Tolerance Level ?

Another post, yes, another BJP bashing. It looks like they are here as sea waves hitting the shore on and on. But we “pseudo-seculars” won’t leave you “pseudo-hindos” to let go with your disgracing remarks.

These “pseudo-hindos”, who are spread through various groups like BJP, Siva Sena, RSS, etc. are no-body in Tamil Nadu, but with the least number their act on projecting or presenting themselves in Tamil TV media is questionable.

Social Activists, Auditors, BJP Supporters, Modi Supporters are some of the tags given to them. Sometimes they are imported from other states!

Two unpleasant incidents happened last week in Puthiya Thalaimurai debate. Believe me, someone represented Siva Sena in the debate, wonder what is their agenda in Tamil Nadu. This guy named RadhaKrishnan, went too far and said to Gnani Sankaran that he will throw ink on him (Gnani) if he speaks against Hindus.

In another debate, Ramsubramanian from BJP opened his speech by wishing the viewers on Vijayadasami. He went head on with the anchor Karthekeyan and called media as “Prestitutes”, that too emphasizing it thrice. Ramsubramanian was a professor in New College, Chennai. Poor students.

For some time, Tamil Nadu BJP abstained from participating in Puthiya Thalaimurai debates, but since the elections are around in TN next year, they are back. Please guys, show some tolerance, at least in TV shows!

சார் நீங்க என்ன ஜாதி ?

சமீபத்தில் மத்திய அரசு அலுவலகத்தில் வேலை செய்யும் ஒரு உறவினருடன் பேசும்போது அவர் தன்னுடன் பணியாற்றும் அனைவரையும் அவர்களின் சாதியின் பெயரைக் கூறிப்பிட்டுப் பேசினார். சம்பந்தமே இல்லாமல் இவர் எதற்கு சாதியை இழுக்கிறார் என்று நினைத்தேன். உறவினர் என்பதால் நான் அதற்கு எதிர்வினைக் கூற முயலவில்லை. 

வேறு பல சந்தர்பங்களில் நான் தெரிந்துக்கொண்டது- அரசு வேலையில் இருப்பவர்கள் அனேகமாக தங்களுடன் பணிபுறியும் சக ஊழியர்கள் எந்த எந்த சாதியினர் என்பதை அறிந்து அதற்கு எற்றாற்போல் செயல் படுகின்றார்கள்.

அரசுத்துறை இப்படி இருக்க தனியார் மட்டும் என்ன விதிவிலக்கா? சாதி வாரியான இட ஒதுக்கீடு இல்லையே தவிர சிலர் மனதில் சாதியையும் மதத்தையும் சுமந்துக்கொண்டு தான் இருக்கின்றார்கள்.

நான் கேட்ட சில “சாதி” ரிதியான வாக்கியங்கள்,

“..அவளுக்கு என்ன __ராச்சே. எங்க போனாலும் பொழச்சிப” 

“..இந்த __ பயலுங்களே இப்படித்தான்”

இப்படி சாதியை மேற்கொள் காட்டி ஒருவரின் character-ரை தீர்மானிக்கின்றனர். அரசுத்துறையில்லாவது application form முதல் எல்லா bio-date/profile formகளில் சாதியை கூறிப்பிடவேண்டும். ஆனால் தனியார்துறையில் அப்படி இல்லை. இப்படி இருக்கையில் எப்படி எப்படியோ துருவி அடுத்தவனின் சாதியை கண்டுபிடிக்கும் சகாக்களே வாங்குற சம்பளத்துக்கு கொஞ்சமாவது வேலை செய்க!!

Above picture by the blogger for illustration purpose only :-)

Mera Naam Joker

I seldom watch Hindi films. I feel there is a disconnect between the glittery Bollywood and real India. I may be wrong in my opinion, but the fact is I’m not completely incorrect.

I always thought Mera Naam Joker film belongs to comedy genre. That’s how the title sound and so the posters, but in turn the film went on to be a romance mixed with some philosophical tit-bits. There are very few films which are based on the circus as the backdrop, to name few- Aboorva Sagodargal (Tamil - 1989) and Parakum Paavai (Tamil-1966).

The running time of this film was over 4 hours. The one which I saw was little less than 3 hours and 30 minutes. In spite of being a lengthiest film, the story was engaging, no wonder Raj Kapoor and Abbas had worked on the script for years.

Mary (Semi Garewal), Marina, Meenu (Padmini)- all three receive letters from Raju (Raj Kapoor), that he is going to perform his last show in the circus, he invites all three to the show. These three women had played a significant role in Raju’ life. The show starts and the flashback rolls to showcase us on how these women played their part in this life.

So the plot is set- a hero to tell his past with three women, who influenced his life. All the major characters are introduced initially- A perfect act 1. As a school going kid, young Raju (Played by Rishi Kapoor) is infatuated towards Mary. This is a cat on the wall for the director- go too far, it becomes awkward or make it too light then the point could not be reached. This is carefully weaved, by not breaking it boundaries. David, the fiancé of Mary, identifies it and talk with Raju to get over this issue. Raju realizes that he want to be a joker. A small joker puppet follows him throughout the rest of the story as a metaphor of love. 

Back from the school, now as as a young man Raju joins Gemini circus, where he falls in love with Marina a visiting Russian performer, the love doesn’t last. He then moves out of the circus to meet Meenu. He helps her to realize her dream of becoming a film actress. Again here he had to sacrifice the small romance to a film actor. After these three stories the flashback is back to the final show (initial circus scene). So we are set to see something big to happen, but instead the final act closes as “POSITIVELY NOT” The End. 

After all the excellent dialogues, songs and the picturization- I was disappointed, since we still couldn't see a proper end.

The Burning Question !!

I don’t know how I landed in this place. Somehow they got hold of my number and called me for an interview. They were offering a position called as “political analyst”. It is a recently started news website, which is run by the expats who used to work for a leading English newspaper. They wanted to see my political thoughts, I said “frankly speaking, I don’t any idea of the present-past-or-future politics”, but they said “we the people don’t care”. I said “I don’t know neither the left, nor the right or the center of it”. The interviewer got irritated and he yelled “the buck stops here” and continued with the burning questions.

Interviewer :- Question No. 1 – According to you who is the worst Prime Minister India ever had?

Me:- (Silence)..hmmm

Interviewer :- OK. I’ll give you options- (a) VP Singh (b) Narasimha Rao (c) Nehru

Me:- There is no Modi in the options?

Interviewer:- No, he'll be available in the next question. If you want I will give a fourth option which is (d) None of the above.

Me:- Let me skip this and take the next question.

Interviewer:- Next question No. 2- According to you who is the best Prime Minister India ever had?

Me:- You have options or can I choose according to my wish?

Interviewer:- Your options are (a) Modi (b) Modi (c) Modi (d)..

Me:- (Interrupting) I will go for option (d) None of the above

Interviewer:- The fourth option (d) is All the above. Do you want to go with “All the above”?

Me:- I’ll skip this question and move to the next.

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The interview went on for an hour. They will let me know the result in a week for the next round!!