Stirred Consciences, Class Concerns and Gargantuan Systems

The body of a young girl succumbed to brutal injuries inflicted on her by men. The sexual assault cut short a life prematurely. She would have had a job, looked after her parents, had a family of her own; but now she will not. Her fault was her gender. While rapes and murders happen with an increasing frequency, this nameless girl has stirred the conscience of many like no other.

Mass protests, few of them turning violent, foot-in-mouth comments from political class, opportunism, and media monitoring has brought a gruesome incident to the living rooms of people. For a first time crowds in thousands have gathered to protest without being offered free lunches. Few in slumber have awakened. Suddenly ‘rape’ is discussed at average Indian households. The movement, if it can be called so, has given newer and since-long-muzzled voices to many women.

The stirred conscience of citizens, leading to protests, has succeeded to some extent in applying pressure leading to creation of commissions which will look into women safety measures. But will any commission be able to change the mindset of those who view females as unequal; will any inquiry report change the misogynist attitude, or will any protest change the patriarchal high handedness practiced in most villages across the country?

The middle class has risen in protest. The thousands of faces of students, working professionals, both young, middle aged and old; visibly bearing no party affiliations are the bulk of middle class. But the middle class has its own concerns. Their priority list contains managing budget to buy that flat ten years from now, plan a holiday trip next summer, worry about the education of children; all the while worrying about the safety of women in the family. Hence the protesters are seen on the streets maximally in the weekends.

The upper echelons of society also has risen, but they are unaffected by the daily struggle a less opportune female faces beginning from her home, on the streets, in her office and in the public transport.TV room debates, twitter updates, lamenting on the systems, discussions of a deteriorating India and thus the need to send their sons and daughters abroad for education are features that describes the disconnected upper class Indians.

The poor of the country are too deep embroiled in their daily war for mere survival. They might be genuinely concerned about the gender crimes, of which they face a major brunt, but in their capacity to bring about that ‘change’, their resources are limited. However therein lays the catch. The upper class and vast swathes of middle class India do not vote. Apathetic political leadership can at one point be blamed on those who chose them, which are we the people. And what corrupt and inefficient polity can do to a society is all out in the open for us.

The ‘change’ that is being sought after does not end at death penalty for the perpetrators; that is a misconstrued demand. Violence against women, of which rape is a severe example, can only reduce with change in certain gargantuan systems in place. The systems being that of Policing, which is crying for reforms; Criminal justice, which is overburdened; and above all the system of Mentality. While choosing right representatives, applying public pressure and reformists might change the Policing and Judiciary; the third is the most daunting system to change.

Only a heady mix of deterrent (read police and judiciary) and education (read mindset) can reduce crime against women. Patriarchy in its medieval form, objectifying women in movies, gender divisiveness at home and work, disappearance of moral science classes in schools, an overall rich poor divide in society mixed with disregard for law are some of the areas that needs to be addressed. The onus largely lies on men, to understand women or at least not to commit such crimes; on parents, to teach their kids equality of gender among other things; on government to bring about necessary reforms and laws. Let the life of one nameless girl create some awareness, stir some bastions, whip up some passions, and bring about some change that her ilk seeks for.

To Burst or Not to Burst

This Deepavali saw an increase in no-cracker celebration, or at least in the noise about it. And it split people into two groups. One that advocated no-cracker diwali for various reasons, and other that believed in with-cracker diwali to be the real way to celebrate the festival. All this led to some minor skirmishes on the social media, some debates on the t.v and otherwise, some love lost between friends and some introspections in the end.

  

So what are the various views in this debate? The pro cracker group believes that it is an integral part of the diwali festivity. The beauty of a ‘fuljhari’, the illumination of a pot, the trail of a ‘rocket’, the pattern of a ‘chakri’, the blast of a bomb, are all visual and auditory delights and it is only that time of the year when one can indulge in using these. Traditionally crackers have been burst and with newer and more visually appealing crackers being produced each year, it is not appropriate not to indulge in this activity. For them the sound pollution, the air pollution that crackers cause is a part of the festivity. May be they would argue that the industrial pollution could be reduced rather than reducing crackers in diwali.

The no-cracker group, and mind you they were always existent, has on the exterior of it (with no accurate statistical data corroborating it) increased over the years. This probably has to do with the incresing awareness regarding the environment. crackers cause a lot of smoke and hazardous ones at that along with sound pollution. This can be harmful to the environment, as every diwali causes an extreme strain on the air quality. Equally affected are children and older people, not to mention the ill, who find the sound very disturbing. No-cracker group also takes into account the child labour that cracker factories employ as an unethical practice. Thus indulging in no-cracker diwali is their bit to the society, the community and the world at large.

The arguements might all sound genuine at their own place but the larger questions that arise out of the debate are, is it worth ‘burning’ thousands of rupees of crackers or using that money, say, to feed the hungry? is it prudent to deprive oneself of the enjoyment, the pleasure that cracker bursting provides? does one persons not bursting cracker help the environment? should not using crackers act as a deterrent to the lack of regulations and precarious conditions in cracker factories?

India does not produce environment friendly crackers as in western countries, which could perhaps answer some questions of this debate. That technology would however raise the cost, at no point be totally ’green’, and make it unaffordable for the poor anyway. Thus pro crackers group in the name of tradition and for the sheer joy that it provides continue bursting and have their enjoyment and be content. The anti cracker group can raise awareness, motivate people to come to their side try to bring in pro environment technology, and do their bit and be content.

The article appeared on manipalblog.com on 14th Nov, 2012.

In 140 Characters

Expressing ones thoughts, reading news, reaching out to friends (or foes) are happening in recent times in 140 characters. When -bo. (the newly re-elected American President) used Twitter to declare his victory, it went into the pages of history because of the Twitter frenzy it created. Twitter, the social network, provides for a mere 140 characters to write your message at once. Like it or hate it, it is as it is.

With the internet providing for a major platform for expression, Twitter has set itself tad apart. While most other networks have space limitation when it comes to writing your message, your views, or whatever you wish to, Twitter has set itself a relatively low limit of 140. If there is any story behind the magic 140, I am unaware of it. But at the face of it, 140 characters seems constrained.

If you wish someone happy birthday, probably that much of space will suffice; but if you are out to write about the massive expense that the US elections involve, 140 might fall short. Therein comes the ‘difference’ that Twitter provides. You may send links (remember within that 140 limit) and direct someone somewhere, but just cannot fit it all on Twitter. The lone positive feature could be fostering of comprehending ability, but the quality of the tweets, grammatical or otherwise, generally suggest otherwise.

However, the high popularity of Twitter is suggestive of many facts. probably it suits our decreasing attention span. Lenghty analysis is not the cup of tea of Generation M (multitasking generation). When a message is short it usually tends to be in some polarity, i.e the message will usually pain a picture in black or white. The missing of grey in discourses today again finds relevance perhaps in the Twitter age.

PS: a link of this article will be tweeted in less than 140 characters

PPS: Even the whole article will be summarized in less than 140 characters and tweeted.

My twitter handle : @sambit_dash
 

Movie Review: Chakravyuh - Namak Haram meets Maoism



If you have seen the promos of Chakravyuh – a war you cannot escape, then fifteen minutes into the movie you should be able to guess the plot right. For the maoist cadre Kabir (Abhay Deol) in film promos and the white collar engineer introduction (albeit with streak of fighting-for-the-oppressed nature) is a mismatch and you can flashback to the famous Amitabh – Rajesh Khanna starrer Namak Haram.

The plot of Chakravyuh unfolds with telling of a story that plagues large swathes of rural and semi urban India. A maoist ideologue (Om Puri), a Superintendent of Police Adil Khan (Arjun Rampal), his police wife (Esha Gupta), and a friend Kabir (Abhay Deol) begin the movie, where the SP is posted to Nandighat (sounds similar to Nandigram?), where industrialist Mahanta (sounds similar to Vedanta?) wishes to set up a steel industry.

Finding winning trust of villagers difficult, SP Adil Khan’s friend-turned-foe-turned-friend Kabir suggests he infiltrate the Maoist cadre and supply information. However akin to Namak Haram where Rajesh Khanna after infiltrating the workers of Amitabh’s factory understands and identifies with their issues and problems, similar transformation happens to Kabir. With a muted love story with Maoist area commander Juhi (brilliantly played by Anjali Patil), he at one point hands in another area commander Rajan (Manoj Bajpai’s character role surpasses others) but at another kills several policemen who are shown to be atrocious.

Turning against the system makes Kabir a sworn enemy of the state, but his after his true identity revelation, he is under attack from the Maoist too. And that happens to be the climax of the movie, where joining ranks with dissidents proves fatal for him.

First the negatives. The movie lacks finesse in the plot, especially in some transitions which happen very quickly. The distance, time frame, and technical correctness seem compromised in many parts of the movie. Role of Esha Gupta could have been done away with, had the intelligence scenario been replaced with something more concrete and better. The item number featuring the forgotten Samira Reddy is purely for commercial purposes and unnecessary.

The issues of land acquisition, lack of development, police atrocities, administrative neglect, politics, corruption in maoist ranks, maoist ideological gurus, role played by private militias like Salwa Judum, human rights violation, have been brilliantly depicted by Prakash Jha, however in small capsules they be. But the pivotal issue of Maoism and the internal war that hundreds of districts in India face have been dealt with (and thank god) maturely.

Maoist struggle is a very complex issue, with deep ethical concerns. It is very difficult to bring it to the fore in a two and half hour movie. But the way Prakash Jha has delivered it needs to be applauded, especially with his understanding that the urban viewers, the multiplex goers are far away from understanding the nuances of the issue. Though towards the end one might feel that the director has shown Maoist struggle in a brighter light, he has adequately provided for fodder to challenge it too.

All performances have been up to the mark, with Manoj Bajpai, Abhay Deol and Anjali Patil rising above he rest. Despite Jha’s liking for Arjun Rampal, he still remains inarticulate that he ever was and is one of the weak links of the movie. For the amount of reel space, any other better actor would have added credit to the movie.

The director’s challenge to keep the commercial content high along with his desire to showcase a very important issue that the country faces is evident. The class struggle in Namak Haram and the Maoist struggle is not very different at one point. While that was not intertwined with multitude of other issues, this certainly is. For dealing with an issue that should concern every Indian, in a mature fashion, Cahkaravyuh – a war you cannot escape, deserves a healthy 3.5 out of 5 to the movie.

The Durga Puja Recipe

 

The holiday schedule of school would have a ten or twelve days vacation for ‘Dussehera’. Once that particular period of time approached, it used to usher in multitudes of emotions, leading to an extended period of festivity.

It would begin with a planned trip to Cuttack for Shopping. Yes shopping for clothes formed a very important and integral part of Durga Puja. While grownups would have to be satisfied with one or two pairs of new clothes, we as children would demand at least 4 pairs of new clothes for the major four days of Puja.

The day of the trip for shopping would begin in wee hours of the day, continue with fastidious selection of clothes, up to a point of great irritation sometimes, ending with return in the evening the boot of the car packed with packets and packets of new clothes. The excitement would however reach pinnacle when all the newly acquired items would be displayed to those who could not accompany for shopping.

The days leading to Durga Puja would have mandatory trips to the Pandal to view the ‘progress’ that was happening with the idol making or setting up the gate and other temporary shops. It was indeed a great feeling to have witnessed something being built and finally having all the festivity centred on it. School holidays would mean catching up with cricket both in the mornings and evenings.

There would be a day earmarked to visit Puja Pandals of other nearby collieries (read towns). That would eventually lead to having the above mentioned items on those places and draw quick comparisons and arrive at a top 5 or top 10 lists. This activity used to happen long back with rented cars even when no one in the family possessed four wheelers. And all these in the newly acquired clothes, which most of the time happened to be ‘differently good’ thanks to the meticulous choosing.

Durga Puja would also primarily mean coming of family together. Relatives would pour in, and thus would begin fun at home, with demands of various dishes to be cooked, with continuous gossips, trips to Pandal, buying new toys, balloons, having food stuff dished out be temporary shops, ice creams, so on and so forth. A big family getting ready to venture out in the evening can be a very arduous and later-to-be-smiled-at activity.

It is very hard to precisely describe the feeling. Something in the air changes. The coming of goddess Durga, cooler environs of October, the sound in the air, the clear blue skies, the family coming together, the food, the going out with friends, the new clothes, all of it combined in varied proportions and a perfect recipe emerged. A recipe for what can be called as good-times-in-life.

And when you do not have those ingredients together, you can just have reminiscences and be nostalgic about that recipe.

Sun-in-Law

Yes, you have guessed it right. If there is any iota of doubt concerning ‘sun’ and Karunanidhi, dispel it. For the sun-in-law is everywhere in the news, he is hogging the limelight and some suggest he is turning out to be the ‘collective embarrassment’ of the grand old party and the government.

Robert Vadra’s fortune has risen like bright light of the sun. After darkness when first light of the sun emerges, it grows very quick and grows richer in a short span. 50 lakhs in assets becoming 350 crores in a short span is a similar story of the son-in-law of the first political family of the country. The revelation of Arvind Kejriwal might not have hit the collective imagination of a nation hard; given the fact that scams have been a routine affair. But what is startling and almost to a level funny is the way top ministers have come out in defense of the sun-in-law.

Veerappa Moily announcing that he has checked the record books and no wrongdoing is being observed. Kapil Sibal outrightly making Kejriwal a person-non-grate by telling that he makes allegations as a daily affair. Renuka Choudhary cutting a hilarious figure in TV debates. Rashid Alvi who probably does not understand what he speaks. These have probably been instructed by you-know-who to defend Mr. Vadra, who in the meantime is elusive barring a Facebook comment on ‘mango man in banana republic’ , post which he deleted the account.

Mr. Vadra was last in limelight during UP elections when he harbored desires to enter politics. He was put on silent mode after that, thanks to the Congress debacle in the state. But his mercurial rise in wealth cannot be put under wraps. In recessionary times when such meteoric rise can only be in books of history, it is a wrong reason for which he is in the limelight. It will continue doing bad to the already tattered image of Manmohan Singh’s government.

The issue at one level is pervasive of his nexus with DLF, technicality of Haryana government giving away hospital land, and the nature of loan he has received. As an ordinary citizen of the country he has all rights to be in any business, make profits, grow in stature, participate in politics, etc. But despite the fact that one is a public figure and whose conducts and dealings are most likely to be put under scanner, is it prudent, necessary, apt, for a son-in-law to indulge in what appears prima-facie shady, corrupt deals and become sun-in law?

The article featured on manipalblog.com on 10th Oct, 2012.

No Easy Day : Book Review

No Easy Day, by Mark Owen, member of SEAL team 6 that killed Osama Bin Laden, is not for those who expect to know the details of what happened to the corpse of UBL (as Osama Bin Laden was called by American military). It is also not for those who would want details of how ‘The Pacer’ (a nickname assigned to Bin Laden for walking for long duration in his Abbottabad house) was found. No Easy Day is not for those seeking gory details of the end of worlds most wanted terrorist.

The book is written in average grade English, with lot of military terminologies, some photographs thrown in and what can be best described, in a non sensational manner. The book begins with the author declaring that none of the information shared has been away from public knowledge and which has been is non threatening to their army.
A major part of the book has been spent in describing missions by the author in Iraq and Afghanistan. For enthusiasts it is a good read on how these missions are carried out and one can compare them to the action movies that are made. Extreme details regarding finding Bin Laden in Pakistan is not shared, however CIA’s immaculate intelligence has been given lots of space.

The helicopter crash incidence, the bombed Black Hawk, has been described well and is good to know since it was veiled. The author has delved little bit into the politics of the mission, which is a welcome addition. There is no graphic detail of who fired the shot into the head of Osama, but details of how the body was carried to Bagram air base (one of the SEAL sat on the chest of Osama Bin Laden, for the lack of space), makes for the interesting parts of the book.

Overall it is an average book. It might dispel some theories, scandalizing ones, about the killing of Osama Bin Laden, but it does not have much that has not been in public domain. However the appreciable part is exactly that. It is a mission viewed through the goggles (and the 65,000 dollars night vision goggles) of a member of the US Navy SEAL.


Read more http://manipalblog.com/2012/10/no-easy-day-book-review/

My Question to Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt, director, writer, social activist, prominent bollywood personality was in Manipal today (28^th September) as a speaker in an Inspirational Talk series presented by Tehelka group. He walked in to applause of the gathering, largely university students. His first reaction after he got on to stage was that film personalities are ‘applaud junkies’ and asked the audience to give another round of applause for reaching a ‘high’ all over again.

After his candid talks, about his movie making, his Parveen Babi connection, his tryst with spiritualism, which lasted for about twenty minutes, the floor was open to questions and answers. So I asked him a question and I shall paraphrase it, for I had practiced the question on the spot for about 4 or 5 times. “Mr. Bhatt, having grown up with the movies of 90’s, we would have liked you to continue direction. However I would like to ask you how do you draw a fine line between 3 things – freedom of expression which you call ‘singing your song’, responsibility towards the society and of which you are often accused, sensationalism?”

There was a muffled applause from the audience on the question, for, I assume, many would have liked to rephrase it as why did you have to choose Sunny Leone over anyone else? Mahesh Bhatt’s reply was ‘I plead guilty as charged’ to the last part of the question. He went on to say that filmmakers are ‘businessmen’. He said he is there to cater to the ‘elementary needs’ of humans.

He directed his answer at me that he knew I would watch Jism 3 over Saaransh. At that point I wished to convey him that I have Saaransh saved on my hard disk and have not made an effort to even watch Jism 3, but that would have been futile. Futile for the fact that his answer gave an insight into what the matter of the man was. There in front was a man who in the name of freedom of expression, and he admitted in his answer is there to ‘titillate’.

The use of such unfortunate words sadly didn’t speak highly of the person who was present to infuse inspiration into young minds. Just telling that do what your mind says, do what you feel like, citing one’s own examples of tumultuous relations and controversial art form is no inspiration according to me. That nothing interested him as director after turned 50, or as he said he had made ‘enough money’ just shows the depth or the passion of true pursuit of a art by a person.

Mahesh Bhatt it appears lives off sensationalism. That he gets invited to talk shows, news, whenever there is a controversy suggests that he makes hay when controversies shine. It perhaps applies to most TV personalities we see who pop up when controversies rage. As a teacher I would give a big zero for my question to Mahesh Bhatt.

Rahul - naam to suna hi hoga

Pic Courtesy : The Economist (AFP)

The Economist made a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, in a 10th September issue, describing him as convincingly confused, having an ill defined urge, looking opportunistic and inconsistent and many such adjectives, while reviewing a biography ‘Decoding Rahul Gandhi’ by Ms. Ramchandran.

The article assumes that Rahul Gandhi might play a ‘bigger role’ in the near future with a portfolio in the Cabinet or in the party. Whatever the scenario be, it is a now or never time ala Rahul Gandhi for the Congress Party. With most parties gearing up for 2014, if the Gandhi scion fails to espouse national interest now, it might be that he would fail to be seen as a prime ministerial candidate. Not that if he whips up a large-scale interest will he be near that coveted chair. But then that would be a matter of chance.

Rahul Gandhi, I feel, is viewing politics in India as a garbage filled dump which he can clean by doing some token cleaning himself and for the rest of the huge pile by applying best management techniques. He probably views his role as a messiah more who would install a system in place which generations will follow to clean up politics. However noble the intentions be, the fact remains that until now he has failed to show any result.

Mr. Gandhi might understand the power his name carries, he might understand that seats and wins is not what politics finally boils down to, he might understand that sycophants in his own party are difficult to deal with that the people en masse, but he also does not understand that a mere name alone cant get you unquestioned for too long, he does not understand that electoral politics has its own pulls and pressures and he does not understand that this coterie is probably not guiding him right.

The grand old party might be rearing imaginations of propping up Rahul baba’s name and have the country swoon after him and elect him to the PM post; while such an announcement will bear some advantage, compounded by the likelihood that the opposition will fail to go to polls with its PM candidates name, it certainly cannot be a clincher. His problem since the beginning has been poor rally crowd to vote transformation and it still remains so.

People at large have become so distraught with the affairs in the country or that is what the perception is, that a few ‘magic wand’ moments are essential to capture their imaginations. Will Rahul Gandhi break free of all shackles, change his modus operandi and provide those moments to the nation in another year? Or will he resort to the populist measure politics with whipping up the name ‘Rahul Gandhi - naam to suna hi hoga’? Only time will tell.

This article featured in Manipalblog.com (http://manipalblog.com/2012/09/rahul-gandhi-naam-to-suna-hi-hoga/)

The Sachin Debate

Sachin Tendulkar is consuming a lot of news space these days and not for the good reasons. There are scathing commentary on his form, his getting clean bowled, his retirement, and on the other hand the brigade who see him as God advocating his loss of form as temporary and recounting the innumerable times when he has come out of a slump, and flashing the illustrous record sheet he possesses. Cricketing fans have thus been split on the matter os Sachin Tendulkar.

A host of former cricketers have made expert comments that Sachin will know when he has to go. That divine intervention telling thi-is-it, will happen some day and until then he could continue playing. On the other end of the field brand managers are concerned about the economic (read it large-economy) repercussions of Sachin's exiting. That what will happen to the 17 odd brands he endorses; will there be renewal, reduction of fees, are all matters that no one else other than the man can answer.

Suddenly experts on hand eye coordination, psychologists, analysts of his swaying-the-bat-in-anguish have propped up. Tendulkar is under a scrutiny like never before. Media gaze, debating fans, not so impressive match figures, everything has now turned their guns on the little master.

Would he be worried about it? Is he training hard now to prove critics wrong? Will he make a comeback with a century? Will he make a graceful exit? Is he working on reducing that bat-pad gap? Is there a financial pie to be taken care of? These are some questions that no one can answer but for the man himself.

Has he become a prisoner of his own success? Now this is a question that would be very difficult to answer. The person Sachin has always been seen to be an epitome of dignity, sportsmanship, and of being a gentleman. He is not a person anymore, he is an image. Humans are fallible, and quickly, images are not easily. Unless polished, erosion of image occurs over a sustained period of time. The only way out is to stop all activities so that the image remains as it is etched in time.

That is precisely what is happening to Sachin Tendulkar. His fans are worried about the eroding image. If he is a prisoner of his own success he has to break out of it. Break out by outperforming critics or hanging the boots in time. Break out as a champion figure, not in an frail frame.

(This article originally appeared in ManipalBlog.com)

Modi as Prime Minister - Unlikely

Narendra Modi created a record of sorts yesterday (31^st August) by becoming the first politician to interact with online viewers in a large scale connecting with them using Google +. He took various questions, more comfortable than otherwise and answered each of them with a straightforward attitude, without batting an eyelid and getting his impressive facts and figures right. Many squirmed at the idea, others hailed it. Largely everyone saw it a preparation for 2014. NaMo was seen as throwing down a gauntlet in the race towards 7 Race Course road.

But will Narendrabhai Modi’s name as Prime Minister be acceptable? Acceptable to the voter? Acceptable to BJP? Acceptable to NDA allies? Acceptable to the world? Let’s take it case by case.

But before that the most crucial point. Narendra Modi would not have been subject to so much debate had Godhra massacre not occurred in 2002 which was followed by a pogrom against minorities in the state of Gujarat.

So firstly the Indian voter. It is unlikely that the next general elections will begin with both the major national parties announcing their prime ministerial candidates. While on one hand Rahul Gandhi is still apprehensive and have not ‘come of age’ (if he misses 2012 for entry into the ‘system’ he might miss it in the long run as well), BJP will not project any candidate largely due to internal squabbling. If a party manages to do so, they score brownie points. At the face of such a situation the Indian voter might not have a picture of the prime minister while voting. Hence it will not work in direct favour of NaMo.

Secondly the party. In the scenario where NDA achieves the majority, will Narendra Modi be projected by BJP for the prime ministerial post? Unlikely. NaMo has largely been seen as regional satrap. At the national level, the BJP ‘quartet’ have been aspiring for the coveted position since years now, and will try to shoot down any other name that arises, however large the sound bites in favour of NaMo have been over the few years.

Thirdly a crucial constituency, the NDA allies. A major ally JD(U) has of course made its displeasure known with Nitish Kumar (Another strong contender for PM post)distancing himself from NaMo but not BJP. The others like Shiv Sena, SAD, to address their constituency might or might not support Modi. The remaining smaller parties will be opportunistic when the need arises. It could well be a possibility that propping up Narendra Modi’s name split NDA, with the unhappy faction joining what is increasingly being conjured as the Third Front.

Fourthly, less important to the common man, but more as a card to play by parties, acceptance of Modi at an international forum. The biggest case in point being that of the US which has denied Modi visa based on his alleged role in Gujarat pogrom. With US being one of India’s major allies strategically and otherwise, one might argue that it might not work well for the future of this important foreign relation with Modi at the helm of affairs. Arab nations might as well join club with US against Modi which might affect the politics of oil.

All the above theories have one underlying fact. A politicians name associated with bribery might be acceptable but it associated with mass murder, communalism is a totally untouchable area in politics. An important point that needs mention is that despite various court cases against Mr. Modi with regard to Godhra riots, there has not been a single conviction against him. While a few of the then BJP and Congress politicians have been framed, the black mark has not been stamped on NaMo’s image yet. However prosperous Gujarat has been under his leadership, however dynamism he has shown over the years, however grand his views are for an India of the future, Indian political system will cause his elevation to the chair of Prime Minister highly unlikely.

 

 

Indian Youth and TINA

The average Indian youth might be vociferous with his views on the political scenario in the country plagued by rampant corruption and ‘policy paralysis’, might have grand ideas to convert a going downhill economy into a ‘India shining’, might have an answer to all malaise that affects the country, and might express all their views on social networks, but when it comes to the D-day, the elections, the platform which would effectively bring about change in the ‘system’, the same youth prefers to take a day off for vacation or watch the ‘analysis’ on television.

How many of you reading this article vote? Or how many, eligible, of you have a voter ID? These are some uncomfortable questions posed to the average Indian youth. While some answers hover around futility of the exercise, like ‘What will my single vote do to the huge system?’ others address lack of ease, like “I am away from my home town, how do you think I could vote?’, while few others talk about non-believers in the electoral system, like ‘Is it necessary to just vote to bring about change, cannot other methods serve the purpose?’.

While you may ponder over these questions and their answers or the lack of it, there is one answer that stands out. Those answer which has probably contributed to the disenchantment of Indian youth with electoral politics. TINA. There Is No Alternative.

There is no alternative political formation which could replace ineffective regimes. The host of political parties, at the end of the day, are not really ‘different’ from one another, is the view that most people carry. While seniors might still see optimism out of the situation and exercise their voting rights, Gen Y perhaps looks at the situation in a grimmer light.

The beauty of democracy, that the ruling class is put to an acid test of elections, after a stipulated time, is lost upon the youth. In an ideal situation, if there were any anguish against the treasury benches of the parliament, it would be voted against and better leaders be elected. But what skews the ideal situation for the youth in India is the lack of the ‘better’ leaders. They do not see an alternative. Unfortunately and largely owing to their deeds, politicians are painted with one brush. Such is the disillusion that has grown over the years that only a miniscule of adults willingly discusses politics. And it is a sorry affair for any nation.

It is also TINA which causes crusaders, both genuine and fifteen-minutes-of-fame-grabbers to emerge. It is TINA which has, and many a times thankfully, caused sprouting of regional parties. No one wishes for underdevelopment, corruption, lack of opportunities, thinning salaries, pink slips, atmosphere of mistrust, terrorist attacks, insurgency, poor infrastructure; every youth in India, with bigger dreams for themselves and the nation, wishes for an ‘alternative’. Alas TINA factor in Indian politics keeps them and thus the nation at large disenchanted.

This article was originally posted on http://manipalblog.com/2012/08/indian-youth-and-tina/

11 - the new 12 !

Times have changed. Quite literally. A major change that students (those residing in Manipal University Hostels) experienced was a notice announcing the change in curfew hours. The upper limit of Hostel entry time, which was 12 o’ clock midnight, was changed to 11 o’ clock. Likewise the Health Sciences Library had its time of closure reduced from 11.30 to 10 o’ clock. The decision was taken at a recent meeting held with Superintendent of Police and other officials in view of security situation.

While this exasperated some, others appreciated it and for the rest ‘it didnt matter’.

So what is the exasperation about? There are people who liken the decision to a stifling of freedom. They believe that such a forced decision takes away the ‘cool’ tag from campus life. That extra hour of fun, relaxing, cutting loose, time spent with friends, boyfriends and girlfriends is their right (even if not fundamental) and should not be snatched away. The unhappier lot thinks that 11 is too early to get back to your rooms. The ‘library people’ (you know who you are) are fuming as it takes away an hour of study, which they do best in the library.

The set of people who are happy with it are happy because they feel 11 in the night is not ‘too early’ by any stretch of imagination. That more and more hours let outside are recipes to brew trouble. And at the time when there is a percieved security issue, it is better to be safe, even if it means coming back to hostels little early. The ‘library people’ supporting the decision have a realization that taking away one hour from the entire library time would not make a difference in the ‘productive’ hours.

For people to whom the decision doesnt matter might fall in many categories. Ones who do not go to library, they like studying in their rooms. The students staying in appartments and also not going to library are least concerned. There are anyway appartments with stricter rules than the one which is subject to discussion now. Also people who do not like venturing out to ‘social hangouts’ (read whatever you wish to) are not fluttered by the decision.

Is the change of timings good or bad? It is only human to reject ‘change’. The moment a change, especially ones that affects our daily routine, is enforced, we react. We react all the more if we have not been part of making the decision of the change. However we may pose to ourselves some questions – can we be part of any and every decision that affects us? Are we willing to believe that there indeed is a security risk that authorities have assessed.

Coming to the time per se, I recall when I was a student and used to inform my friends and family about the curfew timing of midnight, they used to be shocked. For the reason that many institutions, reputed ones, do have much stricter time policies. When I was a in my graduation we used to get back by 7.30. But times have changed. The average sleeping time has been pushed to much later. My friends will cite me as an example to that effect. Hence the question, is 11 o clock in the night ‘early’ to get back to hostel?

It probably is because we were used to 12 that we are unhappy about it. It is probably the good we see in the change of time that we are happy about it. Amidst all the wide range of emotions it has evoked, the change is here to stay. Until it is changed again.

(The views expressed are of the author and has no relation to policy matters)
The article featured in ManipalBlog.com on 7th August 2012.

Unfortunate Opening Address

After a show of grandeur in the Presidential procession from Raisina Hills to the Parliament, the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee signed on the dotted line after being sworn in. And then the president spoke. In all that I heard on the news channel, there was one of the preliminary sentences that stuck out, and it did not just stick out, it did prick. It pricked the conscience, it pricked the pride and it pricked the collective vision of a nation. And I quote that part of the speech:

“Our national mission must continue to be what it was when the generation of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Ambedkar and Maulana Azad offered us a tryst with destiny: to end the curse of poverty, and create such opportunities for the young that they can take our India forward by quantum leaps.”

So what did I find so distasteful, so repulsive, so unfortunate about it?
The distasteful, the repulsive and the unfortunate part of it is that after having been independent for 67 years we still have to strive for that basic need, that whiff of development, that goal of elimination of poverty, that creation of opportunities. We still have to pursue, for we have not yet reached anywhere near that ‘national mission’ which the forefathers of the nation had set. That ‘ tryst with destiny’ that Jawaharlal Nehru had famously mentioned in his horologically mistaken speech (it was not midnight in other parts of the world and the world was not sleeping then as he mentioned) continues to this date.

India has caught the development bus, but has been able to get on board those who could run to catch the moving bus, those who had aesthetically designed shoes, those who were wearing good jogging outfits, those who were fit to run. It left everyone else, and that everyone else is the majority. They are the poor, the downtrodden and how much ever one would like to believe it to be non-existent or a minority the fact is in the contrary. Hence the tryst which is now going on since years has not resulted in what is a buzz word these days – inclusive growth. Mr. Mukherjee exhorted everyone to work for that left out section, but what good are words which has become cliche of every politician and mocked in movies to such an extent that no one tries it anymore. There could have been better, meaningful words.

What else could have Mr. Mukherjee spoken on? His speech writer would have thought it glorious to invoke the larger than life political figures of India, all with a Congress connection on this momentous occasion. But in a world where everyone is increasingly being heard and analysed, little thought should have been spared either in acknowledging that India has failed in feeding its poor, uplifting from bottomless pit of poverty its citizens or a more pragmatic approach to cater to these goals should have been mentioned. Although it is not a Prime Minister speaking from the Red Fort, extraordinary times, which the new President describes as Fourth World War, calls for extraordinary measures, speeches included.

Everyone will agree that in Indian democracy President is unceremoniously described as ‘rubber stamp’, but the ceremonies associated with the President is in no way reflective of that view. While one may argue what spectacle of austerity did the new President present with the grand limousine, and a grand procession, more on it later. The President however detached from the policy making has a role to play in affecting the psyche of the nation, a feat well achieved by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Despite playing the role of a rubber stamp, he was able to use his office to reach out to children, motivate them, thereby contributing in nation building. When he spoke, he spoke about pragmatic steps, and a glorious vision for the country. Will the erudite scholar with impeccable memory Mr. Mukherjee deliver anything on those lines? At least his words at the beginning of the innings did not say so.

Will it be just another banter against the system? Will this article just about another pot shot at our political establishment? Will it be lament at the state of affairs? will it be read and realised and commented on and passed on as yet another essay? As unfortunate the speech of the new President is, so is the answer to the questions, an unfortunate ‘yes’.

(This post originally appeared on ManipalBlog.com http://manipalblog.com/2012/08/and-the-president-spoke/)

Parents Accompanying Children

It is that time of the year again. Manipal is swarmed with a very characteristic species of people – parents. For the thousands of boys and girls getting admitted to various courses in various colleges, counselling followed by commencement of classes sees thousands of parents accompanying their children, spending a day or two, sometimes more, and return back after ‘settling’ their kids. Increasing number of parents during this season is a testimony to the love, care, worry and all those feelings which come in the package of parenting. But another question looms large – is this practice tantamount to ‘spoon feeding’? Is this practice getting perceived increasing dependence?

Certainly admissions are stressful affairs for parents and students alike. Emotional stress regarding leaving home, going to a far off place usually, staying for the first time in a hostel, getting exposed to all good and bad elements present in any educational set up and a host of other factors. There is financial stress, assuming for a considerable chunk, given the exorbitant admission costs, boarding costs, costs of books and notebooks and so on and so forth. Amidst all this stress, ranks highest the concern of parents about how their children will fare, academically, socially and above all as a human being.

Thus the concerned mother wishes to see the hostel room. Thus the concerned father wishes to talk to the teachers. The concerned brother wishes to see the locality and its safety. The concerned uncle wishes to see the quality of food provided. All said and done people most of the times tend to overdo all of these. The protectiveness and possessiveness of parents sometimes spills over. One might argue there is no harm in it or that it is for the good, but what it is leading to is producing cry babies a good number of times.

Letting go or giving independence are very profound concepts. And it does not come easily. But once the occasion for it arrives it has to be done and it should be done amicably. It can be safely assumed that boys and girls who come to Manipal are all beyond 18 years of age. Hence the question, are parents justified in accompanying young adults in every step of their admission? Should they be staying for a week to help their kid acclimatise? Are parents justified in making sure to provide homely comforts in a hostel or college?

One can observe two sets of parents, ones who accompany yet allow and make sure that their children do all the running around, find things for themselves, fill out forms themselves, buy goods from market themselves and in the process guide themselves to independence. Another large chunk of parents are seen to be filling forms themselves, doing all the shopping themselves and providing say packaged food that will last six months (yes believe me it happens), viewing all hostel rooms just to check if one is little larger than the rest, and in the process sometimes embarrassing their children and fostering their dependence. And then there are parents who owing to work, lack of leaves, financial constraints, cannot accompany their children to Manipal.

There is no perfect parenting technique, but which of the above sounds better?

The article appeared in ManipalBlog.com (http://manipalblog.com/2012/07/should-parents-accompany-their-children/)

AWAY - since ten years

I happened to travel by train from Bhubaneshwar to Bangalore a few days back on the 19^th of July. It was a rainy morning. It was nostalgic in various aspects. The journey coincidentally was precisely after ten years when I first left home to study in Bangalore. It was another July the 18^th of 2002 when I embarked on a similar journey. A journey that took an unassuming small town boy to one of the major cosmopolitans and further. As a young lad leaving the safe confines of home, the presence of numerous relatives around, and nothing to worry about other than studies primarily, it was and shall for all times to come be a momentous occasion, a landmark occasion and a decisive occasion in all my life.

With a heavy heart, that stayed heavy for many weeks, and teary eyes, when the train to Chennai tugged away from Bhubaneswar in the night exactly ten years back, very little was visible ahead. There was a vision but there were lot of apprehension weighing over that vision. Everything around was a change that was happening. And change of colourful proportions and myriad ways did happen. Three years in Bangalore, three in Manipal studying and another three and a half in Manipal working are in their own respects eventful enough to be written books on. But more on it later. For now the reflection is on the journey, the passage of ten years away from hearth.

A lot of things have changed. From travelling in sleeper class to air conditioned coach, from travelling with big luggage bags to small handy bags, from having vacations spread over a month to taking leave for just over a week, from travelling with a bunch of friends to travelling alone, from being trying food at vendors at stations to being choosy about it now, to singing away numbers to travelling quietly now and many more. Is it because of the advance in age, a pseudo modernism, responsible behaviour, all of the above in varied proportions or is it simply the passing away of innocence?

Staying away from home from years together leaving behind parents and relatives is probably not an idea that finds acceptance in most people, most because there always is a bunch who wishes to run away from the shackles of homes, for reasons both good and bad. Lack of opportunities, delayed development, adverse social climate among others are some of the geographical and social reasons which forces young boys and girls to migrate to greener pastures. But then historically homo sapiens have always done that, left the comforts of present settlement to look for better opportunities elsewhere.

One is reduced to a guest in his own home. In the ten years of staying away from home, a generous sum total of vacations and leaves put together would amount to one year in which we are mere guests at home. And it is a sad fact. All your favourite dishes are cooked for those few days, no one reprimands you if you are there for a short time, relatives call you over for lunch or dinner, and you receive gifts while you leave, a short vacation may be planned, and that is about it, all features pointing to you being a guest. And why not, when one would spend a mere 30 days of 365 in a year.

Much water has flown under the bridge. It ought to anyway, thats the way of life. Ten years, accounting to little over one third of the entire lifetime being spent away from home is significant. Bereft of the love of parents, unable to help them, absent at numerous family functions, missing out on growing years of few and ageing of others, have marred these years. On the other hand establishing a career of sorts, forging lifelong relations, excelling in few areas, earning money, and improving quality of life, which are all debatable, have been hallmarks of these years. When one weighs in a balance these two sides, it behaves like a  wild see-saw more than a balance.

Presidential Paradox

A lot of air time, print space over the past few days has been given, to what until sometime back, for masses of India was a nondescript exercise – election of President of India. Thanks to the ‘Civics’ everyone had to study in early school days, we are aware that such a post/position/chair/authority exists in the republic of India. We are conveniently made aware of that key word or i must say two words associated deeply with the President of India, you have guessed it right by now – rubber stamp.

For the General Knowledge exam learning first President of India was important, Teachers Day on 5^th September helped us remember the second President. Are you still recalling who the gentlemen were? If so, I will not give you any hint for it. I have to be me, a Lecturer, right? However who was our third President, then the following ones, is a little far cry. Political enthusiasts might remember the famous cases of Giani Jail Singh passing order for Rajiv Gandhi to be Prime Minister mid-air, literally; or a Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy became President from being Lok Sabha Speaker. Or in recent times the Missile Man generated enough interest for us to read a little about the President.

All that data apart Indian President, the head of the three forces, the titular republic head plays only the role of being a rubber stamp; yes stamping away the numerous appointments, the Bills, the Presidential pardons etc. The last act has come in the limelight recently with the first lady President of India granting quite a few on her way out. Not to mention she has also hogged the limelight for her expensive foreign tours in the times-of-austerity.

But never has the election of President captured so much of people’s attention as it is doing now. The ruling party wants its man Friday Pranabda to go to Raisina Hills whereas after much dilly dallying the BJP wants former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma to give the fight. And in the process has a lot of political activity occurred. Alliance partners of the two major blocs in Indian politics have played what they are best at – politics. With a looming early election which otherwise is not far off being in 2014 have caused parties to realign or at least set course for possible realignments.

The Presidential battle is a lost cause notwithstanding Sangma’s hope that in secret ballot legislators would hear the call of their conscience and cast vote for him defying party diktats. Even if that were to be the case, whether he will garner requisite votes is doubtful. He is also seeking a debate similar to those of US presidential elections with Mr. Mukherjee. He probably fails to realise that the public has not forgotten their civics lessons and sees no point in a debate when they understand loud and clear that whoever goes to Raisina Hills will have least to do in tackling the financial issues, the corruption issues, the governance issues, the judicial issues or even the day to day issues that bothers a common man.

Mr. Mukherjee might be Sonia Gandhi’s insurance for a mid-term election after 2014 and some analysts have reported; others believe Pranabda wanted a way out after years of being a political manager, the Prime Minister India never had. Whatever the reason be, daily governance will be affected in a major way unless 10 Janpath has a plan in place. P A Sangma if could cause some benefit to the long neglected north east, his candidature would have been welcome, but as a ceremonial head there will be little he can do.

Moral of the story is that it is not of grave concern who the President of India is unless someone like A Raja or Shahrukh Khan or M S Dhoni is propped up to the post (Sorry if you are a SRK or Dhoni fan). The hype and hoopla over the days has been majorly due to political realignments, primarily of the regional parties like SP, TMC, AIADMK, rather than anything else. Regional political parties having sensed the disenchantment with national level parties have set their eyes on 2014. They realise they will play a major role in deciding the Prime Minister of the country then; whoever the President is, hardly matters.

This article featured on ManipalBlog.com on 22nd June

On Father's Day - Poetry

In that old photo tucked in the album tattered,

My position you have made safe and secured,

Where I am a little naive all-dependent kid,

Behind your strong arms conveniently hid.

Hardships in childhood plenty you faced,

Path of success after hardships you traced,

But we received all possible comfort,

Unfathomable behind it your effort.

You were always there for us in evenings,

Overseeing studies or us watching cricket innings,

Seldom with friends or colleagues did you go out,

Your dedication for us unparalleled and devout.

A person so composed, epitome of calm,

Have never caused anyone a tad bit harm,

Helped the jobless, helped your peers,

You have established many such careers.

Ever so helpful, understanding and cooperative,

As a husband your stance so commemorative,

To your in-laws much more than a son you been,

Revered in society you possess unmatched sheen.

 You have made us, structured our lives,

With grit ensured for us smooth strides,

You inculcated in us values illuminating,

That guides us today in paths so daunting.

So broad a mind, so large a heart,

A person so very special thou art,

But to write for family is an event rare,

Inhibition aplenty to show emotions bare.

I don’t conform to man-made special days,

Relations can’t be shackled in any such ways,

A surge to write on this day something new,

On Fathers Day, Baba, a few words for you.

The sleeping giant - Democracy

The lessons learnt from the recently concluded assembly elections in five states, which many dub incorrectly as semi final to 2014, are many. While one can endlessly debate about the debacle of the elephant, the nullification of a charismatic Gandhi, the beating of anti incumbency by Badals and Parriker, the see-saw game in Chhatisgarh and the strange political dynamics of the north eastern Manipur, there is one fact that has reiterated itself yet again. The fact that is the undercurrent no matter what superficial phenomenon occurs. And that undercurrent is the subtle yet strong power of democracy.

There could be a thousand and yet more flaws in Indian political system. For it is deep entrenched in the sub conscious that the word politician and corrupt are synonymous. There also is the realisation of the fact that the voter does not even have a choice of better candidates. A situation akin to ‘caught between the devil and the deep blue sea’ could aptly describe the dilemma of the average Indian voter. But to annul such a downward spiralling event, multi party democracy in India provides more choices. Unlike in nations where one has to choose between two, in India we can choose one among many.

While the traditional belief was that the voting ‘mass’, the weaker sections of the society, could be bought with wad of cash, liquor and food, the spread of education/literacy/media outreach has made that mass smart. The honeytrap doesn’t work for urban and affluent voters. Not that it would matter given the dismal voting rate they display. A case in point has been Tamil Nadu where such antics did not pay off. This however does not suggest that the Indian voter has come of age and does not succumb to pulls and pressures or for that matter to lure. But trends over the past few years have shown an increase in the maturity of the voter, which certainly has been boosted by the democratic fabric of the nation.

Despite the doomed picture, especially of the political framework of the country, as presented in news media, it is heartening in comparison to many nations of the world. India thankfully is no Syria or Libya, or for that matter the middle east, where dictators fuelled by oil rule the roost with religion as the plank. India thankfully isn’t North Korea or Russia or for that matter the dragon China where communism is the mask of exploitation, throttling of free choice and widespread nepotism. India thankfully is not the score of African nations where private militias call the shots. And certainly not a Pakistan.

India for that matter is thankfully not the US where bipartisan politics, even though working successfully, leaves less choice and limits greater diversification of ideas. India also thankfully isn’t the UK, with a money guzzling monarchy at the top of the ladder. The Indian elephant might take many more years to match the development scale of these nations at its slow pace, but certainly it enjoys more freedom to roam about. There are plenty of ills, waiting to be eradicated, but at least in the electoral scenario, democracy, since the birth of the nation, has provided more goods.

In this regard the focus of pressure groups outside the ‘system’, be it NGO’s or the Anna team or any such group, should be to strengthen this democracy. The call for inclusion for none-of-the-above column is a welcome step, however imparting education and motivating more and more number of people especially the urban population to vote should be carried on with fervour. Democracy can be strengthened with increased participation, and increased participation can be induced with simplifying the rules and regulations that govern voting. The disenchantment of the youth with political scenario needs to be addressed.

It is convenient to crib about the system or the lack of it. Fault finding is a task that is carried out almost sub consciously about nearly everything that is around us. A take home message from the recent election results and a few prior to it should make us look at our democracy with optimism. Because amidst all the pessimism lies the fact that, this Indian voter, despite all the travails, can choose his representative, can accept cash and kind from one party and not vote for it, can overthrow a corrupt regime, can bring back a performing government and in doing all so drive the juggernaut of democracy.

OSCAR 2012 – Predictions

Its Oscar time again. Tomorrow morning (early on 27^th Feb in India) the biggest Hollywood event will unveil last years’ stalwarts in various aspects of movie making. The Oscars, despite all its detractors, still remain the most famed certification for movies.

And it so happens each year that the Oscar fever rises only after the nominations is announced. Movies, unheard of until then are downloaded and viewed. Whether Oscars make a movie famous or a famous movie makes it to Oscar are two sides of the same coin.

Nine movies have been nominated for Best Movie. They are: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse. 

I have on the penultimate of the Oscars completed viewing all the movies. A few of them I had watched a few months earlier.

They are as disparate and diverse as it can get. A silent and black and white movie (The Artist), a contemporary family drama (The Descendants), a 9/11 story (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), a movie on the colored nannies (The Help). Then there is one on grit of a young boy (Hugo) by Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen’s take on a dreamy yesteryear take (Midnight in Paris), a movie on baseball’s tryst with money (MoneyBall), Terence Malick’s tangential abstract (The Tree of Life) and Spielberg’s war movie centered around a horse (War Horse).

The individual movies in a nutshell:

The Artist: Jean Dujardin plays a silent movie artist who is unable to deal and cope with the advent of change in movie. With no dialogues and being a black and white movie, it stands apart. The actor is a serious contender for the Best Actor category.

The Descendants: George Clooney plays the father role perfectly with the highlight of the movie being the father-daughter relationship. The transition in the emotions of the family over the death of Clooney’s wife has been portrayed beautifully in a contemporary set up.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: One of the two Oscar nominations which has a child artist as a protagonist. Though it is to be noted that The Descendants, The Tree of Life, and The Descendants do have important child actor roles. How a child copes up with the loss of his father on 9/11, his relation with his mother and how they come to peace with it is portrayed in the movie.

The Help: A movie on the colored nannies which formed an important part of an American home has strong character sketches in the movie. Violet Davies role has been critically acclaimed.

Hugo: Martin Scorsese has given us a movie with a child protagonist and has used special effects to perfection in a grand portray of clock and early movie making. It is a movie which deals with travails of an orphan and his grit in finding answers which helps an early movie maker find his lost answers.

Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen is back with what he does best, portraying characters strongly and he does that this time in a medieval set up. With his characteristic background scores, Midnight in Paris is an interesting watch, though a little prior knowledge on Hemmingway could help.

Moneyball: A movie on baseball and the money involved in it is shown in the movie, especially how calculations and mathematics has taken over instincts and traditional knowledge in selection of players. Brad Pitt’s angry manager role is portrayed beautifully.

The Tree of Life: It could not get more abstract than this. With camera work and cinematography reaching great heights, it is a movie on Life in a bigger scheme, shown in a family’s handling a death in the family. It is more an arty a movie and palatable for serious movie watchers. 

War Horse: Steven Spielberg’s war movie, which revolves around a horse and shows the World War on both sides. Many sub plots of the movie disparate in their own means works perfectly in the end for the movie.

For a successfully movie, there has to be many ‘moments’ in the movie which uplift it. There are plenty of them in the above mentioned movies.

The climax scene of The Artist where Dujarin wants to kill himself, German and American soldiers helping the horse to get out in War Horse, the love portrayed in Midnight in Paris, Brad Pitt’s dinner table scenes in Tree of Life, the father-daughter interactions in The Descendants, the outburst in The Help, and the list is a long one.

We come to the pivotal question. Which movie will be crowned the Best Movie in less than 24 hours?

Every movie could be a winner. They have the potential. The factors which could work for them are: the ‘different’ movies like The Artist and The Tree of Life, one silent, black and white and the other abstract. Contemporary family drama in The Descendants. America’s turnaround moment 9/11 in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and its past, not so glorious, in The Help. Grit and reforming ending in Hugo. Dreamy movie making in Midnight in Paris. Another obsession of US, baseball, in Moneyball. Movie making reaching nadir in The Tree of Life and a trusted Oscar formula, world war, in War Horse.

If I am to put my money on a movie, with a lot of apprehension, I would go with – Hugo !

Best Director: The Artist, The Descendants, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life. My Guess: Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

Best Actor: Demián Bichir, George Clooney, Jean Dujardin, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt. My guess: Jean Dujardin for The Artist.