~ Comeback Kid ~

It is comeback time !!!!!!

No, I am certainly not talking about the Rahul Dravid nor am i referring to Govinda. It is time to start the blog once again. I will take upon myself to start the blog all over again and make it more entertaining than before. Two minutes silence to the co-founder - Mr. Vinamra Gharat - who will no more be with us. Keep reading this space for more updates. Will be back with new interesting topics, new writers and certainly more members.

Before I sign out let me you wish you all a Happy Navratri and Happy Eid.

See you all within a week's time. Stay tuned!!!

The Countdown begins...

~ Archer Akshay

JAI HO!!!!!!!!

Jai Ho!!! These are the only two words that will resonate for years to come. What a film and what a proud moment for our country. Jai Ho Rahman, Jai Ho Gulzar, Jai Ho to everyone associated with the film. Thank you Rahman for giving us a reason to celebrate and thank you Danny Boyle for making such a beautiful film. Hats of!!!

A.R.Rahman has made us proud... Congrats Sir.

Jai HO!!!!!

Jai Ho!

Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley

Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley

Jai Ho!
Ratti ratti sachchi maine jaan gawayi hai

Nach Nach koylon pe raat bitaayi hai

Ankhiyon ki neend maine phoonkon se udaa di

Gin gin taarey maine ungli jalayi hai

Eh Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley

Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley

Baila! Baila!
(Dance! Dance!)

Ahora conmigo, tu baila para hoy
(Now with me, you dance for today)

Por nuestro dia de movidas,
(For our day of moves,)

los problemas los que sean
(whatever problems may be)

Salud!
(Cheers!)

Baila! Baila!
(Dance! Dance!)

Jai Ho!

Chakh le, haan chakh le, yeh raat shehed hai

Chakh le, haan rakh le,

Dil hai, dil aakhri hadd hai

Kaala kaala kaajal tera

Koi kaala jaadu hai na?

Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley

Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley

Jai Ho!
Kab se haan kab se jo lab pe ruki hai

Keh de, keh de, haan keh de

Ab aankh jhuki hai

Aisi aisi roshan aankhein

Roshan dono heerey (?) hain kya?

Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley

Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley

Jai Ho!

~Archer Akshay

Yes it’s that time of the year again. No I am not talking about the Budget session. I am talking about the eagerly awaited Filmfare awards and Oscars along with the most controversial day of the year- Valentines Day. That’s going to be the topic of discussion in our new blog including the infamous Mangalore Moral policing incident and review of Billu (not Baber).
Let’s go in a chronological order:

1.) Mangalore Pub Incident:

This incident has been talked about in the media for quiet a long time now and it’s no more a secret as to what happened that day. Moral policing brigade i.e. Ram sene members attacked female pub-goers because according to them this pub culture is deteriorating our youth. It’s the most inhuman and cowardless act in human history. Friends I would like your views on this incident. According to me there is nothing wrong with adults visiting the pubs provided they maintain certain decorum. And which country allows its people to beat up girls? Pathetic, disgusting and Immoral are the words which best describe Ram Sene’s act. It is pure Talibanism and political publicity in the name of moral policing. I hope you guys agree with me.

2.) Valentines Day:

Yes I agree it’s not a part of our culture, but still why should those celebrating this day be stopped? Thankfully, we didn’t have any untoward incident at least in Mumbai this time. But it was due to the added security cover. Moral policing brigades however ran havoc in other parts of our country and punished couples hanging out. Sometimes I feel India is a democratic country for namesake and it’s actually a handful of people who rule our country. Mob culture has spoilt the fun of living in India.
I truly hope better sense will prevail one day and we will be freed from the clutches of such publicity freaks.

3.) Billu Barber oops Billu Review ( Sorry Barber association oops again I mean Hairdressers’ association):

Firstly, a strict warning to all the viewers : Please don’t expect a lot from this movie because it’s a simple story set in a small hamlet and lacks the grandeur which is present in all SRK movies.
Billu Barber is a sweet story of love and friendship. Also, don’t expect the usual Priyadarshan kind of humour because this film doesn’t contain any senseless over-the-top humour which is present in all Priyadarshan movies. The performances are excellent and the movie truly belongs to Irfan Khan. His rendition of a poor barber tugs our heart strings. Lara Dutta too is surprisingly good and King Khan steals the show during the climax of the film. Great performances, Great cinematography, simple story, poor editing and good songs is how you can describe Billu.

Do watch it though because it’s worth a watch.

My rating ***


4.) The 81st Annual Academy Awards (22nd February)

The reason why I have included this Oscar discussion topic is not new to anyone in India. Slumdog Millionaire a movie shot in India with the help of Indian technicians is nominated in 10 categories and our very own A.R Rahman and Gulzaar Saab are nominated too. I agree that it doesn’t belong to India, but we can at least pray that Rahman wins. By the ways Slumdog has tough competition from Brad Pitt’s ‘Curious case of Benjamin Button’. Anyways let’s hope Slumdog wins many wards. Best of Luck and Jai ho!!!!

5.) Filmfare Awards: (54th annual Filmfare Awards)

Our very own prestigious Filmfare awards will be held on 28th of February at Yash Raj Studios, Andheri.
Guys and Girls do write in as to who do you think will win the Best film, Best actor and Actress awards.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for SRK. And I feel Jodha Akbar might win the best film award and the best actress award truly belongs to Piggy Chops Priyanka Chopra (Fashion).

That’s all for this month. I will write the next blog after the Filmfare Awards .Till than Happy Blogging and have a great time. Last but not the least, pray for SRK king Khan who is recuperating after his shoulder surgery. Come back soon SRK.


~ Archer Akshay

Slumdog Millionaire!!!!!!!

Hello Once again Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Reality Bites once again and today we discuss one more topic which is close to reality. Yes we are talking about none other than the much-hyped and awarded film - Slumdog Millionaire.

So before beginning let me give you a brief idea about the story of the film.
Slumdog Millionaire is the journey of a boy ( Jamal Malik) from the slums of Mumbai to the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati. The story is set in flashback mode and is an account of how Jamal a poor slum dweller knows the answers to the questions asked on the show.

What remains prominent in this journey is the condition of the downtrodden in our city Mumbai and at the same time this story is about destiny and a will to do anything for your true love. Based on the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup this tale is hard-hitting and at the same time interesting too.

Just like our blog this tale of ‘rags to riches story’ is difficult to digest because my dear friends some great philosopher had once proclaimed – ‘Reality Bites’ and this film is certainly not for the weak hearted who love typical bollywood movies. Yes, this film is about hope but its heart wrenching to see the condition of our so-called economic capital-Mumbai. In short great performances, great story and great direction is how you can sum up Slumdog Millionaire. (Oops I forgot great music by Mr. A.R.Rahman:D)

The following is a list of awards won by Slumdog Millionaire till now:

2009 Broadcast Film Critics Association The Critics' Choice Award:

Won: Best Picture
Won: Best Director – Danny Boyle
Won: Best Writer – Simon Beaufoy
Won: Best Young Actor/Actress (under 21) – Dev Patel
Won: Best Composer - A.R. Rahman



2009 Chicago Film Critics Association
• Won: Best Director - Danny Boyle
• Won: Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
• Won: Most Promising Performer - Dev Patel
2009 Golden Globe Awards
• Won: Best Motion Picture - Drama
• Won: Best Director - Motion Picture - Danny Boyle
• Won: Best Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
• Won: Best Original Score - A. R. Rahman
The above are a list of some of the prominent awards won by the film. The film has won more than 60 awards till now.

But every good thing is always criticized by cynics and yes a superb film like SM has also been slammed by some of the great stalwarts of our country.

According to Mr. Amitabh Bachan:

The Indian star had said" a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations... It's just that the Slumdog Millionaire idea, authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a westerner, gets creative global recognition."
The Guardian (UK) said only a westerner could have made such an honest film. Indian producers are "fixated with making flimsy films about the lives of the middle class... Like Bachchan, they are too blind to what India really is to deal with it," it said.

Come to think about it, Amitabh is not entirely wrong. Westerners do love to see Indian poverty in fact Indian poverty still sells like hot cake in USA and UK. That is the only reason why films like Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan; all based on poverty get nominated in the Oscars.

What image of India will a 7-8 year old kid living in UK have of India when he watches this film? Films like SM might even prove to hamper the image of India which now no more is known as the third world under-developed country.

But at the same time we cannot ignore the truth because ‘TRUTH IS BITTER’ but it still persists no matter how much we try to ignore it. Dharavi is the biggest slum in Asia and that is the truth; an impoverished underbelly exists in major part of Mumbai and India and that is true and certainly we are not new to the fact that maximum percentage of our Indian population does dwell on the streets and the slums.

I feel instead of criticizing Danny Boyle (Director of Slumdog Millionare) we should try to improve the condition of our country by doing something for the poor. This movie should serve as a wake up call for the politicians. The day when we truly eradicate poverty from the face of our country will be the day when we can proclaim that – “you pathetic westerners have no right to portray our country in a negative light.”

Last but not the least some thoughts to ponder on:

1.) Why no Indian director thought of making the movie?
The answer is simple: We Indians love escapist cinema which takes us into a different world altogether. Also, the film wouldn’t have fared well at the box office.

2.) Amitabhji in numerous of your films like Deewar, you have been shown as a poor boy who becomes a criminal in order to become rich or take revenge against the society. So isn’t that making a fun of poverty and indirectly inspiring & leading unemployed poor people to the world of crime?

That’s all for this fortnight friends and before I sign out do post in your comments and yes one more important thing: let us all observe two minutes silence in the loving memory of ‘Chandni Choked Distributors’ oops I mean Chandni Chowk to China ( God save us from this

~ By Archer Akshay

Happy New Year???

First of all Happy New Year to all you guys and sorry from the bottom of my heart to write in a blog after such a long time. Well now without wasting any further time boys and girls let’s begin with today’s topic of discussion…. Happy New Year??Please don’t get confused. Yes that’s the topic of our new blog. And why not after all that we have suffered in the past year, are assured of a safe and joyful new year?

To those who have forgotten the happenings of the past year or suffer from a short-term memory loss like Mr. Aamir Khan; let me give you a quick flashback of the past year:

Following is a recap of the disastrous 2008:

5.) Financial crisis takes the world by a storm and devastates the economy of major countries.

4.) Israel declares war on Palestine resulting in mass human tragedy.

3.) Multi-budget movies with superstars bomb at the box office both in Hollywood and bollywood.

2.) Terrorism raised its ugly head again with India facing the wrath of terrorists throughout the year.

1.) Himmesh Reshammiya once again tortured millions of people with his second movie Karzzzzz (The producer has still not been able to repay the loan)

So that was a rewind of the eventful 2008. What is in store for us in the year 2009 can only be predicted by eminent astrologers. However the year 2008 also saw a few good moments:

1.) Spain emerged as the Champions in Sports by winning Euro Cup ( Soccer), Wimbeldon ( Tennis) and the Davis Cup ( Tennis).

2.) India launched Chandrayaan successfully.

3.) USA witnessed history after Barack Obama became the first Black US President.

4.) Michael Phelps an American swimmer won 14 Olympic gold medals.

5.) India emerged as the bigwigs of cricket by launching their very own 20-20 franchise ->IPL.


I just hope and pray that this year each and every country will get lots of joy and happiness. At the same time hope that the terrorists are wiped out from the face of this earth.
With a war already started (Israel-Palestinian) and a blast on 1st January in Assam, I am really afraid what will happen in 2009. But let’s be optimistic and let’s be united.
Things to watch out for in year 2009:

1.) Will India-Pak conflict result into war?

2.) Will Israel agree for a cease fire?

3.) Will Salman Khan finally settle down in life and accept that he doesn’t know how to act?

4.) Will Obama prove to be the solution to the worlds’ problems?

- Archer Akshay

Peace or War???

The objective of war is not to die for your country, but to kill the other bastard (from across the border) for his……

This is India’s 9/11 : John Mc Cain.

Rightly said Mr. Mc Cain, this is indeed India’s 9/11 and maybe war seems to be an option now. Who can forget America’s war against terrorism and the way they assaulted Taliban and Iraq. Almost five years later India seems to be in a similar state of affairs.
If the destruction of world trade centre transpired one of the biggest battles of the century than what should be the answer to almost 64 blasts in a year?

Every Indian and every Pakistani by now knows that we two countries can’t stand each other. In fact there are very few neighbouring countries in the world who can claim to be peace-loving and supportive at the same time. Sorry Shakespeare Sir, we modern fools completely disagree with your famous statement: love thy neighbour, like thou love yourself.

And to prove this fact we have a written record and a gory record of three wars with our neighbouring country. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that once upon a time we were part of one country. Following is a brief history of the wars fought against Pakistan.


The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965: It was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between India and Pakistan. This conflict became known as the ‘Second Kashmir War’ fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947. The war began following the failure of Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was designed to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against rule by India. The ‘five-week’ war caused thousands of casualties on both sides. It ended in a United Nations (UN) mandated ceasefire and the subsequent issuance of the Tashkent Declaration.


The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The 1971 war was a major military conflict between India and Pakistan. The war is closely associated with the Bangladesh Liberation War (sometimes also referred to as the Pakistani Civil War). Although there is some disagreement about the exact dates of the war, hostilities between India and Pakistan commenced officially on the evening of December 3, 1971. The armed conflict on India's western front during the period between 3 December 1971 and 16 December 1971 is called the "Indo-Pakistani War" by both the Bangladeshi and Indian armies. The war ended in the surrender of the Pakistani military after armed hostilities on two fronts.

The Kargil War: The Kargil War also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir. The cause of the war was the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LOC), which serves as the de facto border between the two states. During and directly after the war, Pakistan blamed the fighting entirely on independent Kashmiri insurgents, but documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff showed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces, led by General Ashraf Rashid.
The Indian army launched its final attacks in the last week of July; as soon as the Drass sub-sector had been cleared of Pakistani forces, the fighting ceased on July 26. The day has since been marked as Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargil Victory Day) in India. (Is it a mere co-incidence that the date when we achieved victory is the same as the day of the attacks?)

Current situation:

We all know what the current situation is. It’s clear where the terrorists are from. It also somewhat seems obvious that there is a Pak hand behind the attacks. So what do you’ll think? Is war the only option left?
Let me give a brief idea about the military prowess of the two nations:

India has around: 1,325,000 active troops
Pakistan has around: 620,000 active troops

India's territory: 1,269,345 sq miles
Pakistan's territory: 310,403 sq miles

Yes it’s true that India has the upper hand, but a war between the two nations will surely manage to involve the other superpowers like USA and China. And a war will definitely take India 10 years back.
And as our Prime Minister and Defense Minister have rightly stated no one wants war. As Erasmus has rightly stated “war is delightful to those who have had no experience of it.” What do we civilians know the meaning of war? The right step at this time is to wage a war against the terrorist’s camps rather than the country because even we don’t have concrete evidence right now to establish a Pak Government connection in the terror attacks.

But if when and where we find a Pakistan connection then my friends “WAR IS THE ONLY OPTION LEFT. And war won’t determine who is right or wrong but only who is left…..”



- Archer Akshay

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi:

A strict warning right from the beginning to all the readers: This is not a superhero flick.
If you want to see something different than go watch actors wearing black masks and flying in the air or better watch a futuristic movie (2050) with no story and no future. And last but not the least, SRK plays an ordinary guy in the movie.

Those guys who think SRK is not versatile and plays the same lover boy roles than friends please watch SRK’s portrayal of Surinder Sahni and you will be dumbfounded.

Story:

On the whole, the story is ordinary but the presentation of the story is excellent and the performances; OH MY GOD!! They are just brilliant. To begin with, the story begins on a somewhat clichéd path as the girl is forced to marry a boring man because of the same old traditional Majburi (majburi plays an important part in Yash Raj movies my friends).
Surinder Sahni is SRK’s best role till date and the way he has etched out this ordinary guy is really commendable. Sahni ji is a guy whom we have seen many times in our lives. He is caught in a conflict of sorts as he has to win Tani ji’s heart and achieve her love. So what does SRK do? Does he change himself for her or a new guy wins her heart and takes her away from the boring Sahniji or does Sahniji manage to win her heart in spite of his boring yet sweet lovable nature?
Let the suspense remain…

Performances and Direction:

SRK:

What should I say about SRK that hasn’t been said before? We all know he is the ultimate King of bollywood and the ease with which he moves from one character to the other is really marvelous. He surely will be the No.1 contender for this year’s best actor award. His portrayal of Surinder Sahni will remind us of the main character in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films. This is a brave venture on his part to play a character so different from Raj and Rahul.

Anushka Sharma:

For a debutant, Anushka Sharma is a promising actor who carries of her role with confidence. After all, acting opposite the King Khan and acting in a Yash Raj movie is not an easy job and she should be applauded for her brilliant acting.

Vinay Pathak:

Apart from Surinder, Vinay Pathak’s Bobby is a surprise package. Vinay is on a roll these days with so many films under his belt and a perfect role in a Yash Raj movie adds another feather to his cap.

Director:

Adi Chopra has presented a simple story in a beautiful canvas. His command over story telling is evident throughout the film. Good direction, but the length of the film could have been trimmed a bit. On the whole he has done a brilliant job, just hope we don’t have to wait another 8 years for his next film.

Music:

The music is melodious and the song Haule Haule has repeat value. A special compliment to Salim-Sulaiman who have composed such beautiful soothing music.

Final Words:

Over all Rab Ne… is a complete package full of all the emotions and I am sure the audiences will walk away with a smile upon their face on watching this film. Go for this movie just to experience the acting prowess of SRK. He has opened the doors for the common man yet again in mainstream bollywood.

Finally, I would end on a dialogue which is mentioned in the film.
“Hum hain rahi pyar ke Phir milenge Haste Haste…”

Final verdict: Go for it, it’s worth watching…


By Archer Akshay

My Rating: ****


Some Trivia for the readers:

1.For those who feel Yash-SRK collaboration churns out the same type of movies here’s a quick past record of the duo:

Darr( A film about a grey character’s obsession with a girl)

DDLJ( A story of love without no boundaries)

Dil Toh Pagal Hai( A story set amidst dance and drama)

Mohabattein( A story of how a man takes revenge with a person who had ended his love)

Veer Zara( A story of a person who is jailed for many years for his true love)

Chak De India( A story of a hockey coach’s passion to win some lost pride and glory)

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi( A love story between an ordinary couple)


2.This is Aditya Chopra’s third film as a director.

3. Earlier Soham Kapoor was considered for Anushka’s role.

4. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi will not be releasing in Pakistan.

5. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was released without much promotion and fanfare.

Followers Comments:

The following are a list of comments you guys have expressed during our conversation in orkut. These really gives an idea of what you'll have to say related to the recent tragic incident.


I asked Ketki Vanmali: What do u have to say about the entire tragic incident.Do you also think Pak is involved considering the fact that they themselves have been the victims of terrorist attacks ?


Ketki Vanmali’s reply:

It’s as simple as "destroying thousand houses in India and then destroying one or two in their own country just to show off...."

But hats off to our coastal security system... They allow any tom dick n Harry to enter without checking... WTF are they for... any one can still attack railways, malls. If they can provide tight security to Celebes, cricketers, politicians, then are we not humans... don’t we need tight full-proof security? Till now how many politicians and Celebes have been killed in terror attacks and how many common people have been victims of these attacks.But still.... you can see 4 - 5 guards outside Amitabh's bungalow but only 1 - 2 police guards at railway station... poor thing!!!


I asked Siddharth: Why so much anger against Pakistan? (By the ways let me tell you guys Siddharth has been deeply affected by all this tragic events and has even started an anti-Pakistan community. Hats off to you man!!).


Siddharth’s reply: Pakistan sucks yaar............there is no way that this country can ever change…


Ojas Raut’s comments on the arrests of LeT leaders:

Arresting the LeT COMMANDER AND ALL SUCH THINGS ARE NOT going to change things. It should be followed by hot pursuits in Pakistan and destroying all the terrorist camps. India has to kill these bastards ASS......... because after arresting them there will be again some terrorist attacks to release these bastards.


I asked Hemal: What do you have to say about the entire tragic incident? What should we do to ensure our safety?

Hemal’s comments:

I really felt bad about the entire thing.
My school is going to have a rally done day to protest against these attacks.

I feel insecure at places like Juhu. I feel that
these terrorists should be handed over to the public.

Let us handle those heartless bastards.
They come to India damage us and themselves die
wtf
( Dear Politicians, Hemal is in ninth standard, yet he has more brains than you insensitive fools).

The above comments are an evidence to the fact that we people have had enough. Please, take a note of what we think about the system.


- By all of you.

"Politician Chor Hai" "Attack Pakistan" "NSG Zindabad”!!!!!


"Politician Chor Hai" "Attack Pakistan" "NSG Zindabad”--- These were the few but most commonly heard slogans in the Peace Rally which took place on the 3rd of December’08 at the Gateway of India.
It seemed as if entire Mumbai was present to show their support.


People expressed their opinions by wearing t-shirts that proclaimed “I love Mumbai"!
I could see anger in their eyes, ready to take on the terrorists. No fear, just hatred against them.

People of all the ages were present to show their support and love for the city. Photographers, journalists, cameramen, police officials, everyone thronged to witness an epoch-making event.

Mumbaikars were livid with rage and openly showed their angst by shouting slogans and waving placards which comprised of one message: Enough is Enough.
But one thing which was indeed heart-wrenching and that was the way everyone was in tears and paid homage to the slain victims by lighting candles.

Approximately two lakhs Mumbaities were present there which included social workers, college kids, working professionals, bollywood celebrities and many more. The only people which were absent were our Politicians and it was actually a good thing because we would not have spared you selfish power-hungry “morons.”

Whatever may be the outcome of this rally; it was indeed great to see the spirit and unity among the people of Mumbai in spite of our diversities and troubled past. But I only pray, we remain united forever and our fight against the atrocities committed by the Govt. and terrorists persists. It’s about time we woke up from our slumber and protested for our constitutionally granted birthright – ‘a safe and secure society’.

But is this enough?
Will this stop terrorism?
Rallies are to portray anger and not to take action... Or are they??
There was some action post-rally like the resignation of R.R. Patil and Vilasrao Deshmukh.
But again some politicians were elected.
Will they make a Difference or be the same like other politicians???

Should we wait for our answers or for another terrorist attack? Or should we take some action?

Fire of Revenge is still burning in our soul.

Let this fire increase and destroy our enemies.

Let us- the future of India start a NGO which will fight against all the culprits which have brought shame upon Mumbai. (Politicians included).


Please Mail me at akshata.vedak@gmail.com to help to open a NGO.

LET’S TAKE SOME ACTION NOW!!!


Some extra-ordinary slogans and placards witnessed in the rally:

We need thousand more Unnikrishnans in our country.

Declare Pakistan as a terrorist State.

Vilasrao Desh“Murkh”

Politician Chor Hai

Pakistan Murdabad


Questions that need to be answered:

Will India initiate action against the terror camps?

Why only two lakh people were present considering the fact that we have a huge population of 2 crores?

Shouldn’t we hold more rallies to show our distrust and protest towards the politicians?

Will one rally cause a change of heart in the politicians?

- By Akshata Vedak

Will the real Asif Zardari please stand up?

Mr Zardari has been making himself look foolish by asking India to show evidence of Pak citizens’ involvement and then putting guilty on trial in Pakistan, while he himself requested UN intervention to investigate murder of his wife. He himself does not trust Pakistan investigation agencies, but assuring justice to Mumbai terror attack victims. What co-operation we, India, can expect from him? His decision of first accepting the request made by India to send ISI chief to New Delhi and then reversing his decision on the pretext of ‘miscommunication’ is pitiful. His decision of not surrendering twenty most wanted personalities to India is indication that Pakistan is involved in Mumbai terror attacks.



~Vinamra Gharat

Political fiasco and resignations…

The week that was…..

Many things have been said so far regarding the devastating tragedy. And yes there were a few insensitive so-called human beings too, who were audible enough to voice their idiotic opinions on the mass human tragedy.

No points for guessing whom I am talking about- It’s no one else than our Safari coat- clad politicians who made statements after statements projecting their in-human side.
“The terrorists had planned to kill 5,000 but we managed to curb the tragedy and reduce the count till 200; incidents like this keep on happening in big cities; There is no need to resign as no one prior to me had given resignation whenever such a tragedy took place; developmental progress resulted in negligence of security measures” – these were the statements given by our beloved politicians. And the act which broke all limits was the infamous visit (stroll to be more precise) to the Taj with an actor-son and a director who is credited to inspire terrorists and underworld alike, with his so-called realistic films.

One thing I fail to understand – What is behind the powerful seat that manages to corrupt all the elected politicians. How can a person from a rural background (Sangli) make such heartless statements? Should we call it lack of education, ignorance or should we call it lack of a soul?

I am sorry but I am not ashamed to confess that, maybe I am not educated enough to understand such apathy towards the public. But things didn’t stop here. What followed are a series of resignations which kept piling over the desks of our Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and congress President Sonia Gandhi. The first person who was sincere enough to accept his inability to curb terror attacks was our Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

My comment on his resignation: Sir, why so late? You should have resigned long back when our country was being bombed from all the sides by the terrorists. But you gave an obviously insensitive and meaningless statement after each attack.

After Jaipur Blasts he said: "Their aim (to create communal disturbances) has been thwarted. The people of Jaipur have not allowed their nefarious design to succeed,"

After Bangalore Blasts: "Anti-national elements have been trying to create panic among the people in our country".

After Assam Blasts: It is a handiwork of those who did not want peace to prevail.
Sir, even my eight-year-old neighbour would have pointed out the same.

But, we should congratulate Patil Sahib for finally accepting his responsibility and stepping down. And an even bigger applause for Mr. R.R Patil who finally accepted he cannot handle the designation. Also our adored Chief Minister who is a huge bollywood fan has also stepped down from the post following public protests.

Yeah, Yeah I will comment on the RGV meets Deshmukh incident too:

Dear Sirs, (yes I am talking to Ritiesh too), what was the reason behind your picnic to the Taj? For your kind information, it definitely isn’t any film location and these is certainly not the right time to pen a script on the incident; nor are you two filmi personalities authorized to be there.

Political gimmicks gone wrong:

Every politician in town tried to gain publicity from this terror attacks. They paid visits to the bereaved families and injured citizens and some even tried to donate charity to the martyr’s families. But a kind and humble request: please don’t hurt us more and as it is your words or money isn’t going to bring back the dead to life. Wish you would have paid more attention to your respective portfolios and responsibilities.

Final message to the men in power:

But the people are no more ignorant fools and won’t certainly be misled this time.
It’s time you politicians wake up or step down. Enough accumulation of wealth and power, it’s time you’ll do something for the public too. Stop passing the buck and accept your mistakes and think of a solution before its too late…


Questions that need to be answered:

Will this be the last terrorist attack in India?

Is the security going to be increased in the wake of these attacks?

Are the resignations of the ministers going to help?

Shouldn’t the ministers be punished for their remarks?



- Archer Akshay

IT companies plan to cut energy to save costs!

“Horse imitates his trainer.” My father says “It’s never too early to start saving.” I think everyone knows this, yes everyone. One might have picked up these proverbs in some book. Even your parents might have told you this. Therefore, the bottom line is, everyone knows these proverbs. These proverbs apply to every one; I mean every ‘individual’. However, Infosys and TCS have proven exceptions. Neither have they imitated their superiors nor have they planned for recession when they had ample time.

Well, are you still baffled what I am saying? Let me make my point clear. Infosys is now going for cost cutting of $10 per person, while TCS has yet to reveal cost-cutting plans. Both the firms think that this is high time to optimise its resources utilisation. They are going for energy saving, extended working hours, optimising on travelling and communication costs and freeze hiring process!

They are looking for every possible area to cut costs and try to improve their annual balance sheets. TCS and Infosys have one of the best management teams, which can easily handle such crisis. Let me put it in my way, “They are competent enough to avoid such crisis, or are they?” Yes, are they competent enough? Infosys and TCS have best of Engineers, MBA’s in their management team. Does everyone of those “gold medalist” need prior experience to avoid/handle such crisis? Oh, I forgot, they are already experienced, because every one these days need ‘experienced’ employees. Knock knock! Wake up! YOUR TEAM HAS FAILED TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THE SITUATION.

According to me, these so-called “gold medalist” should have foreseen the situation. They should have made some reservations for recession period. They should have used their resources optimally even in non-recession period. They were having their laugh when IT was booming. Now, they are putting their heads down and looking for areas for cost cutting. I am too rude on these people. They might know what I have written, but it seems that they still are not performing at their highest potential.

Infosys has failed to learn from the simplicity of Mr Murthy. Someone has truly said, “Any moron can make acquisition in good times, but one who does acquisition in bad times is real winner.”

~Vinamra Gharat

From Cricket to Politics

Who said the game of cricket was devoid of politics?
The patrons of cricket in India and those concerned with the game surely have taken a back seat since the 26/11 Mumbai tragedy. Cricket in India witnessed series’ annulments and withdrawals. It all began with the unfortunate massacre which took place on the 26th of November, a date which no one will be able to forget. Indian cricket fans already began celebrations of yet another victory against the English side; however celebrations turned into mourning as firecrackers were replaced by gun-shots and hand-grenades. What followed next is known to all. The game of cricket too was affected by the devastating incident. England cancelled the remaining two ODIs whereas the unofficial Indian Cricket League cancelled the entire World Series tourney. It did not end over here. BCCI’S ever-ambitious Champions League tournament which was scheduled to begin in December was abandoned by the tourists.

As one of the officials rightly stated it’s no more about cricket. But, it doesn’t end over here too- The Indian tour of Pakistan is also in peril, now that it’s clear who was involved in the terrorist attacks.

Sports they say have no religion and no boundaries and are clear from any political conspiracies. So is this decision right or wrong? But history is evident to the fact that sports and politics go hand-in-hand. Can we forget the Munich slaughter in which countless Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinians during the Olympics? The question of our cricketers’ safety is another thing. But what about playing with a neighbour who has back-stabbed us countless times in the past? Then we can say that it’s certainly not about cricket anymore because no sport and nothing at all is important than the very safety of our country and vengeance against our enemies. Playing a cricket match with our so-called friends will be like ‘sleeping with our enemy’. Can we afford a further disgrace to our country? Can we afford to play a game against a country which is responsible for the deaths of countless Indians?

I am sure cricket fanatics all over India will agree that we should abandon each and every relationship with the neighbouring country. It’s time we took a tough stand against terrorism and dealt with it seriously. Let’s not allow the sacrifices of hundreds of people be washed-out in a cricket match, please learn to say no!!!


-Archer Akshay

Who's Next

A series of Terrorist attacks which began since the Jaipur blasts in May earlier this year ended with the economic capital of India being targeted yet again. Only this time the Terrorists came out into the open and created a havoc that ripped through the heart of Mumbai. The faceless and the people behind the masks, as they were known earlier revealed their true identities without any fear and managed to kill hundreds of innocent people which included top officials too. Entire police personnel including commandos and Black Kats were engaged in a gruesome battle lasting 3 days. The losses which occurred during those 3 days can never be recovered. But even a more grievous wound was inflicted upon the souls and minds of the citizens of Mumbai.

Yes we have faced a lot – 1993 Bomb Blasts, 26^th July floods, 2003 twin blasts and 7/11 Train Blasts – but the question that should be asked now is, how much more can we tolerate, how much more will we have to suffer? A person who leaves home for work in the morning is no more assured that he will return safely and a person dining out with his family might be eating his last meal. It is time we stop patting each other’s back and saluting the spirit of Mumbai and it’s time we start questioning the people responsible for our security and it’s certainly time that we are ensured a safe life in the so-called safest city of India.

Wake up Politicians and those responsible to protect us and realize that a meager relief amount of 3 lakhs cannot solve the problem because when a person dies in such an attack, it’s also the family which gets killed along with him mentally. Can you recover that loss? The answer is a simple but a thought provoking ‘No’! Instead of assuring each other that it’s over, the situation is under control now, we are asking ourselves – Who’s next? We are sitting ducks waiting to be killed by the heartless poachers. Let’s all stand united in this moment of peril and ask for some answers and make certain this is the last attack. Please no more now, spare us and do shield us.


- Akshay Rane

Terror x Foreign Direct Investment= Indian Economic Slowdown?

It is not new to India, not even for the Indian people. India is facing terror attacks since 1993. The recent attacks on Taj heritage, Oberoi hotels and Nariman house which claimed more than 170 people including citizens of the USA, the UK and Australia. This incident has raised questions over the security measures by government. The UPA government has failed to curtail terrorism in its 5-year tenure.

India is blessed with a very good Prime Minister and Finance Minister. Overall performance of UPA has not up to notch. I am of the opinion that India in current situation will attract lesser foreign investments for short-term period. Following are some reasons, which will have negative effect on FDI’s:

Political uncertainty: Year 2009 is election-year for India. Looking at political scenario, Congress government has failed to curtail terrorism; BJP cannot handle power for five continuous years while other political parties have no calibre to handle the government. Even local political parties have total domination over national projects. For example, Trinumool Congress, which had its disputes with TATA Nano project resulted into transfer of Nano plant to Gujarat.

Global economic slowdown: The world is facing worse recession since The Great Depression. Year 2008 has proved a black year for world economy. Finance, Infrastructure, Information Technology sectors are the most affected. The most important factor a businessperson will look before investment is Capital Surplus. It is simple, if a business has no money to expand or invest in new horizons even though it is profitable, he has to borrow money or abandon the plan. We are in scenario where banks are bankrupt and require bailout or the borrowing norms are tight.

Terror attacks: To make situation worse, India is facing terror attacks all around the country. India witnessed eight major terror attacks in year 2008. One can argue that New York has witnessed WTC attacks and London has witnessed bomb blast. However, the interesting fact is that they haven’t faced any terror attacks after that. While in India, there is no strict law pertaining to terrorism. The UK, the USA and Australian government has advised their citizens against visiting India.

Effect of the current environment on Indian economy:

The recent terror attacks will have short-term effect on Indian economy. The foreign delegations, investors will be weary to visit India to carry on any further business. Foreign companies believe that their real assets are their employees, will be cautious sending their representatives. Even tourism and hospitality industry, which is major contributor towards country’s GDP, will have negative effect. The November-March season is considered cash making season will be lull. Even Airline sector will have effect on their business, as there will be sizable reduction in foreigners travelling both for business and vacation purpose.

The terror attack will have short-term effect, as India is one of the biggest emerging markets with abundant resources available in cheap. The volumes of business and profits earned from India will be too good to attract FDI’s in to country. Looking into past record of terror attacks in country, India has never failed to attract FDI’s just for the reason of terror attacks. Government has provided various benefits in term of land, tax and infrastructure, while cheap availability of labour as well as huge market to sell their products that is enough to attract FDI’s for medium and long term prospective.

A company with unique and very good product will fetch huge profits in current scenario. A smart investor will look current situation as an opportunity to invest rather than shying away. Investing is full of risk. There is no profit without taking risk. If FDI’s need to earn huge profits, they have to take this risk. India has always been great place to invest and will be always great place to earn profits.

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