Coca Cola India!

No I’m not going to endorse the addictive-unhealthy-caffeine-product Coca Cola here?

There is nothing that is needed to promote this product anymore; you see I have termed the majority of our Gen-x, the Future of India as Coca Cola products!

Thus, the title Coca Cola India!

Cynical much, does that sound? Unapologetic enough to break your expectations.

WELCOME TO THE YOUNG INDIA- THE GEN X’s INDIA!

Smart, techno-savy, quick, adaptable, innovative, ummm… you have any more words to pamper this Coca Cola India? Let me clarify I belong to this is generation too, but I cannot deny the realities of my mighty confused fellow beings.

You call us innovative? Walk down a youth joint and you might not be able to recognize an individual by a mere glimpse from the back, courtesy- uniform hairstyles (coming out of the latest bollywood film), uniform clothing (again heavily influenced by bollywood icons, fashion magazines and the latest heavy stock availability at Link Road or Fashion Street), uniform lingo ("i hd tld u den! I am right 'na' sweetheart?") and uniform tastes (Yes, yusss! I am talking about everything from pasta italiano to marlboro lites)

Where is the innovation/ Where is the originality?

You call us smart? Oh! Yes, we’re not great on general knowledge, but we’re google loyalists! We look up the key words that complete our project and copy paste the first few results on the search results.

You call us mature? Yes! We’re the instant hook-up generation. Everything in our relationships follows the express way, except genuine emotions. PDA and making out in public places is pretty normal, yeah? Thanks to the fact that most relationships begin on facebook and end up with a text message.

Yes, yes! I'm talking about that couple making out in the auto! Then had issues over giving time and finally broke up after 2 months cause they thought it was not working out. You know them? Errr..well common story these days.

Yes! We live our life with a set of weirdly arranged punctuation marks, calling them smileys-

J:/ L:S :P K:@ :* ^_^ ({})

The most handy tool while flirting and flattering :P

We’re so buzy being career oriented (as we pretend and say) that well we don’t have time for real humans. Laptops and Smartphones are our priorities you see!

Don't we sleep with our phones under our pillow and check it each time we wake up?

Facebook, twitter, whatsapp, BBM! Our world would have crashed without you!!! I swear!!!

Because if you take away flirting, chatting and gossiping from our lives- We are lost and left out with nothing! Venue check ins, picture uploads, statuses, likes, comments, wall posts are religiously necessary!

Our values our more westernized, our judgments more practical and trendy, not necessarily far sighted or wise, though. Ironically, we’re the lot that is easily influenced (specially by western concepts) courtesy- we’re not aware of the richness of our age old values and cultures, or at least believe that they're so “uncool” and “outdated.” You see, in totality the time concept or the contemporary theory is of much significance in every aspect, be it the choosing Subs (Subway sandwiches) over puri-sabzi or drinking Coca Cola over nimbu paani- we’re trendy and majorly contemporary- not stringed with tomorrow or attached with yesterday.

Honestly, wearing a traditional Indian dress is such a task! Can carry it on occassions, to click pictures but my jeans and tees, shorts, skirts,dresses keep us happy enough! Jewellery? accessorize us with trendy fashions, or there's nothing less than diamonds that we'd settle for!

And by any chance if you are calling us visionaries? We are call centre bound too, “Jaha Quick Money, Waha Hum Bhi”.

We can sing, dance, party, walk with confidence, openly abuse and criticize our critics, our elders and our government. But well we can do practically nothing?

The motivation to do something shall probably take another 5-9 years.

But atm, (at the moment!) we are living the Coca Cola life! The fizz shall be gone before we realize the reality of a short sighted life!

Not all of us are so lost, scattered, directionless& living in a bubble! Some live with entrepreneurial dreams, IAS aspirations, Investment banker jobs, stock trading, and a big ticket ambition list.

Par hum sab ek hi hai, ek jaise- Assembly line produced Coca Cola bottles hoping to change our mould someday hoping to make a substantial person.

Eventually, all that we all truly crave for is A BETTER life!

Struck hard?

Chill harder- THANDA MATLAB COCA COLA ;)

 

 

With Love -Love!

 

“Cuz every living person in this world would trade anything for the sake of Inner Peace:”

Irony often dominates situations, and this one is one such instance.

No matter what your age is, but the day you start understanding life, life often bewilders you with the existence of such vast range of emotions, experiences and explorations.

Heartbreak is the most uniform feature of them all. A failure that broke your heart, a loss, an unfulfilled promise, a shattered hope it comes with a blank cheque of pain.

Most of us, (at least 97%) people reading this have undergone the wounds of a heartbreak, but what next?

Nothing guaranteed a short cut to getting over people. I mean NOTHING AT ALL.

And it gave rise to the important question of not “how to move on” but what next!

Irony is, in the revolution of & communication, we’re no more in touch with our own needs and emotions!

You realize your need for sex, but fail to admit how much you crave for love!

And why not? After all accepting and acknowledging the importance of love & emotions that tag along with attachment are so not the cool thing to be boasting of!

Just like women in our society, have been synonym to emotions their trait of being physically weak has been attempted to equate & thus, confused with the strength & need of emotions.

But tell me-

When did crying while missing somebody become a crime?

When did appreciating & acknowledging emotions become a sin?

When did demanding love & giving back more love wrong?

Being unemotional & strong looked easy? Didn’t it?

Honestly, yes! It is way easier and less complicated and also less meaningful.

Admit it,

There is always a story, a book, a song, a movie that never fails to trickle down  tears. And well, you cry alone, to sleep.

The problem with us is that we’re very scared about the nerve wrecking uncertainties of acceptance of our emotions.

Because emotions are too strong to break down for us, love is strongest of them all. But they are stronger in every sense to make us break down.

The tears, the fake-false smiles, the cigarette butts, the glasses of alcohol, the pages of your diary, the stained ink, the strained mind and the mixed emotions come up knocking to each door defining the breakdown of denied emotions.

strength lies in living beyond the cynism of the judgementalists!

And you still want to live caged by frozen walls of emotions, as you demand for strength.

“When did hill provide the strength, I’ve never known.

I always thought it was a job warm alone.”

Why would a hug heal the pain?

 Why would a smile ease everything again?

Why would you look for solace in your mother’s lap?

Why a kiss could touch the soul?

May because you’re still humans, meant to love each other.

With that technological revolution already over taking, I can see the stoned moment coming.

Everybody craves for love, everybody is greedy for love.

And yet you think giving up on it can keep you happy?

Giving up on something you crave for the most?

Why give up on something that actually are, for something you think might give you the benefits of profit? *short term profit

“Yes, love is plain stupid! Now do you realize how important stupidities are in our lives?”

Let that “STRONG” person battle with strength, and not weak outlooks of emotion.

Let that strong person let go off his guard, to live and earn happiness with not the fear of wounds but the love for happiness!

“Emotions are immortal! You can’t kill them with even the best of your attempts, but kill yourself instead by denying a life of peace”

Let the emotions breathe free...

Keep loving as you keep living!

Cuz love is the virtue of the strong hearted!

with love...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KING KHAN!

             HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MAN WHO TAUGHT US TO BELIEVE IN THE ABSTRACTS OF LOVE, HAPPINESS & DREAMS!!!
                                                                                                           


DIL SE...

“Woh Kehta Hain Main Us Jaisa Nahin
Phir Kyun Mujh Jaisa Woh Lagta Hain”

Writing an introduction for a man, whose name, whose look, whose voice, whose work is introductory enough to create a global stir, is quite an uphill task! But to not write about someone who I love, respect, admire and look up to, on a day as special as his birthday would be a big enough sin!

While the Bollywood Baadshah- SHAHRUKH KHAN turns 47 years young today and is all engaged in accepting the love that his family, friends and fans are showering over him from world across, I sit before my laptop writing a few words about him. Today as I sit as an unknown admirant of the Khan, unable to meet or wish him personally, I write this blog in the hope that SRK shall read it on some random day!

47! Or 3 short of 50 and still young! 
20 years and still spreading the bollywood fever!

I wouldn’t anymore talk of his self made career and stardom, but what has earned him all of it is his Warmth and that Enviable Incredible Energy!

Yes!!! Shahrukh is not just young, but redefines energy! Shoots, Ads, Promotions, Matches, Business, Wedding Appearances, he does everything all round the year through to keep one and all entertained!

Undoubtedly, he is media’s favourite child! Through news, rumours, promotions and well controversies, two things sell the best- SEX & SRK! And as the Khan himself claims, “Aren’t they the same thing?”

Yes, at 47 too… when our fathers and uncles are inching closer to retirement, getting their hair greyed and losing out easy on energy, King Khan continues to be “SEXY & DESIRABLE, undoubtedly.”

See him romancing like a 20 year old in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, see him do the cartwheels to entertain the crowd at his team’s IPL matches, see him speak up his witty best in his interviews, see those filmfare award shows that he so effortlessly pulls off, see him come out to thank his fans on his birthday! And well, who can forget the dream of being his Chhammak Chhallo?

With a broken back, shoulder injuries and all the excursion that adds to the efforts, he stands there smiling, uncomplaining, spreading his arms with love to contain the world with goodness!

While some brag of “Him Bragging” about kids, about values, about himself…doesn’t all that he speaks make sense and adds enlightenment!

Whether or not an SRK fan, sit some day, watch any of his interview from the beginning till the end; it’s a promise that you shall end up with a mix of smiles, tears, inspiration, motivation and a lot of learning to carry forward! Its typically an SRK thing!

While most women love him for the cliché`s of Raj and Rahul that they fell in love with, he displayed versatile shades through his films like Darr, Baazigar, Chak De, Swades, Paheli, Ra.One, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and many more. His experiments have often been tagged as flops, but the thought and guts behind the experiments, the difference that they carry were none like any other. Shahrukh, a highly intelligent and well read person remembers an important advice from one of his early directors, Lekh Tandon-“When you are out there to act, forget what makes sense and what doesn’t. Script is the God”. Perhaps that’s exactly what Khan has been doing over the years, but his desire to experiment and make better films reflect in the projects that he takes up as a producer with drastically distinct films like Asoka, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Ra.One which were far ahead of their times.

For the famous Bollywood flavor that Shahrukh carries and his famous for worldwide, I’d like to share a recent interaction with a German Film Critic. When asked of the liking for Bollywood in Germany he reverted, “It was Raj Kapoor and now it is Shahrukh Khan. We love the Bollywood culture, the dance, the music, the drama, the dialogues, the color, the culture. When Shahrukh Khan comes to Germany fans are all eager to meet the charmer. They wait outside his hotel even at midnight just to get a glimpse of the superstar. In popularity, Shahrukh beats George Clooney too!

In fact, on his recent visit to India last month, he revisited Maratha Mandir, to watch Shahrukh’s longest running film DDLJ, which he defines to be perfect!

And well! We wouldn’t disagree :) 

“Woh Kehta Hain Main Us Jaisa Nahin
Phir Kyun Mujh Jaisa Woh Lagta Hain”

He denies being a role model, because he believes he hasn’t done anything worthy of being a role model. But Shahrukh- for all the smiles, happiness, love and entertainment, values, goodness, the inspiration, motivation and positivity and all the little things that you add to our lives by your films, your words, your life; you are worth all the respect, love and admiration!

About Shahrukh and his qualities I could probably just go on and on ranting! But probably here is where I end, eagerly waiting to watch more and more of SRK, Yes! Jab Tak Hai Jaan better release soon!

And come sooner the day when I shall work with the King of Hearts himself!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAHRUKH!!! May that smile get wider, may those eyes always twinkle, may the happiness keep coming, may the hearts keep loving! Wishing you a life of Kingship and a Kingdom of love, happiness, health and successs to you JAB TAK HAI JAAN!

Much, Much, Much love and regards!

Parampara

The Promise to Keep in Touch…..!

SCENE 1- Last few days of school, during exams!

There is chaos, excitement and a vibrant buzz! Tables are filled with colorful pens as people put their most creative hand-writings on paper!

No! I ain’t referring to the board exam fever… all the fuss is about the stack of ‘slam Books and Autograph diaries’, colorful and happening, hand-made or Archies imported, that await their turns to be filled by our near and dear friends and also the far and hi-bye friends! Different slam books, different people, different equations and different words! But all the questions remain the same and so do their answers (almost). Yet there is a certain joy… of giving away those slams, autographs, signed t-shirts, contact details!

In them and with them we leave a promise… A genuine one! The promise to keep in touch!

SCENE 2- Social Gathering/Campaign/Meet

We meet new people… many for the very first time in our lives! 5 days of togetherness…3 days of laughter…2 days of bonding...a day of love! We humans get attached to each so easily! Some time to chatter and the next moment we appear like the best of friends…bonding together since ages! No we don’t go with a plan to make new relations… new friends! To us it just happens! What is rather difficult for us is the process of parting! The concept of Good bye’s is enough to make some teary eyed! As they say, ‘’there is nothing Good about a Bye’’.

The only thing that plays the soothing role is the promise… A genuine one! The promise to keep in touch!

SCENE 3- Family/ Friends Get-together

We know them… we bond well with some… we fight with some! But we share an emotional chord with them! Family/ Friendly gatherings are the most looked forward to events! If not they end up being fun and memorable eventually… But what we leave with while going is the promise… A genuine one! The promise to keep in touch!

Cause people in our life come and go, but it is when they near their time of parting we realize their role and importance in our lives! Even if not we always leave with a promise to keep in touch! If you re-think its sounds like the most false yet convincing reassurance!

Today we have endless means of staying in touch! Apart from the traditional face-to-face meet-ups, we are surrounded by a TECHNO-WEBBED world! Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Google Plus, Skype, SMS, Whatsapp, BBM, Chaton and there are newer options coming up everyday! And yet we know how far and distanced we are from people each day!

We blame our buzy routines despite spending endless hours of wastedness we fail to reach out to those we promised to stay connected with. And yet we manage to find time for our current favorites! We disconnect…or rather just lose network with those running on parallel tracks!

Those promises were not fake! Those reassurances were not masks…

Life moves on… and so do we!

It does not signal to leave behind those people or the promises!

BUT WHENEVER YOU CAN GIVE IT AN ATTEMPT, A SIMPLE GENUINE EFFORT…

TO KEEP UP “THAT PROMISE TO KEEP IN TOUCH”.

J J J

Friendship Day!

" friends are not about words and quotes, they in the journey of your life are a boat"

It’s the first Sunday of August, what we popularly celebrate as the friendship day! As I sit at home being remotely connected to the world, life just keeps screaming how much has it really changed!

May be its not the same excitement that we once had in school! Honestly, friendship day is just another hallmark day- where you can rush and push for gifts, cards, bands and mementos. But what makes it really special is the conscious and dedicated efforts to celebrate friendship.

As kids, the cards and friendship bands were a fancy necessity, a beautiful ritual to us! What made it better was the handmade friendship bands of wool and thread. The cards, the gifts, the special planning for your best friends and eventually a chance to thank your friends at least this one day in a year. The enthusiasm and celebration remained unmatched with those wrist full of tied ribbons and bands! Friendship indeed became a celebration.

As we come the to the present, with ideas like "har ek friend zaruri hota hai",back to today those bands are converted into marker inks and forward texts common for all! An FB status and a tweet on twitter seem enough to express all the love! But there is something that we celebrate beyond the friendship day today, we celebrate a bond of friendship each day! As we share gossips, as we share problems, as we share solutions and as we share support. Those fights, those pranks, those slangs and all that fun are all responsible for engraving a special place for each one in our hearts. Those heart breaks, patch ups, setting and counseling, the success treats and the motivation in failure are tied with the string of our friendship. Distance time, differences and quarrels strengthen the essence of life! Not that we’ll have someone forever. But yeah, if you look through the bright light, the memories shall fail to fizzle out! Smile and let them be! Be and let them smile! J

Not everyone was meant to be a friend forever, but your bitterness shall kill all the sweetness that ever existed! It was meant to happen, they were meant to go! Life is planned before hand like that!

Remember those slam books, with promises of being together forever, never changing and being the same, keeping in touch like the moon and the stars? It wasn’t fake forever, you just didn’t know how things would change!

Remember teasing those times of fun you shared! They were there so that you could remember them with a smile today!

Somethings went wrong, some went your way!

Don’t blame the friendship!

Don’t blame their intentions!

This friendship day, just try befriending the goodness you chose to ignore! Celebrate memories, celebrate friends! Its always great to call an old friend for the good-times sake!

Its nothing you will regret!

Life is beautiful!

Live it, love it, laugh at it!

Befriend happiness, befriend yourself!

Forgive all mistakes and care to care for friends!

Life is this way, no offence!

May be life is nothing like a movie, may be it is!

But good friends make good films (good life, I mean)

Happy Friendship Day to the near and dear and to the gone and far! Every li’l contribution of yours makes my life worth a smile J thanQ for coming right in here!

Lotsa luv! :*

Cheers!

CRICKET CRAZIES TO FOOTBALL FRENZY?

What an adrenaline rush can be on a daily basis, ask a sports frenzy! Here in India, sports mainly talks about the religion-like- game of Cricket!

Talk about Cricket and 4 out of every 5 Indians will have an opinion to express, a memory to cherish, a passion reinstated, a sense of belonging right on the field, there. Sachin Tendulkar is the God of this religion: worshipped, idolized and celebrated as “the face” of Indian Sports.

If you ask someone of their earliest cricketing memory- it usually starts from those early childhood days of gully-cricket where breaking glass windows was a routine tradition (even for girls) and then continued to World Cup 1983/ 2003/ 2011, Sunil Gavaskar’s batting, Anil Kumble’s 10 wickets in a match, Dravid’s centuries, Dhoni’s captaincy and Sachin’s records. T20’s, ODI’s, Tests, the first WT20 win are those cricketing moments which will never fail to bring a smile to your face as your heart shall get filled with joy and exhilaration.

You will find an aspiring Sachin, a mini-Sehwag, a patient Rahul all aroung the gullies of this country. The biggest shock it would be coming across someone who hasn’t himself broken glasses or knows someone who has done it too often. Its probably the most common ritual/event that forms the childhood of almost every Indian child.

Everyone in this country either plays cricket, watches it or at least has an opinion about the game and its ambassadors- good or bad! And then its finally the turn of other games (after dedicating a major chunk of attention to cricket) m-Hockey, Badminton, Tennis, Chess get some mentions. And out of them all Football/ Soccer which is the most widely played game across the globe does not get the similar attention back here in India.

For the love of sport and to get a break from the politically disastrous news and mentally torturing entertainment channels a cricket lover may even try watching football (saying out of experience) { though many of them do it out of sheer interest too} but we can never love football the way we love cricket!

Thinking over the same, here are a few reasons:

1.    India does not have an amazing football team like Argentina or Germany.

2.    All the good looking sportsmen are already booked to play- Cricket!

3.    Indian values emphasize, “You must not kick anything/ anyone.” Well, in football all the donkeys are constantly kicking the ball. In fact it’s a foul if you touch the ball with your hands.

4.    Remember laughing aloud in that initial match scene in “Lagaan” where all the Indian Fielders (almost7-8 of them) are runningbehind a single ball? Hold on, football is the game where almost 20 men are doing the same thing throughout the 90minutes or so.

5.    In cricket, if Sachin is at the crease for a long time he’s at least sure to score an individual 50 (hopes of centuries always high) But even with the likes of Ronaldo and Gomez on the field you may end up with a goal less match as they miss the goal despite repeated opportunities.

6.    Cricket has a 20-20 format, a 50-50 format and a 5day format (tests) too! In football its all the same each day! Thankfully, Pepsi started with T20 Football! #ChangeTheGame

7.    As mentioned earlier even with the greatest of players and 90 minutes on the field you may end up watching a goal less match. Thus, heading for the extra time and penalty shoot outs! But with cricket its either runs or wickets! There are non-stop ticking numbers which are separate from the ticking of time.

8.    We as Indians always love to support players (individuals). Honestly, despite of team games we’re often more biased and prejudiced about certain players who glorify the game for us.

So from Sachin-Sehwag, Bradman, Michael Clarke, Ricky POnting, Garfield Sobers, Jhonty Rhodes, Brian Lara, Stuart Broad you ask them to shout out Fabregas, Schweini, Euseboi, Iniesta, Andre Pirlo, Ballotelli would be quite a task!!! (with much needed prior practice)

9.    Be it a 90 minute game or a 20 over match there is a much even and high-voltage drama in Cricket than in Football. And it is a pretty popular fact as to how much we Indians love Football!

CRICKET HAI BAHUT KHAAS!

Photo Courtesy: PEPSI INDIA #ChangeTheGame

Loving the King of Hearts!

He came, he charmed and he conquered!

And he continues to reign millions of hearts across the globe effortlessly with that mesmerizing smile, those deep dimples, innocent eyes and all that wit and charm that fits the package!

He spreads his arms wide and the love flows endlessly!

“Tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam; pyaar hota hai deewana sanam

Ab yaha se kaha jaaye hum, tera baaho mein mar jaaye hum”

These few tactics were enough for any girl to crave to be his Chhammak Chhallo!

He made you fall in love, he made you believe in love, he taught you how to love and he himself passed soooo much love to contain all the niceness and spread happiness to the world!

All that he demanded in return was Love and more Love!

He fought for love! “Tu Hai Meri Kiran”

He stood against beliefs! He said, “My Name Is Khan and I am Not a Terrorist”

He gave the mantra of strength and passion as he said, “Chak De! India!!!”

Eventually for everyone he said, “Haso , Jeeyo, Muskurao! Kya Pata Kal Ho Na”

As Raj, Rahul, Aman, Khan, G.One and Don: SHAHRUKH KHAN was the man who came and won it all!

The positivity with which he says his favorite phrase, “Inshallah” yes! God willing it shall happen! The positivity has already enveloped you by then!

Even as I write this, words fall short! There’s soo much to say I don’t know what to miss out! Pages, Books and Series would not be enough to describe my hero!

He’s Special! That’s obvious and he’ll remain to be!

25^th June 1992 Khan happened to the Indian Film Industry! Ever since it’s all about his charm!

The actor, the producer, the TV host, the media entrepreneur, the cricket team owner, edu-media investor, the football team investor, the life of live events and award ceremonies,  the public figure, the doting father, the visionary, the charmer, the one who spreads happiness!

Deewana, Anjaam, Baazigar, Darr, DDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil To Paagal Hai, Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gam, Main Hoon Na, Veer Zaara, Om Shanti Om, Swades, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Dil Se, Don, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Chak De, India, Swades, Kal Ho Na Ho, My Name Is Khan, Ra.one, Pardes….

Be it dancing on the train or with Bollywood beauties he can mesmerize almost anyone! Absolutely anyone!

He’s not just an entertainer, he’s an intelligent entertainer! There’s a thinking that goes deep and that the words reflect! There’s a total love for the self that can be termed as Connect! There have been controversies, naysayers, critics and gossipers: But a man who stands by his values and beliefs and well chooses the boundaries of his head and heart

Words can never define him!

What can one say about Shah that probably no-one knows? He’s like an open book with too many hidden secrets! Some learn to decode them some learn to mis-interpret! Some love to love him while other’s love to hate him! But yes! YOU SIMPLY CAN’T IGNORE HIM!

Shah is a global icon, with fans far and wide! He says, “I’m no role model; cuz I don’t do the kind of good things that role models do!” But for us he is a role model, cuz he does the best thing- Makes us Smile!  SRK is not just an actor he is a Phenomenon! He will creep into your mind and capture your heart!

“mein aankhe band karta hun to tumhe dekhta hun
aankhe kholta hun to tumhe dekhna chahta hun
tum paas nahi hoti to tumhe charo taraf mehsoos karta hun
har pal har ghadi har waqt merre naina mere naina ko doondate hain
ise pyar kaho paagalpan ya mere dil ki dhadkan
mere liye ek hi baat hai
pyar to bahut log karte hain
lekin mere jaisa pyar koi nahi kar sakta
kyonki kisi ke paas tum jo nahi ho
mein tumhe bhool nahi sakta naina
mein tumhe bhoolna hi nahi chahta
tum meri ho, mein tumhe zindagi bhar pyar karunga
marte dam tak pyar karunga aur uske baad bhi”

SHAHRUKH WE LOVE YOU!

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THOSE SMILES AND FILLING OUR LIVES WITH JOY!

MORE POWER TO YOU!

“INSHALLAH”