Slumdog Millionaire: The Quest Is Yet To End...

Much water has flown under the bridge and many a remarks, comments, compliments and opinions thrown about in the aftermath of Danny Boyle's take on life in a Mumbai slum, Slumdog Millionaire.

The movie is winning awards left right and centre and is headed to Oscars, with a hefty recommendation in the form of the Golden Globes.

However, the land, where the Slumdog Millionaire was born, is witnessing a debate of a different kind.

In this debate, one side is accusing Boyle of shamelessly cashing in on the poverty-stricken underbelly of India and not showing a more balanced and positive view of the country, which, by all means, is one of the leading economies of the world.

The other side is defending Slumdog by saying that the movie deals with truth and optimism and it is showing what already exists in the country.

The verdict is not yet out as the discussion goes on: over blogs, in the newspapers, on television channels, inside living rooms, on office balconies, inside buses and cars.

Everyone has something or the other to say, So, I thought, why not get together my blogger friends and have our own SAY in this matter.

So, the field is open, anyone wanting to have a say on this matter, is welcome to put his or her remarks, comments, opinion on whether "Slumdog Millionaire is biased because it has chosen to be selective in its portrayal of reality or does it actually show the audience, worldwide and in India, a true picture of slum life in the country?"

The discussion is open to all and anyone who wants to have their say can do so by putting in their remarks in the comments section and taking part in the poll survey that I have put up on the left hand side of the blog, just below the Blog Archive section.

I would be keeping a tab of the discussion and would put up the comments and counter-comments on the blog for everyone's perusal from time to time.

Thank You!!

Not any more.....

I dont have words to reflect on what happened in Mumbai in the past one week and what is happening thereafter. So, I choose to share with my readers a hard-hitting poem, "Is Baar Nahin", written by poet Prasoon Joshi, published in rediff.com. Please pay attention to the words and try to ponder over them because as Indians, we can no longer afford to be insulated to the bloodshed and grief pouring out around us. English translation is given along with it.

Is baar nahin,
Is baar jab woh choti si bachchi mere paas
apni kharonch le kar aayegi,
Main usey phoo phoo kar nahin behlaoonga,
Panapney doonga uski tees ko
Is baar nahin
(This time when that little girl comes to me with her bruises, I will not blow gently at her wound, nor distract her, I will let her pain grow. Not this time.)

Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga,
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga, utarney doonga andar gehrey
Is baar nahin
(This time when I see pain on faces, I will not sing the song that eases pain, I will let the pain seep in, deep. Not this time.)

Is baar main na marham lagaoonga,
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey,
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankein band karlo,
gardan udhar kar lo, main dawa lagata hoon,
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav
Is baar nahin
(This time I won't apply any balm, Nor will I ask you to shut your eyes and turn your head While I gingerly apply medicine, I will let everyone see the open, naked wounds. Not this time.)

Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga, chatpatahat dekhoonga,
Nahin daudoonga uljhee dor lapetney,
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake
Is baar nahin
(This time when I see difficulty, uneasiness, I will not run to solve the problems I will let them become complicated. Not this time.)

Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat,
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki,
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main, tedhey medhey raston pe,
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon,
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye
Is baar nahin
(This time I won't pick up my tools as a matter of duty, I will not make a new beginning Nor will I stand as an example of one dedicated to my job. I will not let life easily return to normalcy. I will let it descend into muck, on the twisting paths. I will not let the blood on the walls dry out Nor will I let its colour fade away This time I won't let it become so helpless That you can't tell blood from paan-spit. Not this time.)

Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai,
Gaur se Thoda lambe wakt tak
Kuch faisley, Aur uskey baad hausley,
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai.
(This time the wounds need to be watched Carefully For a long time, Some decisions are needed And then some brave moves to be made. We have to begin somewhere. This time this is what I have resolved)

... Prasoon Joshi

Terror Strikes Again!!!!

I feel ashamed, violated, disturbed, anguished, disgusted, pained, grieved and much much more because of the recent terror strike in Mumbai, which left scores dead and even more wounded while rest of the public aghast.

As the Taj Hotel, the Oberoi Trident and the Nariman House raged with gun battles, explosions, fire and deaths, the only question reverberating through my brain was why should we suffer like this for no fault of ours?

Why are we subjected to this violating humiliation year after year, day after day, minute after minute, while these good-for-nothing politicians keep up their charade of sympathy for the public while at their heart, they are as clueless about what is going on in the country as the man on the street?

Terrorists, who strike at innocents on streets, take women and children hostage and kill without remorse or guilt, have been an almost accepted part of the life in states like Jammu and Kashmir. However, what enrages me is that instead of curbing their reach and presence, almost nothing has been done to prevent them from spreading their deadly tentacles to other cities of the country.

Although, there are some indications that things might be different this time and I am not talking about the political reshuffle, resignation of the Home Minister, talks about Maharashtra CM being shunted out, etc, etc. All this political white-wash makes me feel sick, really.

I am talking about the public outpouring that one has seen, in the form of blogs coming up to denounce violence of all kind, keeping terrorism separate from religion, taking the responsible politicians to task and, last but not the least, the angry outburst of the martyred Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father against the Kerala Chief Minister Achuthanandan, who was not allowed to enter the slain commando's house.

Things might really be changing now, as we saw in the unprecedented percentage of voters coming out to cast their vote in the elections, in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Kashmir and other parts of the country. Perhaps now, people have realised the real value of their ballot and may be now we will see an honest leadership emerging at the helm, which would not allow its people to bleed to death while the terrorists, after being arrested, are allowed to live on inside the jails.

I dont know how much of it is going to stay on and how much of it we are going to forget, but this time, i am sure, we cannot afford to let go of the lessons that the Mumbai strikes have taught us because next time, we might not be alive to regret that.....

When will we change?

Hi there,
Been away for long yet again. no use making excuses, so I will come to the point right away.
The winter is setting in with chilled air and welcoming sunlight. America recently voted a black man to the White House and the world rejoiced along with the Americans in their turning point in history. We all followed the presidential campaign earnestly, however we might deny it. It was a campaign, which we could learn a lot from.
Right from Obama's Kenyan descent to his skin colour, from american population's trust in Obama to his rival John McCain's speech after the results were announced. We should also be able to overlook the caste, religion, creed, social status while indulging in a political campaign. However, unfortunately, election campaigns in India are centred around these things only and in their worst forms.
The latest example would be that of MNS chief Raj Thackeray launching a tirade against North Indians in Mumbai, whatever his argument might be!
Well, a lot to learn then and hoping things would only be better in the coming elections....