Friday, January 30, 2009

Indra Nooyi - list of woman achievers

A year ago, I read an interview of Indra Nooyi in economic times. Nandan Nilkeni, Infosys head was chatting up with her.

The discussion steered towards Indra nooyi's mother's role in her success. Now, in Indra's own words, her mother is the typical south Indian Brahmin who insisted excessively on academic success. Strange isnt it? Indra belongs to 1950's,1960s generation, South Indian Brahmin mothers haven't changed in the past 50 years. They still teach their 2nd standard kids as if they are preparing towards the IAS exam and it has been working wonders for India:)

Back to her interview, Indra narrated how right after becoming the president, when she went home, she had an argument with her mother(who insisted on Indra getting a gallon of milk) which ended with her mother saying, " Everything else is what you acquired or what you got because I pray for four to five hours a day.'

What took me aback was Indra continued on how she believes that too. Her mother's prayer, the reason for her success.

This might not surprise you if you look at it with the background of our families which is sort of similar to Indra Nooyi's. If I think rationally, I wouldn't deny the role of luck in anyone's success. The luck factor or the irrational part of any one's success, we humans tend to attribute to God. So this isn't unusual. We hope and believe in wringing it in our favour by praying to the almighty.

But hearing it from Indra nooyi, someone who is and will be treated as a symbol of modern woman, one who will be quoted in textbooks, articles as an epitome of woman 's achievement (even in a gender-less world, her achievement still stands apart as an Indian who is heading a big corporate giant in the World's super power) and from her mouth, comes the attribution to God.

Not just me, quite a few others would think since she represented one facet of modernity, she would be the championing the rest of the aspects of modernity as well.

But contrary to the stereotypical image, I think Indra Nooyi is a fiercely competitive person who had it in her to make it big in the world and who wanted to. She didn't start out being women equality warrior. Those type of woman join politics or NGOs. Meanwhile, Indra Nooyis of the world focus on achieving what they want in the process breaking up many barriers.

Nothing wrong with either set of people.


Thursday, January 29, 2009

A post a day

I promise to post a day will you promise to come everyday as well?

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Oliyum Ozhiyum

Today is friday. The day, good old Chennai Thollaikatchi(Madras Doordarshan) would telecast songs from movies. That was the only source of movie songs for us then.

The thing about the socialistic India was its constant remainder of the existence of a Super Power. Are they going to telecast songs from new movies or old ones? Will the power be available during Oliyum Ozhiyum or not? Such questions made one hope there was indeed a supreme god who would then listen to your appeals for good songs.

These days apparently TV channels have turned Viewers into non-believers. With these horrible ever-running soaps where nothing actually moves, people cant believe an almighty would allow the existence of such horror. So, the growth of atheism.

Enough of my rant. For sometime now, I have wanted re-visit/visit some songs through this blog. Sometimes with the hope of sharing the joy of recalling an old melody or sometimes simply because I want to. So, in honor of this Oliyum Ozhiyum, here are few songs in similar format.

Urvasi Urvasi from kadhalan.

"Oliyum Ozhiyum current pona, take it easy policy." That line was one of the few lines of that era which capured our daily mundane life. Usually, lyrics were filled with kadhal, modhal & so on. Thanks to Vairamuthu, we had some mundane yet non-trivial feel stored away for eternity.

That apart I am not a great fan of the song. It brings back memories and music is good but I have never quite enjoyed Shankar's picturization. They appear tacky to me. Sure they are better than usual dabbankothu that Vijay stars in. But for the crores spent, Maniratnam or several of Farah khan's songs have been better.

"Idazhil kadhai Ezhuthum" from Unnal mudiyum Thambi.

Years after the movie's release, my cousin introduced me to the song and explained the significance. Traditionally, the woman was always compared to the moon equating her beauty to that of the moon. This song had the woman asking her lover how dare he compare her to the moon, when it wanes and waxes day after day. That the Cousin says is the beauty of Vairamuthu's lyrics, to question the orthodox. My hormones hadn't started kicking in, so I simply nodded.
It is based on Ragam Lalitha and this is the only song I know in this raaga.

Mr. Miliband visits India

David Miliband , British Foreign secretary, during his visit to India put his foot in his mouth by linking Mumbai terror to Kashmir Dispute. He has apparently said resolving Kashmir issue would help the terror issue and would further help Pakistan concentrate on the western borders. Western borders would mean Al-qaeda. One is almost tempted to suggest so would Taliban-ising Afghanistan and Pakistan. It would definitely help solve the Al-qaeda terror problem. Whatever.

As far as I know, the mumbai terrorists focused on British, US nationals and the Jewish center. I don't think one has to go beyond that to disprove the Kashmir link. Wow, you have to explain the British, the terrorist indeed are angry with them as much as they are with india.

This could have also happened because Mr. Miliband's notes might have been old and from the times when the whole western world, in its quest to stop India from becoming a powerful state in the region, whole heartedly supported Pakistan and Kashmir. He forgot to update his notes post september 11.

In his blog, he also notes the "scale and depth of Indian anguish over Mumbai attacks". Seriously? A bunch of goons will walk over our commercial capital and shoot people as they see and you are surprised over our anguish?

I was quite agitated after reading all these posts on Miliband's comments. But the anger melted down after reading the articles in Telegraph and Independent where they literally tore apart the disaster titled Miliband's India visit.

Note to self: Stop reading BBC and start reading other newspapers from UK. I suspect they will be less imperialistic.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

What I heard and saw

Overheard at company break room.
RP1: I have stopped reading blogs, man.
RP2: Yeah.
RP1: The problem with blogs is anybody can write them.
RP2: There are so many of them.
RP1: They are all crap.

What I saw ...
At first they were resting quarter of a mile apart. The lion looked like a cuddle worthy teddy bear. The lioness like an unamused cat. With the monstrosity well hidden by the glass enclosure, we were reminded of it only when the announcer proceeded to describe the weight of the teddy bear and cat in tons.

The lion proceeded to eat a fish from the trainer. After few minutes of resting, the lioness suddenly got up, moved few inches closer to the king and went into a slumber again. These creatures apparently sleep for 18hrs everyday. The King got up presumably to play. It went near the lionness what I thought to ask her to wake up. It smelled the stomach exactly for less than half a second and then right in the middle of the glass enclosure, with few hundred people as an audience, did its job that the god had made him for in exactly half a minute and went back to the slumber.

There is a reason why we humans call the act so.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Rab bhi pyaar karna chod dhenge ji

"Har ek ladki yehi chahati hei.." Why do these Hindi film heroines act as if they are the spokesperson for the whole woman kind? Who are these women who have all these notion of romance, anyway? Pyar, Pyar, rab, rab, now rab bhi pyaar karna chod dhenge, so please leave him out of this.

The movie is quite enjoyable for the first hour and half or so. After a long time, Shahrukh or a Hindi film character endeared me. It wasn't just Suri, even Raj with his innocence endeared me. The trailers showed an ever efferverscent Shahrukh in a stiff act. And I told myself why contain this highly energetic actor into this checkered shirt stiff Hero. But Shahrukh did manage to pull it off. I think I like a bit of vulnerability in a role and Shahrukh khan till date acted pretty much as the over condifent arrogant Rahul/Raj making it almost impossible to like him. Suri is dressed exactly like how some Punjabi guys dress. Yes that over the top. But both these roles love Taani so unconditionally, it touched a nerve.

And a Hindi film heroine who actually acts. How cool is that? When I read that Aditya chopra is auditioning young 20 somethings, I thought to myself, here goes another 40-something hero in search of younger heroine. When Anushka Sharma's photo was published first, I thought, oh hell, that 'all purpose dough-ish' Punjabi face. You know the typical Sonia Agarwalish face, where you can't claim anything wrong with it, but it doesn't do anything to anybody. Dance pe Chance trailer changed the conception. The confidence with which she held herself in front of shahrukh made me sit up and notice her. As D-square said, " the role had everything, naughty, full of energy and sad, mature. She had to dance, be funny - an ideal role for a new comer". What is more ideal is, she could do it all with an elan and sensibility. Hope she stays and does well.

And the much talked about mask that is so not a mask, didn't seem to matter inside the theater. I came across a review which asked why are people so obsessed with no diffference between Raj and Suri and what happens to plain old suspension of disbelief. I thought to myself, now, there is a person who is a 70s child, where a moustache is all it took to differentiate two individuals which is why they could easily get suspension of disbelief. And isn't suspension of disbelief a director, not the viewer's responsibility. I don't know if it was director or the theater but I seem to not notice Raj isn't that unrecognizable. The screen play had so many things going for it that I seemed more immersed in it. Also the fact, 100s of people had already written about it and in the process, kind of prepared me for it. Suri/Raj hardly made a difference to me.

But more than anything else, the movie had me wondering at the characters, their emotions, their decisions. Suri with his Yellow hot pack. Except for the last hour which pretty much ruined it.

D-square, an easy sell for hindi cinema asked, " What can one do in Taani's situation?". I pointed out to her the movie isn't realistic. Ok, what do you think would have happened in real life to Taani?"

A Mouna Raagam, perhaps.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Nor Rooman neither Raman, Rahman won the Golden globe

Suckers, get your awardees name right. This also justifies the whole billion of Indian population mis-pronouncing all the hollywood names, go ahead kill the names, we have just won the whole sale right.

I haven't heard Slumdog's millionaire's Soundtrack but nevertheless every award Rahman wins make me happy.

Way to go, Mr. Rahman.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Itter twitter -1

If the title doesn't make sense, don't worry it wasn't suppose too. What's in a title anyway.

Please note that now this blog has a half-complete blog roll. I took off rather blogger took off my blogroll when I switched templates. Then I procrastinated for few months. Blogrolldotcom was procrastinating for couple of months(it still is) and finally I figured blogger has started providing blogroll along with last updated option. So now I have a half-complete blog-roll. I think I have another 25 more blogs to go easily.

Coming to the actual post, Bachna ae Haseena was watched couple of weeks ago. Indian goverment should declare an emergency exile of the following families, the Nehru lineage family with the Gandhi surname and the Kapoor family that has been harrasing the Hindi cinemas for so long. Except for the first generation of Kapoors, every other kapoor entered the industry only due to their melanin deprived skin colours.

I think for the price I pay, I deserve good performance along with melanin deprived skin. Please note just like the rest of Indian Junta, I suffer from the melanin deprivation craze as well. But I like to see some expressions for the money I pay.

Regarding the movie itself, it was a combination of Hindi-zed Autograph(add three dances, two switzerlands and the rest of the paraphenia) and some sort of 80-ish Hero seeking redemption drama. When I say combination, the first half was Hindi Autograph and second of the 80-ish Hindi drama. Almost a cut and paste which kind of created a problem as I felt ill at ease with the shift. Also annoyed as Ranbir Kapoor in second half appeared as this traditional heroic man solving world problems actually just a few problems, but the whole thing looked regressive to me. As if people can't solve their problems and this person who stops by your place for five days solves it for you. Let me tell you only Visu can do it. Not ranbir Kapoor. He should stick to the towel.

Deepika padukone, looks good, is confident but being cold faced will only work for modelling word. When there are other new comers who look pretty as well act like Anushka sharma, why go for Deepika?

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy new year

May this New Year
Bring you all the joy and happiness,
without a tinge of sadness.

May this New Year
You meet few like minded souls,
And meet those from other universe as well to fill your life's palette.

May this New Year
You climb that career ladder,
And practise those other interests as well.

May this New Year
Also be blessed with two round trips on happy occassions to India :)

A fulfilling year to me and others as well, if you will, God?