#UdtaPunjab has Bollywood standing together!

No, I am not going on the same rant you all have been hearing from Big Filmmakers, columnists, and the likes about the reality of drug problem & the creative freedom to showcase it. The stats are out there, the producers have made it pretty clear in their tweets & press conference about the status of the movie, what it stands for & the turn of unfortunate events with the CBFC. 

What I am really happy to see, is the movie industry I love, adore & have embraced all my life is standing together! Directors, actors, filmmakers who have nothing to do with #UdtaPunjab are coming out strongly to support it like one strong unit !! Because they want their freedom to express, through movies..then its up-to the audience to consume it or not! We have freedom but then it is controlled by moral policing & like it or not there is an unsaid law where you cannot really express about certain things because the offence groups are just waiting with their sticks & black paints around the corner!

That brings me to the snapchat story that made it to the prime time news, which in itself was hilarious but you have to admit the newshour debates were never so entertaining before! What was credible in this process was majority of the stand up comedy members spoke up in support, they may not have liked the joke however they backed the freedom to express!

Its funny people cracking distasteful jokes directed at a woman's cleavage in movies come & call out snapchat jokes, I mean just cause those women in your movies have no padma awards doesn't mean your jokes were tasteful! But then whether its a below-the-belt comedy or a Drug abuse subject, every story has a right to be made, its my right as an audience to decide which one I want to view or criticize :)

We are a big nation, there is a lot of room for everyone's stories & choices, why waste time by coming in the way? :)

- Purva
@purvs3

Intolerant Social Media & All that Jazz !

Its not a new thing when we take a certain few words from a sensible bunch of sentences and use it to start series of verbal & virtual attacks ( obviously these people may think they are holier than thou to catch that one mistake & start condemning & abusing you ). What follows are Meme's, whatsapp jokes & mockery and Twitter hashtags. I am really amazed at the creativity & the time people have to spare, if only it was put to some productive use !

There is absolutely an insane aftermath of #AamirKhan 's personal opinion or Point of View 
NOTE : PoV or Opinions cannot be branded right or wrong, cause really who can decide that for us ? I am also not terming his words right or wrong but its the unwarranted backlash that is disturbing !

Here are some Allegations & Suggestions made & my two cents

#1. Well the usual "go to Pakistan" or some other Islam state
Disoriented Logic : If you are a Muslim then you are a guest in India
my $0.02: Wondering when a Christian celeb(if any) says something which country would they name to deport them to ?? Who are these people to decide & with what authority do they pass such remarks so callously & NOBODY makes a big deal out of these severely hurtful suggestions !

#2. Aamir is Anti-National
Disoriented Logic : If you are not pro current government you are 
Anti-National
my $0.02 : So democracy means nothing when things are not spoken in your favor? Being selective about voicing your concerns makes you more anti-humans than him anti-national !

#3. Aamir would never be able to do a PK based on Anti-Islam in               Pakistan
Disoriented Logic : Indians are Tolerant to a mockery of Hindu God
my $0.02 : 
- If you have some sense, you will understand PK was against God-men & not Hindu GOD. Aamir clearly says in the movie that Manager gets wrong number calls 
- PK was not written by Aamir, he merely acted in it, it is not his concept, the concept belongs to a Hindu Indian !!
                 
#4. We let 3 Muslim actors to be on top, we are Tolerant !
Disoriented Logic : We "allowed" Muslim actors to do well in India
my $0.02 : Paying handsome amount to buy movie tickets for their movies repeatedly over the years is not tolerance ! Nobody would waste their money on something they have to tolerate especially when there is a choice ! You saw the movies cause you liked them & their work !

#5. Aamir would never dare to say this is Middle East countries
Disoriented Logic : We are far better than extremist countries
my $0.02 : Of course we are better, we were always better with different cultures co-existing than these countries, ALWAYS ! When you get your salary do you compare it with the lesser qualified lot and stay satisfied or do you aspire to grow & earn better like people above you ? Think !

#6. Everyone uninstall SnapDeal App !
Disoriented Logic: If Aamir Khan is promoting it, it is anti-national and all the products will automatically become national once he is not associated with it (?!? )
my $0.02: I have absolutely no thoughts here, it is as bizarre as it can get ! 
Just take a look below at Sachin Bansal's tweet ( FlipKart founder ), being a rival this is what he tweets.

- Purva

To be Tolerant or Not To be ?!

While the "Nation" is discussing, no sorry debating, no no fighting over the question is India Tolerant or Intolerant here I am answering a tougher question posed by my 4 year old, why cant she marry her brother when she grows up ? After trying hard to explain in her sense & knowledge of the world, I pronounce the golden words "You choose a boy you like and you can marry him". I thought I just reached the optimum super cool mom level, only to get a blank face and who will i choose response ! :/

How many of us would have loved to hear our parents say you choose the person you like to get married? But some of us are tolerant enough to let our parents decide for us and some of us aren't willing to walk a way clearly not designed by us. Its really a choice we make, a PERSONAL choice.

Television Debates are the new "Big Boss" house, you don' let each other speak, unknown faces make controversial statements and become popular overnight ! I was really trying hard to get opinions in one of such debates turns out I am not tolerant enough to sit through them :D

We are in the age where callously suggesting that the superstar of the nation is a neighboring country "AGENT" makes news and trends without realizing the magnitude of accusation. The same people expect sensitivity  but the carelessness creeps in like a perfect fit ! Symbolic protests, march to protest those protests its getting bigger till we find another topic for debates. My favorite piece was from Shirish Kunder who tweeted "Don't just say go to Pakistan, give tickets & visa too ! "

We all have an opinion, problems arise when we enforce them on others. Honestly speaking the toughest part of having a strong opinion is when you are trying to bring up your children to be good human beings, because not what you think is always right or wrong. Nurture your kids but let them have their own mind, if you influence and restrict them then do not complain when that happens to you as well ! Do you really care whether the next person to you in a mall, multiplex or restaurant eats beef, is secular or not, is tolerant or not ? Its not that tough to coexist, how you want to be moving forward is upto you and not the people raising their voice pitches on your TV screens :)

-Purva

The Curious Case of Husbands

I was meeting my old friend over a glass of wine & dinner, both of us talkative Maharashtrians married to a rather silent species of men belonging to South of India. 

“There is just no conversation! how is it that I have 30 minute worth of stories to tell from my day at work & all he says is ‘As Usual’ ?” inquired my friend, I smiled & told her wait till you hear the other 2 standard responses you will encounter most of the times

1. I Don’t Know

2. Nothing

& of course third being ‘As Usual’.

These are the same men who would take us out for dinner dates & have a decent conversation & go out of their way to make us feel loved & cared. The usual routine..well.. till you get married !

 The “Men” species is further sub-divided into ‘Pre-Marriage’ & ‘Post-Marriage’ categories. Their behaviour remains consistent with ‘Their’ Friends only. It’s a story I have heard from almost all my married girl friends, and mind you irrespective of it being a Love or an Arranged Marriage !!  All the over-expressive Lovers are unfortunately (or fortunately?) only in the movies ! Bollywood has really spoilt us I tell you ! A lot of men think they are ‘man’ enough if they do not express their feelings, it’s often considered as a girly thing to do. The funniest & the most annoying usage of ‘I Don’t Know’ is when they are asked a question about themselves ! How on earth is it possible to not know one’s own feelings is beyond my understanding capabilities !

They say husbands are the lesser complicated species – apparently talking & expressing lesser loosely translates into less complicated ! I would probably give in to the talks of husbands being more chilled out & relaxed, they are, they truly are !! From taking a whole cool month to fix a door bell to not having opened & unpacked their belongings for months they are extremely chilled & do not worry about these minor things to be done & taken care of !

But then not all of them are the same, you will find extreme cases where they attend to a water tap issue at home more seriously than a billion dollar client or the ones who would not disturb their chai sessions in office from a frantically calling wife ! These less complicated species are actually pretty tough to figure out ! Every time you discuss a problem ( it has to be discuss, NOT argue ) they give you the acknowledging nod of not repeating the things that cause the problem, however you will find yourself in the same spot within a few days leaving you wondering what did that Nod ACTUALLY mean? It probably means 'ok lets end the discussion & I am not paying attention to what you are saying cause I am bored' ! ;)

Although wife bashing jokes are more popular & agreed we aren’t very easy to deal with, I strongly feel this is way too disproportionate! Husbands are equally annoying & difficult ( I am not saying we are less :P ) And then they expect you to adjust with their nature, after changing your house, your eating habits, sometimes language & of course surnames we have to adapt to the behavioural changes too ! It’s fine really, ONLY if it works both ways :)

Even though the post marriage species give us a heap load of gossip material for our girl gang meetins, they are also the ones who will stand up for you & be with you no matter what !

Here’s to the BF v2.0 aka Husbands, you annoy the hell out of us but there is no way we could do without you ! Cheers !

P.S. I am not generalizing the husbands, you may have encountered different attributes but hey we all get our end of the deal to deal with :)

-  - Purva

      @purvs3

The CHINKS in the ARMOR of SOCIAL NETWORKING !

Like a very popular ad suggests today we are keener on sharing things on social networking platforms, chatting up with virtual friends & keeping ourselves updated on all that’s “Trending”. The real world charm is somewhere getting lost…

Checking our smartphones from time to time has become our second nature, like a popular joke said Whatsapp is like a baby’s diaper we keep checking even if there is nothing in it. I am guilty as charged here, however it gets scary when people start living the virtual world !

Social Networking Platforms are a great place for a lot of things :

• Our favourite celebrities are part of it
• You get updates about what’s happening at your fingertip
• Most announcements are made on twitter & you know their authenticity
• You know what’s hot in the market
• You get to interact with different & diverse people

But then whenever some cool, progressive & useful tools are launched, there are those bunch of twisted brains who use it in exactly the opposite fashion !

Firstly Anonymity !

 
People are so coward & scared to say & do things in real life, you can’t deny we think twice or million times before we would post any opinion of people, politics & religion from our own real accounts, it’s probably a dinner table discussion with friends & family. But some people not just state their opinions they abuse, belittle, ridicule & tear people/celebs down and its possible only under the guise of anonymity! Do they get some kick out of showing their frustration or they simply like to have few laughs at the cost of hurting sentiments is something I will never know !
Fanwars !!    

Yes it’s a term widely used on twitter, and they happen ! Don’t trust me then checkout Salman Khan’s tweets advocating his fans not to use foul language & disrespect for his peers! Now I thought twitter would be a great place where fans all over the world can connect & share their love & admiration for their favourite stars ! But hey you don’t need Koffee with Karan rapid fire rounds to create a stir ! Even if a fan says anything remotely negative about other actor ( although it’s as simple as expressing opinion ) the twitter swords, guns & AK47’s come out in no time & virtual pow vows hurt ! Ouch !

Virtual Problems 

Yes we make lot of online friends so to say when we start interacting on social networking platforms, problems start when you stop acknowledging & interacting with real actual people around you ! It is slightly worrisome for an old fashioned person like me that teens spend so much time online, that at times you feel this is their world & it is all that is they have for themselves! Is it because we can create an identity which we choose and not something you are naturally? There is fresh air outside that we really need to breathe! I still feel the joy of watching your favourite song when it comes out unexpectedly on your TV set is a lot more than searching it on YouTube and playing it !

Not knowing where to stop !!

I see people tagging deceased souls on posts expressing their grief & about the dreams they still get about him, I am just a bit relieved that people have not started putting pictures of last rights and stuff. These things are too sensitive & personal to be on social networking platforms. People celebrate Valentines & Anniversaries but that’s not enough, the world has to see how cool their celebrations were through their posts, how much is too much? Are we putting our entire lives on display, its ok if you don’t mind doing it, but then a little thought should be given to people who have to see it !

I am sure there are different set of chinks different people experience, these are just some out of my personal experience !

These are great mediums & like everything else they have their set of weaknesses, misuses & flaws !

If possible let’s try & build positivity on top of the technology that great minds build for us !

 -Purva

@purvs3

Help each other to Help yourself !

In this day & age where we fight our own blood to get hold of the better share of property & that humongous gold necklace Helping each other seems a whole new level of growing up...

Our country witnesses innumerable harassing incidents which only seem to multiply with time ! It’s the 21^st century & yet women have to think about how late in the evening ( yes evening ! not even night ) can they be out alone & don’t even get me started on what WE should be wearing so that we don’t “invite” trouble ! Road accidents are not a rarity, but we just drive past them ( most of us ) not bothering to find out if we can help.. Until we are in the spot !

Why are some men in our country just not afraid to take law in their hands ? The Judicial system takes years to convict & bails are given on a platter but the other major reason is WE - the common public are hesitant to offer a helping hand ! Eve-teasers roam “seena taan ke” cause they know nobody wants to mess with them. If we see anyone being troubled at public places, we don’t want to get into “unnecessary” trouble…how long will it take for us to realize that it’s not us who is in trouble but someone else & very soon the Goon population will outgrow us and we could be in the same sticky situation and no one would want to help us ?

The other day my friend narrated an incident of a pervert harassing her & her tiny 3 year old innocent girl & no one in the crowded spot in Pune stepped up to help & protect them ! I've experienced men leching & I am sure so do a lot of women every single day…! We whine, we crib, our blood boils…but then..what changes ?

How long are we going to blame those perverts for such incidents? Aren't we to be blamed equally for being mere spectators? 

Don’t we outnumber them enough to take a stand & HELP? You may be fine today but do not forget you or your near & dear ones could be the next, trouble doesn't come with an appointment.. don’t forget this is the society our kids are growing in to & will face the same damn things if you don’t try to change it today !

Let’s take this small step of not being an audience in such situations, if you are not strong enough we can always try & get help from other people around or dial the good old one zero zero… But do your bit to help…

Next time you pass an accident scene..stop..see if you can help…

Cause when you help each other you help yourself !

-Purva 

@purvs3

I am....

I am an Indian… & a proud one at that !

I am in love with freedom… of thoughts, expressions & choices

I am responsible… I follow my duties of being a daughter, sister, mother & a friend

I am positive… No problem is strong enough to crush me entirely

I am sincere… I never leave a job unfinished

I am well-mannered & courteous … I don’t jump queues, I don’t push people in crowds & I never forget to say thank-you !

I am qualified… One of the Indian parents dream – Engineer ( the other dream is doctor of course :/ )

I am… all that my parents taught me while growing up & have tried my best to be “accepted” by people

But…..

I also am crazy… I fangirl at 30 & the crazier scale of fangirling !

I also am a shopaholic… shoes,clothes,bags,watches…everything basically

I also am stupid & dumb ( at times ! )

I also am a Drama Queen… Life without Nautanki is so bleh !

I also am in love with my “Me Time”… I need time with myself…period! Indulging into my hobbies or something that takes me away from responsible thoughts !

I also am spontaneous… I decide impromptu to get into a different career field after 7 years !

…….it is important to keep yourself alive & upbeat by going the crazy way at the same time love it or hate it, you cannot ignore your roles & responsibilities !

So combine them both & make the best of both worlds !! :)