A Toast to Success...

This whole month in general, and the last couple of days in particular seems to have dedicated itself to savour the moment of success. Slumdog is on every one's lips, ears and any other part of the human anatomy capable of perception.

At this moment, I wish to raise a toast to a success, which is not publicized, but a success no less spectacular. I wish to raise a toast, to my dear friends, who after five years of solid hard work, dedication and commitment, have cleared their MBBS, and have realized their first step towards getting a foothold in this noble profession.

As smses and phone calls sending congratulatory messages kept me occupied yesterday, I was amazed at the academic brilliance shown by those with whom I had the honour of sharing the same class room benches.

Chengappa scoring 72%, Arjun 69%, Skandesh 68%, Amit 61%, Nischal 72% and a whopping distinction of 75% by Aakash gave me that confidence that the health of our country is in safe hands.

I would congratulate Aakash in particular, for his words post my congratulatory sms, "making money is just one thing, I am glad I can be of some use to society". Knowing him for so many years, I can distinguish the same words clearly from the speeches of several "netas" I have covered during my stint as a journalist. I know for sure, he means what he says.

The success of Skandesh is nothing surprising. The very epitome of hardwork, steadfast commitment and amazing concentration, Skandesh creates nothing else but a spectacle.

As the world celebrates the Oscars, I raise a silent toast to these friends and to all those who are doctors now ,and wish them all the very best.

Musings by a Mandolin enthusiast

When I finally decided to pick up a new mandolin yesterday, (my old one is about to dump me, as I haven't paid her enough attention), I never thought I would actually blog about it.

Before I come to that part of my efforts to purchase one, it's worth mentioning here about the public perspective to this instrument. Eleven out of Ten people have asked me "what's is a mandolin?" and after I try to explain it in terms of size, that it is a string instrument like a guitar but different in numerous ways, has eight strings, "Mandolin" Srinivas...I still see a blank expression, till I throw the whopper "the instrument SRK plays in DDLJ". Instantaneously, a wave of recognition reflects. I guess I should say the "definition" instead of Mandolin, next time someone (PYTs in particular) asks me about my musical interests.

Anyways, back to my efforts to buy a mandolin here in Bengaluru, the experience was hilarious, yet showed me a very disappointing state-of-affairs.

My first stop was at Shiva Musicals, Malleswaram. The shop is just the right size to torture some one by solitary confinement, and their walls decorated with certificates and more certificates about their steadfast commitment to music (Indian Music in Particular). As a stark contrast, whatever space is left in that dump they call a shop, is filled with guitars, synthesizers and rhythm pads. (I understand mandolin is not an Indian Instrument, and I have nothing against western music.) When I enquired about the mandolin, he looked at me as if I were lice he had just pulled out of his hair, and said "Sir, this is a musical instruments shop...." Without bothering to retort, I walked out.

Next, I was at Sound Glitz, Residency Road. The punk over there was strumming a guitar, and strumming well. I patiently waited for him to finish. He then said " yes sir?". Feeling glad that some one is so engrossed in music, yet irritated that a customer was being ignored, I repeated my mandolin interest. He immediately went back to strumming, as if I was asking for "baksheesh" and said, "not available".

Still convinced I can pick up a mandolin, I went over to Reynolds Inc, just across Sound Glitz. The person over there was astonished that some one wants a mandolin. Just when I was about to complete my sigh of relief, he surprised me by asking his assistant " Hey, call up the other store of ours and ask if they have something called a mandolin....". My friends who had accompanied me, now began to doubt whether there was actually a musical instrument called mandolin, or was this some kind of a joke I was playing on them. As expected, it was not available, but he gave me a bit of confidence by saying "it is out of stock". That atleast convinced my friends I was not joking.

Now, I was not aware of any more shops. I then had a brainwave, to call JustDial, the phone directory service. Fantastic, as I searched my phone, I didn't have JustDial's number! Where can I call a directory who will give me the directorys number? So I called Pri, woke her up from her siesta, and made her give me some numbers she could find online. Poor thing, she obliged. Unfortunately, the phone went unanswered at Lewis and Sons, Koramangala and Aruna Musicals, Frazer Town said "they do not keep mandolins".

Then I decided to consider Premsons Musicals, Ulsoor, which was recommended by the Reynolds guy, he wasn't confident, but asked me to take a chance. My Good friend and a Violin Maestro, Dawn Jois, whom I had called to take an opinion, advised me strongly not to consider Premsons. Having no where else to go and nothing else to do, I visited Premsons. I was greeted by a closed shutter, and a big board which read "Sunday Holiday".

Just for a lark, I visited Yamaha Music Showroom, Indiranagar, I did not expect a mandolin there, but I was glad when the person there was aware of the instrument, and even said that they have mandolin tuners, but not a mandolin.

By now, I had considered it futile to buy a mandolin. My quest began at 1:15 PM, from my residence at HSR Layout, I travelled to Majestic, to meet my friends who promised to accompany me. From there to Malleswaram, and then to residency road, then Ulsoor, then Indiranagar... having covered an approximate distance of 45 km, I decided to call it quits at 4:45 PM.

While I was munching on the not-so-hot bajjis at Srihari Upahar, Indiranagar, I laughed it off to my friends, about the mandolin being a non entity, but deep within I felt, and am still feeling a pang of disgust, shame and helplessness. Helplessness and shame, because the world might not hear the melodious strains of the mandolin after a few years, and disgust, because, if people are ignorant about the mandolin, I, being a mandolin player, have treated my mandolin so shabbily, and have the audacity to talk about its extinction.

Unexpected rendezvous proceeds...

Five months had passed since the day he asked Anupama out. Madhav sat in the balcony, with the cloudless night giving him the much needed serenity. He slowly dragged on his cigarette, reflecting on the chain of events that caused him to be six hundred miles away from Anupama. Two drinks of Johnny walker Black Label ensured that the relevant scenes are in a nostalgic sepia as they flashed by. For an instant, Madhav couldn't help laughing at himself for his mind to be not just so filmy but predictable at that. He smiled at his own predictability and resumed watching the flash-back scenes involving him and Anupama.

17th July, 2007 - 7:45 pm, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Madhav had not expected things would happen so fast. He was not prepared for a relationship, he was only trying to flirt, trying to convince himself that he can make any girl fall for him. As was his style, as he boastfully told his friends, he had never proposed any girl with whom he had had a relationship, however brief it might have lasted. Hence he was not surprised when Anupama had expressed her feelings for him, on that rainy night, in a taxi, as they chugged past the ITC Grand Maratha to have a 'cutting' chai in her favourite 'tapri'. Completely bowled over by the sincere love in her eyes, Madhav could not bring himself to tell her he is not interested in a commitment, especially immediately after his traumatic break up with Sandhya just about a month ago. On his way back, he carelessly stood on the footboard of the Virar fast, allowing the slight drizzle to caress him.

Unexpected Rendezvous - continues

Madhav waited impatiently outside Phoenix mills. He was pacing up and down restlessly, glancing at his cell phone each passing second. He tried calling her cell phone, but his call went unanswered. “Will she show up at all?” he began to think. After all, they had met just once, and after that it had just been online conversations. He just took a chance when he expressed his desire to give her a treat on his birthday. He was exalted when she had agreed, but now, he felt she had just been humouring him.

He had almost made up his mind to leave when his cell phone buzzed. It was Anupama. He answered within milliseconds of the buzz. “Where are you?” he almost yelled into the phone. He then realised he has to play it cool and not seem desperate. He softened his tone and said “I mean, are you at home or are you out?” She said “hello, we were supposed to meet right? So how can I be at home? I am outside Phoenix mills.” When Madhav asked her why she hadn’t answered his calls she blurted out something about a problem with her SIM card, but he wasn’t listening. He was just happy that she had kept her word, though an hour late. He was sure she would have an explanation. He started walking towards High-Street Phoenix where she said she was waiting.

Unexpected rendezvous

"An unexpected rendezvous turns into a special bond, until fate intervenes"


"If you are interested in freelance writing, please let me know", he wrote in her scrapbook. Though he was sure she would be a decent writer if not good, (as he had stumbled upon her profile in the mass media community) it was for sheer flirtatious purpose that he had scrapped her alone amongst several members in the community.

Within a couple of minutes, he had got a reply from her,"yes I am, please let me know the details".

"One masala papad?... okay thank you!" said uncle and he repeated the order to the kitchen. Janardhan, fondly called as uncle by the patrons, was the senior waiter in the local bar Nidhi, which had several regulars, of which Sunil and Madhav were most regular.

"I was chatting with a random chick yesterday, till about 2 in the morning" began Madhav, as soon as they had clinked "cheers". Sunil, till that time was stroking the beautiful model posing with Kinley soda on the table cloth, immediately stopped and said "what are you saying?"

By the time they had paid the bill a couple of hours later, Madhav had taken Sunil through his meeting as well as the entire conversation that followed with Anupama.

"Looks like I will be meeting her this weekend, Halder wanted to meet her. Raju sir is in Goa, hence Halder will do the briefing" said Madhav as they arose. "Thank you uncle!", they said in unison as they stepped out into the street. Madhav lit a cigarette, and after dropping off Sunil who lived just a stone throw away from Nidhi, he hailed an auto rickshaw.
- To be continued...

Missing College - renewing poetic license

Not that I was regular student, who got 95% attendance, like several of my friends... but whatever little I attended, and more so the thought of having to part with several of my college mates is making me more than just nostalgic...it is giving me a feeling of having lost something which will never return again in this life...

When I woke up this morning, I was bombarded with memories, which is quite rare in my case... perhaps I had a dream, where I was preparing to go to college...and when I awoke, it took me a few seconds to realize I have finished my college life..

I called a few of my close friends, but it was quite early in the morning (10 am) so only a few answered, but it was great talking to them.

I happened to meet my very good friend Ketan online, and asked him to transfer me a few pictures taken on the last day of college.

While the pictures were being downloaded, I read his blog, and was dumbfounded by his poetic skills, which was again a nostalgic journey for me, as I too was once taking the poetic route when for reasons unknown and quite unconsciously I shifted focus to prose.

I now feel like shifting back and renewing my poetic license, how else can I express what I feel about missing college, without using seemingly exaggerated language and out of the world figures of speech??

Beyond Nostalgia.... COMING SOON !!!

Mozhi - An exception to my conception of tamil cinema

In the very first few days of my landing here in coimbatore, I was made to watch a tamil film. It was a very bad CD, and more so, a very bad film, made by one of the persons in cinema, whom I very much respect. But the most surprising factor was the amount of commercial success, as well as public infatuation towards that kind of "formula" cinema.

Within a few days after that I watched a few similar films...and trust me I still cannot distinguish between them !

In a situation so pathetic, and so painful that I had come to hate tamil cinema from the" bottom of my bottom" ( a statement often used by my friend Clive), I happenned to watch a film that not only restored my belief in tamil cinema, but also made me salute the director and producer for daring to make such a film in the "formula" world of tamil cinema.

This film also restored my belief in tamil audience, who have made this film a commercial success.

The film which I am talking about is Mozhi (language). Directed by RadhaMohan and produced by Prakash Raj, it is truly a must watch.

Its a very light hearted film with great elements of ingeniuosly conceived comedy, which revolves around a musician falling in love with a deaf and mute girl, supported by his friend and her friend.

"Kaatrin mozhi..." is a beautiful song penned by Vairamuthu and set to tune by Vidyasagar, says language is no neccesity to live this life. Today where the world is heading towards a revolution in communication, the sharp irony of this song surely lingers in the minds of the viewers for quite a while.

A salute to Mr. RadhaMohan and Prakash Raj for this mind blowing effort.

Another thing that struck me in the movie is the video of the logo of duet movies. It can be interpretted in various ways, but simply put, its interesting.