Dilemmas of today

                   A spectacle before the finale    The most admirable part about the Marvel movies is that they make you sit through till the very end and make you read the names of the technicians, stunt doubles and all the other guys who have given their blood and sweat to create this 'Master-piece'.         10 years, 18 films, 22 superheroes and finally we get Avengers Infinity war. Thanos, a purple giant from Titan having a huge chin is in quest for the six infinity stones. If he gets those he would have the power to wipe off half the population of the universe. He already has one, the others are with Loki, Doctor Strange and Vision. Thanos is not a regular bad guy. Here, he has a heart and he also mourns.        The directors Anthony and Joe Russo are masters at parallel storytelling. Thor bumps into the Guardians while in space, Doctor Strange, Iron Man and Spiderman form another team whereas the Captain, Black widow, Falcon join hands with the King of Wakanda

   Ishaan is the silver lining to the dark clouds.   The love of foreign filmmakers with the dark underbelly of Mumbai is really unfathomable. They find beauty in the slums,dhobi ghats, crowded streets, local trains and fish markets of this dream city. It was Danny Boyle in the 2008 Oscar winner 'Slumdog Millionaire' and now it is the Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's 'Beyond the Clouds' introducing Ishaan Khattar and Malavika Mohanan. The music maestro A.R.Rehman has given the music.       Amir (Ishaan Khattar) is a teenager working for a sex-trafficer, couriering drugs in sweets' boxes to his boss' clients. He demands a raise from him inturn his boss decides to clip his wings by tipping off the cops. Amir, while running from the cops bumps into Tara (Malavika Mohanan), his sister whom he haven't met for years. Tara was once married and harassed by her husband. Now she is alone working in a dhobi ghat. She is sexually assaulted by her co-worker w

   A fan is one who admires and supports a particular person. There are fans of movie stars, singers, authors, poets, sportspersons, spiritual gurus etc. Being a fan isn't wrong but there are some ardent fans that can't judge between right and wrong that the celebrity does and support him blindly. That is when the 'Foolish Fandom' creeps in. I want to stress on a specific fan club - 'The Salmaniacs'     Salman Khan, undoubtedly, is the biggest movie star in the country at present, with his movie raking in massive money at the box office. Several critics doubt his acting chops and his choice of movies but his fans leave no stones unturned to make even the worst of his films a 'Blockbuster'. 'Bhai ki film hai, dekhni to padegi hi', 'Film main kuch ho na ho, Bhai ka dance jabardast hai' - they say. However stupid, Big Boss may be, his fans sit glued to the TV sets to watch him speak out his unrehearsed dialogues which generally lack the pun

   It's said," When destiny forgets to tie some people in blood relations, it corrects it's mistake by making them Best Friends ." The saying holds true to me.     I've always made friends, since kindergarten till today while I'm doing my Masters. Friends have always been an integral part of my life . I wouldn't imagine a life without them. May be it's because my best friends have always been elder to me. I like being treated as a younger one. I carve having an elder sibling which my friends have always fulfilled.    You don't choose your friends, it happens, friendship blossoms. There are never right and wrong friends, its up to you what you imbibe from whom and I've always been lucky. The friends that I made in school are still closest to me. We never chat, this social networking isn't made for us but when we meet, probably once a month, it's no less than a festival. I make it a point, however busy I am, atleast once a month I meet

दादू .... दादू अब मत कहना बेटा दादू नहीं दादा बोलना चाहिए। आप तो मुझे अकेला छोड़कर चले गए. अब ना मैं दादू ना दादा किसी को पुकार सकुंगी आपके जाने के बाद  कई दिनों तक लगता था की , आप गए ही नहीं कही ,जब में बाहर रहती थी तब लगता था की आप हमेशा की तरह घर पर मेरा इंतज़ार कर रहे हो। जब घर आती थी लगता था आप अस्पताल में मेरे लिए रुके हो. पता नहीं क्यों मेरा मन मानने को तैयार ही नहीं था की में   आपको कभी मिल ही नहीं पाऊँगी। जैसे जैसे दिन बीतते गए ,हफ़्ते बीतते गए,आज तीन महीने हो गए हे.. कुछ बातें थी बतानी कुछ जज़्बात थे जताने | पुरे हुए आज तीन महीने, ऐसे  ही बीत जायेंगे साल, पर दिल का वही रहेगा हाल पल पल मैं यादें उनकी मुझे रुलायेगी, एक वक़्त था जब यही यादें मुस्कान लायी थी। आज आँखों मैं नमी, बस उनकी है कमी, महसूस कर सकती हूँ उनकी बातें, बस सुन नहीं सकती। खुलीं आँखों से उनको देख  तो सकती हूँ, पर स्पर्श नहीं कर सकती। सुख दुःख मैं हमेशा उनकी याद रहेगी, सोनू बेटा कहने वाले दादा की, हमेशा लाड़ली रहेगी। .... DADA I MISS U Writer - Kashmira Dhoka

Dear Ex ,                 How are you? I hope all is fine. It has been many years that we last met. A lot has changed but I'm still the same. Only time has changed and you have changed. I'm still the same like I was earlier. Just I can't love anyone anymore, otherwise all is the same.     Those paths where we used to walk, hand-in-hand talking incessantly. Those golden sunset by the beaches with you by my side, those frequent visits to the pani-puri stalls...and endless memories. All are the same...though not you.    Remember? The thornless rose that you gave me... even today that withered flower is yet safe in my diary. That last letter you wrote to me, in which you promised that you will never leave me is still locked up in my cupboard, which I never try to find because I know, if I read, I'll definitely cry.    Don't worry, I don't weep in your memories but I have started writing tuti-futi poems. Even today when I walk down those lanes, where

(This is a letter to all the shy, introvert singles out there who find it difficult to express their feelings to their loved ones.) Dear friend,                    It's been a long time since I last wrote to you. I have been busy a lot with work, finally found some time. When we last met, you told me about your woes that you face while talking to the girl you love. I told you it's not that hard, ''Just do it," I said.    Dude, 'Its fine.' It's fine that you don't know how to start a conversation, it's fine that you find it hard to talk to a stranger, it's fine that you can't ask a girl out. 'Its fine'.    I know it's easy for you to express yourself on text messages rather than in person. It's not strange. Even I feel the same.    Don't think you don't have a soulmate just because no one calls you-baby, jaanu,ectera. Some one soon will.    Don't think you don't have some one to wake you up in the

         February 14, the celebration of love and affection is upon us. It is the day when individuals propose their would be’s and anticipate their response. Many become success stories, some turn into heartaches. Shops across the country are suddenly stacked with heart adorned cards, boxes of chocolates, bouquets of red roses and teddy bears with cutesy messages.  We are used to the Bollywood romance where Raj comes running to his Simran from Europe to Punjab or a Veer spends 20 years in jail to protect the dignity of Zara. But classic love stories have always been unsuccessful, Romeo-Juliet, Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha,to name a few. Love is said to transcend boundaries of caste, religion and race. In today's day and age when these boundaries which should have been blurred and growing thicker each day.       Opposing inter-caste marriages and ‘Love Jihad’- the idea that Muslim men are trying to marry Hindu women and forcing them to convert to Islam has become a huge t

                 But, I'm not waiting for you. I remember, The day I first saw you, White top and blue faded jeans, Red lips and a strand of hair on your face. You came towards me and asked me for the class, I was mesmerised, I just pointed, couldn't speak a word. I was on cloud nine as we were in the same class. I remember, The first lecture, I was late and couldn't find a seat, You smiled at me and said 'Here’. Trying to impress you I paid complete attention and even answered a few questions, But mind you, You diverted my focus. I remember, Our first assignment, the angel-like teacher had paired us together, You were confident that you’d do great, I was nervous that I don't mess it up. I worked relentlessly, not to gain marks but to gain your admiration. We came with flying colours and then began our regular chats. I remember, The day I asked you out for a date, It was my birthday and I knew you had a gift for me. I cut the cake, blew

                  Love, Life and Generation Has this generation changed the definition of love and life?   Pyaar, Ishq, Mohabbat...Love has many names but the sole purpose of all these names is the only one to ‘Spread Happiness’. Love has different meanings for different people. For some people love would be a meeting for a moment, for some it may be a wait for years, whatever the meaning be but the intention is to spread happiness. A mother awaits a smile on her child’s face is the best example of selfless and true love. This love is priceless. Love is pious. Love is sacred. Whose ever it be.    The older generation always complain that this generation has changed the definition of love and life. This is true to some extent. Many of us try to find love online, make friends online. Inspite of that many of us would still fondly remember their first love, their school love. Many of us talk on phones for hours with our loved ones. Inspite of that many of us would love to talk hand in h

  'Padmavati', 'Padmavat' and now 'Padmaavat' what ever you decide to call this Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed Magnam Opus which was scheduled for a December 1 release, released today amidst police protection outside the cinema halls and incidents of vandalism and protests in Haryana, Rajasthan and many parts of the country. What is the Histo ry?     There is a disagreement within the historians whether 'Rani Padmini' did actually exist. The beauty and the valour of the queen is depicted through a poem by a Sufi saint 'Malik Muhammad Jayasi' in 1540 where he states that Sultan Alauddin Khalji heard of the unmatched beauty of the queen and decided to win her over by fighting against her husband Raja Ratan Sen. The rightful queen committed jauhar i.e self immolation along with the other women in Mewad to protect her dignity. What is the controversy?     Ever since the film was announced, the Rajput Karni Sena protested against the film. T

   In the Ganj Peth area of Pune, riding through the small crowded lanes without any signboards for the 'Mahatma Phule wada' and completely trusting the Google maps to show me the location, I reached. Horns of the vehicles reverberated my ears. The front gate was closed so I along with my friends went from the rare gate. The unadorned historical site is preserved by the Archaeological Department of Maharashtra government.   While stepping into the wada I came across the holy basil which in itself gave me the feel that I am about to see some thing historical but the dust and the sand had filled the atmosphere as the construction site was underway in the wada  was unpleasant. Removing our footwear we entered the house of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule. The legendary work of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai is safe guarded through painted canvasses. The wada built in 1852 bears testimony to various social reforms brought by the couple.    The wada houses a well