Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2010

Sharing some pics that I clicked at the fest yesterday. Thoughts wll be coming up at the end of the festival.














(all pics taken from my cell)

Movie update

Got a chance to watch Harishchandrachi Factory and Ishqiya this week.

I recommend Ishqiya for its rustic setting, unusual story, witty writing, fresh lyrics and Arshad. Vidya Balan has been a favourite since day 1, still, Arshad wins hands down in this one. I often wonder, how many more years before this versatile performer gets his due.

Harishchandrachi Factory is a commentary on Dadasaheb Phalke and the roots of Indian Cinema. The movie is very well made and has some hilarious moments. Apart from strong performances, it essentially outlines one man's vision. He sees gold where others see zilch. Finally it does boil down to acting upon ones convictions.

What I have been reading...

Just thought I should share what I have read and liked this week.

Some of you might already have read these...for those who didn't get a chance, here is my top 5 list of the week :

This magazine article by Jon Krakauer was quite an insightful read. Jon is a survivor of an Everest Tragedy and discusses what it takes to be up there, the unimaginable strength required to pursue the climb, the mistakes that cost his peer group dearly and the thin margin by which he dodged death on that fateful day in the May of 1996. The article would give you plenty of fodder for thought.

This column by Ramesh Ramanathan was well timed. It hits you in the right places.

This column delves into the Google/China face off and presents an insider's views on the Chinese Society.

I have never, never been a fan of SRK. Infact, fan is too strong a word. Lets just say, I don't bother much about him. However, I have to add, I am very happy at his response to the Sena. He has just grown in stature in my eyes. I just hope he doesn't back out now.

Finally, Tavleen Singh's tutorial. Now these are thoughts that should be directed at anyone, who we think deserves to be the Captain of the ship called India.

Screen Awards 2010

Best actor in a negative role - Boman Irani (3 Idiots) and not Kay Kay Menon (Gulaal) or Manish Chaudhary (Rocket Singh) or even Amol Gupte (Kaminey)

Best actor in a comic role - Omi (3 Idiots) and not 'Just Cheeel Dhondu' (All the best) or Santosh (Rocket Singh)

The best of all -
Best Entertainer of the year - Katrina Kaif. OK, really, What???

Like Aamir decides to give these functions a miss, I now decide to give the idiot box a miss.

Btw, just for my knowledge, did anybody bother to watch Gulaal or Rocket Singh ? Atleast tried to ?? Or were Paa and 3 Idiots so overwhelming that you lost your ability to think ?

Proto.in Event Update

Proto held it's 7th edition at F.C. Kohli Auditorium, IIT today.

Well known for it's boost to entrepreneurial activities, the event had an impressive line up of talks and discussions.

Pradeep Gupta (of Dataquest, PC Quest fame) and Sanjeev Bhikhchandani (Naukri) were the keynote speakers.

I have to add here, Sanjeev Bhikhchandani came across as an extremely straightforward and witty guy. Not many people can discuss their lives so objectively and colourfully.

Proto's highlight is always the start ups it showcases. We had 15 Start ups who had each been given 6 minutes to present their ideas/products to the audience.

Earlier, some 10 odd companies have benefited and availed investments by talking at Proto events.

This year, 15 companies, belonging to Education, Mobile, Social Enterprise and Software verticals made their pitch.

It was good to know how these companies had caught hold of specific gaps in their specific markets and had come out with solutions to meet consumer needs.

Out of the 15 that made a show today, Panini Keypad and Tara Machines made the atmost impact.

The audiences were in for a treat ! These two companies had awesome products, immense knowledge of and belief in their ideas. While Panini came up with an application to promote regional languages on cell phones, Tara Machines made affordable machines which were used by rural entrepreneurs to make customised bricks. Their machines made sure that carbon footprints were taken care of, while, at the same time rural populace could work in healthier, non threatening environments.

Post Lunch, the audiences were shown Pirates of the Silicon Valley. It was a fun film which traced the lives and careers of two Technology Czars - Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.

Later, VCs and Angel Investors took questions from the audience and shared their thoughts on start up funding, business ideas, legal contracts, etc.

All in all, a very informative session, with lots of scope to network and pitch one's ideas.

Some key take aways from the session -

• There is safety in numbers - VCs always prefer a team to an individual. In their view, a team is better equipped to build sustainable businesses than an individual who would find himself hassled
• Indian entrepreneurs can no longer ignore the global markets. The outlook has to be "Glocal" when they decide to start up
• Whether a company has an IT/Operations/Finance guy or not, is immaterial. It should most definitely have a Salesman ! Strong customer relations had saved Naukri during it's downturn. Rocket Singh seemed a hit with all present !
• Money is there to take. A lot of good, easy money is lying untouched. Rather, good ideas are hard to come by - so said the VCs
• Almost all speakers agreed that the very first product/idea would almost always fail. So don't fall in love with it. Use the experience to build better products/customise/change the existing one
  
  Now, two takeaways from me -
  
  The food was royally attrocious. Stone like paneer and rotis less elastic than rubber. Just why is food ignored at conferences of this scale? Second, Airtel, alongwith Sequoia Capital was the prime sponsor of the event. We even learnt about its seed fund to support entrepreneurship. Very good. All this while, I just wanted to point out that all network operators, including the great MTNL, had perfect coverage in the closed door auditorium. All, except Airtel. Zero coverage for the entire day. Ahem, did someone say core competency ?
  

A Play and more

A wayward girl. Pent up anger. A mercurial take on life. Takes refuge in 30 day relationships.

A painfully quiet woman. Loses herself often in her past. Takes refuge in Lord Krsna.

A horrible, murky past connects one to the other.

A past one could die to forget and another would want to keep alive, only if to rub the pain in.

30 days in September is a gripping drama that deals with incest.

Amazing performances and incisive writing by Mahesh Dattani.

For once, I liked the Dubey ladies too.

It's strange. This incest.

I remember my very first reaction when I read about it in a popular Danielle Steel book - Malice.

First few pages into the book and I felt violated. Could this really be happening or had Danielle gone berserk? A dad ??

The book had scared me enough to be put away.

I went to it only after I had sorted my thoughts.

That was about 6 years back.

Things haven't changed much. Our society still turns a blind eye to incest. Heck, India doesn't even have a law that deems it as crime.

Most victims are scarred for life and live in the shadows forever.

Families do not step up. Shame, guilt, family honour take precedence over the dignity and violation of a child.

It's not like incest doesn't happen elsewhere. Yet, in some countries, like ours, the stigma is probably tougher to get over.

I came across Harish Iyer's moving tale. One can only respect the man. But, again, not every person can be a Harish.

So I can only hope that such stories are spoken and written about more.

Anything, to keep our children safe and our society sensitive.

Before Sunrise/Before Sunset

I watched this Romantic movie (Sunrise) and the sequel (Sunset) a few days back.

Both played on my mind for a long, long time.

Still, I refuse to do a review. I just don't think I can sum up the experience.

I like open ended movies. They give me a chance to guess and have the satisfaction of an ending per my likes.

Yet, as thoughtful as this series was, it was a difficult one too, as a viewer. Watch it to know what I mean.

Before I end, I have to add - Sunset (my favourite between the two), has some of the bestest conversation you will see between a lead pair. Really.

I wonder if Bollywood pairs will ever move to this level. Or do they atleast wish to ? Or, do they atleast understand ??