Why India Prayed for Sanjay

This was in respose to Vir Sanghvi's Column counterpoint in HT dated 3-12-06

This is a movie crazy nation. A nation where movie stars are worshipped, literally. So what is the big deal about India praying for Sanjay Dutt ?


The stated position on "celebrity crimes" varies with where the celebrity status is derived from. So the differences in treatment to accused in Jessica Lal and Nitish Katara case is rather obvious. The celebrity status of the convicted in the latter cases is a derivative of crime and hence the public hatred. There is only one face to the accused in these cases - that of rich influential offenders who can manipulate the system. The celebrity status of Sanjay Dutt on the other hand is derived as a function of the show business he operates in - where every individual is considered a demigod. He is a man of many faces - from Brave-heart to Robin-hood bollywood ishtyle. So really what parallels are we trying to draw here is incomprehensible to my mind ? May be we are so blinded and naïve in our vision that we see this as just another role of the actor and fail to draw lines between the real and the reel lives.


All this just goes to prove a disturbing point that media is becoming the center of social systems defining public opinion and passing its own judgment - trial by media as they say it is preceding it all. I do not know any of the accused in any of the crimes personally, so to comment on the merits of the case is perhaps impossible . But I wonder if it is much ado about nothing at least in the Sanjay Dutt case. He was one of the many accused in the Mumbai blasts case. Justice has finally been done after the long wait. My interest was limited to that and I guess that would be true for many, unless the message that it's a big deal keeps getting hammered all the time across different media - be it newspapers or television and I start believing it.


Bombay polices' vindictiveness , Sanjay's defense strategy and the case of political capital being created - are they really issues of common man, is anybody's guess. But may be there are takers in media for it for they know the man.


The sad thing is that after all this said and done, we are still discussing it. and the "celebrity status" attached to it. I guess that's the reason why rightly the latest issue of India today offers some insights into gaining the celebrity status. After all it helps you get prayers from the country of a billion - any takers for that? I am sure there are many takers. Why India prayed for Sanjay? Or did it really?

Ram and Rakhi

What do you say to a iconic senior lawyer who screams and fights with journalists in media spotlight? Why , if he knows , journalists are ignorant of criminal procedure code and other legal jargon , does he throw it around so much? Why the fury if its the fight of the truth?

Of late the reactions from advocate Ram Jethamalani have not just been amusing they are becoming ridiculously entertaining. So Cyrus (The week that wasn't) takes some clips and does a spoof on Ram's English. Then there is Karan Thapar who goes Yes Yes Yes to Ram's No No No or vice versa.

Last time I remember becoming so amused when watching news was when Rakhi Sawants controversial womens right issue was raised. Comparing the two , perhaps , there are some parallels.


-> Both are iconic in their areas of expertise.
-> Both the parties are aggrieved with the callous attitude and ignorance of media.
-> Both are involved in any which way with Pg 3 circuit and event occuring at one such party.
-> Both are fighting for professional integrity.
-> Both are high on morality and justice.

Well I wonder what if Ram was a part of Big Boss? May be there will be some contention.May be next we will see Ram fighting for Mika - all in the name of justice!

How Bizzare?

This web-log clearly states - Escape if you can , it’s a mediated world and yet does quite the opposite. I realized this off late as I was going through a few other web-logs and discovered that the content wasn’t very dissimilar. So many of the amateur writers like me are picking up similar topics and writing about them. The latest fad being putting down something on Gandhigiri.

The message is simple. You love it or hate it - Media is making us think. It is giving us food for thought that we all may or may not consciously acknowledge. I wonder what it does to us at an individual and at a social level. I remember writing about defined stereotypes and now taking it a step further it makes me realize if this is the beginning of the homogenization of human thinking. Anyway original thinking seems farfetched and scarce.

In the paucity of original thinking , our thinking becomes a derivative of what we see and hear (which mostly happens through media), media content in turn becomes a derivative of successful international program formats whether it be KBC or the coming soon Big Boss and all of it together results in a kind of mono-culture ( The term is borrowed from Naomi Kleims book - No Logo).

So here we are in the midst of a vicious cycle where we cant think original , where plagiarism takes the name of inspiration and where the chicken or egg question would soon apply to media and social condition. Welcome to the 21st century India or shall I say 21st century globe. After the initial attempt to clone animals genetically its humans turn to be cloned mentally with the mediated fodder. Cloning at a physical level may be less dangerous than cloning at a mental level. If that’s not bizarre what is?

Where's the meat?

Someone asked me after reading this space , where is the meat in your writing on media? I thought and thought and thought more. Where is the meat in media? It made me wonder. So I browsed through the Television channels , kept surfing through radio channels , browsed through couple of magazines and tried hard , harder. There are scoops , sting operations and soundbytes. But even in all this I guess the meat is lacking.

If we look at it medium by medium may be we might be able to spot some bits of interesting pieces but they are so few and far in between that the effort would be tremendous and results only dismal I wonder what should I do? May be go further under the skin of things and look beyond the obvious.

I also happen to be reading Einstein at this stage and that's where I see a stark comparison. The old timers book called "Ideas and Opinion" is excerpts of his speeches and writing put together and its a wonderful piece of writing. That's meat for sure. So its not the medium but the content as has been said again and again and again.

Compared to the writing, would a docu-drama on Einstein sound as interesting? I guess not. I think as mass media and the masses consuming them explodes it is somewhere losing out on what some great media analysts like Ephron call engagement.

This is how I see it. Media presence is becoming ubiquitous. In turn it is becoming a part of our setting. So breakfast is served with radio, lunch with internet at office and dinner with television is so much given that we don't even pay attention to it. We don't consciously observe /curb it. And somehow when something is routine we also loose interest in it. So its just another show , one after another, just another piece of music and just another piece of writing.

But do we really need to look at the extra-ordinary when the ordinary that seems ordinary is not really so. At an extremely high pace things seem static and I guess so is the case with the mediated world but slow down and you might see it all.

As for my friend well his journalistic self can keep looking for meat and stories but I guess there is one everywhere. You just need to see it.

Salaam Bapu

Gandhiji’s birthday had gained special significance this year. It wasn’t anything special except the fact that just a few weeks before this day there was a bollywood release that talked of Gandhian values. The values of truth and non violence that Gandhi advocated so strongly, that his personality seemed to epitomize the same. He always stood for it and yet he was pretty much forgotten and buried with his values. Suddenly the revival of the same courtesy bollywood.

As we talk of fragmentation and fewer viewers we also see mass media resulting in mass movements shaping opinions and ideologies. It’s happening more so as media becomes omnipresent at least in the bigger cities and town. So we all are served the same messages across channels at dinner table. And like food we are almost swallowing it , without chewing it , giving it any thought at all.

“Lagey Raho Munna Bhai” has suddenly made Gandhi relevant and contemporary, even timeless. To comment on the merits of the movie may not be correct as I haven’t seen it yet but what surprises me is how media is shaping us. Gandhi was there, his values have been known and yet it didn’t matter much hitherto. But the power of Bollywood is something else. It has been generating mass hysteria of late.


The message may be good or bad but I guess each one of us have a right to decide for ourselves. Or do we? Aren’t we influenced with the way information is provided to us? The right to free opinion also embodies within itself the right to free thought. But are my thoughts free really?

After watching show after show on Gandhigiri it is not out of free choice that I sit down to put my thoughts together about it. It is a compulsion to say something. I haven’t seen the movie and I had respected Gandhiji’s ideology irrespective of Munna bhai. And I am not against the use of bollywood for the same, just awestruck.

On Bapu’s bday I wonder what to say – salaam babu or salaam bollywood?

Mush Hush Bush Hush

Bush Mush together make a pretty picture. Now Mr Mush is turning into a best selling author. Depsite their differences one thing that is common betweeen the two of them is that both have been turned into caricatures by media. And Mr Mush or Bush never go hush hush . They are in media over everything. Peace process , terrorism and Kashmir(aka Cashmere as per the US press).

But what I really admire about Mush-Bush is there PR abilties. Especially on any kind of international events that happen. They are not just there. They are there in all their glory saying the right thing at the right time with the right coverage.I guess its a great lesson for any PR student.

Mr Presidents dont need much effort for a PR exercise. But the media attention does go overboard. I guess thats true for everything in this age of 300+ channels sceanrio. So channel after channel repeating the same thing till you get sick of it.

So since media will not stop , i can only say Mush hush and Bush hush

Media and Justice

Media Pressure forces judiciary to relook at its own course of action. Does it really? Much is already being said about it. I am not sure if I have something different to say. Some call it a great move towards unearthing truth , others call it the awakening.

What if media wasnt there? Jessica Lal's murderer would be scot free as he is despite all the hullaboo except that there is a parallel trial by media. Many a sting operations would be gone and many an expose wouldnt happen.Does this say something about the media or about the judicial system?

Guess its says a lot about both. Clearly our judicial system is primitive in more ways than one.Justice is perpetually delayed under the system. Some provisions in law that were borrowed from other countries and have been declared redundant in the country of origin still continue to exist in our country. Such aberrations are not a just aberration but they are turning out to be the order of the day and that’s what is making the legal system not just futile but almost rotten. Legal system is only looked as the last resort in most cases by each one of us. So the sanctity of judiciary is being challenged and more and more issues are coming in the public domain.

Public domain today is defined by media. Media has become the epicenter of every social event whatsoever. So whether it’s the riots or award ceremony or protest against capital punishment, it gains sanctity only after it is covered by media. Media in turn looks for stories – stories that intrigue, excite, and scare – stories that result in an emotional outburst in whatever way, whichever way. So Rakhi Sawant gains prominence over Medha Patkar, after all Rakhi is also fighting for justice against the evils of male dominance and Amitabh Bachchan over Amartya Sen. That’s the flaw in media. I am not trying to judge the editorial sanctity of media. Many a story are covered for the right reasons too but indeed what is it, but a story.

After all SMS campaigns, protest marches and cover stories are only about the high profile cases. Does that change anything in the system per se; I am not sure. So to marry media with judiciary is not really the solution. Media may glorify it, calling it the awakening, marrying the shots of reel and real world together but its more than that. I guess the Constitution needs to go through its nth amendment to make the necessary changes to the judicial system and more so to declare that Judiciary will operate independent of the Legislature, Executive and the Media.

Couch Potato - Internet vs Television

I am caught again. This time its not the telly that I was so addicted to as a teen. With time I have grown out of it. Suprisingly from one trap to another - its the internet now. Well whom can I blame but myself. So I realize that am spending an increasing amount of my time on the net. Clearly there are similarities and differences between the two. But the bottomline is neither is "really" exciting.

Like dope this gives me a high. I look at the screen endlessly , surfing from one end to the other and yet getting nowhere. Television was fantasy and I viewed it to escape it all , internet is worse - its fantasy involving me. So am a part of it all and yet apart from it all. Escapism turning virtual, sometimes funny , sometimes scary and occasionally real. Like dope it also gives me a hangover and leaves me with a craving ,wanting for more.I am turning into a net-o-holic.

Interactivity , involvement and blah blah...The jargon that talks of new media and its merits is taking it all to a newer level. It is the creation of a virtual world. So as I wake up I put the radio on, On till I get to office. Then am looking at the PC all day long; get back home radio still on and finally fall asleep looking at the TV screen or surfing the net. And yes there is also a dash of reading that I do alongside all this.Real world , real friends , real people - do they exist, I wonder sometimes.Media is becoming the way of communicating even with people living under the same roof. After all my blog does give a better insight into me then my talks. I dont know how many of you feel the same . Somehow this bridging the distance is also creating greater distances.

Multifaceted multitasking youth doing multiple things - did I hear a whisper about power of concentration - I guess that's passe.

TV or internet doesn't matter much. But the bottomline sadly is am still a couch potato somewhere craving for the real.

Mediated Vs Ordinary

Have you ever looked inside a crystal ball and seen a world within a world? There is a world within world everywhere today or so it seems.There are boundaries being drawn , distinctins being made and exclusivity being gained as we move towards a more "equitable" world .But are we really, is the question.

I have recently read Dr Nick Couldry's "Media Rituals". The book focuses on the role of media as it becomes the epicentre of society and also talks about clear distinctiveness between people , places and things in the mediated world vs non mediated/ordinary world.

Recently, I was watching two movies and it struck me hard. It struck me hard that what Nick was talking about is pretty evident in real. Just a case in point - two movies one from Bollywood and other one from Hollywood using media as an essential element in the storyline.

Rang de Basanti : Cut to climax. What do the rebels do to be heard? They go to the radio station and get on the mic - reach out to millions of people and the end almost positively implies the beginning of a revolution. The beginning of the revolution is mediated. If we delve a little deeper there are other things too that clearly bring about how important and pivotal media is in this movie.

# Su - the female protagonist is a documentary film maker.
# The Bhagat Singh episode also clearly indicates how media ( newspapers ) almost a century ago, would help revolutionaries create the bang if they did something big at a place of important known people.
# There is also the RJ friend who comes in handy at the end of the movie.
# Television is the source of information (Madhavan's death) and later of the social take on the whole episode ( discussions on ndtv so on and forth )

Thats the media perspective on RDB.



Notting Hill: This movie is based on the premise of the difference between the mediated world and non mediated world. The entire movie revolves around it and media is the source of conflict in the movie. Well never before did I see the movie in that light. But some sequences that are hilarious and also bring out the difference starkly include:
# Hugh Grants sisters bday dinner
# The Horses and Hounds episode
# Climax - the proposal at the press conference.



Two of my favorite movies clearly talking of the difference in media and ordinary world and yet doing it so naturally that it may not strike many people.

The objective of saying all this is to understand that media's preojection of world is being taken as real , that media is increasingly becoming the center for determining the importance of any/every thing around us. But who is to ensure that media's projection of the world is real or not? The only way of ensuring the same is to make sure that media gets democratised.

Think about it!
Salaam Namaste

Suspended "Reality"

The Great Indian Melodrama both on TV and Cinema is a way of life for most of us. But there were some remarks by M.Night Shyamalan that made me think. Speaking of Indian Cinema and how it has influenced Shyamalan's work he talked of the theme of Suspended Reality.

Suspended Reality implies that when we agree to be entertained by the soaps and cinema there are certain presumptions that we implicitly decide to agree to. So its ok for the actors to run in the woods around trees singing , the emotional breakdown of mothers , the big entry of the hero (male protagonist) and more than perfect looking damsels in distress , the heroines (female protagonist) - its all acceptable and nothing really disturbs us. In fact the biggest grossers on box office have been really high on these elements of fiction. After all its just a movie, a story , a piece of fiction. Its not suppose to be real. We all as viewers enter this realm of suspended reality. Soap operas are no less. The long shots and zoom in ,zoom out, just to create impact is more common in K-serials than in thrillers. The film song and dance sequences are also finding time in the popular 30- minute slot of soap operas.So there is a clear line of demarcation between real and unreal in cinema and TV soaps.

But what with the reality shows.Is there a similar line that can be drawn between real and unreal in these shows as well. The "Idols" of the world aren't real but they aren't unreal either. So how does one understand and interpret this realm of entertainment? How real is the reality TV scenario and how far do we suspend it from reality, if at all, is the challenge we all face?

Sex and the City

As I give this title I wonder if i am just trivializing a major issue. But I know this one will grab attention so am using it though not to talk about a sitcom but a more grave and serious issue.

Welcome to the world of new media - Internet and podcasting.
Today people are creating their own media content. Media is a big industry and content is the key in there.Picture this - a 13 year old kid turned into an internet pornstar in his teens.It all happened within his home , through his PC and webcam. Beware, I say again its a mediated world and its turning grave and if we dont pay attention now , when will we ever? This was the story that shook me somewhere.This was the story of Justin Berry featured on the Oprah Show yesterday.

Media is just a tool and like every tool its usage determines its merit. But I guess the direction it is heading in is really not inspriring. Its becoming a source of terror , fraud , intrusion , sex and am sure there is a lot more trouble in store.

So what are we heading towards?
It is completely disorienting and i feel shame.
Shame on us and I wonder how we landed up here.

Do you think the same?

Who are we - Defined Stereotypes?

Posted in response to a blog on CNN IBN : My house hunting

Home -is where we all belong or perhaps not. Perhaps its never the place but the people. And when people around you, make you feel isolated , you are lost and you wonder where you belong.

Stereotypes are what drives our understanding of people. Parsis are suppose to be intellectual albeit funny, Punjabis are suppose to be enterprenuering albeit loud and ostentatious ,Bengalis are suppose to be intellectual albeit eccentric. Kashmiris - we all know it.

If we drive the question inwards we might get some answers within us.For the media is partly responsible for creating the stereotype as well.Pick up the recent papers and you will see KASHMIR and KASHMIRIS written all over.More so the reports of terrorists finding more prominence , then the people bearing the brunt each day. So may be somewhere down the line the word " Kashmir" does ignite fear.They are suffering in their home and elsewhere and yet the apathy.

We want reservations. We also want equality. We want democracy. We also want to vote on caste / religion.We want ourselves to be humanitarian.We also want to be clanish. Ironical isnt it?

India, my motherland, tell me where I belong!
Vande matram

Blog Blocking - Shame on Democracy

Someone is scared out there!

The blasts impact is being heard slowly and steadily. Someone not used to hearing the cries of pain is also being disturbed; woken up from his slumber.What does he do as soon as he wakes up? Well he asks the door and windows to be shut and the voices to be silenced. And the harder he tries to stop it ; the more difficult it gets to supress.



Its a shame that in a democracy there should be a censorship on opinions of people expressing it anyway - through discussions or blogs!But it proves a point. That somewhere somebody fears this expression , this voice that is slowly being raised and the people at large.

Blog blocking - what a shame on one of the biggest democracies of the world.

Krish - The Case Study

Bollywood - the utopian world which makes existence for many of us tolerable is back at it. Movie-making is the art of storytelling or is it? Today its not just story telling its also about marketing the final product ; about making sure that the story fulfils some inherent needs for the viewers or may be even generating such needs.

Product/brand placement has been a part of many a movie in the recent past in bollywood including Taal , Parineeta and Koi Mil Gaya and in some cases the brands seemed more misplaced , then there were the leadership lessons from Bhuvan of Lagaan fame and now its Krish and its marketing strategies that are being developed into case studies by some premiere management institutes(across the world). But I have a few concerns.

* Krish is not targeting the world at large - its routing it through kids. Children , the most susceptible of all audiences were a part of the core followers of Koi Mil Gaya and now Krish ,the sequel. It has been the case with most superhero stories but more so with Krish. Fairy tale and super hero stories are a part of growing up so am all for it.

* My concern is the extent of commercialisation that one can involve with the same. First brand placements and the merchandise , corporate tie ups an promotions. I am all for it but am against it being targeted to kids.

* Kids are in the process of defining reality and its tough for them. There have been many an instances of kids emulating superheroes and ending up injured. This is not the first time these concerns have been raised but there hasn't been much down about this copy cat drama in which kids imitate super heroes.

* My biggest concern is where to draw the line. Movie get marketed and then become a platform for marketing so are we already in the phase of branded entertainment. Its scary thought because you will never know whether there is a commercial message implicit in everything under cover of enetertainment. This is the vicious cycle that movies and marketing are getting into.

* More so is the audience smart enough to overcome their naivete and understand the way marketers are reaching out to them in the non traditional formats.

After all if Krish is being developed into a case study by the most renowned management institute there is something that is working for them - even if its reaching out to families through children. Business may be a child's play sooner than you expect - the only fear that here children will be the objects of the game.

We, The Terrorists

This post was made in response to the story on CNN IBN about the declaration by LeQ taking responsibility for the blasts.


To call off Diplomatic talks with Pakistan took 3 days and we demand India to start a proxy war in Pakistan. Wake up, this is India. Our politicians are thorough professionals - only playing politics with no action, there is an endless wait. Remember, justice on more than decade old blasts, are still pending in the court. Justice delayed, justice denied.

Who cares if 200 people die, who cares if the country’s security has not only been breached but attacked, and all we care for is "Spirit of Mumbai". At least that’s what the wartime like propaganda reflects across media. INDIA ATTACKED on 7/11 like US ATTACKED on 9/11 years ago but our "Proxy" Prime Minister hasn’t got much to say to its people. Forget about the action, they even lack the words.

People of Pakistan and India are the recipients of the brunt of this political game that started way back in 1947 post independence. Will it ever end? How many more lives will it claim and after all, is all this worth it? These are question that need to be answered.

Terrorists turn media savvy. Inspired from Bollywood flick they lay claim to their misdeeds through e-mail to TV channel.We , the terrorist - they say it out loud. They are "breaking news" and channels broadcasting it. This is not some "Casting couch story" to create sensationalism. It is a national security issue. Hope media understands the difference and treats it as required. As citizens, has the propaganda so besieged our mental faculties that we can’t see this difference?

Tomorrow morning every paper will talk of militant organization that has claimed to commit hideous act of violence but will conveniently forget about challenge that lays forth our authorities and the common citizens. They have conveyed their message. The reasons for blasts – Kashmir and Gujarat – are both sensitive issues that have been prolonging forever; Issues that are now becoming a threat to each one of us. Let’s not shrug shoulders. If no one cares for our security, we are also part of our misfortune as we have elected this government. - the government which is blind to rising smoke, deaf to ever exploding bombs and dumb about injustice being inflicted upon its people. Remember among the 200 dead could be one of us tomorrow, if things don’t change soon.
Vande Matram.

Uncle Sam and Mother India

Day after day , the impact of the blasts is receding.It already has. The media is just waiting for the next "Big Story" and as the steam runs out of the 7/11 Mumbai blasts it will move from the Front page and Headlines to the middle of the paper.Some other story will take its place. The story is still "hot" and hence still there on the front pages.Eventually for the reporting community its just another story like there was one almost 14 years ago (1993 Blasts) where the litigation process is still on.But thats not what I want to talk about.I want to talk about Uncle Sam and Mother India.



9/11/2001: NYC, USA: US attacked at twin towers. The miscreants identified.George Bush declares "WAR AGAINST TERRORISM".Propoganda across media about the need to handle terrorism. Some support it, others are against but whatever it is across media most of it is glorified. Even if there is dissent in some parts of the world against it there isnt much Uncle Sam cares for. After all the world media is alos dominated by the US. Uncle Sam is shrewd and kills many.What he does may not be right , may involve killing innocent people and may even be criticised by the UN but who cares. After all Uncle Sam is Uncle Sam!

7/11/2006: Mumbai, India : India attacked? Did you hear that? I didnt see anything like that anywhere. All I saw was Mumbai Blasts everywhere. Thats the difference. Mother India doesnt seem to care much for her own children or may be the politicians have sold her to a brothel and now for her to care much for bastards seems unlikely. So it takes a few days for out Prime Minister to make a statement. None of the Ministers, the so called guardians of the biggest democracy in the world come to rescue its people on a public platform. What are they waiting for? No wonder the guilty take years and years to be punished when a strong statement from Prime-Minister takes 3 days to come.Finally a statement has come from the Prime-Minister about the peace process with Pakistan being put on hold.This is not the first time around. I have been repeatedly saying it because there have been many an instance in past on similar lines.History it seems is not the politicians favorite area to learn from. So Mother India tattered and sold is being abused time and again. May be she goes through throes of pain evertime she is attacked. But the screeching loud screams of pain are not heard in this media saturated world.

So where do we go from here? Uncle Sam and Mother India,it seems have not much in common. Even the enemy takes different forms. So US ally in fighting the war against terrorism may be the offender in case of our own country. Diplomacy works but it only works for the mighty who can armtwist the entire world and make it agree to its own opinion and subdue the voices of all others.

Somwhere down the line , in the past 59 years of our countrys' existence we have turned blind ,deaf and dumb so nothing affects us anymore!

Romanticizing Tragedy

Mumbai was struck by serial blasts. There was panic all around. Mobile lines were jammed. People were looking for their relatives and friends. It was as crazy as it could possibly get. I could feel the chill down my spine more than 1000 kms away, in Delhi. While politicians were involved in mud slinging like all other occasions, people did rescue each other. People supporting other people – that’s how Mumbai has always been. There may be many reasons for it and the most likely reason is the apathy from authorities. At all occasions authorities have failed to take necessary action so it makes people almost rush to the rescue of each other. Who do they have except each other? People in Mumbai are resilient and their resilience is a matter of pride, but how far can we stretch it, is the question!

Media also did its bit in helping people in all possible ways but it also did its bit of romanticizing tragedy. Like the propaganda media used during war times there have been cries of ,“ The Spirit of Mumbai” , “ Salaam Mumbai” and “ The city fighting back”. What are we trying to do here and whom are we trying to fool? The politicians who roar about “Amchi Mumbai” have not much to say about this desecration at the face of nation and it is meeting a mute response from one and all, instead we are rejoicing about the spirit. Yes the opposition does condemn the ruling party like it always has been doing but that is all. Simply because among the 200 or more killed there wasn’t a politician or a celebrity or a known face. Who cares about the faceless but what if there was?

The spirit of Mumbai is nothing but a fight to survive. Ask the people who have lost friends and relatives, who are impaired for life and for whom the day has spelt the doom. Ask them what does the spirit of Mumbai means and I guess they will be able to give you a fitting reply.

Why Mumbai is back on track is because they are millions who struggle here each day for their next meal.

Why people are back in trains is because there isn’t any other way of commuting for these millions.

Why Mumbai doesn’t stop is because it has become almost mechanical in its operation and the momentum of action is so high that this inertia of motion is hard to stop. So it goes on and on.

Why am I saying all this is because we need to look beneath the surface. Somewhere underneath all this, the system is rotten and we are being made to believe all is fine. I guess we need to do more than just rescue operations. Stop propaganda and get to action. There is a sense of anger amongst many people and I am just one of them. If the government and judiciary is failing repeatedly to fulfill its function, I think we need to delve deeper than just tactically rescuing the injured and the dead. I guess we need to get real. I guess more so, media, being the opinion maker that it is also needs to report more real and stop romanticizing tragedy, for we have had enough of it.

Where is the Love?

"I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm getting older y'all people get colder
Most of us only care about money makin
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema"

- Where is the love? Black eyed Peas

Words from one of my favorite songs that I was working on constantly over the past few days. Words that became real as blasts hit Mumbai. Where is the Love?Its sad but its true that such things should happen. Its even sadder the way they get reported. May be we were better without media , then with it ,on such days. How strange that when such things happen the remote control seems like funny device with a sure route to escapism.



We have the gory pictures and then the politicians making the most of the event. So Mr Advani takes a higher ground stating that the opposition had forewarned the ruling party. The ruling party representative but not the Country's Primeminister conveys the trite statements , so full of drama and so lacking in effect that it seems a futile exercise.

Who are they addressing anyway? People suffering ,are not in a position to view their televised messages. May be its for the TV audiences .After all they are the votebank as well and what better opportunity then now to make an impression , build an image (In marketing terms its branded events/entertainment , forgive my usage of words but that's what it is)

Also to top it all there are citizen journalists. Ordinary people - taking pictures , reporting the event. How indifferent for one human to picture another in pain , bleeding , either dead or dying. For such indifference is why I ask again and again, "Where is the Love ?"

Digital Divide

My 5 year old niece has learnt to drag and click the mouse but my 55+ years old Mom is still scared to touch the mouse. That's the digital divide we face today. Two generations living in the same era and yet so different. Will they ever be able to bridge the digital gap, I wonder. One generation born with access to mobiles in one hand and mouse in another and another generation the believer that pen is mightier then sword, still putting pen to paper each day.

What is my niece hooked on to? Well its the Disney playhouse.Its a part of the curriculum from the pre-school she goes to. Sure she gets to learn but not the traditional way. Her teachers are not in school but on the computer screen and TV. Its Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and yes the next time she goes to any store and sees them around , wont blame her if she insists that she wants those toys. Its an easy trap , even easier marketing gimmick and yet not many of us realize how we fall into this trap.



My Mum on the other end fears computers and technology to no end. For what reason is hard to explain. May be its the novelty or the fear of the unknown. So its likely that the gap that this digital divide is leading to will keep on increasing till something is done to bridge the same. Such efforts seem far fetched.

Digital divide , dividing in the most miniscule way. Its not just hide and seek between the two generations today. Its one generation entering into a world that's pretty much inaccessible to the other!

Mother Tongue : SMS

Every morning as i go for my walk i see some random person wearing the tee shirt with the message - Mother Tongue : SMS. Its just got me thinking. What if your mother tongue is SMS. The Day begings with GM and Ends with TC GN.You want everything ASAP and if you are busy you SMS saying TTYL.Also vwls dnt hld much value.Well if you can interpret all this in one go am sure you are also a part of the gennxt.If you cant then LOL.

But it worries me to some extent.Like the old timers i worry about culture being eroded and language loosing its beauty and sanctity. Most of it is already gone and whatever else is left, may erode soon.So we will have the next generation which will talk in abbreviations. Names are already being shortened.So Vipul is often turned into Vips and there are many other beautiful names with meaning which lose both beauty and meaning as they get adapted to the SMS world.

I guess the dictionary of SMS language has already hit the western markets a few years ago and may be, is already in here as well.The pure Urdu , Hindi and English in its traditional forms is limited only to literature classrooms and students.If you start speaking the classical way people wonder something is not right or may be that you are dated.

SMS also has a commercial implication.It involves money making for the cellular operators.So the freedom of expression doesnt really come free for the SMS gen. Jokes and messages can be downloaded and shared with friends. I wonder how it works. Its so impersonal.Its not like you are sharing a moment with friends.You are sharing SMS. The friends reaction is ? Does the generation really care about it?

Technology is good.Its great.It has created blogs (Thank God for it). But its technical.Its impersonal.Its meant to be that way.It lacks that personal touch and feel. I wonder if the generation who talks through sms ,born with a mobile handset in their hand, would ever know what it means. I hope they do.

Mobile Moments

(Before i start the entry let me state that i have nothing against technology but the way it has permeated our lives and is encompassing almost every moment of our existence is funny. While i had been thinking of putting these thoughts together i wasnt sure of the title - i got it from The Idea cellular planner for the year which captures the same - Mobile moments - pardon the plagiarism. But am glad to say its only the title that is borrowed.)

In one of my previous entries i had written about the txt / sms and its impact on language. Heres another facet of technology - Mobile phones. Mobile phones are everywhere. I see it all around. Its an escape mechanism . Its a comfort provider. Its an instant way to reach out. Reach out to distant people, forget the ones around you,thats the telecom mantra.Its an easy way to avoid peoople around. Fiddling with mobiles is a big thing. "Who the hell is everybody talking to? "Among the very many places that i find mobile phones and their usage funny am listing down a few:

* Airports : If you havent noticed it yet, notice it next time when you are in the airport lounge. Everyone is talking to someone. Some complaining and cribbing about delayed flights ; some discussing their travel adventures and excursions but most of them just trying to reach out to their comfort zone. May be at a deeper level mobile technology is constraining the social skills of people; of reaching out to strangers.Thats before boarding the flights.

Even after being seated in the flight some people go ahead informing friends and relatives that they are "in the flight" . The government regulations do not permit usage of phones in flight, but who cares. Then the instruction to switch off mobiles. How difficult to be out of touch !Imagining the world did exist without mobiles a few years back seems a little unbelievable when people want to keep in touch even in the skies.

The flight lands. The first thing people do is switch on mobiles.Like they were expecting a call from God or something. The response is so instinctive and instantaneous that if you dont do it you feel you might miss out on all the people calling you. What syndrome is that? Like am the most important person and this world awaits me.Its not about the world missing you , its about you missing the world. Call, call ,call again. The new generation of mobile phone users have a message embedded in their DNA. It says, " The world is calling".

* Jogging tracks : Airports are still ok.You are bored , you are with a bunch of strangers and you want to feel at home so you call at home or wherever else , whoever else makes you feel at home. But the jogging track.Thats not transit time.Thats time taken out to be dedicated to the body.To be dedicated to yourself , by yourself and for yourself. Or is it? People walking / jogging on the track talking to others- about what i wonder. Like how many steps have i taken or proving a point that multitasking is a skill and how multifaceted one can be. I dont know for sure.But i know one thing that the world can do with your temporary absence for an hour or so.

* In Transit: Many a people also have their ear plugs on while running , walking and travelling. Another way of increasing media consumption.Not really.Another way of escaping reality is more like it. Escape the blaring horns, the roaring engines , the screaming vendor tring to sell. Put your ear plugs on.Transform your world to the AC studio of the RJs. Just listen to them. Even better get some pointers about whats happening around you so you get a point of discussion. I guess the real world has become too difficult to handle, to loud to pay attention to , to stark without glares on.Welcome to the intransit media world. I dont know if its really real. I dont know if its unreal. I know it exists. I know it helps you escape the real.

*Loo: This is the worst place to get your mobile ringing and trust me it does. Anyone who has experienced it would know.I do want my privacy and dont want to "stay connected" always. Please let the world pee in peace.

Reservations and SMS

I get few SMSes.Most of them relate to some promotions which I just see and erase. I am not completely averse to it and neither am for it.Its just one of those things that you become indifferent to. So, "DOWNLOAD" this and "WATCH FOR" or "SHOP FOR" that - doesnt gain my attention anymore.But today I got a different SMS.It did catch my attention and it stated:

"Send "NO" to 6388 to vote against RESERVATION SC/ST on NDTV.Pls fwd to all concerned. At least we can do this much for our rights"

It wasnt an issue that had concerned me yet despite so much hullabaloo happening about it.I am one of those INDIFFERENT INTELLECTUAL INDIAN CYNICS (I3C) Who talk big and talk anything without knowing the nuances of what they are talking about and when it comes to action there isnt much they think they can do. "Making a difference through their words" is their motto when they know anyway it doesnt really work.

Suddenly there was an issue on my mobile. There was something I was being told I can do about the issue. It was looking at me stark in my face.It wasnt a tough choice.

It was almost predecided what am supposed to do.SMS was worded very precisely and clearly.I had to just follow the command.It was decided for me that I was to Say "NO" to 6388 to vote against reservations.I did it. But after doing it I read it time and again and realised how it played on my thoughts and mind. It was a neat trick. It told me what to do , also gave me a reason to do it and offered me an option to view the results as well. I had done something for an issue. Was it changing me, transforming me within , I wondered.But I realised,I am still a part of the I3Cs. I still dont care.

As part of the I3Cs let me try and explain what the Reservations and SMS issue means to me.
- I still dont care much about reservations
- I was tricked into saying "NO" to reservations and though it doesnt matter much am just bothered about Rs 2 or 3 that i will be charged for it.
- I dont think my SMS will nmake a difference to the issue
- I think the only party to benefit in the process is NDTV and their mobile partner 6388.

Qoutas, Reservations , Preferential Rights..........SMSes - for what and for whom? But I guess it works better than going on a hunger strike or sitting for a Dharna. With the tech boom there is hope for I3Cs.They may finally act , even if it involves some vested interests.

Virtual Relationships

Virtual Relationships

Something got me thinking. This world is becoming increasingly virtual. So we are logging on to networking sites , dating sites and blogs.Self expression , networking , making friends - many an important areas of human experiences are gaining a new dimension and we dont even question it.For finding information we are googling , for making friends we are chatting and for expressing ourselves to the world we are blogging.

But since we are still in transition there are some old timers who consider the virtual world a sham. I am no one to comment on the virtues or vice of virtual world. Too many V's in there.But thats still different from "WE".I guess its true.I guess internet is a lonely place.Its a good way to reach and connect but it cannot replace the charm of being together. Being on the net for hours, watching webcams is not the same as holding hands even if its for a minute.

The problem I guess exists because we see real and virtual relationships in coflict. Its percieved as an "either or" equation.I guess thats where the problem is. Virtual and Real is not to replace but to complement each other.There is no conflict just change. And we all resist change!

A Mediated World

I am listening to a song by GOO GOO DOLLS.Its called IRIS. There is one line in the song that always strikes me hard. It says, "When everything seems like the movies, Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive." We all are living in a mediated world where it is hard to distinguish the real from unreal. So its a hard choice to decide whether what we are seeing around is more real then what lies behind it or whether its the other way around.

Time and again it has completely taken me by surprise how we are trying to live our lives upto an image. The images that the media projects on us ,everywhere , all the time.
Success , Happiness , Love - just a phone call away. Those glossy pictures and amazing videos - all showing an image, thats hard to resist. So we constantly try and live upto it and then its the chicken and egg story - all over again.

So for sometime I have been making some observations about the things and people around me and how media is influencing it all. Its an utopian view of the world- Its a mediated world we are living in. No wonder a mediated world was all I could think of when i started typing for the blog.Through this blog I will express my concerns about media and behavior in our day to day life. For a mediated world also need a way to express oneself through some medium.