waiting for the call of the bliss, followed by night after night...

press-con or marriage party

First, apologies for moving away for more than a month! It's just that business-related writing and stuff just keeps me busy without any self-interest. But I wanted to see how boring it can get. But yes, media, the glamour part can get anyone hooked on to it--be it the newspapers, channels, or other media available out on the space. This post is on the press conference of STAR India's new logo and the new brand campaign (16th June, 7.30 pm, Taj Mansingh).

This time I reached before time for this press conference which was scheduled to start at 7 pm, I was told it was at 7.30pm (it started at 8.30pm) at Taj Mansingh, Delhi. I reached because I thought I could get late due to traffic. Non-journos can sympathise, as no event starts on time neither any journalist reaches on time. And, this is the rule of this road. But this time, this journalist was before time, as she had no clue on what she was going to write on as the boss only had said--they are doing some 'revamp' thing (she still doesn't know)! Then the formal procedure starts--you enter, you register, pick up your media kit and go in, meanwhile, you don't forget to co-ordinate with that particular PR with whom you are in touch with to take things forward. As these big companies always know which medium/newspaper/channel they want to give the exclusive to. Then happens the formal press conference where you get a CD, a press note, and some PR/Corporate Communications contacts written on them.

Then starts the real drama. Journos keep coming (freshers will reach first, then other journos with subsequent years of experience will keep coming in). Interesting! You get to hear the journo-talking. "So, are you going to file (non-journos read 'write') it tonight?"..And, pat comes the answer-- "I don't know what to write. What's there to write in fact. They have just launched a new logo, which is already on air. I'll see!" Juices/refreshments keep coming up. The vegetarians would hesitantly ask--"Is it something in veg?" and the 5-star hotel boss will reply-- "sorry mam, this is non-veg, but let me get something for you." So journos will enjoy the ambiance but with a permanent disgust-- "how long would they take to start? I have just come to say 'hi, hello though, as our Mumbai team has already written on it (the Mumbai people would say the Delhi team has filed it!)'. Oh..lemme see that marketing guy's name ya! Or, I wouldn't be knowing when I'll go and talk to him. How funny!" Kudos to you journos. I feel how have you managed so far? But it's no great. Just be a bit coated everywhere, one doesn't have to show the world one's ignorance--the mantra of new-age reporters. If you have got your public relation right, they will do the needful, and you will just have to supervise a bit, which ain't take longer. And, you are done! (No offence at the journos--this is again just an observation)

Finally, it was 9pm, and the press-con had started. The COO was engrossed with the power point presentation to make every bit clear as to how his company is growing fast (After all, where would he use his Business school skills better that he must have learnt in his IIM days). Once he is done with the slides, statistics, TVC (television commercial) clips etc etc, he invites questions, and the CEO joins him. Then comes 3,4 questions (1 logical, 1 funny, 1 interesting and 1 unnecessary).

As every journo wants to write something exclusive how could they ask their questions in a press con? But the fact remains--the company guy will only disclose what he is supposed to no matter how cunning a journo gets (if he gets a chance at all to speak to the CEO or CFO as the corp com knows, as mentioned earlier, to which media the company wants to talk to).

So, no work is done , as the company guys are pre-occupied, and they would have to catch a flight in the morning the next day to report at their respective headquarters. And, the PR assures for a tele-con or an e-mail interaction (none can beat technology).

Then starts something which one can relate to an Indian marriage party. Fun, food, music and chit-chat. The journos now forget what they are going to write, or not write. Those pompous hugs, kisses, cuddles just do the rounds for the next 10 minutes--the who's who is there--so what could be a better time to socialise. Some general dialogues--- "Meet XXX, he/she is from YYY. You have my card no! Do keep in touch. And, listen you should meet that guy. You know her na! oh come on! she is with ZZZ. And so on."

They just go on, just imagine a function at your place where all your relatives come, and just chit-chat over nothing as well as everything.

The press-cons are about exchanging business cards, which is the new-age networking. And then you look for the person on social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter (if you really want to add one more friend to your list). And the company people at times tell you--"oh! your publication has a new business card. Nice! Lot of initiatives to market your paper. Good!"

And they party on--the company people and the who's who of journos...

And some wait for fellow journos to fit in a cab of the same locality (at times, the co-passengers indulge in exotic fruits at these 5-stars by letting others wait for them or trying for a change of job through some reference at the press-con). Loads happen, and they bid good byes to one another with that big, fat smile on their faces, which echoes the post-marriage party frames faintly!!

Well, the post is written. But this journo is thinking--when will I file the story? damn...I'm gonna have it man when the editor asks.

Back in the saddle. We all are angels in the training.

Tahaan revisited

Birbalaaa.....ho hohoh..,,(echoes an 8-year old) and a soothing background score with a kind of rustic feeling is on. Starts Tahaan, the movie...A movie filled with the picturesque of the locales of the awe-inspiring valley of Kashmir, those wooden shacks, tiny huts, people busy weaving bamboo stuff, and mostly-seen pets --donkeys---all of this just takes you to another world, where there is peace and a cool breeze, sans the tension part.

Before more on this classic tale of dedication, a few glances at this child actor, Purav Bhandare (Tahaan). His eyes are damn talkative, and he is just another actor in the making. Darsheel (Safary) of Taare Zameen Par fame (he also has a gf, for who doesn't know) has that naughtyness in his attitude, but Purav says it all through his eyes (that love, confidence and never-say-die attitude for his donkey--Birbal-is something that one can't miss out on throughout the film). In the beginning, when he gets angry on his grandfather (Victor Banerjee) and is not in talking terms with Abba (he calls him so). The plot builds up. Grandfather is telling a story, Tahan's elder sister, Zoya, is listening, Haba (Sarika, Tahaan's mother) is making a oval bundle out of wool for knitting purpose. And, Tahaan forgets his anger and gets close to his grandfather as the story unfolds. Here, the way Purav does the whole shot is something like --you just can't take your eyes off the screen when he is on it.

That's the subtle work by the one of the best cinematographers of the country --Santosh Sivan--if not anything--the way he has captured the locales with every minute details is something that a not-so-filmy person can take notice of. It's like he has made the valleys talk and walk along with the characters.

Tahaan gets drawn towards violence without an idea of the very existence of its existence, but his eyes (again take notice of it), he makes it clear that it's just his dedication to get his beloved friend, Birbal (a donkey), whom he adores, loves, even scolds for being careless about life (the first voice-over--when he spots Birbal after searching for him amidst the valleys, he says that the donkey's carelessness wouldn't get the doneky a chance to enter the school).

It came sometime in 2008, and just vanished from the theatres (I also can't recall; when did it come, CAN YOU?), and critics said that it was not a mass-market release, while the problem was with the film's marketing. Yes, how can I be so sure? I watched it sometime in 2009, of course, it was again Purav's eyes and Mr Sivan's name, and Kashmir that persuaded me to buy the VCD. I watched it back-to-back thrice. And then I read the reviews, reports on its box-office success but was utterly disappointed. And mostly, I got to read that it's not a mass-market movie. I thought probably, I feel it's mass-market, but I couldn't sit over it. I let 8 people whom I know have varied choice on watching films by lending that VCD. And, you won't believe the responses that I got--two words--A MUST WATCH. There you go!!!True, that I tested it with a negligible audience but it's a movie worth watching.

It's about the determination and to let bonding prevail, no matter what happens. The journey of a Kashmiri kid to get his donkey back, that also involves those terror-stricken encounters that even kids have to face there, is something that relates to many in the lost crowd.

I was doing a story (non-journos, read article) on children's films in India, during the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on July 17, 2009, and I spoke to some of the film-makers who have made films for kids, or kids as the theme/central character. How could I complete the story without taking Mr Sivan's opinion (after watching Tahaan), as I so wanted to know if the film was made for the mass-market from the director's mouth. And he said, the first thing, "It's not a children's film. It's a movie for all. Tahaan, sans songs (only one Kashmiri song), is a film that can be seen with different perspectives, and thus has a niche audience. It rocked various festivals. Among other awards, Tahaan also received the best film, European UNICEF award in Greece. It was sold in 11 countries and major satellite networks."

The projection of life behind the mountains--where all those activities take place, and where they reside--again Tahaan sees through the mountains when he decides to step out without informing Moujee (his mom, Haba, played by Sarika), he at glance portrays his fear, courage, illusions and determination in that one look. As they are the same, behind which his father went missing three years back. Yes, if nothing else, it is a movie to watch to enjoy the wonderful cinematography if nothing else. But Tahaan's expressions are also something that one should go for.

As they say, "All for love. Here, it's all for the love of a donkey". Tahaan did get his donkey back, and Birbal also wanted to come back to Tahaan. So if you haven't checked out this one yet, hurry up!!!I'm sure, you would just fall for Tahaan. So did I, as a visual of the film was my wallpaper for more than 6 months till I left that office.

At times, donkeys get so important in life!!!!!!!