In the scheme of things, it wasn’t such a bad year. It just seemed that way.

Professionally it was a decent year - we produced our first feature film ‘Jhing Chik Jhing’, we finished a couple of documentaries and worked steadily in TV

. Personally it was slightly screwed. But, again in the scheme of things the latter doesn’t really matter. It hurts for a bit, but most hurt goes away. You realise that you have made some choices in life. And you have to live with those choices and the consequences of those choices. Once that realisation dawns there is peace

In the larger space it was more a good year than a bad one.
The Good
From an Indian perspective - it was the year of avoiding the financial implosion that threatens to sink western economies. The Regulator - RBI - and the Government’s own Financial Team deserves kudos for ensuring that we didn’t get burnt - we barely managed to get singed. In a globalised world there will be some impact - but I think that we are lucky that we aren’t in the soup others are.

The Right to Education bill is through Parliament. It has taken 60 years to get here. I hope that the move to provide employment related skills as part of schooling doesn’t take 60 more years.

Justice caught up with the killers of Priyanka Bhotmange.

The Nuclear Deal and the Chandrayaan Mission hopefully would give a fillip to science and technology in India.

There is J&K with a 60% turnout that voted for India. There was Rahul Gandhi and his Discovery of India, and his presence as the voice of reason. There is Omar Abdullah whose passionate speech in Parliament and performance in J & K elections - that bodes well for the future.

There was also cricket the Dhoni factor and the And, the end of year coffer filling for Bollywood between Rab Ne and Gaji.

There is Manmohan Singh as PM, FM and I & B minister - which is Good. It is nice to see decency, intellect, integrity and belief in the Constitution in charge.

The Bad
The Bad has been there for quite some time… a lot of us just noticed it now !
There was terrorism - but there has been since I was in school - and that was a very long time ago. There was religious hatred - the saffron party led murder and mayhem in Orissa - but then, there has always been - under some name or the other. There was regional hatred - Raj Thackeray and his own brand of chauvinism, but again it is nothing new. There was the cash for votes silliness in Parliament - but we all know that horses are traded, albeit discreetly.

The Ugly
The coverage of the Arushi Murder case. The media acting as investigator, judge, and executioner … sad. The coverage of 26/11 - irresponsible. It’s a good job that the current I&B minister is a Democratic Republican

The reaction of the Saffron alliance on Hemant Karkare’s investigation of the Malegaon blasts. an inexplicable stand from those who claim to believe in the Nation.

I am happy that all these are out in the open, so that all of us can have a long hard look at them and ask ourselves, what have we done wrong? They exist because we allow it. We keep quiet. And, maybe that is the greatest gift of this year — that we won’t keep quiet.

I hope that 2009, is good and peaceful for all of you…

Technorati Tags: Right to Education bill, Priyanka Bhotmange

when i began this meme, i thought it would be easy. I have watched zillions of films. And, then the debate began. Is it movies that you enjoyed technically, is it movies that you enjoyed cinematically, are they movies that i enjoyed intellectually … for example should it be A for Apu Sansar or A for Amar Akbar Anthony?

So finally i decided, that these are the equivalent of soul movies - just as dark chocoate, or playing with the dog, or getting a massage makes the world seem better, so do these films. These are movies that make me laugh even now. Movies that wave their magic wand and transport me for 3 hours into a world that is entertainment !

Here goes:

Amar Akbar Anthony - I love this film. Despite all its illogical inconsitencies. The opening sequence where Amar, Akbar Anthony are hooked up directly via tubes to Nirupa Roy, donating blood simultaneously right into the receipient; the classic inebriated Amitabh Bachchan having a conversation with his mirror image, Nirupa Roy as mother getting her sight back after a Sai Baba bhajan; and of course Anthony Gonzaves

Babe - ok, I am a sucker for fairy tales. Especially where you have stories ugly looking, clumsy animals trying to fit in. And no i don’t want pop psychology

Chupke Chupke - Take one ghas phoos waale botony teacher, one jijjaji who likes shudh hindi, a woman who wants both the men in her life (jijaji and husband) to like each other, an English professor who stands in to teach biology and a whole bunch of other craziness, and you have Chupke Chupke. I can watch this film any time and smile

Dumbo - An elephant with oversized ears is initially the laughing stock of the circus, but soon proves himself. Dumbo … can still make me sob like a baby in the nicest sense of the way . Here is a drunk Dumbo having a blast

E.T. - I was 22 and in London. I had tuberculosis and didn’t know it (till 3 months later). It was Christmas, i was broke, heart broken and ill. I was trying to be strong and brave and live in a state of denial. And, then I saw E.T. I saw the alien wanting to ‘phone home’ and something within me broke - i cried and in crying i healed. I phoned home, my heart mended, my body was healed … so this film is kind of special.

Field of Dreams - ‘if you make it, they will come’ says the voice in Ray’s head - setting the stage for web businesses from then on In this case the task is just as improbable - build a baseball pitch in the middle of a corn field - to allow a bunch of players who threw matches to redeem themselves. Yes, that is the other theme that i tend to like - redemption. And, i didn’t even study in a convent !

Golmaal - the story of little white lies that become huge big whoppers through which the entire Tank Corps can pass … Hrishikesh Mukherjee in top form. The silly stick on mustache rules

Hero - Subhash Ghai’s launch of Jackie Shroff as a response to the tantrums of star kids, and a star was born. Has a man ever looked more yummy ? I was a school kid when it came out, and had my first crush. How smile evoking is this film - they have a song called ‘Ding Dong Baby Sing Song”. seriously !

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - great action, wonderful setups, two gorgeous men and some great banter. Not much that can ask for in a movie !

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron Can there be a movie nuttier than this. Do you remember the Draupadi Vastraharan scene ?

Kranti - this is in for completely the wrong reasons. every time i see Manoj Kumar with that big pendant i have this urge to laugh. Everytime, i see everyone from Prem Chopra to Dilip Kumar; Hema Malini to Sarika hamming it - i crack up. I see this movie, not as a patriotic film, but as an out and out comedy :). Imagine a bunch of revolutionaries singing ‘channa chor garam ‘ before they blow up a fort !

Lion King - Simba rules as does Hakuna Matata

Midnight Run - a film that seriosly makes me laugh. Robert de Niro and Charles Gordin in a film about a modern day bounty hunter and a con on the run. Great dialogues, great chemistry and a nice film.

Naked Gun - I really like the naked gun series, especially when i feel fried with the world. I love that 60’s feel and earnestness. Leslie Nielsen is a blast

Om Shanti Om - or OSO - mindless, silly, but supremely entertaining. SRK as the bhola and the brat work very well. a movie that has a song called ‘dard e disco’ is not taking itself seriously, why should you ?Leave you logic at home and smile !

Pretty Woman - she is a woman of negotiable affections, he is a man with non existent morals. And they meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts sizzle in this reimaging of Cinderella !

Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak - not really but i couldn’t find anything else with Q - not even quantum of solace ! and, yes there is a whole bunch of silliness in the film that makes me smile - still worth watching for a young Aamir Khan and a bubbly Juhi Chawla

Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman - Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla - light up this one. I always saw it as a modern Shri 420

Singing in the Rain - just singing in the rain … Gene Kelly and a track that is magic. for best effect, watch when it is raining

and watch Donald o’Connor & Gene Kelly in Moses Supposes

To Have & Have Not - ‘you know how to whistle don’t you. Just put your lips together & blow.’ Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall sizzle in this studio production of romance, smuggling and war !

U - none

V - Not Really … Victoria no. 203 (the older version) but not really

When Harry Met Sally - Remember the scene in the restaurant ?

X - definitely not X-men

Yalgaar - if the sight of Feroze Khan calling Mukesh Khanna pappa, or dad - cannot crack you up, then nothing can. Like Naked Gun, this should have been a parody - but ….

Z - not really.

We live in times, where it seems that there isn’t much to smile about. but, there is. People, events all manage to make us smile and understand that the bulk of the world is not just good but also good matured. so spread this meme

Technorati Tags: Amar, Akbar Anthony, Amitabh Bachchan, Nirupa Roy, Manoj Kumar, Prem Chopra, Dilip Kumar, Hema Malini, Sarika, Robert de Niro, Charles Gordin, Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh Khan, Gene Kelly, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Feroze Khan, Mukesh Khanna

Under the six-point guidelines framed by the umbrella body NBA (News Broadcasters Association), the channels shouldn’t be telecasting details of identity, number and status of hostages. Nor should they provide information of pending rescue operations or details on the number of security personnel involved or the methods employed by them.

The News Broadcasting Standards Disputes Redressal Authority, constituted by the NBA, today said television TV channels should avoid any “live contact with the victims or security personnel or other technical personnel involved or the perpetrators during the course of any incident.”

Addressing a press meet, Authority Chairman Justice JS Verma also said media should avoid “unnecessary repeated or continuous broadcast of archival footage that may tend to re-agitate the mind of the viewers. Archival footage, if shown, should clearly indicate ‘file’ and the date and time should be given where feasible.”

The Authority said “no live reporting should be made that facilitates publicity of any terrorist or militant outfit or its ideology or tends to evoke sympathy for the perpetrators or glamourises them or their cause or advances the illegal agenda or objectives of the perpetrators.”

The dead should also be treated with dignity and their visuals should not be shown. Special care should be taken in the broadcast of any distressing visuals and graphics showing grief and emotional scenes of victims and relatives which could cause distress to children and families.

At the outset, the Authority said all telecast of news relating to armed conflict, internal disturbance, communal violence, public disorder, crime and other similar situations should be tested on the touchstone of ‘public interest’.

Furthermore, the media had the responsibility to disseminate information which was factually accurate and objective.

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