The Magical Word !!!

What's that one Magical word that drives people in any profession, business, or Life in general?

Having been involved in the entertainment industry for few years now, I comprehend that almost everyone in this field is waiting for that one word to hit them. That one moment to transpire in their lives. Every actor, film maker, singer, musician, teacher, engineer, lawyer, businessman, everyone is waiting for that one thing to happen to them.

Recognition.

Yes, that's the ultimate twinkling moment for anyone in any field of work. When I think of my industry, the fame, money, stardom etc. are all relevant & pertinent. But it all starts with Recognition. A film maker wants to get recognized as a good craftsman. An actor wants to be recognized as a good actor & eventually a star. A producer wants to be recognized as a Hit film maker; so on and so forth.

For a budding talent like me who had to face rejection, depression & disappointment on a quotidian basis, I have understood the fact that at times we don't realize that these three words are nothing but Attitude, Will-Power and Motivation, in disguise. The more I am disappointed of my disapproval, the more I am motivated to prove myself. I have to realize that I aspire to achieve something very special. The ability to simultaneously entertain a large sum of audience sitting inside a dark room anywhere in the world, is a blessing only few people will be showered up on. Hence, it has to be accomplished against all odds in the toughest environment.

Recognition is an incredible word that makes us work hard to attain it and harder to withstand it. I had once read that Success is a journey and not just the destination. I feel Recognition is the starting point of that very journey itself. When you gain recognition in your field of work, you have just begun your marathon journey of success.

This applies not just to the entertainment industry. It’s the case everywhere. A teacher wants to be recognized as a good guide to his/her student. A corporate professional wants to be recognized as a decision maker than just a team member. A businessman wants to be recognized as a profit maker than a mere survivor. So, being recognized in your company, your industry etc. is the first thing that any professional wants. Once you get that recognition, it’s up to your hard work, determination & diligence to decide where you take it to.

Regardless of which ever career you choose, we all have our good days & bad, we have our dreams & nightmares, we have a hero & a villain within us. On hind-sight we are all very similar with what we have and what we want. As human beings we all want love, happiness, success & peace of mind. We all want to be recognized as a good person, a good parent & a good friend.

Consequently, be it in personal life or professional life, the one entity we all desire for, is Recognition. All our work is headed for that, to uphold that & to endure that for a lifetime. In fact even after our death, we want our epitaph to be recognized by people who cared for our existence. To be recognized as someone who did something good for himself, family, friends, and if possible for the world he was once a part of.

Eventually, when we are long gone, the only thing that we can leave behind and also take with us is that magical word, Recognition.

- Dilse...

K

Who Wants to be a....Woman??!!!

We the People... of the Largest Democracy or Biggest Hypocrisy??!!

A man's struggle in any kind of profession gets more attention than a woman's. Since I have been working in the world of Cinema for past few years, I know how avariciously ridiculous are women looked at when it comes to making a career in the Film Industry. For everyone thinks that a woman can break into the business of entertainment by all means including sex.

Somehow in our great nation, as much as we men talk about the upliftment of women, we are equally perverted to the same. We discuss and debate on how to make our cities a better place for women but given a chance, any man would love to take a woman who smiles at him to bed. The fact of the matter is all of us are perverts with different grades.

Imagine a young guy like me who comes to the city, wants to become a successful actor & any random girl who has the same dreams. I would be discouraged & demotivated for all the odds that are stacked up against me. Now, if I make it big with my first film and become a star, I would receive all the accolades and appreciation for my never say die attitude and unnerving perseverance. But if that same girl acted with me in the same film and she also became a star, 90% of us would immediately tell each other "You know what, I think she must have slept with the producer." 

What the Hell?? Why can't I be the one who slept with the producer or director or whom so ever to bag the role?? What if the producer was gay and was just leading a straight family life in public as that's what he is meant to do?? Why should it be always the woman who took the shortcut to make the CUT?? Why is it so hard to recognize a woman's talent?? Is her curves & looks her only talent?? Can her hard work and dedication be conveniently put in the back burner?? 

This doesn't happen only with female actors, its with female technicians as well. As much as women are venturing into each and every aspect of film making, production, cinematography, music, sound etc. we men are left behind battling with our own minds trying to treat them as equals. Even if we agree to respect and support them, there are times when we fall back on our own pits of debauchery. 

In the short stint that I have had in Corporate offices, I have seen the same happening with women in that professional environment as well. HR wants to sleep with his fair chubby assistant, Manager wants a chance with his client servicing woman; everywhere men are driven by anything that moves and has boobs. We wish to have a beautiful wife & raise a family at home but are always ready for secretive infidelity; but of course our wives should be nothing short of  "Satya Savitri".

For God's sake, When will we grow up?? When will we become real men and respect our women for what they are??!! When will we stop treating women only as creatures that are constantly pressurized to stay as beautiful as they can as that's the only criteria with which they might be rated and respected. 

Hopefully in the times to come, we'll give women their due credit for their talent, character & the real inner beauty, because they suffer equally if not more than men in their lonely battle of dreams, aspirations, compromises and sacrifices.

Being Woman should be a blessing & not a burden.

-Dilse...

K

THE CALL!!!

It was just another Monday morning at the office for Vandana, besides the fact that this time she was deprived of her periodical hike in blood pressure due to an unfinished report/project that had the typical Monday deadline. Vandana had a long weekend, although she couldn’t spend time with her better-half Satya as he had been away from town since last week for an assignment. 

Her parents are settled in her hometown in Kerala and they had been persuading her for Marriage every time she visited them lately. She had once told them about her relationship with Satya last year and they had immediately shrugged off the possibility of a future for them together, as they believed that Freelance Photography was not a real job. After all you can expect nothing less from an orthodox family of hers with parents both being Govt. employees for almost 30 years now. They believed that she has put an end to her relationship back then and gave her a year to come out of its aftermath.

Although she didn’t have any deadlines for today, her newspaper reading was disturbed by the deadline that her parents had given her for getting married. They are of the belief that she is ready for an Arranged Marriage by now. She is constantly confused with her mind oscillating between the thought of going against her parents & marrying the man she loves for the past 4 years and sacrificing him for her parents’ peace of mind. But last few days she has been getting more clarity in what she should do and she is finally coming into terms with her decision on her future. She is again pondering over that and wishes if Satya was near her so that she can talk to him about it.

And Just like old times, proving their strong telepathy yet again, her cell phone starts ringing and as soon as she looks at it, there’s that quintessential beautiful smile of hers. Yes, Its Satya calling.

Satya : Hey Sweetheart..

Vandana : I was just thinking about you Darling!!

S : As always :)

V : Hmm... I wanna talk about something really serious.

S : yeah, you tell that every time and I start listening with so much attention, only to end up with one of the most  silliest issues u must have had.

V : Satya, its not like that this time around. Am serious!!!

S : Alright. I believe I know what you wanna talk about, my love. I have been thinking about it too. And I have finally taken a decision. So before you tell me anything, let me ask you. When can you take a leave any time soon??

V : Hmm..next week. This week is packed with meetings for preparing the quarterly report.

S : Ok I understand, how about 7^th then??

V : No, on 7^th we have the team review meeting and I am moderating it this time. I had told you that already. But as usual you had to forget.

S : Ahh... then you tell me a date.

V : How about 10^th??

S : Hello, Remember the State Photographers’ Meet. I had told u as well.

V : oh ya I know, It just didn’t strike me at the moment, otherwise, I don’t forget things like you do.

S : Huhh.. Ok now for the final bid, how about 11^th??

Vandana pauses for a moment and recollects that it was on a 11^th June six years back that they had first met in College.

V : Yeah, Sure :)

S : So 11^th it shall be.

V : Alright we hardly have a week to go then.

S : That's alright. I have already arranged an agent who will guide us to prepare all the required documents. Don’t Worry, my dear.

V : ( In an excited but anxious tone ) Ok. I gotta go now. Heading for our team meeting. We can discuss this in detail once you are back. By the way you will be here tomorrow morning right?? Call me as soon as you reach.

S : As you say your highness, I shall be your alarm tomorrow!!

Vandana cuts the call and rushes for the team meeting. As her meeting gets started and her team head is speaking sincerely about their quarterly report, all she could think about is the conversation she just had with Satya. She is floating in the air wondering how their telepathy still works after all these years, even from a distance. 

And that’s how they decided their Wedding Date!!!

She didn’t want to think about the consequences now. She was in Cloud Nine. She just wanted to feel the happiness and live the moment as it was The Call that changed her life Forever, For the Better.

- Dilse… K

Just a Common Man!!!

Main BodyGuard bhi nahi hoon..

Mere paas Greencard bhi nahi hai...

Jaanta nahi kaun hai yeh Ghajini..

Main toh bas ek sachha Hindustani...

My name is not Khan..Mein sirf ek Aam Insaan...

Am just a Common Man!!

Koi bhi ho yahaan Singham..

Mere ko nahi hai koi gham...

Ghumte Firte hai Kayi banke Khiladi..

Maine toh iss khel ko hi bhula di..

Main nahi ban sakta kisi ka bhi Agent..

Bandha hoon bilkul Decent...

Gaa nahi sakta hoon..Why This Kolaveri Di??

Phir bhi sunta hoon..har ek Melody...

India ka pehla Super Hero hai Krishh..

Mera toh sirf ek hi Khwahish...

Koi banta hai yahaan RockStar..

Kyun na banoon Main bhi ek baar..

Sirf ek Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!!

Am not as cool as Don..or as hot as John...

Am not as tall as Bachhan..or as silk as Balan..

I can't Act like Kamal Hassan..or Dance like Micheal Jackson...

Am not as fair as Imran..or as multi talented as Farhan..

My name is not Shahrukh Khan..Main sirf ek Aam Insaan...

I am just a Common Man!!!

- Dilse...K

Save Kerala... Before it gets DAMaged!!!

I am no scientist. Nor am I someone in power who can take decisions that can affect the cause of a society. But I am a common man, a resident of Kerala who has all the rights to voice my opinion about the on-going issue over Mullaperiyar Dam. 

This is the first time I am blogging about a social issue, and as much I like to keep my views intact and leave the decision making to the legislation & the people in power; I believe I have a responsibility to collect appropriate knowledge about a fear-psychosis that's being generated through media, social network and even in parliament. 

I was petrified when I heard about the consequences that would prevail if this dam gets destroyed due to a natural disaster like earthquake. So, I went ahead & did a research on this matter and crystal clearly understood that, if a tremor of a reading of 6 or more in the richter scale occurs anywhere near Edukki district in Kerala, the dam will get destroyed bombing a giant stream of water that would swipe away thousands of households in a diameter reaching as far as districts of Idukki, Thrissur, Ernakulam & Alleppey which in turn can take away at least 3 million human lives.

The picture gives a geographical idea of the effect of this on the Indian Map. 

Now, there arises a question of whether or not such a high scaled earthquake can happen around this area. But the truth is, in 2011 only there has been 26 tremors recorded in & around Idukki district scaling up to 4.5 in the richter scale. Even the panel of scientists who inspected the dam recently has reported on the cracks being as wide as a fist to enter. So the "Keeping fingers crossed" phrase is absolutely blunderous in such a situation. 

Having said that, there is a law suit that has been in the Supreme Court for as long as 13 years now, regarding the issue of TamilNadu wanting to raise the water storage level from 136 to 142 ft so as to fulfill their necessities. But the then Kerala Govt. had alarmed the legislation about the 113 year old dam being unable to hold that much water and even then, after 11 years of expecting a critical justice; all the Supreme Court could do was to refer this case to a Constitutional Bench. 

Since the case is still pending in the court, its disappointing to say the least, that neither the PM nor the constitution is hurrying on a verdict especially when the situation has almost triggered a panic amongst the residents in Kerala which includes the Tamil diaspora as well. Its only coincidental that a movie like Dam999 (where the no.999 refers to the no. of years in the lease agreement that Kerala has agreed to give water to Tamilnadu) released on the verge of this appalling possibility of a huge massacre strikes the minds of common man in Kerala. Its strange that people who made that contract must have known that this dam mostly consisting of surki and lime wouldn't withstand the test of times for even more than a century.

But, on the contrary, one positive to come out of this issue is that for the first time I am seeing all Malayalis coming together and uniting for a cause. Even the political parties from Kerala have shed their difference in ideologies at least for once to fight for the justice for the people of Kerala. 
Its great to

see the ever growing unity  prevailing on the web, in the media and even to an extent of supporting a Hartal with utmost maturity of making a statement to the concerned authority at the centre to make them realize that they should no more play the game of passing the responsibility of decision making within the constitution & legislation.

The ultimate slogan for this cause has become "Water for TamilNadu, Safety for Kerala".

Its evident that there's only one solution that is to rebuild the Mullaperiyar Dam and do it ASAP!!! 

Lets keep the fighting for our justice and do our best to make sure our voices are heard at the helm of the centre and hopefully they wont keep waiting for the court to take its own time in giving a verdict which could prove critical for millions of lives at stake. 

If the Head of a nation is not in power to intervene at a crisis situation like this and make the right decision before its too late; then what is it there for??!!!

I, like many have still not lost hope and plead & pray for the earliest righteous decision to be taken in this matter.

Otherwise, we could go back to the clichéd saying of "Justice delayed is Justice denied".

- Dilse...K