Interview with SONNAL PARDIWALA - Author of the BOOK ~ FAN FOR THE FIRST TIME

Over the weeks I was wondering what could be my first blog post for 2015 and I came across this BOOK titled FAN FOR THE FIRST TIME. 

The title didn't make me so curious cause I assumed that it would be some star struck fan writing about her love for the star, at the same time the words FOR THE FIRST TIME rang a bell urging me to pick up the book. The action paid off well, cause what I held in my hand was not a STAR STRUCK fans monologue of love for the star but something totally unique. I knew, I had got my first blog post for 2015.

I wanted the post to be as different as the book itself, so I decided to have a conversation with the author and know more about her, the book, and the journey of creating this ONE OF ITS KIND creation.

Sonnal Pardiwala - The Author

Signing the book for FAISAL KHAN 

Counselling Psychologist by profession, the author initially ventured out into a full time counselling practice. Has written articles for My Doctor magazine and gradually meandered into teaching and training Holistic Healing modalities to students of varied age groups worldwide, personally as well as Online.
She has been an avid blogger and writes on a spectrum of topics ranging from spirituality to home-schooling.

She is going to surprise herself, her readers and students with her stint as a Fanfic writer. Her blog posts about SET India's teleseries - Bharat Ka Veer Putra ~Maharana Pratap, Created by Abhimanyu Singh Contiloe Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. garnered tremendous readership and fans of the show actually eagerly waited for her blog posts.

At the age of forty, with a bouquet of pursuits up her sleeves she proves that there isn't any age for becoming a FAN ... especially when one is a FAN for the FIRST time.

The Conversation

Me: What was that precise moment when you started writing the first blog post?

Sonnal: For that, a little tour requires to be taken, to my personal turmoil I was going through in the month of May 2014. Yes I was hooked to the series and the Little Man (read Faisal Khan). There was a moment in those vacations when I was completely depressed and Hurt! No!!!My Husband and Kids adore me completely. It was rejection from my Parents and siblings that had got me plunged into deep dark hole of self-destruction. I looked at my perfect world and felt “I AM NOT NEEDED ANYMORE.” My kids were Big enough to take care of themselves ( so I thought) My husband will do just fine without me (How utterly foolish I was) and on  29^th May 2014, I decided to pull plug on my life!!! However I was not left alone that day to carry forth that idiotic notion!!! And those days the track of this little Man putting up his best Acting skills was on and my son noticed that the only time mother dear is speaking is when she is watching this show. I had expressed the fact that I would so love to see these episodes again. I did not know about this wonder called YouTube and that show is telecasted again. So, came a day when I was contemplating calling life off. All planned…Hubby n kids were going out for an errand and it seemed like a perfect time to end life silently!

My son opened YouTube and the previous day’s Episode and told me “Mom see this while we are gone, you wanted to see naa?”

Without much enthusiasm I sat. I knew what I was about to do. But well I did…and in the digital medium the output of every expression of this show came through. I sat and gazed…the famous quote of William Wordsworth fit so perfectly

I gazed and gazed but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought…

What clicked, I do not know but I thought why not see that episode? Why not see that track again? And it went on…

I found my Healing in the expressions, this Little Man gave in every scene. 

I forgot to DIE!!!!

Every day now became a delight for after my chores of daily life, I had something to savour and enrich my life. On my loneliest Day, My birthday, on June first, I viewed the episodes on YouTube from afternoon till morning hours of next day. I cried in many tracks and I was enthralled by others. That day the writer took over and decided I need to pen down what this show and specially, this young man has done for me.

What hours of meditation could not do, watching this show did!

~~~~~~

Me: The title is something that attracted me to pick this book up, especially the words... FOR THE FIRST TIME? Please elaborate…

Sonnal: Because that is what I literally am of this Wonder guy. All my young life as a teenager not a single film persona had held my attention! Maybe I liked a movie but well…it was soon forgotten. I never felt the rage of what people declared for film or cricket personas. Collect their pics. I was amused when my friends wasted their precious pocket money in buying their pictures. Why would they want to gaze at every photograph…grab every news item on them. Check tit bits on their lives. Till June I had no idea there was a fan page of this show or of this young man. But when I did log in the net world... Holy God!!! It is a madness out there. So many fan pages so much of information...so many claiming to know him…SBB  segments telling about upcoming tracks and sharing the rapport of this young man with his co-stars. All through I realised I kept staring and tuning into every bit of Expressions I could behold. I realised it was becoming my Healing energy. It filled me with so much happiness and inner Joy. For the first time in life I began to smile Genuinely! I gave up any pretense of hiding my adoration for this young One. My sons and husband were simply happy to get this new lively happy person back. Then I wrote my first blog on Kunwarji-Faisal Khan. Penning down every single thing I adored him for. And I put it up on as many Fan pages I could. The response I got was over whelming to say the least. So many wrote back and inboxed to say, I reflected what they felt about this little Man. I suddenly had so many friends who wanted to talk about the show and discuss our Fangiri, for this Young Man. So there I was Fan for the first time of anyone ever.

                                                         ~~~~~~

Me: The big QUESTION? Why Faisal ?

Sonnal: Why Faisal? For that you may have to see the show! I mean this guy changes expression as naturally as day changes to night. He can smile shyly and you find yourself shy and smiling. He could jump in front of soldiers with an open sword and actually make you believe he would cut down the enemy.

When he looked at his Mother your eyes may brim with tears and you could actually feel the Reverence one has for the parent and the high ideals that traditionally characterised an Indian Son were reflected so perfectly. At the same time he could convince you how he is falling in love with a damsel…the restraint…the oozing of love back n forth…he weaves a web with a different expression each time. He can actually cut your heart up with his agony filled eyes…Ohhhh… you have to see him…I tried explaining …hope I succeeded…

~~~~~~

Me: What made you convert the blogposts into a BOOK?

Sonnal: That is a long story now. When I began writing these blogs I connected with some amazing people across the globe who felt the same about the show and this Little Man…It did become popular read and I had thousands of page reads. It was phenomenal. It has crossed ten thousand plus page views. Requests poured in to cover this segment or that…I enjoyed writing on him. I wanted the whole world to know what a tremendous Acting potential this young Guy has. He had inadvertently played a Pivotal role in my life. Then came a funny Need …in this tech connected world I wanted that Faisal Khan himself should read what is written for him. Now that is what Bloggers do. When Naseeruddin Shah Came up with his book And Then One day…my husband who is an avid fan of his, wrote a book review and tweeted him...Nasirji tweeted right back with a Thank you Beta! When the Movie Finding Fanny was released. My 14 year old wrote a film Review and tweeted the link to Homi Adajania and he retweeted right away. Encouraged by these sophisticated appreciation, well, I thought I would get my hero to read my appreciation too. I had some hard lessons to learn and I had to face some equally discouraging moments. For this immensely talented man’s identity on media is the most misused!! All those Handles that sort of were his, I gave my links, only to be disappointed …no one had a clue as to where this young guy is. I got stories…he does not know English!!! (A guy in English medium in Mumbai?? I mean seriously???) He has no time…(granted and agreed…)He does not appreciate written word …hmmm…now that as a writer I had trouble digesting. Everyone would love praise written on them…now who would not. And of course with each track the blogs kept increasing in popularity. But my dream that my Hero should read about him was elusive. Then Came in my Magician Husband and Son with their super suggestion…Why not Convert all this material of blogs into a Book and let it reach wider audience. Maybe I could give him as a birthday Gift in January. They took over from there. Once the book was ready we gifted it first to Contiloe CEO  MR ABHIMANYU SINGH. He for sure was thrilled to get the feedback and BLESS HIS SOUL, he fulfilled my dream to give a Copy to MY DEAR LITTLE MAN. He agreed despite the busy schedule of both himself and Faisal Khan to meet briefly in his Office.

~~~~~~

Me: I have this privilege to unravel the book COVER. Could you tell us significance of the book COVER.

THE BOOK COVER 

Sonnal: I believe this, that When you love someone, raise the person so high that when they see your STAR through your eyes, He appears like a Rising Sun to them! I absolutely adore this Little Man whom I also feel is a Destiny’s child. To symbolise that the Cover page has the Image of a Rising Sun. He too is a Rising Sun whose brilliance is going to increase and spread far and wide.

I do wish good luck to this immortal character he made alive. I wish good luck to this natural actor in him to grow and shine ever more in his brilliance. I request his fans to be dignified in all the encounters they make on the behalf of this decent guy and help his persona in media to reach tumultuous heights. I will treasure every single close up that I have captured in the book and cherish every word I have written on him. 

~~~~~~

Me: The defining moment of your life when you met Faisal?

Sonnal: It is called Magic …thirty precious minutes specially ordained by my Angels and higher folks. They fulfilled the Dream of meeting him respectfully. I am a Mother of two and a perfectly happy wife. I did not wish to go and meet him like a desperate screaming Fan. That moment deserved every respect that I have for him. It is not lust...or sense of control. He is a Star…he and his immense talent belongs to everyone who admires him the same way I do. I wanted the world to know him as a Sensitive and Smart and Suave Persona. By giving him the book as gift it was also to raise his Image …in the media. He is not a Mediocre Guy...he is humble, cute. He was at first a little wary when he entered …he confessed that he thought there will be a pamphlet or sling book waiting…Indeed he was surprised to see such a massive book on him. I am surprised too at what I have created. 

I THINK EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE BOOK HAS A LIFE OF ITS OWN AND ITS OWN DESTINY. 

I skipped a beat there when he entered the room. This was My little man so breath takingly handsome. He was reading the first blog I wrote on him fluently in English…and a little uncomfortable of course and understandably. I told him how I began writing on him...how I tried to reach him ...how out of anger I Deleted three blogs of his…we talked about how he plans to get good grades in Boards. He actually could not believe. He asked “Will people read a book written on me??” I had to look into his eyes and tell him “Sweetheart, thousands of people have already read the blogposts! You are reading it today” He explained how his privacy has been impinged upon daily. I assured him that we respect his privacy and this in all probability was our last meet ever. We gifted him with a box of chocolates for his birthday!!!

He will remain in my memories and prayers but I shall not hound him like a Crazy Fan. I hope he remembers our thirty minutes in a special way all his life and understands what he means to me and my life forever.

For him I would like to do everything to make this book a success, which will answer his query “Will someone read a book written on me?”

The Book -  FAN FOR THE FIRST TIME is a first of its kind in many ways. It's one of its kind BLOG to BOOK experiment in India. Sonnal Pardiwala is the first writer in India to author a fanfic based on a tele-show. Also, in all probabilities, Youngest Indian celebrity on whom a book is written.

To quote the Author's words from the book - 

             "It is simply a besotted fan’s ode."

The BOOK Team has applied for 

*THE LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS*

On 28th March a Book Signing event was held to celebrate FANDOM

The Fans with this unique special edition Coffee Table Book 

got their copies signed by 

Faisal Khan and the Author Sonnal Pardiwala 

  The Book Review of Fan For The First Time:

For fans in India - you could order your copy through - (no delivery charges ONLY within INDIA)
https://www.instamojo.com/sonnalp/fan-for-the-first-time-the-book/

For overseas fans - the book is also  available through -

http://pothi.com/pothi/book/sonnal-pardiwala-fan-first-time-0

Now also available at TITLE WAVES Bandra West Mumbai

                             & Kitaboo Kandiwali west

©Nozzer Pardiwala. All Rights Reserved.

And Then One Day

I recall, years back, I must have been around sixteen, as I walked through narrow by-lanes of a wholesale market in a small city then, of Madhya Pradesh. . . glad, I would get all my music cassettes (those were the days of cassettes) at almost half the price.

The acquaintance walking along with me, on reaching the shop; which presumably was of his very good friend, asked, “Which ones?”

I excitedly said, “Pyaasa…”

He looked at me, as if I had asked for a loan.

I continued . . . “Kaagaz Ke Phool, Mr. and Mrs. 55”, so did the astonishment on his face. 

Probably, he wasn't expecting a teenager to ask for those, far forgotten cult classics. I don't know why, but, master pieces always, more than often, get classified as cult classics, long after they had been made.

To his amusement and also to the the vendor's , I collected quite a number of cassettes, the sum total in comparison to today's time, amounting to nothing at all.

It was my inclination towards seclusion or sadness or art, I can’t make sense of it, even today, but I was always drawn towards these kinds of movies and I had begun to feel that those kinds of movies weren't made anymore. Till; I stumbled upon this vast ocean, of what was by then called; the art movies or parallel cinema. Manthan, Aakrosh, Jaane Bhi Do Yarron, Bhavni Bhavai, Sparsh, Katha… just to name a few.

I was simply amazed, that there could be such simple movies made in the simplest of locations, there could be an actor looking as simple as me and be so good at his art, for that matter even get work in films. I feel, exposure to those movies, must have been the primary reason I ever thought of making films.

This man was so ordinary looking, in terms of the actors around him, it made me believe I had a fair chance, if not acting but at least may be directing such amazing actor. But it’s not about me, it’s about this magician who I wanted to know so much . . . I wanted to touch him and know if he was real, as real as his portrayals in the new wave cinema. . . .I waited for years till one day, when I was browsing through the net reading about Finding Fanny, just doing ground work for my article on HomiAdajania, I stumbled upon this title of the book . . .

And Then One Day . . . the title, kind of resonated and maybe some connect, I knew it was. . . .Naseeruddin Shah’s memoir!

The last time I picked a book up, apart from my own, was Chetan Bhagat's- Five Point Someone and much before that Making Friends by Andrew Matthews and much before, The Dale Carnegie, Wayne Dyer self- help types. That sums up that I am not an avid reader and theses books have sometimes taken me a month or at times an entire year to complete or sometimes even abandon reading some of them, mid-way.

So it was almost a revelation that I pre-ordered the book, which arrived on Sunday 14^th September through flipkart, and back from Finding Fanny afternoon show, almost mesmerized by Nasseruddin Shah’s performance, I started reading this tome.

To my own disbelief, I completed by Tuesday night, and after having read it, turning the last leaf over, I was lost… for a while, in the magic of the words and this man's honesty.

The only comment I ever got for my self-published book, from any one, apart from family, that too quite a genuine one, was from a Facebook friend from the homeschooling community. The person had told me of liking certain parts but it had failed to be stripped open in some.

I was happy, that at least someone had taken the pains to read a book, which not more people than its number of pages had read, and even taken the extra effort to write a feedback. But I didn't quite understand the view then.

After having read Naseeruddin Shah’s Memoir, I realized, what it means to split wide open. In His memoir he just does that. . .if you are in love with him for his persona on screen or stage, at times, his confessions may drive you to discomfort, but, if like me, you wanted to ever know the real Naseeruddin; you are going to have almost nearing a feeling of having touched him. I did!

With all due credit to Ramachandra Guha, the language is articulate and at times you don't want to bother about the exact meaning of those eloquent words and just move on.

It could be sacred scripture for young aspirants with starry dreams, smitten by the gloss of filmdom and for the more lost like me, could be an eye opener in discovering the difference between, being truly talented and merely thinking that one is talented.

On viewing, the unusual, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, one would wonder, why was he cast in a two scene role… but when he reciprocates to Abhay Deols; Meri family ka construction business hain, with , Ohho Koi baat nahin Galti harek se ho jaati hai, with ease… You know exactly, why he is in there.

This, his dry kind of humour, lingers over his use of words in his book as well.

He his outrageously open in using some, names, sometimes even biggies, with an attitude of frankness and his repeated use of, I daresay, tells you he cares a damn about what they shall comprehend of it.

He gently holds your attention with his witty and mostly endearing narration taking you through, a journey of his childhood, so rare in itself for a film personality to share, with complete righteousness. You can actually feel the strain between him and his father, you can trace his frustrations of wanting to get into the depth of his art but failing to find only superficial sources, you can connect as he rips open his most vulnerable human side, be it his marriage at an age not generally conducive, or his confession of having deserted his first child. He bares open in front of you, the Naseeruddin he is and not what you revere on screen or stage; even at the cost of losing little respect from some shallow admirers.

But I daresay, he does it not for the sake of making it a USP of the book (He isn't even promoting it, as much as promotional rampage goes in times of twitter and facebook) he does it for, I presume, the sheer joy of sharing with, some- many -few, who would relate. I am sure Sir; there are plenty as you and me. The book shall choose them, if they don’t, like he writes in the final chapter, I claim no credit for choosing that kind of cinema – it chose me.

If only, Ramachandra Guha may have convinced him to write a little more than this . . . but I am sure he may have tried and failed like telling him to refrain from using cuss and not being successful.

Having tried my odd bit, of catching a train to Pune and trying to get into FTII, having walked till the doorstep of Roshan Taneja’s acting institute at Juhu and being handed a pamphlet by the man at the door, having got the opportunity to be tapped on the back by Vishal Bharadwaj giving his number during his Satya days, having worked as an extra on sets of Police Officer, Khel and some more debacles, having always being bit by what they call the film bug …I believe, having read this book, that it’s not only Talent that gets you work but the talent of knowing to sell your wares does.

The true teacher being somewhere within you, there isn't anything that anyone can teach you that you so much can learn on your own . . . and more.

I have simple regret that the memoir touches upon his life only till thirty- two and not beyond . . . maybe intentionally, for not letting more worms out…but I daresay; this man would not have bothered to consider this as reason enough. Maybe a part two…. Maybe…just that much…  

© Nozzer Pardiwala

Knock Out ... and indeed the winner is MARY KOM !

Does the life of a woman in our country come to a pause, once she steps into motherhood?

Are all women with aspirations in our country blessed to have a self- assured man like Onler?

These are some core questions that the movie Mary Kom, subtly, touches upon.

Thankfully the movies run-time is 2 hours 4 minutes. Thankfully, because parking slots in malls charge more, after initial 3 hours. 

Secondly, because the movie grips you into the life of Mary Kom without being sluggish, like biopics sometimes do.

I am not sure, what the role of a creative director is in making a film of this scale, but I had my doubts; when I saw those candles lit up in the church in one of the scenes and Mary Kom getting herself hit by a street-fighter to get the cow back for her brother in another; that SLB definitely has some role to play apart from being the producer. 

But that doesn't undermine Omung Kumar’s directorial capabilities. Who very cleverly has not woven a story around a story but said it with simplistic crisp narrative. Though at times it may appear like quick jump cuts but it keeps the plot to the point and doesn't drift into cinematic liberty.

Priyanka Chopra is not someone to be named here at all, because she slips into Mary Kom and you kind of start liking her … Mary Kom… for her aggression. 

Miss Chopra surely would have spent enough time with Mary Kom for having able to emote her exact feelings, body language and language. Or simply let's be kind to her this time and accept it, that Miss Chopra has truly grown as an actor and she is not going to leave the rink before proving her mettle; because in the industry seldom do actresses find their footing back after enjoying marital bliss.... like Mary did in Boxing. 

Darshan Kumar (Onler) somewhere said that he is the true hero of the film, what he probably meant was; Onler is!

When Mary is moving towards the airport leaving the kids behind, he simply holds her hand, understanding her dilemma and letting her know without words, that he is there!

He is truly, in that sense, the hero of Mary Kom not because he, being a man, encourages her into following her dreams but simply because never does he proclaim that…. That one nuance; is what I really appreciate in this narrative which separates the urban metro-sexual man from being a self- assured Onler.

Just one regret, the movie hardly captures the beauty of the place where Mary Mom comes from. In all probability, to get our focus on the fact that for us city dwellers these places may appear like wonderful vacations but for people living there, its hardship!

Miss Chopra doesn't mind at all, the narrative starting with her being pregnant and having two babies, wearing a frayed vest, repeating boxer shorts and vests in certain scenes, to stick to reality. 

She brings out the aggression required by this sport, with her uncontrolled brawl with the roadside Romeo. At the same time, she highlights the control one needs to keep that aggression in check, with the getting bald scene.

Nothing is over played, not even the sensitive issues of the Place and if you are looking out for typical filmy boxing with slo -mo spit splashing action, you are in the wrong theater. In that respect it truly sticks to the title, and makes Mary appear human and not a superficial character. 

If not for the songs, than Mary Mom could easily pass of for a text book chapter on Mary Mom with beautiful crisp screenplay which ends at a time when you can see the pride in Mary’s eyes when the Indian Flag is being raised and we are requested to stand for the National Anthem. You realize the movie has come to an end, leaving us asking for more. Google could help.

The scene where the girl and her father fail to even recognize Mary Kom, brings to light the fact; how short lived fame stories  in our country are and you are as famous as your PR machinery makes you.

With A very well- known sports-man having just retired and his endorsement contracts almost vanishing from television, you actually believe it.

Fame comes at a price and many of us are willing to become famous but seldom are prepared to pay that price . . . like when Mary’s father asks her to choose between boxing and him, she chooses boxing.

But as a mother when it comes to making the choice, the mother wins or maybe the societal norm of our long standing belief that man are supposed to be bread -winners and women the bread -makers. It takes a PERSON like Onler to make her choose boxing again. . .where he so sweetly says, agar koi mera mazak udae toh parvah nahi, par tumhara majak nahi udna chahiye . . .  

Just in case there would be a little more Onlers, we would have many Priyankas and many more Marys in our country. . .

© Nozzer Pardiwala

*This is not a review of the movie.

KNOCK OUT ! And the winner is MARY KOM !!!

I am out and out a filmy and my love for cinema sometimes lands me and my family into movies which are 100 crore plus no-brainers... Or let us call them intelligence drainers.

But this time around, I am going to watch a movie, for an altogether different reason, apart from the obvious one.

It’s high time we realize the worth of a QUEEN (read Kangana) or a Mary Kom (read Mary Kom).

It’s not that a woman-centric film has never been made before or that we haven't seen a sports movie. But here is a unique combination of both.

It must have been tough for Miss Chopra, preparing for the role of a boxer; as much as it would have been to stick around for so long in an industry, where Heroines are mostly eye candies and have a short shelf life.

So in between a Gunday where Miss Chopra plays, what would have been narrated to her as a significant role and doing a Pinky Hai Paise Walon ki, she manages to bag a Barfi, as well. She even manages to pull out a winner in her singing hiatus.

And just about, when everyone around her is announcing her retirement, like her counterparts; she gets under the skin of Mary Kom. 

It is actually coming at the right time, not only because Bhaag Milkha Bhaag literally ran to success but also when Queen has made its mark and proclaimed that viewers are ready to accept a no- hero movie.

The True Hero being the script and the Female protagonist.

With Mardaani around the corner, the mood is set right and finally the Ranis and Priyankas are making it known that they aren't mere show pieces in 300 crore grossers but they are heroes themselves.

The box office fate may matter a lot but what matters more is… there are courageous Producers and equally gutsy Directors who are staking their money and art on these talent loaded women.

So I am catching up on the first day- first show of Mary Kom, not only for my crazy love for movies but to witness the outcome of an eccentric-dare- devil Producer's efforts, an Art Director turned Director’s debut.

…For a sport. Which, till the change of this millennium didn’t accept woman as contenders, in our country.

And above all…For Miss Priyanka Chopra who from being a Miss India to a wannabe heroine has come a long way. Proving time and again, that she deserves to be appreciated for her hard-work…she stands tall literally in a man’s world…taking the risk to even throw away Greasepaint, for her role, at times.

Mary Kom could prove to be yet another award winning film of 2014… unless the male dominated multi-starrers don’t run over it.

But surely it shall be worth a watch.

The very first time when I appreciated Miss Chopra for her acting skills was in the Madhur Bhandarkar directed Fashion where co-incidentally both the reigning beauties Kangana and Priyanka shared screen space.

What I hear is, Miss Chopra has teamed up with Madhur Bhandarkar for producing Madamji … yet another milestone.

Till then I am eagerly awaiting for 5^th of September 2014, when the life of …a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion, the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships, the only Indian woman boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics, competing in the flyweight (51 kg) category and winning the bronze medal; comes to life on the silver screen.

Come! Together lets salute the power… the power we so much silently admire but not acknowledge …the power of a Queen ...a Mardaani ...a Mary Kom ... the power of a Woman.

Bring Back ... CONTENT !

Were you brought-up in a remote village of India?

Did your parents undergo lot of pains while you were growing up?

Do you have a special bond with your mother? She believed you, when no one did??

You had a strained relation with your father?

You have seen lack of money to the extent of walking down long distances?

You are average looking? No, infact people have told you you look like shit?

You cannot go back to your hometown so you shall do any kind of odd jobs for money?

In short, you are a Loser! Loser!! Loser!!! With a capital L

Wow! 

Than brace yourself the world is looking out for you!

You are the next big thing in bolywood!

Media is on a look out for you!

Biggest banners are going to offer you the most misfit kind of roles and you definitely cannot say no! Realty shows have send coordinators to spot you, to make you one of their contestants who represent the mango people ?

Common, you have heard it before. “Never underestimate the power of a common man”

AND YOU are one! 

…so it is time you celebrate! Celebrate your below average looks. Celebrate, being a loser.

Grab every pie offered to you, not just a part of it. Make hay while the flash bulbs shine and till, the media replaces you with another ‘child of a lesser god’ like you.

Your success story is an interesting piece of read so leading newspapers will want to interview you for the first page, most surely sponsored by your big banner, in which you are starring with a 100 crore plus super star.

Be ready for your bare it all interview. Do not hold back, reveal it all! . . . .

People who aren’t as lucky or as hardworking as you, love to read stories of people like you. They resonate with you coz deep down in their hearts they so much want to be in your place.

Momentarily though, they live it up, their dreams through your sob story.

So, no one wants to hear about a rich brat who always had all the riches delivered with his nappies. No one is interested in knowing how many cars or bungalows your father gifted you on every birthday. No one is bothered which brands of underwear or cosmetics you were born with.

You are obsolete dear! Because you don’t sell any longer.

What sells is, not plastic smirks of egoistic highhandedness but real tears. . .tears of pain, tears of grief you suffered to reach where you are today… on a pedestal created by media. Tears that roll down faster than sensex.

So brand yourself well… dearies. Riches no longer attracts… what does is rags.

I remember those days when we used to wait all week long to watch bloody one English movie every Sunday on Our own sweet old Doordarshan. We hopped into our neighbous home to watch chayageet on their black and white television set. We so much empathized with Badhki didi Lajo ji and Basesaram in our favourite tele series.

They were like our extended family. We lived their lives, we wept with them shared their happiness. One channel, no choice absolutely.

And at times we were so deprived of entertainment we actually even saw movies in regional languages which we never understood. That too gave us happiness. It was like, we gave unconditional love to our television sets.

The inaugural sound track of Doordarshan logo forming onto our dull looking screens made us alive and the news before the closing sound track made us sad… wanting for more. 

Ek chidi anek chidiya...was the only thing we thought animation was all about.

Now over 800 channels, facebook, youtube and the fast far reaching web of web have us spoiled for choice.

So though there is influx of so much talent there is more manipulation of content rather than creation of content. Be it television or any other source of entertainment.

In 1950's Guru Dutt with his Rembrandt lighting, zoom in and zoom out shots created magic with silver bromide in form of Jane who Kaise Log the… and

Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam 

And today with best of technique, best of technicians and best of actors all we create is a money spinner not a master piece.

How many films are we going to remember from this generation? Very few, maybe countable on fingers.

How many we remember from the generations gone? Countless!

Remember the term Jubilee Kumar was coined for Rajendra Kumar… For the information of this generation … he was named so because his movies ran for 25 weeks which meant a Silver jubilee and 50 weeks Golden jubilee.

Now the movie releases on a  Friday and its declared a super duper hit on Sunday morning. One song, one star… drives entertainment craving people in throngs, not movie lovers. And by the time you realize the movie is the biggest mistake of your life the makers have made big, really big bucks and Jubilee means nothing… hundred crores or two or maybe now five hundred crores is what drives creativity out of the window and economics in.

On many occasions it has so happened, that the trailers of certain movies have garnered a better response than the movie itself.

Newspapers at times carry longer interviews of actors rather than some burning issue the country is facing today. Bigger pictures of stars than probably heroes who fight battles in day to day lives.

Television and web, looks like is simply being used as a medium to promote these weekend cash grossers. Historical shows with distorted historical facts, comedy shows which insult women and the institution of marriage in name of humour, reality television which plays with our bare emotions, never ending soap operas which have forced dictionaries to change the meaning of soap operas, talent hunt shows which hunt down talent! What is it that we really want to watch? Or maybe simply switch the DAMN Television and go for a walk.

As viewers we are not only being slapped with mediocre content literally onto our face but are also time and again blamed for being the cause.

A tele-series i watched on one of the million channels revived these memories and made me think of this … can television, films or entertainment in any form, not be simple, pure, true to life; like this 26 episode series. 
Does entertainment have to be loud and ugly? 
Does it have to be at the cost of making fun of somebody or something, read radio!

Bring back those days of no choice … one channel … our sweet little Doorarshan … chayageet … Buniyaad … Humlog… Yeh jo hai zindagi… 
Bring back … the pleasant, humble Amin Sayani 

… Bring back content…

This is a blog post intended to start a debate, please do share your views.

© nozzer pardiwala