Is Sex Education a Necessary Evil of India?

…..Savita bhabhi represents blasphemy against our culture, Flying Machine’s ad is vulgar and Valentine’s Day corrupts our youth!

Such rhetoric has been mouthed time and again by those who have been voted in power by our junta to create a better future of us. The reality however is quite sad.

In India sex is prerogative of only married people and that too in the privacy of their homes. No I am not talking about the act per se, but about discussions, education and learning about it, which is so vital for every individual’s healthy existence.

Those who whine saying that Indian youth is getting corrupted with overdose of vulgarity and obscenity through movies and advertisements forget that such a phenomenon is the culmination of age old taboo associated with sex in our country. Right from the childhood our kids are tutored to turn blind and deaf to anything which is even remotely linked to this topic. We are brought up in an environment where we are expected to fathom this art automatically when we get married. Ask how and pat comes the reply “It’s natural”. They forget that we no longer live in the age of Ramayan and Mahabharat where magical touch and some blessings could impregnate a woman. Parents think it is not their responsibility and schools think it is not theirs. In such a situation it is but natural for a child to get titillated by the slightest exposure which he/she gets through the entertainment channels.

Even though we have moved into the 21st century we are still stuck with the rules, rituals and mentalities of the dinosaur’s era. A certain level of progression in the expression of love and acceptance of sex has to happen in a mature society. We cannot expect our nation to be free from clutches of prostitution, teenage pregnancies, child trafficking and sexually transmitted diseases when we refrain our youth from knowing anything about it. A land where even hand holding (yes! even by husband and wife) is frowned upon and looked down with suspicion needs to learn to be more tolerant and more receptive. Many argue that imparting sex education at the school level would make our kids promiscuous and encourage them to explore the unknown and in doing so the same people overlook the bigger picture of the entire scenario. Then there are also those who feel sex education is another aspect where we are trying to emulate the west.

In this age TVs and internet have mega influence on the way we think and behave and hence the need to channelize our learning is even more important. These mediums of entertainment provide lot of resources on such topics but most often these are half baked information as teenagers and kids choose to read what they like. If only they could be taught about the why, how and when about their bodies at the right age that they would transform into responsible people with sexual awareness.

If cultural pandits and political leaders shy away from understanding the role of sex education in trouncing sex related woes then our country would continue to be plagued by disasters. The idea is not to follow the western countries in how they are imparting the sex education but to take a leaf out of their book and understand their paradigm and develop a prototype suiting our ethos. Leaving our kids at the crossroads of adolescence, with no idea about sex, is quite dangerous as it can lead them towards the path of misadventures. This is where schools can play a pivotal role and provide a platform for sex education minus the hype surrounding it. Decisions taken by an informed mind are often more logical and sound than the ignorant and confused mind.

Just like Physics, Chemistry and History, sex education can also be tailored into a subject and introduced from certain grades into the schools. Of course being a new domain a lot of sensitivity and cooperation would be required from teachers and parents which would help in making this endeavor successful. However before we preach our kids we need to walk the talk ourselves and stop considering sex as the subject of condemnation and approach it more pragmatically. Let us empower our youth with education today for a salubrious tomorrow, after all “child is the father of the man”.

Manmohan Singh - Then and Now

He is a man who became the modern day synonym for integrity in the political circuit of India. Credited with making the crawling economy of our country move at a faster pace and making it come out of its self created cocoon of license raj, he made the world take notice of us. But all this was yesterday. Today he is mocked for his lack of initiative for resolving moments of crisis and inability to exhibit world class leadership when the whole nation stands in doubt.

Manmohan Singh would certainly be remembered as the only Prime Minister (of course apart from Mr. Nehru) of India who has democratically held the office for 2 consecutive terms by the people of my generation. The grey beard, black frame spectacles and light blue turban are not only the signature look of this economist but over the time have also symbolized his calm demeanor and level headed approach towards otherwise mudslinging politics of India. The recent pandemonium created over anti-corruption campaign spear headed by Anna Hazare threw very many questions at Manmohan Singh and his government. He was constantly tongue lashed by the opposition parties for inaction and instigated by the media to speak his mind on these issues.

While the aam junta understands and appreciates the fact that running a country of mammoth size is no child’s play, it also expects the government to listen to its woes and acknowledge them. Suresh Kalmadi and A. Raja led scandals are two most prominent cases of embezzlement which have tainted the clean slate of the ruling government. You may argue that a single person, no matter what power he has, cannot prevent the corrupt minds from carrying out the wrong deeds. But then the onus surely lies on him to free the tax payers’ money from the clutches of mercenary bureaucrats. Constant media write-ups about Manmohan Singh’s meek persona and questions about his freedom to call shots have dismayed the Indian citizens. The country no longer feels the same confidence and optimism which the results of 2004 general elections had accorded. Call it a sad state of affairs or power driven propaganda by the media and oppositions – things are just not the same.

His spotless career records and financial acumen are undeniably his most laudable forte but currently the question confronting the future of India is whether he is the leader our nation has been longing for? The nation will rejoice when we get to see the yester years’ Manmohan Singh whose grit and unflinching stand made India become a nuclear power even after the US bans. The man who introduced economic reforms and infused a sense of power in our nation. The man who made honesty a style statement amongst his political coterie. Till then this question would continue to daunt our nation.

Anna Hazare - Our strength or shield?

Scams and scandals do not surprise us anymore. They have become mundane just like the potholes on our roads and the sky rocketing inflation. But why blame the politicians and the government workers alone? The whole country is plagued with the attitude of “chalta hai” or so we could say few months earlier.

Our entire nation is currently gripped with fever of Anna Hazare. He is the hottest flavor of our trend following hysteric junta who never miss an opportunity to put someone at the helm of their hearts and minds. There is of course no doubt about the intentions and efforts of Anna who is fighting the crusade for putting the corrupt and callous public servants under scrutiny. The unanimous support shown to his cause is totally unprecedented in the history of free India. Right from panwallas to movie stars, socialites and other celebrities - everybody has joined hands with the aam junta to form solidarity which has unnerved not only the ruling party but also the oppositions and other allies in India.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that even the common man is surprised at his own power and tasted its addiction for the first time. Earlier considered a toothless tiger the common man has now sharpened his claws and teeth with Anna tool and managed to create fear psychosis in the hearts of political coterie pan India. But the real question still remains ulterior – will this zest and power exhibited by the citizens of India now continue to be in style or will it lose its steam? The anger and frustrations against corruption have always dwelled in our hearts but this is the first time when we have found a channel to vent it out in a mammoth proportion.

We, as a nation, are known for our ability to exhibit herd mentality and this protest was no exception. It would not be wrong to say that many of us echoed Anna’s name even without having a clear understanding of why was he fasting or what “Jan Lokpal” was. However that is not the sad part. We rose to the occasion coalesced our determinations and roared loud enough to vibrate the ear drums of our otherwise deaf eared politicians – but only when we were sure of being cajoled and represented by a father figure – That’s the sad part of our happy story. The real victory will come when we will learn to stand for our rights without any hand holding.

Earlier it was Gandhi who led us on the path of freedom and today it is Anna who is bearing the torch towards more civilized India, more honest India. But amidst all these what must not be forgotten is the fact that it took us 64 years to move from free India to honest India. What if no Gandhi or Anna appears on the horizon next time? What if there is no larger than life inspiration or leadership to help us fight our battle? Are we ready to bury our souls in the oppression from those in the power? Make these questions your food for thoughts next time when you think of Anna Hazare. Don’t just stop at idolizing him; go a step further and answer these questions by being honest to yourself.

The K Kingdom

I know that they are currently one of the most talked about people in our film industry but no, this title is not inspired by either of KJo or Ekta Kapoor.

It’s about the kingdom which has been created and cleverly ruled by the three most desired Khans of Hindi cinema. They have ruled our senses and emotions for over more than two decades and at least one of them has tickled the fantasies of every girl and woman in our country or been a heroic macho figure for boys and men.

Salman Khan has single handedly driven the gym industry in our country and literally pumped up the image of Indian men which otherwise was pictured with pot bellies, hint of boobs and of course acres of hair (and by hair I do not mean those on the head). SRK has epitomized romance even in the dull lives of middle class eves. He has occupied the imaginations of men and women with equal penchant with every girl secretly wishing to get wooed by a man like SRK and every boy desiring to be a charming lover like him. Aamir Khan has very astutely weaved a thinking genre in Hindi movies. He has constantly stirred our emotions and pinched our souls to ponder over issues which are obliviously ignored by us as a nation together. Not to forget his efforts of converting kissing in our movies from Haw to Wah (of course the legacy is well carried forward by Emraan Hashmi and several other actors now). From Juhi, Karishma, Sonali and Rani, Aamir has sealed every actress’s lips, quite literally.

Binding these men together is one common factor – Khan. Apart from this there is nothing similar in their approach towards their work, life or common junta like us.

My first memory of Salman is from the movie Maine Pyaar Kiya released in 1989. I was barely six years old then. I have come a long way from being a toddler to being a writer but the magic of Salman still remains the same. Of course now his shirts have come off his body and most of his ex girl friends are married to someone else. But there is something genuine about his affection and warmth which draws people towards him; people who otherwise can only relate to him on the silver screens. The name Prem gained a lofty meaning with his portrayal as against the image of a rapist played by Prem Chopra. This brat of Hi-Fi has swept all hearts on small screen with Dum of his uncanny wits and become the Boss in no time. Are baba, Hi-Fi is what this bad boy prefers to call Bollywood…a short version for Hindi Films. Well this handsome hunk isn’t all about looks. What say ladies?

Dimpled cheeks, ruffled hair and a stammering voice – This isn’t a description which you would like to fall in love with but this is a man who has redefined love and romance like no one else has done before. Anyone who watched Circus and Fauji wouldn’t have thought that this guy with his boyish charm would one day rule our entertainment industry. If it was not love then most certainly it was the idea of falling in love which filled every girl’s eyes with dreams and churned her stomach with anxiety every time a Raj or Rahul came sizzling on 70mm screen with SRK. His conviction and passion made his meta-physical presence also felt by the throbbing hearts of teenagers. He was the first hero in mid 90s who portrayed negative shades in movies like Darr, Bazigar, Anjaam and Ram Jaane and won millions of hearts with his effervescence. He was the first male actor to appear in a Lux soap ad (all other Lux ads have leading beauties like Sridevi, Kareena, Hema Mailini etc) and seduce women. His six pack abs in Om Shanti Om made a statement in Hindi film industry almost burgeoning a trend. He has constantly explored men’s sexuality and titillated the fantasies of women with his quirky acts. It is no less than a magic how a young lad without an enviable body and killing looks has climbed the ladder of success and fame. From TVs to movies to ads, cricket and entrepreneurship, SRK has discovered many ways to keep millions of hearts hooked on to him even while he is knocking on the doors of 50.

If it wasn’t for his thoughtful mind and brooding disposition then Hindi cinema and the audience at large would have been devoid of some of the most exciting and thought provoking movies of our time. He began his career as a child artist but over the years this chocolate boy has transformed his image to think tank in an industry which mainly thrives on glamour and good looks, not that he is devoid of either. Aamir Khan is a brand which effuses intelligence, perfection and of course innovation. He has been experimental not only in his looks but also in the subject of his movies. Be it a retro theme based on pre-independence era or the current issues of patriotism and scams or sensitivity towards children, this man knows it all. His characters of Munna (Rangeela) and Rancho (3 Idiots) have got etched in our memories forever. Every time you watch his movies you start questioning yourself and wonder why you hadn’t thought about these issues in such a manner. Nothing seems to lessen his charm whether it was his nasty divorce with his first wife or his alleged interference with the film makers or his abstinence from the social circuits of film industry especially the awards. Such is the aura of this man that people from all class of society are in awe of him. Be it sporting his Ghajini hairstyle, stylish goatee from DCH or his iconic rings from Ghulam, his style has stuck with people and moved the so called callous species of politicians too. Well whoever said that good things come in small package surely knew his words.

Salman, SRK and Aamir will continue to inspire, arouse and ignite various areas of our minds but as for now these three Khans are the pioneers of our Indian Cinema and it is very likely that they would continue to rule the roost for many generations to come. So cheers to them for propelling this saga of entertainment and infusing in us the dreams of romanticism and belief that one day some Prem, Rahul, Raj or Rancho would make everything alright as someone said “..if it’s not happy, it’s not the end..” :D

Scramble in a Valley - III...Down Under

“Out of sight, out of mind” is a well known proverb and hence it’s that time of my blog when I need to recall the techie in me and press the F5 buttons on your brains’ keyboards. In my earlier posts (Scramble in a Valley – I, II) I had introduced the much urbane Indian babe called Natasha who had brewed her own flavor for life and was determined to find a taste in it. Let’s see if she is enjoying this flavor or not.

The sun was beaming after a long time and Natasha couldn’t prevent her heart from yearning to go out into the streets of Melbourne city. Mere feeling of warm sun rays on her skin made her feel joyous, so before the sun could change its mind she pulled up a pair of black jeans and zipped up her jacket to go out.

Oh! btw guys, did I tell you that Natasha flew to Sydney two months ago due to her recent onsite appointment from work. So how did she land up in Melbourne? Well, well just hang on there and read ahead to figure this out yourselves ;)

As Natasha got down from her apartment she was welcomed by the gust of wind which felt nothing short of a tight slap on her face. “Ouch!” Natasha murmured within herself and prodded ahead. Even though it was mid December Melbourne was still cold and the wind chill only made it bit more uncomfortable. Technically this part of the year is supposed to greet spring season but the grey skies were still dominating the city most of the time. Natasha wondered if she should hire a taxi but then she didn’t have any particular place in mind to go. She just wanted to walk in the city and enjoy the sunshine.

A few meters ahead there was a traffic signal so Natasha stopped there waiting for the walk signal to go green. Normally these signals turn green within a minute’s wait but today it was still red even after couple of minutes. Natasha began to fidget with her jacket pocket and even had the urge to dodge the traffic and cross road. At this point she was wondering about the easiness of crossing roads in India and the numerous dodges, which make one feel as though crossing road is a Kabaddi game. Nevertheless she pulled herself out of her thoughts and walked ahead. As she entered the CBD area a tiny smile appeared on her face. CBD was one part of the Australian cities which always buzzed with life and showed signs of human population which is almost difficult to find on their roads dominated with cars and cars and cars. Two wheelers are a rare category found here.

Having walked couple of kilometers by now Natasha wanted to sip something hot to thaw her body so she entered into a coffee shop and ordered for a cup of cappuccino. While her order was being serviced she noticed that most of the people in the coffee shop were having black coffee without sugar, mere thought of which made her sick in the stomach.

“One regular Cappuccino” shouted the girl from the counter. Natasha picked up her coffee and found a sunny spot outside the shop to sit. Hot coffee in mild sunshine and cold breeze was just what she needed at that point of time to feel comforted.

“Excuse me! Are you from India?” A voice came from right behind her back. Natasha turned around to find a young girl about her age dressed modestly in a pair of blue jeans and white top. She had her hair tightly pulled back into a small ponytail, though Natasha could tell from her look that her jet black hair was silky and soft when treated more leniently.

“Yes, I am” replied Natasha while thinking all this. The girl handed over a pamphlet to her with a faint smile. Before Natasha could ask anything that girl disappeared into thin air. She at once had the urge to throw away the pamphlet but couldn’t find a bin around. So she crushed it into a small clumsy ball and slipped it into her jacket pocket. Suddenly her phone rang. She looked at it and saw some unknown number calling. She didn’t want to pick it up but on second thoughts answered the phone just to realize it was customer care from her phone service. They had called up to ask some routine questions. After she hung up she realized that it was almost 4 hours since she had left the apartment and now she was beginning to feel a little hungry. So she grabbed a sandwich on her way back home.

By the time she returned back to her apartment she was very tired and wanted to hit the bed. She felt too lazy to go and change so she parked herself on the couch in the living room and switched on the heater for a while. She pulled a blanket over her, kept on the side, and tried closing her eyes. Something suddenly pricked her on the side of her belly. She got up immediately and checked her jacket to find that crumbled pamphlet. She straightened it out and stretched her hand to place it on the side table but the image on it grabbed her attention. She saw picture of Jagjit Singh, the famous ghazal singer, on the paper. She scanned it completely and found that a Jagjit Singh concert was happening in this city on the coming Friday night. Her mind raced faster. She had always wanted to attend Jagjit Singh’s ghazal concert since long but could never make it happen. Now that she was miles away from her country she couldn’t let this opportunity slip out of her hand. She made up her mind to attend the concert mostly because she loved Jagjit Singh’s ghazals and also because she was alone in the city and didn’t have much plans to keep herself occupied.

She made a phone call on number printed on the pamphlet and bought a ticket using her credit card. She eagerly waited for the whole week to pass by. On Friday evening she wore a lavender colour dress and matched it up with a pair of pearl earrings of the same hue. Then she slipped into her stilettos and saw herself in the mirror. She was very pleased with the way she was looking. She had always felt confident about her dressing sense and this was one occasion which bolstered her belief. Feeling all pumped up about the evening she left her apartment. She hopped into the taxi waiting for her downstairs and reached the concert venue just on time.

She entered the ground where the show was to happen. It was bubbling with Indians all around though few firangs could also be spotted occasionally. She looked at her ticket and found her seat number. It was somewhere in the middle of the ground. Though she didn’t like the view from her seat she was happy to be there that night. Within some time the concert began. Seeing Jagjit Singh live and attending his concert was too exciting for her. One after the other Jagjit Singh sang all his famous ghazals, some from the movies and some from his albums. She was thoroughly enjoying the renditions when suddenly her eyes fell on a girl who was seated two rows ahead of her, almost at a diagonal distance. She couldn’t believe she was looking at Piya. That girl had the same face and same looks, but how could she be Piya? Wasn’t Piya out of town for 10 days? At least that’s what she had told Natasha.

Piya was Natasha’s friend from college who was living in Melbourne and had invited her to spend Christmas and New Year eve with her. And that’s how our girl Natasha landed up in Melbourne. Natasha suddenly recalled the conversation she had with Piya when she had landed up at her apartment in Melbourne a week ago.

“Hey Natasha, am glad to see you. You look great” Piya said this while greeting Natasha with a warm hug.

“Thanks Piya. Firstly for inviting me to your beautiful place and secondly for your generous compliments”

“Oh! Come on. Don’t be formal now. Make yourself comfortable”

“Thanks again. I sure will”

“Oh btw Natasha, I got a call from my work this morning and unfortunately something urgent has come up. I might have to travel out of the city for ten days. I am sorry this is all happening now”

“Oops! That’s sad. But don’t you worry. I can arrange for myself in some hotel. You can carry on with your work” Natasha said this while feeling totally taken aback by what Piya had told her just now.

“Oh! No. I didn’t mean that. You do not have to go anywhere. This is your place. I just mean that I would be gone for 10 days so I wouldn’t be able to spend time with you but I promise I would be back after Christmas and we'll have a rocking time then” Piya replied immediately.

“City is just walking distance from this place so you roam around there. Shop, eat and enjoy your time. Once I am back we’ll have fun” Piya added this not to sound too rude.

“Are you sure” Natasha asked hesitatingly.

“Cent per cent” Piya replied

“Alright then. You carry on. I shall see you after ten days”

“Sure” Piya said with a smile.

This was the last conversation Natasha had with Piya after which Piya had left for the airport. Natasha was now no more concentrating on Jagjit Singh or his ghazals. All she could think was Piya and their conversation. She was feeling sad and betrayed and now uninvited to this concert, evening and the city. Everything seemed to make her feel unwanted. “Why did Piya lie to me? Why did she leave me alone at her apartment?” Natasha’s mind was full of these questions and more. She was angry with Piya but more with herself for being such a naïve. She wanted to leave Melbourne immediately. She left the concert half way through and made way to Piya’s apartment. By the time she reached home she was less angry but more puzzled. She decided to confront Piya about all this and hence dropped her plans to go back to Sydney. Piya was coming back on Sunday evening which was just a day away.

Perplexed by the turn of events that evening Natasha decided to calm herself and think about something soothing. She decided to watch a movie at home. With all the excitement of Jagjit Singh and shock of seeing Piya, Natahsa had almost forgotten that she hadn’t had her dinner. So she got up and made some nice maggie noodles for herself and began to watch “No One Killed Jessica”. She always liked watching suspense and murder mysteries. As the evening grew into night, Natasha got lost into the movie and even forgot what had happened few hours ago.

For now she was really enjoying the hot maggie and Hindi movie combination but what would happen when she meets Piya on Sunday evening? Will Natasha forget everything and spend a happy New Year eve with Piya or will she question Piya about her fabricated story?

Well life has its unique way of surprising us and unfurling events which are best understood with time. So let’s give some time to Natasha and wait for her to share more about this mystery. Till then you folks enjoy and have some good time.

Anjaane Pal

इतना कुछ गुज़र गया की एक सदी सा प्रतीत होता हैं
दिल कभी खुश तो कभी दुखी सा हो जाता हैं
जाने किस क्षण में जिंदगी यूं बदल सी जाये
पराये अपने और अपने पराये से बन जाये
हर लम्हे का इंतज़ार फिर भी ये दिल करता हैं
अनजाने पलों में जैसे कुछ जाना पहचाना सा ढूंढता हैं.

इन खोये हुएँ लम्हों को आज मैं खुद में सिमट लुंगी
तुम्हारे अक्स में अपनी तमाम तनहाइयाँ छुपा लुंगी
तो क्या हुआ जो तुम लौट गए किसी और की यादों में
आँसूं बन के ही सही, तुम रहोगे हमेशा मेरी पलकों पे
तुम्हारे एहसास से मेरा रोम-रोम अभी भी सिहर जाता है
अनजाने पलों में जैसे कुछ जाना पहचाना सा ढूंढता हैं.

वक़्त के फेरो में जिंदगी इस तरह अचानक आगे निकल गयी
की लगता है शायद मैं इस दौड़ में कहीं पीछे छूट गयी
जहाँ कभी दिल में एक उम्मीद की लौ जला करती थी
वहाँ अब उसकी सिमटी हुई कुछ धुंधली सी परछाई है
घबरायी हुई साँसों को दिल अब यूँ सहमते हुए पुकारता है
अनजाने पलों में जैसे कुछ जाना पहचाना सा ढूंढता हैं.

NEWS - Never Ending Worldly Saga

Twenty eleven began on a high note
When Shweta Tiwari received maximum vote,
She created history in Bigg Boss’s finale,
Defeated Khali to emerge first winning belle.
Rani and Vidya offered a double bonanza
And mesmerized people in No one killed Jessica,
They doled out high voltage performance,
Lashed Manu Sharma for his mindless insolence.

While Manu’s crime lived decade away from penalty
Little Aarushi still awaits her killer’s identity.
Fate sealed her life at tender fourteen,
Tearing apart her body and shattering her dreams.
Slackness of police agonizes our minds
Talwar or Hemraj, who slashed the bubbling life?
A story of shock, shame and revelation
Her murder filled our hearts with disgust for the criminal.

To beat the blues and queues of mobile number phones
Manmohan inaugurated the system of single number zone.
Now flirt with services of Vodafone, Airtel and Reliance
Swing between these with just one number’s exuberance.
Religion and status would become a thing of past
When each Indian would have identification with Aadhar.
Creating billion identities with dozen numbers combinations
UID would become a success in every Indian’s cognizance.

 Amidst so much of glory there were some shocks too
The legacy of Kirana gharana witnessed a misfortune.
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi left for his heavenly abode
Exemplifying how to love and travel on its testing roads.
Turning into a memory for his family, friends and admirers
He stood worthy of his stature accorded by the connoisseurs.
His renditions are immortal part of our music culture
Reminding us of excellence, perfection and dedicated gestures.

Mayhem in Kashmir and the hoopla over flag hoisting
Naturally occurring tragedies or politically driven scheming?
While onions and petrol have scored over in the race
Common man is beaten by the ruling party’s disgrace.
Yashwant Sonawane’s sincerity was mocked by inferno of petrol,
Fighting crime he was swallowed by underworld’s black hole.
Charred and unattended, his body was still and calm
Could this incite unrest into multimillion fuel scam?

 The magnanimity of events have overwhelmed my heart.
Feels like as era although it’s just the calendar start.
Nervousness, anxiety, happiness and confusion,
All dwell in my mind with equal determination.
Each moment is awaited with breath held within,
Hoping for TVs and newspapers to read fresh something.

Politicians and celebrities bequeath your power hunger,
Work in unison for a wonderful time of the future.
Such is a wish, a desire of a common man,
Created by R K Laxman, true reflection of our clan.

Scandals, Spies and Silver Screens

It is that time in our lives when we forget about the past and look forward for more zing and emphatic events in the future. Many of you have revolutionized the way I would be thought of in the times to come and while I am on the verge of winding up my last few chapters (as I look back) I can’t help but feel nostalgic about how some of you have made my journey so memorable. I have rummaged my grey cells to find out those to whom I would like to whisper few words of farewell before passing on the baton to my much vibrant and youthful heir – year 2011.

My tenure has not seen much ecstasy in our Indian film industry as most of the talked about movies bombed at the box office (BO). However there were a few movies which pumped life back into the panting Bollywood and gave it enough reason to stay bubbly and chirpy for my adieu. There are many contenders who hogged the limelight during my era but the ones who top my list for etching my names in the history will be well saluted here!

Oh by the way before you begin to yawn and switch off your brains thinking that my old mind is full of choking emotions, let me clarify that my farewell bid would be spicy and juicy with a hint of humor in it. So open your eyes, tune your minds and get set to read some tongue-in-cheek thoughts and some beans which will be spilled here, just for you.

Since the concept of remakes is catching up with many of our Bollywood directors, I too thought of presenting my vote of thanks in hatke manner with these remakes.

Love, Sex and Dhokha
Nityanand Swami! The name says it all. While the actual movie was born out of Ekta Kapoor’s production house, it would have had rung more cash at the BO with our sleaze guru in the lead. His acts of meditation, salvation and relaxation have done enough rounds on the TV channels and internet revealing his lustful life through the voyeuristic glimpses by his disciples. His love for his sex life was exposed by his associates who completed the trilogy of dhokha with their spying cameras. Of course this movie would also feature our famous Tamil actress who was jiving with Nityanand towards enlightenment (?!?!?!).

My Name is Khan
In the real world Julian Assange is the man of the moment who would fit well in the shoes of SRK and shout “My name is Assange and I am not a Rapist”. This man has sent the whole world in a state of frenzy with his disclosure of numerous official documents from various countries about their thoughts, strategies and views on matters of prime concerns. He has not only struck various leaders with his blizzard of confidential information but also put their intentions in a light which is bleak, suspicious and highly questionable. With some lilting music and eye tearing lyrics Assange could become one of the top grosser in Indian film industry with this charismatic appeal (why else would so many women claim to have slept with him?)

 I Hate Love Stories
Some links ups, some break ups and some hush-hush romances stirred along with some melodramatic weddings and lots of suaveness and oomph will surely make up for a paparazzi’s delight and if you throw in couple of grooving songs with breathtaking cinematography topped with sizzling dance numbers then a potboiler is guaranteed to hit the charts of Indian cinema. Tharoor-Sunaina, Sania-Shoaib and Dhoni-Sakshi grabbed headlines when they tied knots after their much publicized hunky-dory relationships. While Tharoor fought the political battle and impressed his lady love amidst the IPL brawl MSD took the whole world by surprise with his news of chat mangni and pat shaadi with his childhood sweetheart. Gyrating to the tunes of love and defying the acrimony of the two nations at loggerheads Sania Mirza broke up with her ex-fiancé and entered into wedlock with her cricketer beau despite much hoopla surrounding his marital status. I am sure these couples would ooze out more chemistry and oomph to set the silver screen on fire than the Imraan-Sonam’s jodi.

Dabangg
A corrupt cop with a history of strained family relationships and a coy desi belle to sing and dance belied everyone’s speculations and became the biggest blockbuster of my life. The other two things which have ensured that no one forgets me are A. Raja and Kalmadi with their 2G Spectrum and CWG scams respectively. In complete Dabangg manner these two showed no signs of guilt or remorse even after their acts of swindling crores of rupees have maligned their public images. Audaciously claiming to be oblivious of the misdeeds, the duo have become prominent political names. 2G Spectrum scored a bit higher and pipped the CWG scam to win the honor of becoming the political Dabangg starring the infamous Niira Radia in lead with A. Raja to woo the Indian cinemagoers. The influence which she exercised on media, businesses and political arena has catapulted her to the epitome of recognition ladder. She has become the latest heart throb of millions of websites and journalists who love to banter her and write about the shrewdness with which she worked her way into peoples’ life.

Pyaar Impossible
It can easily be called one of the most forgettable movies of my time because even the inclusion of hottie like Priyanka Chopra could not salvage the fate of the movie and of course sinking career of Uday Chopra. Ayodhya verdict was a bit contrary to this movie in terms of its impact on people but very well justifies its title. Fear of another Hindu Muslim riot had thronged the minds of entire nation when this verdict was expected to come out in October. Many states had their schools and offices closed for few days around this time to lessen any impact of the riot as it was taken for granted that there was no pyaar possible between the two religions if the court gives its results in favor of either. However playing smart and taking the path of a cupid, Ayodhya verdict came out supporting both the beliefs and eliminated any reason which would otherwise jeopardize blossoming of much possible pyaar between them. Add few patriotic songs and heart rendering scenes and you will get perfect recipe for a hit movie, thanks to our religion centric nation.

Phew…!!! Nah the list isn’t over yet, but I can already hear 2011 knocking loudly on my door. Guess it’s time to wrap up my memories and present a clean canvass for 2011 to paint pictures in its own style. With very little time on my hand and even less patience in your souls I would wind up my salutations now. Hope you have enjoyed every bit of your time with me and got worthy glimpse of news makers of my life.

Wish you all a wonderful time in 2011. Hope it is as charismatic and ebullient as I was ;)

Adieu folks!