Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Blockbuster Effects


A big hello to everyone!

I am hoping most of my folks in India and also in USA/Canada are having a fabulous time holidaying for Christmas and New year. It comes as a welcome break to most people whom I know and talk to on a daily basis. I am returning to blogging after a long break and perhaps its time I pen some views about today's entertainment.

For most South Indians, the weekends are a perfect time to catch up with the tinsel world. We sure do, although with not so content filled hearts, we still want to end up at the huge 70mm screens surrounded by 4 walls. The host in the form of a 70 mm screen may not be the perfect thing to watch, but that is all what we get to entertain our work filled souls for 5 days in a week. I am trying to drive home a point, much to my dismay, that what we want to watch is not what we get in the movie halls.

a. A pointless script in the first place
b. utter senseless filmography,
c. sleaze show coupled with some erratic dances or shall I put it as "erotic" ( I may be offending a fraternity of professionals, but I have a point to make )
d. a director who is not necessarily a creative fanatic, but he is merely here to lead a group of egoistic actors who want to alter the script, no end, to suit their image. On the whole the directors' mission, immaterial of whether the cinema is a hit or no, is totally unaccomplished.
e. Some vulgar comedy, pointless
f. you have a whole lot of people running around trees, only trying to convey their romantic emotions
g. There is a villain, whose only mission is to get the better half of the protagonist. He/she exhibits a lot of perpetual possessiveness.
h. There is a family melodrama

In all this, we are totally missing the protagonists' mission or objective. We only know about it, at the end of the movie, when it has a happy ending. Indian cinema only has a happy ending. Gone or the days, when there is a reality which is portrayed on screen. That is perceived to be the story's objective.

When you club points, "a" through "g", you have a story and you show it to 1 billion people in this country and what counts is how much we have duped the originality and how many fools the director-producer combination has created in this whole process.

I am trying to tell that Indian cinema (in some cases, the world cinema) is on the decline. There are over 1000s of movies made in India every year (may be higher up of 10000) none having a real message to the society. We are being made scapegoats out of watching those pointless movies, dances and the skin show. Mind you there have been great producers and directors in the past who have given us the privilege to watch some classics and still create the urge to watch them over and over again. Now, from a point of evolution, we are moving towards the point of dissolution. We have evolved in cinema, not with the story lines or cinematography, but we have moved ahead of time with the amount of graphics on screen, the huge and expansive sets that make up a scene, the costumes (phew, in some movies the costumes are missing, not much spent over there). Do we really need it?

Most of the times, I want to go back to those yesteryear classics that bring in a sense of relief to our stress filled souls. For example, I was watching these two movies, WHERE EAGLES DARE and THE GREAT ESCAPE. These two movies belonged to the same writer, Alistair MacLean and they have relatively a very simple plot to unearth, very simple screenplay, minimum dialogs, in some scenes, there is only a stare, yet they have been very powerful to make the audience stay on the edge of the seats. The background score as well is very belonging to the scene being enacted. A very simple plot, simplistic dialogs, crafted cinematography and ACTORS have created some classics and you remember it even today and probably for as long as the society can embrace them.

Indian cinema could learn a ton of lessons from these examples. We have learnt those lessons and how did we implement them:

a. We have so much emotion that has been created by actors
b. we have multiplied the climax in movies by three fold
c. we have multiple twists and turns
d. we have lost the whole essence of comedy by replacing it with vulgarity
e. we are drawing larger audiences and making money by virtue of the skin show
Mind you, that the story has to draw the crowds to the movie hall and not, essentially not the cleavage show!

Cinema is all about, TELLING A STORY. Its a total art and about dedication that your team can bring in to narrate the story, and the more you make it simpler, the more chances it has to stay in the memories of people.

What we need today are movies that make more sense. I am sure every director and producer have tried countless permutations and combination of love stories in India. Little do people realize that great blockbusters are those stories which remained closer to the sense of reality. Even in Hollywood (from where we assume to getting inspired) FICTION is totally not the WINNER.

Media in today's world has a very powerful social responsibility. The media is in here to fill the gaps in the society and to create an ecosystem which will only boost societal responsibilities, responsibilities towards each other. But today's media is another ENTERTAINMENT tool. Just as much drama we find in a daily soap or a movie, there is enough drama written in today's newspapers. So the film fraternity and the movie world are virtually in the same business.. and that is to entertain people. This should change with immediate effect. As Raghu says, the objective of media is to draw opinions from people and act like a mirror to create a better accommodating society. I hope this is the case in the future.

On the same note, I hope all of us get to watch better movies, movies with a message and movies with an objective oriented approach to reforming society. Not all movies may be like that, but reformation is what we need. The quality of viewership also needs to change. We are of the same quality as our previous generations.

Hopefully some director notices this script and makes full use of his potential to make movies.

Have a FABULOUS NEW YEAR AHEAD!

Cheers!
Rajesh

Monday, December 15, 2008

Learn, Unlearn and Relearn - The new Mantra for success


Hi All, ( I am hoping that more and more people visit my blog and thats one reason why I greet as ALL) I haven't yet publicized my blog even to my intimate circle of friends and relatives but only a select few. I will do it once I am content with the content.

My metaphor, which has been inducted into me by my good friend and mentor, Jairam, this is the first thing he taught me, amongst a thousand more, is:

THE BIGGEST ILLITERATE OF TODAY'S WORLD IS NOT THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO READ OR WRITE BUT A PERSON WHO DOES NOT LEARN, UNLEARN AND RELEARN EVERYDAY.

I am in want of words to establish the sanctity of the statement mentioned above. How can one NOT be in agreement with the above? Almost in every situation and circumstances dotted by seconds in time, you and I would have been found wanting trying to understand what is being communicated or what has been asked to execute using a new theory/approach/philosophy? How many did we realize and asked ourselves, "when did things start moving in this direction?"
Or how many times were we caught unawares much to the bewilderment of the worldly fact?

The answer is, we are not simply evolving with time. Our our evolution and the knowledge enhancement be it in the professional walks of life or personal is not at a pace with which all the unaware things of ours move or evolve.

The solution for all of us is to me mechanize our learning systems, just like a software program which performs the stipulated and triggers tasks that it is supposed to be responsible for. Similar to the program, our mind has to trigger to learning attributes that will form the critical mass of our actions in everyday life only to become obsolete the next day. But since your mind has been programmed to pick up latest techniques at the end of everyday, you are attuned to perform your actions, the next day, using your new found knowledge today. That's what one great philosopher and Jairam precisely meant by LEARN, UNLEARN AND RELEARN.

We are talking about globalization, a flat-flat world out there. An executive of today has the luxury of having breakfast in one continent, lunches in the sky dinners with their counterparts in some other corner of the planet. In this kind of a scenario, you are not only tackling your inner self but also a mixture of cultures and communication strategies. Immense exchange of ideas, philosophies of work, culture exchange and you name it and you have to face it. This constant travel exchange and work brings in a lot of challenges to the professionals of today and one needs to perennially adapt to the ever-changing world exchange and stay abreast to be able to survive.

That's why I reiterate the one-line metaphor to learn, unlearn and re-learn. You win, but its only temporary and you have to face a new challenge the next day.

The world is outdated every 24 hours.

Each day presents us with an opportunity to be creative, to make lives simpler yet we make it that much more complicated with thoughts that deviate our focus and energies to something worth not controlling.
There are a billion people struggling to make a mark (I am one of them) but our thought processes and minds are overshadowed or encapsulated under a thick membrane of jealousy, fear and attitude. If we look at people who have succeeded in this world are the ones who didnt have any inhibitions or limitations to unleash their creative side. They are the ones who perfectly mastered the art of overpowering basic instincts of fear of failure, jealousy and deprived themselves of materialistic everyday pleasures. These are very simple roadblocks, yet we become corrupted to ideas of pleasure and relaxation. Well, thats how are tuned into. And thats why there are a billion people who struggle everyday and only a few thousands how have found success. Mind you that I am one of these billion struggling people. BUT I am in pursuit of gaps and drawbacks, enabling me to survive. I have a few very good mentors, and friends ( will name them in my later posts, firstly I will have to convince them to make them public). These guys are like a mirror and will portray what I am every time I look upto them. They will let me know where the gaps and bulges are.

So friends, lets evolve and become survivors in this ever changing world. Change is imminent, persistent and never easy. But we have to face it.

Lets learn, unlearn and relearn.

More later..

Rajesh

Friday, December 12, 2008

My Most Passionate Passion - Cricket


Hi There!

I welcome you all to my blog again. If this blog even entertains one person in the entire world, I would have made a worthy investment in writing so much interesting stuff.

I come today after finishing my medicals for the insurance I believe I have done something worthy in life. I am so proud of my fitness and the amount of running on the treadmill. The examiner was touched and moved by my enthusiasm to get onto the treadmill. He was shocked that a large body frame, I had, could overcome the cardiac tests. I ran hard and easy sometimes. I was sweating but not tired. Lastly the report came and I had to sign on it and it said, I am normal. I am glad.

I want to write about me as a sportsperson. Not one in this world that  I am sportsman. I am sports enthusiast. Largely because I had a fatty figure, a huge pot belly and I could hardly move my body and run like other people. But when I got on with the game, some of my reflexes stun even the pilots of the F-16s. And so very true.

I remember very well, I played my first cricket game when I was 6 years old. It was a Sunday and all my dad's colleagues wanted to encourage the kids in the colony with a game of cricket. Stanley was the eldest in the entire kids gang. Everyone could believe, he was from the Caribbean and bowled real fast. I didnt even know how to hold the bat. My team was batting second and we had to chase down 20 odd runs and all the guys were out. At the crease were Ravi and myself. We both started to bat, kinda okay stuff. I still the recount the shot which got us the winning runs. It was semi hearted pull and the ball flew to mid off and towards the boundary and I was staring at the ball, lazy as I was, hoping that the ball would reach the boundary. Out came some very furious and frustrated screams from my team mates, it turned out that the ball would not race to the boundary and we needed 2 to win the game. I started to pull my fat body for 2 and before I could realize I have completed 2 runs, there were some angry pats on the back. Thats how I started my cricket. Since then I have been playing with my heart out in each and every game, but not really a star of sorts. I have so much fun.

I ran out of some kids company as early as 9 and since then I was stuck to either books or encyclopaedia or some TV shows. Cricket only started when we moved to Hyderabad. I had so many friends and we used to play the game every evening. I still remember Prasad who would induct a match or two on every Sunday. The Jyothi theatre ground is where I learnt how to play the game. Untill 1996/1997 I was an average guy who could hold the bat and ball and help with a run or two in the end and who could stop the ball by virtue of the hands and the big body I had. I would never allow a ball to pass through my hands and several times in that period I had the appreciation of my team mates at the ability to stop or pull an awesome catch. Next year, in 1997, I discoverd how hard I could hit the ball. I didnt even so many calories existed in my body and so much so that I could send Ravinder's bowling to way behind the ground and usually it would end up on some terrace which is 80-90 meters away. The terrace of Jyothi theatre is wher I usually ended by batting ability. I must admit that none of these attributes apply now to my game of cricket, today. There is an occasional brilliance to the way I play these days and never consistent.

In one of the games we played in the BHEL grounds, our team got out to a paltry score and we had to defend really hard to save the game. I was put at Short Mid wicket position (reasons, obvious, I could not run fast in the boundary positions). Prasad was bowling really well and we had to complement his efforts and I resolved that I will have to do well if I have to earn my next game. I picked up 3 catches, and 1 run out. All the catches, and I still recount have been a result of some eye enticing reflexive actions. I held one catch in between my legs. The other, to the left, a stretch of my hand and the ball stood glued to my palm and a run out a sharp shooter to the bowlers end. There have umpteen reflex catches in the years to come, but this was the beginning.

I wanted to be known to everyone of my friends as a good cricketer. And I did all that which will support my cause. But no results. I wasnt too practical. But in one of those games, I wanted to make a mark and become a regular in the squad and I literally begged the captain to allow me a chance to bat up the order. His girl friend must have kissed him in the morning and he obliged my request. I played with Revanth as my partner. I played several shots and when I got out and Rewanth was the first to applaud. He commented loudly that I played the shots that made me look like Mark Waugh. Listening to that, I was probably an inch away from Paradise. Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh are GODS to me and I would do anything possible to play/look like them. From that day on, I would always play a cricket game with my sun glasses, a white sweat band worn on the left wrist and a cricketer's hat. All of these were attributed that only associated with Mark Waugh. I became to be known as Mark Waugh's fav son. I still remember the best accolade that came to me, was from Sanjay Khunger in California. He watched me play a game at the Toronto Cricket Club and he commented saying I was the lost twin of Mark and Steve. I hung Sanjay's picture on one of my walls and what he said about me in my apartment in Toronto.

I have played 100s of games but the one that stays on top is the one we played after our grade 12. Sunil was the captain of our grade 12 team and we wanted to beat the commerce guys badly because we have been at the receiving end from them most of the time during grade 12 days.   We wanted to beat them at any cost and we played this game right after our final examinations. All of us were early, I was adhering to the advise  from Sunil and he was in a rather pensive mood asking me to do well. We were fielding first and I dropped probably the simplest catch of my career. Sunil was furious that I let off an easy chance which could have been a huge boost for us. The next ball, again was towards me and I leapt so hard that I held the ball on one bounce and had a shy at the stumps and the guy whom I let off was awe struck as I ran him out. Sunil came hugging to me and apologized for his rude stuff a ball before that. He offered me to put  me in to bat at the top of the order and I did have some divine intervention, I batted like hell. I was whacking the ball frequently into the nearby lake every time and before I realized, I made 32 runs in form of 4-4s and 2-6s. While the opposite team never receieved this treatment from me all through these 2 years and before they could realize that the game was already over, Sunil was dumb struck. He could not believe what I did to them. I was humble and modest every way possible and came home. We still recount that game and have a beer.

I want to wriet about my cricket in my next post. Its simply not enough on one page and I have so much to talk about.

I am going to post more interesting stuff about our graduation cricket days and my days as a cricketer in Canada.

Cheers!

Rajesh
aka Mark Waugh

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

My Activity for today


Hi All, 

I think this is an addiction.  Blogging is soon going to become an addiction and it has to be that way. 

I see a lot of youngsters getting onto the internet and not really sure what percentage of those guys actually use the internet to the best of their ability. Rather than people driving the internet and the computers, its the other way round. These gadgets are ruling over the youngsters. The computers are controlling the mankind. But this is just me and my opinions and I may not be 100% right, but thats exactly what I going to use the internet for. To drive my point home. Many youngsters these days are glued to the internet age, to chat, to watch their favorite sports, videos (courtesy Youtube and many others) and what not. The keyboard perhaps may be taking away the human touch and the element of being personal as a whole.  In my vision, the robotics getting to our homes and helping us with the daily stuff is not too far away. 
 
Technology has to evolve and its evolving at a rapid pace. We have surface computing from Microsoft, we have touch phones, we have bluetooth and huh, the list doesnt end here. All these just put me into some kind of discomfort zone and make me ask a question, Are we outliving our life? How nice would it be if we go to our friends place and pleasantly surprise him/her rather than chatting with him/her on your computer? We are losing the human touch and getting lazier day by day. Some day all these devices will replace most of us. We will start to live in a virtual world. Everything is imaginary and most actions of ours will be fantasies of tomorrow. 

I am at the office today while the office is closed for the rest of the employees. Its Bakr-id and its a fastival for the Islamic community and its a national holiday in India. 

I came to office for 2 reasons,  I have a couple of proposals to be signed off and submitted for projects and the other reason is more for my personal gain. 

Saving money for your retirement/future expenses is a must. I have been working since 8 years and do NOT have a single $ in the account as saving. True, I am not exaggerating anything, but I have been ignorant all these years to the idea of saving for future.  One such attempt today is how I went about investing in Life Insurance and Long term gain plan.  I have been forced onto this concept by a very good friend of mine, Hemanth Reddy. He is one man, I always find to be completely organized in all aspects of life.  Whoa, he is a perfect planner. Atleast I hold that impression about him.  Well, he is an agent to Max New York Life Insurance company in India an he has been talking to me about insuring since 3 years and I didnt really buy into his idea. One that I never had any money, but I cannot be like that forever. 

I have been mulling over with the thought of insurance and I decided that I must get it when Hemanth called me last week and reminded me of my commitment to meet him. I was looking to postpone again but what gives, I have been postpoing him since 3 years. I decided its time, lets do it. 

The first thing that I did in the morning, I told my dad about what I am going to do with some money. He looked alright with it, he must have thought I might be running in the right direction. 
Fine, I went to Hemanth's work place. We had a looooooooong meeting. Really long. Its right,  Hemanth and Prashanth were explaining to me about how their policies and insurance work and they did a good job with it. I handed over cheques and signed on a few documents to complete the formalities. 
 
It was time for a medical test and Hemanth reminded me that there would be a treadmill test. I wasnt too perturbed by the treadmill test. Because I do a lot of running and walking on the treadmill at the gym everyday. I run for about 3 Kilometers on the treadmill. But running with the wires on the body, is a bit of concern. 

Lets check it anyway. 

Well I just got a call from my fellows in BHEL for a game of volleyball, and Iam just going to drive there. 

Catch you later

Sunday, December 7, 2008

I start to Blog


A very big Hi to everyone whos taken time to logon to my personal blog. 

Finally, I am here writing my first post. I start to Blog today and what better is the day other than my Birthday. Today I land on my 29th Birthday. I just got another year older. 

My favorite cousin, Chanti from Palakole is here and hes here by chance. He didnt know it was my birthday. His typical style of saying Hi to people is passing a spanky, sattiric comment on the other person. I woke up from my bed, early in the morning, he too just opened the gate of our home and started to walk in. He looked at me and passed a very humorous and comment and asked me if I was alive. Its his way of saying, that you havent been calling me since 3 months or so, very typical of him. Suddenly my mom rushes from the kitchen and wishes me a very happy birthday and Chanti looks at me in awe and shocked for a moment and with an expression of regret on his face for having passed the comment on me. 

We laugh it off, he shakes my hand and I rush to freshen up. In between all these, I have already attended some 12 calls in the 15 minutes from my friends since school, college and work life. 

My brother, Pavan, wished me and gifted a really cool shirt. While this is happening my sister calls up from Chicago to wish and my dad rushed out from bed to wish and asked my mom to gift me some thing. 

I must tell you all, that on my birthday, the whole world just gets cosier for me. Just on this day only. I have never been celebrating my birthday, I remember I first cut a cake when I was 5 years old, and after that the other time I cut a cake was when I was 20, Bobby ( I have a whole lot to write about him, later) Dinesh, Sathish made me cut a cake at 12 in the night and in the middle of a boulevard. Later, I next cut the cake, on 5th of Dec 2008, my office has arranged for a party, and today being a sunday, office is closed so they had to plan it in advance. 3 times in 29 years.  

There is a reason for not celebrating, one I am not amused by a lot of people gathering for some dinner/lunch, second, we are not getting any younger each year, so its not a celebration time, its a worrying thing and all these years and perhaps to a little extent even now, its been quite a struggle for me in all aspects. So I didnt have the idea to celebrate and I got used to being in my own state of mind. 

Lets get to the objectives. 

I want to share with my friends, family and those people who would want to know about me, those things which would rather be buried with me. I want to express myself to my friends and family, I want to clear the misconceptions about me, certain misunderstandings. 

I want to write about some amazing things that happened to me in life and which are unique and I could not have expected they would happen to me. 

I want to write about my friends. I have such great friends and I thankful to them for being with me and I am sure they are always there for the rest of my life. 

I want to write about my mentors in my professional and personal life. 

I want to write, so it can help my aspirations to become an author at a later point of time. Well the amount of traffic that this blog of mine could generate will determine if I want to become a novelist or an author.  I am just kidding about being a writer/author what have you. 

That ends my first post as a blogger. I will it updated as and when time permits me to. 

Thanks for being here!