Paan Singh Tomar

Released on 3rd Feb

This is a movie inspired by a real life character Paan Singh Tomar, a soldier of Indian army and an international athlete who turns a dacoit under forced circumstances. Don't watch Paan Singh Tomar if you are in search of a philosophical story. Watch it only for performance, specially by the prodigal, the brilliant Irrfan Khan. Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, Paan Singh Tomar showcases the sad plight of the unsung sportsmen in India.

The story runs back to 1950 when Paan Singh Tomar was recruited in the Indian Army and had a peaceful happy family. A good stamina and even better appetite opens a new avenue for him- Athletics, where he excels and gets international fame. However, family disputes and deep sense of helplessness forces the balanced Tomar to resort to violence. Tomar becomes the most wanted Bandit of Chambal. His claim; that the country which did not care when he represented India at an International platform, suddenly seems to recognize him when he has picked up a gun; is sadly a true scenario. Paan Singh Tomar might be a wake up call for those authorities as well who neglect our sportsmen and ultimately the sport loses its grace.

Based on strong research and facts, the movie ends with the names of those who died of poverty and hunger despite contributing much to their fields.

It is Irfan Khan's power packed delivery which keeps you engrossed through out the movie. Strong dialogues sway you away and so does the screenplay. Sets of the movie and the background score happen to be very apt and the action scenes have been quite well shot.

Every character in their small roles has justified his presence in the movie. Be it the coach played by Rajendra Gupta or Tomar's wife essayed by Mahie Gill. Irfan carries the movie on his shoulders spectacularly and this one can fetch him an award.

A must watch for those who have been waiting for something substantial. Paan Singh Tomar is your food for thought

The forgotten real moments

If I dive deep into time for the “real” experiences I have had, there are countless of them from my childhood which are quite fresh and crystal clear in my mind. And it was not only my parents but my school as well, to contribute to the noble cause.

Unlike the modern times where kids are glued to computers & video games, we were forced to go outdoors. Our exposure to computer/TV/indoor games was limited to a maximum time of an hour. At school, P.T classes were given more weight-age than computer. I still remember my summer vacations projects (popularly known as holiday homework) wherein the major tasks were to collect seasonal twigs or leaves and stick the dried ones on a scrap book. I am not surprised to see my young cousins surfing the images on internet and finish the holiday homework instantly.  However, they would never get the feel of visiting natural places and seeing the seasonal/rare twigs for real. They would probably never know how is it to climb trees or to run in open farms.  Surely, they are missing the real experience which will be rare times ahead.

I hail from the beautiful town of Dehradun where natural beauty and surroundings were abundant. My family never had to book holiday packages for exotic locations for picnics. I have been brought up amidst real things; to name a few are the Sulphur Water spring of Sahastradhara, the snow clad hills of Mussorie, the green Eucalyptus belt of Dehradun, heavy rainfall of Autumns and the list goes on. Water parks were unheard of, so were play houses for kids. I have enjoyed the real moments which today’s generation kids are not far from.

Talking about “real” things, food cannot be left behind. Tinned/packed foods were a strict No- No! The practice of squeezing out Sweet Lime juice manually from the small portable juicer was a common sight during summer afternoons. This was when we kids refused to chew the lime pieces.

My siblings and I grew up in the lap of nature surrounded by “real” luxuries. Be it the morning walks in parks or seeing the sunrise/sunset every day, we have had our best share during childhood. Changing life styles and modern technology brings everything close to you in a click of a mouse. But how would a child of today’s generation know what does a vegetable or fruit market look like? Accompanying grandparents to the market and seeing them pick out the best fruits would seem strange to a kid today who has either has never been any where else but air conditioned supermarkets or has ordered groceries over the phone!

Vegetable market visit with kids

Even writing letters have lost their charm in the world of emails/sms. Sending festive greeting cards and letters to distant relatives were the most exciting part of “real” growing up experience. Our school syllabus covered letter writing those days. I wonder whether they have switched to “Sms/ Mail writing” now? From bed time stories of grandma to painting sceneries on canvas while looking at them, the real moments are inseparable from my memories. Sadly, technology and virtual world has overshadowed those experiences these days.

Written for Indibogger Kissan Real Moments.

Second image source- www.outlookindia.com

Foster home

I spotted him on the road one evening, cold, hungry and shivering in the chilling winter , while I was returning home from work. The first thing which struck my mind was that his mom must be around. To my surprise she wasn't. I wondered weather he lost his way or was abandoned by his mother? How could a mother do that, if latter was the case. Finding nobody around him, I did not have the heart to leave him on the road to die. I brought him home.

My heart was pounding loud with the thought of bringing him home as he was too young and I had no idea what to do next. My room mate was super excited to see him. I was happy to see the acceptance and joy on her face. She instantly named him Minchi. I wanted to keep Minchi but I know my constraints. Staying at work for 10 hours would leave me no time for Minchi and to add to it, he was too young to be left alone at home. I decided to give him away to the PFA cum dog shelter on weekend.

            

                           

     

I will cherish his short stay with me always and never forget the way he slept on my shoulder. He is hardly few weeks old and needs full attention which I would be unable to give. Feeling sad to part with Minchi, but atleast he will have a home now, a foster home in PFA, if not mine.

Bliss through my diary

July 2009 was the first time when I had started Diary writing. Today when I read the old pages which I had written, it feels...I dont know, a mixed bag of emotions I guess. Life is a roller coaster ride and one feels the highs and lows of the same. When you look back into time, you can judge ,what have you gained or lost or how much mature have you turned. This habit of writing diary is like a leaving footprints on sands of time, testifying how much have you been through. You cannot lie to urself in your own Diary at least. I looked into the mirror again after a long time through my diary and kept smiling throughout the pages :-)

Weekend trips to places around Delhi, Festivals break to meet family, parting with close people and coming together for reunion, spending time with room mate or siblings, bad mood after a quarrel with neighbour, week’s efforts for shopping to attend weddings, jumping red lights and smiling with victory, bugging water problem at home, bunking office, a fractured foot prior to an event, long calls with dear ones, praying for results of a friend, hanging out late night at eating joints and complain of stomach aches next day, failed attempt to prepare new dish in the kitchen, crying in someone else’s pain, watching a favourite movie the Nth time, playing with strays, searching for new jobs… and so on…..

Life has so much to offer and it’s a new experience everyday. Each expression is what we see after how life treats us and vice versa of course. It’s a pure joy and blessing of life.
I am sure there is a never ending list for the above. Feel the joy live life with a smile irrespective of your problems. Problems are just an add-on or lets say a testing pahase. If life gives you many reasons to cry, show life the reasons to smile.

Dedicated to my diary which I confide in always. It has stored precious moments for me tirelessly.

FLYING HIGH: A TRADITION FAST FADING

Kite flying is an art, which was been practised since ages in India. The art was initially an entertainment that later took the form of competition and was quite popular among children. Not only the rural but the urban places too saw kite flying as a sport, especially during occasions like Raksha Bandhan or Janamashtmi.  With the changes in lifestyle, the art of Kite flying started losing its fame. Lack of time and open spaces,  contributed towards a major decline in this graceful art. Left with few buyers, the market of kite makers also started shrinking.

A Kite Flying fest was organized for two days i.e. 12 and 13 Nov’11 at India Gate lawns. An initiative like this has helped many people relive that golden time when flying kites was the best pass time.

 The sky above India gate lawns was dotted with colourful kites on the first day of the fest i.e. Saturday, 12 Nov’11 post noon to dusk. Kites of unusual shapes and sizes soaring high in the sky was a visual treat. Organized by Delhi Tourism in association with Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation and the Department of Art and Culture, this was an effort to revive the culture, which has been losing its popularity. Inaugurated by Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, she set the adrenaline gushing for all kite flyers by flying a colourful string of kites. The 20-foot string attached to the ground marked the festival symbolically.

Ranging from variety of colours and shapes, one could see a giant Hanuman kite to a Hercules size Spiderman Kite. There were stalls from various states to display the kites of their culture. The beautiful and shining kites of Jodhpur, Rajasthan symbolized the colourful state while kites at the UP stall had pictures of the Royal History depicted on them. Every kite had a message.

Spiderman Kite

Hanuman Kite

Charlie Kite

 The trees of India Gate lawns, were beautifully decorated with the strings of the kites (Firki) and the audience kept busy with passionately flying the kites in the open ground. Magic show organized for children was a major attraction in the evening. Delhi tourism had a stall distributing free reading material about the glorious History of the capital and the monuments standing tall with pride.

Cultural events trying to preserve our fading History is definitely a well-appreciated effort. We look forward to many such events which bind people to the fading past and rivet them to the roots. This was the first time ever, Delhi’s own Kite flying festival.

Love thy hair? I do..

From long to shoulder length and curly to straight, my black locks have withstood change of places, weather, pollution, tension and many such blows with time. I was quite fond of my long hair since my childhood. I kept them long until I came to Delhi for job.

With a sudden change of place and water, my curly locks gave away their charm for some time. They turned brittle and dry. To add to it, negligence towards my health resulted in hair fall. My comb often used to find my precious hair entangled in its teeth. Breaking the teeth would not have helped me, so I decided to chop off my long hair to shoulder length. Trust me, it worked well! I had read somewhere that if you get a regular haircut, hair grows better and healthy. You also get rid of split ends. My curly hair started bouncing with the new Razor hairstyle that I had donned those days. A regular oil massage helped revitalizing my hair gradually.

It was difficult for me to leave my hair open all the time since Delhi is extremely warm during summers and I was in a travelling job. Oops- marketing I mean. Hopping between cities and facing pollution/ dust/ different weather conditions, was a challenge for my hair every day. I switched to bun. Sounds funny but that really helped my hair to battle the odd conditions around. Tying a piece of cloth on my head protected it from dust and sun. However, that was temporary arrangement. I needed to find a long-term solution. My hair had outgrown the shoulder length Razor cut. I changed to Step Cut, as suggested my hair stylist. Steps looked great on my curly hair and leaving them open dint look bad at all. My hectic schedule at work left me with no time for oil massage or hair cut. The hair stylist asked me to change my shampoo and conditioner.

The little piece of advice worked wonders. I am thankful to Shaheen (my hair stylist) for that enlightened guidance. I could feel the difference in one wash when I used Dove for the first time. My hair turned soft and retained the shine gradually. The hair fall problem too, reduced largely. Yeah, there is always a first time and I thought of straightening my priceless curls for the first time that had grown longer until them. I loved my straight hair and I could not stop looking at them in the mirror. It was a temporary arrangement again. I fear that a permanent straightening will finish the volume, which my hair has.

 

I get a hair spa done every month. you know what, If you care for your hair, they care for you. Your hair don’t only make you look good, but also add charms to your personality. The kind of hairstyle you keep displays your mood and boosts your confidence. Change your hairstyle on occasions and see the different colors of your persona. A stroke on your head makes you feel good, running your fingers through your hair helps releases your tensions, isn’t it? Soft, caressing and lovely, that’s how your healthy hair should be while they should be cared for.

(AS A PART OF CONTEST FOR INBLOGGER)

Crossroads

“I want to take the roads less travelled,

Let me breathe some air unraveled,

I want to harbor the greener pastures,

Less thorny, more flowered”.

Sanjeev left the note on his table, packed his bags and left his home in the dark. The train from Ghaziabad station was scheduled for departure at 10:00 pm.

Sanjeev Gupta, popularly known as Sanju, was  a young dynamic graduate who did not want to carry on with the monotonous job for his entire life. He was least interested in his family retail business. Often when his dad left the shop under his supervision, Sanju attracted a huge crowd while performing mimicry, stand up comedy and various other acts. People knew him as a talented artist while his dad disliked his bend towards such stupid acts. Sanjeev’s mother was a quiet housewife who never raised her voice in front of her husband. Caught in a wrong marriage, the poor lady never complained of the tyranny she faced from her husband. A drunk Gupta used to beat his wife during her pregnancy too. Sanjeev’s younger sister Parul unfortunately was born with hearing impassiveness. Mr. Gupta was an unhappy man, complaining and beating his kids and hurling abuses at his wife each day. Nobody knew the reason of his behaviour since the Gupta family was an upper middle class family without any financial constraints.

Gupta’s misbehaviour grew unbearable with every passing day. He hated Sanju’s extra curricular activities and wanted him to join the family business. Once when Sanjeev mentioned his interest to take up theatre art as his career, Gupta unleashed his belt. Since that day Sanjeev’s desires grew with leaps and bounds to join acting school and try his luck in Mumbai. Kapoor sir, the dramatics instructor at Sanjeev’s college complimented & encouraged him to build his career in theatre, seeing his love & talent for this art.

……………………………………………………………

The train headed towards Mumbai.  He was confident but not too sure of what was there in store for him. He was ambitious but had no clue where to begin. He was talented but without any support in the new city. From the quiet lanes of Ghaziabad he was in a city which never sleeps. Sanju’s struggle began since the moment he landed in Mumbai, searching for something substantial, for something concrete.

…………………………………………

Sanju boarded the train but his mind was still at home, worrying about his mother and Parul. Was he being too selfish? He wondered what they do alone without him. His heart beating loudly and heavily. He felt he had taken a wrong decision. The train whistle blew loud and his heart pounded louder. The train jerked and moved slowly. Sanju jumped out of the train and rushed home.The sight of a drunk abusing father was definitely not pleasant, but at least he knew that his Mother and Sister were safe in his presence.

Sanju started helping his father in the business next day onwards.

WHICH ONE OF THESE ENDINGS DO YOU THINK IS MORE APPROPRIATE? SANJU FOLLOWING HIS DREAMS OR SUCCUMBING TO FAMILY PRESSURES?

Cross fire!!

The employee was caught taking a nap at work,

Boss said "See me in my cabin you jerk!"

"Are you not serious for your job"?

asked the boss to the poor guy,

who slogged himself everyday and was usually quite shy.

 

 

"Eight files are still pending, complete them at any cost,

else I hire a better employee and you can get lost!"

The employee snapped back "Fire me and pay me the dues right now,

I wont work for peanuts anymore, I take a wow"

 

Boss stared at the employee in disbelief,

thinking it might be his nightmare, 

Employee added "Everybody hates this job, Do you even care?

 

Labors are better than us I feel,

Eight hours of sleep is all I wanted,

No overtime for the extra hours we work,

these files make this office haunted!

 

You deducted my salary for my sick leaves,

you need a medical treatment I guess.

I broke up with my girlfriend because of you,

My life a silly mess!!!

 

For everybody it was a holiday,

but I was preparing your presentation,

why do you think I should work you,

when you are the source of my frustration?

 

Cost of living has gone sky high,

it has become impossible to survive,

work life balance has screwed big time 

I wonder Do i have my own life?

 

Terminate my services and relieve me from this prison,

because I want to live a normal life,

and there couldn't be a better reason"

 

The employee walked  out of the boss's cabin,

slammed shut the office door,

he smiled after the relief he got,

his eyes were no more sore :-)

 

Wrote this short poem while tossing on the bed waiting for electricity on a warm summer night.