golden phoenix

Balanced on a knife’s edge Not too long ago we celebrated our n th independence day. We waved a few flags, sent out customary greetings to our friends and family, enjoyed a day off and forgot all about the real issues that face our country today. Make no mistake: India is at a precipice today balancing itself at a knife’s edge. Currently, the entire social fabric that weaves India together is about to be destroyed. And nothing can be more appropriate, more illuminating than the current crop of movies that are being churned out by Bollywood and are rip-roaringly successful. Bollywood as a mirror of Indian society Traditionally, Bollywood has always reflected India’s broader sentiment at large. In the 50’s and 60’s it was Manoj Kumar singing “Mere Desh ki Dharti” and Lal Bahadur Shastri saying “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”. The era when the farmer issues dominated the on screen cinema personified by “Mother India” In the 70’s it was the angry young man, Amitabh fighting against esta...

As I was sleeping on the lower berth of the train, a voice rang out “Beta thoda side de dena jara”. As I opened my eyes and tried to adjust to the dizziness of my broken slumber, I saw the face of an uncleji with a huge grin of expectation stretched across it. “What the hell” I thought and gave him space enough to seat 2 folks. To cut a long story short, that ‘little space’ soon turned into his entire family belongings (of all generations, I think!!) coming in my compartment and eventually almost my ouster from my own seat. In the night when it was the time to sleep once again, I told him to go somewhere else. “Beta, adjust karlo. Ek raat ki hi toh baat hai. Itna toh chalta hai”, pat came back the reply. Eventually after a heated argument ‘the gentleman’ relented to move 3 of his family members so that I could sleep comfortably instead of a foetal position. An endearing phrase showing our true spirit of resilience and generosity?? But after that encounter, the phrase “Chalta hai...