The State Within

No prizes for guessing what's keeping Advaniji awake these nights. After Vasundhara Raje's mutiny, perhaps the BJP leadership thought they would make an example of Jaswant Singh. Instead, they now have so much egg on their face that one could possible feed a small army. What should have been and could have been an intellectual debate on Jinnah's 'secularism' and the key actors in India's horrific partition, has sadly turned into a mud slinging match and much public washing of linen by the BJP.

Charges and counter charges by partymen who all seem fed up with the BJP high command's meaningless posturing over non-issues. I don't think anyone expected Jaswant's defiant outburst, followed by several of his colleagues'. It almost seems as if they were waiting for an excuse to go public with their frustrations and lack of concurrence with the current leadership. More than the party, it is LK Advani who has lost face with everyone now openly admitting his role in the Kandahar hijack incident. Of course, Advaniji's claim that he was unaware of the decision to send Jaswant to Kandahar with the terrorists was always absurd if not fraudulent. One only hopes he did not take Indian citizens for complete fools and expect them to believe him.

I was working with Time Warner and was closely following the hijacking as a matter of personal interest and also as part of the media community. Even to me, a lay person, at no point did it seem that the NDA Government had the situation under control. The lack of a plan of action for such emergency scenarios led to release of some of the most dreaded extremists. To be fair, UPA's handling of the 26/11 attack was as misguided and ineffectual. Just goes to show politicians don't care and won't learn.

I am no fan of BJP ideology but I do believe that we need a strong alternate national party to keep the ruling party on its toes. The need of the hour for BJP is a total redefinition of party's vision for itself, clear articulation of its mission for the country and the electorate and effective grass roots communication of this vision and mission. In addition, infusion of new blood is an absolute must. Finally, neither Mr. Gujarat CM Modi nor Shri LK Advani as the PM seem to cut it with the nation's populace. Perhaps, BJP needs to identify a more palatable prime ministerial candidate.

Slumdog Bollywood

I finally watched Slumdog Millionnaire last week. Yes yes...I was one of those really unfortunate ones who missed watching it on theatre!! I have a habit of doing this...missing out on super duper hit movies when they are running in cinemas. I missed QSQT (Qayamat se Qayamat Tak for the uninitiated), missed Maine Pyar Kiya - movies that overnight catapulted Aamir and Salman to fame. For that matter, I also missed DDLJ, KKKG...the list is long so I'll leave it at this.

Maybe I'll get lynched for saying this but frankly I really could not understand why there was so much hysteria about this movie. Don't get me wrong. It is a very good movie. However, it did nothing to evoke any emotions - pathos, sympathy, empathy, wonderment, pain or even relief. As a viewer the movie simply failed to connect. And we have certainly had better music from Rahman. In short, highly overrated.

Die hard Slumdog fans may argue that watching the movie on big screen would have made all the difference. But I am an avid movie watcher and like to believe have sensitbilities required to appreciate a good film.

I can think of several recent Bollywood movies that explored very relevant and poignant issues, boasted impeccable direction and some stellar performances. Swades, Chak De, Taare Zameen Par, Lagaan, Yuva...to name a few. All certainly deserving a nomination if not the award. I am compelled to wonder whether the Academy would have given Slumdog the same response if it was a Bollywood production and directed by an Indian. Sure it was a collaborative effort, but still a Hollywood banner.

Perhaps Bollywood needs to rethink its strategy if it wants to win Oscars. Then again...who cares so long as they keep the good ones coming.

Do we take SRK's BADSHAH status a bit too seriously?

One cannot argue it wasn't news material and warranted media coverage. But front page and prime time...a bit of a stretch I must admit. And after the initial few hours, it simply became tiresome, almost bordering on the ridiculous. It seems SRK takes his self-appointed status as Bollywood badshah a tad too seriously. And from all the frenzied reporting, it would seem, so does the media.

Why must SRK assume that he is immune from international immigration/emigration procedures just because he supposedly reigns the tinsel town in India? Does that equate him to a head of state, or a diplomat, or even a PIP (politically important person). What's really surprising is the media's behaviour - akin to a hysterical wife. Come on guys, get a hold on yourselves. It's not as if he was thrown behind bars or tortured or assaulted or deported. What happened was routine inspection. Why devote reams of newsprint and hours of airtime to his 'ordeal' when there are scores of matters that are much more important for our nation.

Aside from the fact that we Indians take ourselves much too seriously and every little gesture of the western world is seemingly seeped in some conspiracy to undermine our national honour, there is another perspective to this incident. The fact that the Americans have tightened up their security to the point of obsession is perhaps one of the main reasons that they have been spared subsequent attacks post 9/11.

Examine, on the other hand, the way we Indians handle matters of national security and the reasons for 26/7, 26/11, Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore blasts become very evident. People have reacted saying we should also meet them the same treatment. And I say, why not? It is time we stopped being naive and roll over on our backs for the 'connected', the 'VIPs', the 'white skin', the 'haloed' and brush security procedures under the carpet. As a nation, we need to start according national security the importance it derserves. And that includes not wasting our time and breath for the super-pampered Bollywood lot.

Let's do ourselves a favour and question the real issues.