Why US of A loves WAR?

Dear Bapu, missing you!

Bleeding hearts…
26/11: I am not aghast by the Mumbai Terror attacks, attacks on my India’s soil, I am bleeding… No, I was not there amongst the ones who would have died if not by bombs or the bullets from the militants’ highly automated machines, or being stomped under the feet of their own countrymen, their own friends or colleagues at railway station, or at the two Hotels…oh see what the scoundrels have done? Bapu, I want to scream and shout, I want to tear my eyes out…Yes, I am crying, like so many others I am angry, I curse those bloody men, I hate the politicians and I hate the bureaucrats. I am as common as they are; I am educated but not well equipped either with the knowledge about how my country runs or how my country’s defense mechanism protects the nation. I only read what they want me to; I only watch as many channels to follow what they want to put the blame on to.

But I read couple of days ago the leading Daily Newspaper that I read daily of course clarifying in the subsequent edition that the president of India was back not from a vacation to Bali but from a state (official) visit, then they also clarified that Ms. Sowmya Raghavan (who has taken over as the Financial Commissioner of the Indian Railways. Prior to this, she was the General Manager of the Central Railways in Mumbai) did not attend the party meant for her felicitation due to attacks in Mumbai, then today I saw BBC apologized for wrongly reporting that six people were killed in a shootout at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. They thought they corrected but knowing the PR world slightly better, I guess the damage was already done.

The ministers have been watched with their faux pass, statements like “bade shehron main chotti chotti batein hoti rehteen hain” (I think he must have been watching DDLJ with his family a day before), then Naqvi sahib remarked about the lipstick wearing women protesting against terrorism, then I also heard the Kerala chief minister V S Achuthanandan saying,” If it had not been (Major) Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have glanced that way." I was witness to the fight between a nationalist present in the studio for We the people, a veteran actress Simi Grewal being mistaken about Islamic flags as Pakistani flags, I saw and am reading the chain of articles being posted by the renowned columnists like Shoba De and Vir Sanghvi, some I found very informative like the front page story on information on RAW (I think the government mistook it’s information as the literal meaning of its abbreviation), the rest I found them as mere vent outs from representatives of the elite or non elite of the society (does it really matter, it only confuses a commoner like me even more) with or without their individual or group agenda. Most of my friends and relatives did not vote this time, I did unsure of it though

Finding Hope…(It sounds like finding nemo, I wish I was in an animated world)

I appreciated the celebrities endorsing that they know the truth about Quran and those who think they know what jehad is, But all the above and many more that remains unmentioned leaves me perplexed and vexed at my own self, why do I find despair more than hope around me…I feel scared Bapu in my own country, in my own home. Every time I hear a stone fall on my terrace, I think they are here, I am reminded of those images I saw that day, the two Israelis, ardent followers of their religion (and presumably followers of one God you said there is) I think about my two year old too, see Bapu, here I go crying again…If I am saved of the terrorists, then I fear the war, if not the war then this world wide economic crisis, I don’t fear death Bapu, but I fear of what most humans fear, what will become of the posterity …

They need us more than we need them…

Ms. Rice was sent by them to help us with our investigations post the 26/11 attacks, but being a commoner am I not to be suspicious of their intentions. Look what I saw on this Blog Bapu, (Just to keep you abreast Bapu, Blogs are the new age media these days, and include voices of people like me; most of them remain unpublished in any other important media)

http://www.apfn.org/APFN/WTC.htm

(A MUST WATCH) 9/11 Loose Change

http://www.apfn.org/apfn/loose-change2_part1.htm http://www.apfn.org/apfn/loose-change2_part2.htm http://www.apfn.org/apfn/loose-change2_part3.htm http://www.apfn.org/apfn/loose-change2_part4.htm

Do you think the present govt will be able to do what is right? I see that thousands and thousands are writing their ideas to make the nation a better place, I read rising of the communities, I am so glad to find Jehadis against Jehadists (Jamiat-ulama-i-hind), I want to believe what I read today as it comes from a trustworthy source:

Mr. Ajit Doval, Former Head of R&AW and security expert quoted “Even with a heavy heart, every Indian should be able to stand by the government and help it do whatever it can do rto reclaim the nation’s lost honour. This is not the best time to ask for heads, it will only cheer our enemies. Media has a crucial role to play in not sapping the will of the nation. Let us first win the battle, accountability can (should) follow…..Let the opposition parties, media intellectuals and public lend full support to govt and not force to do things against its better judgment….people’s anger and anguish against their political parties and leaders can drive change but their cynicism against the system can be fatal”.

Bapu, I miss you and what you lead in 1921, the non – cooperative movement, is it dated now? India’s cricket fans can live without the bouts of their anger turned into the game of entertainment, I am sure there can be many other opportunities to withdraw a support that neighbor (can) provides (provide), or should we listen (should not believe / trust) what their sagging defense industries based economy wants from the two nations they may be remotely concerned with otherwise.

Few little steps…together

I can promise to myself, I will try to find hope in despair, (there is nothing hope against hope, there is nothing enough is enough), I will not be able to remain resilient but I will not participate in the Guerilla war either, those roads lead nowhere…I will continue to respect all religions and their beliefs, I will be more cautious when I walk in the crowded streets, I will continue to meet and dine with my muslim friends, I will shed the attitude ‘ it does not matter to me, Its not my business, chalta hai yaar….” Bapu I will try…. I promise

Om Shanti Om Vs Saawariyan

It's never too late...

I would have lived my life the way it is even without writing this blog, but thought this new age PR tool may help create some balance headed publicity for the movie mentioned latter in the title.

Something more was impressive with OSO and not with Saawariyan that may have attracted the crowd, or rather the herd...the promotions, advertising and the defensive mode of the spokespersons of Saawariyan. The timing of the release was just a sheer unfortuntate coincidence for Saawariyan, the things would have certainly been different otherwise.

But what perplexes me is the bollywood veterans managed to fool the audience with the pre-release hype and extravagant stardom deliberately been itemitized in the movie. The frivoulous and again deliberate comedy baring few sensibly placed spoofs on stars like Shabana Azmi, Manoj Kumar, Suraj Barjatya can be considered for appreciation. The most amazing of things is that the audience went hysterically wild on atti batti katti...who's your daddy...the SRK's attempt to look and sound funny...my south Indian friends did not like it though.

I can write many paragraphs and many more web pages that may be proof enough of my inclination towards Saawariyan... for reasons I shall tell you soon... but again this is an effort to play a balance pitch and not sideline the efforts of starcast / film makers and many more involved at either sides...

The idea is to be able to agree or open a dialogue atleast on movie that is not meant for masses, is meant for a close group of audience - for those who love musical theatre and classic movies/authors, like the stage settings, liked characters rather than the cast playing them, like the settings of the story rather than the sets. The movie may not be positioned well, it is not the fault of the actors or the film maker but probably their publicity and promotion agencies. The movie was meant for those who wanted the theatrical representation on the larger screen, who had the love for emotions underlying the art of story telling and empathy towards the characters. Though the movie may have lacked some finer nuances or technical sharpness, but was not that bad that the masses rubbished it away...

May the Indian audience grow a little more mature and also try appreciate another league of art form, may they have enough choices and a larger heart to accept variety and uniqueness...
may they go crazy for hockey rather than cricket...till then...

keep watching Bollywood

I am Dyslexic!

The world around me seems like spinning around @ speed of light or is it I have found a position that has lost its kinetics?

The feeling is a result of my watching a movie last week 'Taare Zameen Par' - will not put an adjective to describe the content and the quality of the subject potrayed in the film, I do not wish to come across as one of the teacher characters in the movie plus I feel matters are best left unopinionated and uninfluenced, its the viewers / readers rather masses who decide. There was a message and not hidden for sure, a message that knocked the walls (the solidification process happened quite naturally to most of us, rather it runs in automation with a fast moving world at the backdrop)

Isn't it becoming more and more difficult for people to be simple, remain simple in thoughts, words and action, its may not be incorrect to say that we as humans have lost the humane instincts. Will it be true again to say that we are still social animals? I think its latter we have been reduced to as per Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and social are the animals now (you would have read my earlier post on training with dogs and cats), humans are superficial.

While I write this, I am on a flight where I hear a guy screaming at an air hostess, while she is hurriedly trying to move away the food serving trolly. Apparently the guy was annoyed of hearing an English word which sounded offending to him while he had asked her to shift the trolley to a side as he may have wanted to address his call for nature, she had said" Sir I cannot jump around to a side, kindly allow me some time to let me give space to you..." something of this sort, believe the guy did not like the Queen's language there...hence his wrath on a lady who had a poise and calm body language but happened to use not so charming statement...at another seat there is this guy who deserved a punch right on his nose, he may have been hungry and hence wanted the air hostess to serve him before anybody else (the word 'manners' should be replaced with 'man errs' in the dictionary... did I not tell you its hard to remain human these days...

But how come the generation before us still find it easy to stay human... a very charming looking lady (must be in her fiftys) sits beside me. She just asked me how will she be able to switch off her motorola cell phone, she has been struggling for last 5 - 7 minutes and eventually decided to seek for help, I had nothing to do except wanting to reach home asap, readily accepted to provide assistance. The keys were locked and the lady did not know how to unlock it (such is technology - you need an 'on' button to then switch it 'off'). After the phone was placed safely in her husband's pocket (yes he had tried his hand switching the phone off too) the lady turned at me, smiled and said," Thank you, you know how tough is it for people like us". I was very impressed to see the lady had taken efforts to be emaculately dressed - a green silk sari, a thick matching emerald bangle around her wrist, hair neatly tied in a bun, what I realized later was I had been too prompt to reply " Its alright mam, I think you are doing lot better" (efforts to learn technology atleast), what sinked in me was also a feeling ...I wish this could have been the other way round too..the old gen saying" you guys are doing good too (efforts to balance work and family)...

'Kho na jayen yeh....Taare Zameen Par...' I would not be able to say what the lyricist (I believe its Prasoon Joshi) would have actually meant but if I interpret it right it means the inhabitants on the planet earth, all of us crave to reach or become stars and moon, reach the sky (read: top of a corporate ladder) but we do not have the time to cherish / spare moments with/ for people who matter the most, people for whom you wish byproducts of success. (career, money, fame for yourself though). Muscles of my brain fail to coordinate with what the world around me is busy doing, I crave to come back, I try to pull myself too often to stay as normal as the crowd around me, to remain one of them, if I fail I am dyslexic!

Why PR is not a buzz word for Journalists...

...it is a growing industry though!

'People come and people go'..does it not sound rhetoric and rhapsodical, very cliche, very mundane...but it remains a hard core fact and today the practice seems rampant across any kind of an industry big and small.

So this is no news to our industry as well, but what is imperative for a PR agency is to atleast try not to let their employees go..atleast not very easily...

So that is what the organisation I represent, or rather the brand name of the organisation that represents me and so many like me (yes you call them like minded people) thought of creating an ambience for 100 plus member team . An initiative to bring together a team 'BLUE' spread and scattered geographically to 9 locations.

At outskirts of Mumbai, 'Tale Gaon' - an apt setting for a movie like Jaanbaaz or a song like Jati hoon main....jaldi hai kya...a big farm house kind of a place - picturesque, countryside feel and look...rugged and adventerous setting... with lovely tall and elegant horses cantering on a green landscape like birds flying free on an unlimited blue horizon. Ok..a bad comparison but truly not a bad experience at all even if we had to stay in dormitories and sleep in bunker beds near the stinking stables. I was reminded of my hostel days as the washrooms were common with no doors and latches, just plastic drapes and mutual trust :)


Japalouppe organised a coporate training with horses and dogs for the very first time in India and must say a decent job done.

What do we have to learn from animals esp. a PR agency like us who are treated as dogs or any other stray animal not allowed in media houses (cheers my media friends..no offense meant, bura na mano...new year hai). I would say there are analogies that can be made, the experiental learning as we call it (did I tell you I am in talks with a prospective hard on negotiation client in corporate training space). Horses and Dogs are social animals that can be tamed for domestic purposes, have so many other traits that resemble or have a bearing to human beings like they are sensitive and they reciprocate emotions.


There were many small little sessions and learning through games with the animals that the organisers had arranged, but what was really interesting (atleast to me) was watching the horses or should I say observing them with a analytical bent of mind. Rohan, a multifaceted personality, a 28 year old master trainer, told us all how life of horses change when they meet young horses (freshers), how a stallion boast about his masculanity and tries to woo the female horses, how the face of politics changes when the group of old horses are introduced to the young mares, how the male horses protect few female horses for themselves. It was a delight to see ' butterscotch' a young (was it a filly or a colt - don't seem to remember!) horse trying to make friends and get pally with his senior mates.

The dog training session was lot of fun as well, I liked playing a narrator to my 'all girls team' who spoofed 'Kajrare kajrare tere kaare kaare nayana.....playing mumbaiya taporees and guess who played Aishwarya...our 4 month old pup ' Cheese' who was dressed up like a female dog (bitches are only used for bad human females these days). The exercise was to get few dancing moves right...

I can go on an on...but what remains as an important question is why is this blog written - to tell you all that there's a lot new stuff happening in PR industry and thought I will keep you informed and updated

Cheers
Till we meet again - Au Revoir!