I Con June 24, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Bollywood, People, Politics, Racism, Random, Writing, beauty, india.Tags: John Abraham endorsing skin whitening cream, Sonam Kapoor endorsing skin whitening cream
2 comments
They are young. They are successful. They are articulate. They are icons.
Sonam Kapoor, the effervescent and nonchalantly retro-charmer of a girl and John Abraham epitomising bulging muscles and quiet dignity both endorse ‘fairness creams’.
Why would 2 seemingly intelligent people of this generation who spout socially conscious sentences at every journalistic intrusion do this? The obvious answer is money. That ancient temptation that has scorched us has beaten us once again.
And yet we tut tut ad nauseum at the attacks in Australia and anywhere else. When city bred youth, ironically in a profession that pays obeisance only at the altar of beauty thereby revealing its illusory transience, cannot take a stance against a skin whitening cream, what hope do we have from people who we say are mired in centuries old superstition.
Endorsing colas is almost divine.
Cruel… June 19, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Cinema, Cricket, Mass Media, Media, People, crime, india, t20 world cup, victim, viewership.Tags: burning dhoni's effigy, india's loss at t20, media hype, media responsibility, rape and cinema, Shiney Ahuja
9 comments
…every which way.
A man allegedly rapes a woman working at his house. The channels go berserk calling her a ‘naukrani’ or ‘naukar. The heinous allegation almost being mitigated by the social position and of the girl and the nomenclature of her profession. The media of the biggest democracy in the world doesn’t extend basic courtesies to victims of crime. In this case however they extended the same to both parties. For so long considered the repository of all things promiscuous – the film actor now has proved that he or she is indeed a vile, licentious animal that preys.
The perpetrator of this crime – Shiney Ahuja had to strangely be barefoot. That is the rule in India. An accused can’t wear shoes. What do shoes and guilt have in common? No idea. Anyways he still has to be chargesheeted, the case fought and the sentence delivered – a long way from now, some years probably – but why can’t he wear a shoe or a chappal for that matter.
India’s loss at the T20 World Cup. Another instance of the mob fury. Cricket is a sport. Cricketers are not gods. You win some and you lose some based on your strategy. Like petulant schoolboys with no emotional anchor finding solace in somebody else’s victory, they came out on the streets and burned the captain’s effigy.
It is not the mob alone that is to blame. It is the incessant analysis and counter – analysis, by ‘I-know-better-than-you’ ex-cricketers, who have to justify their payments, who hype the match and then impute reasons where there are none. The self-feeding hype machinery of all media has to strike a balance between reporting responsibly and viewership targets.
Comeback May 22, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Indian Elections, Opinion, Personal, Politics, Random, World, Writing, india.Tags: common indian, common man of india, season of comebacks, the indian voter
4 comments
The comeback. It’s always difficult. Far too many examples around us to not see its relevance and I should add, the difficulty, if not the impossibility.
What should I write on? I had missed the most important and self-sustaining of all – the Indian Elections. Similarly with IPl.
Work takes a toll. I try to be the dedicated blogger – scouring my life and its elements to give me enough inspiration to forget that I am tired and and put some words to all the ideas. But I fail.
Coming back to the comeback theme. Ask Congress or BJP or Manmohan or Advani or Rahul or Prabhakaran.
Who would have thought that Mr. Singh will get what he got? Who would have given Rahul G the foresight to change the tables in UP. Was Advani or the BJP over-confident? All of them wanted the grand comeback. To register themselves on the consciousness of the nation, but…
Prabhakjaran the man whom the cats envied finally ran out of lives. He thought that violence or his kind of violence will be greater than the miliraty/state violence of Sri Lanka but paid the ultimate price. Perhaps peace making a comeback his with death.
What does the comeback entail? Prescience or luck?
We of course can read the winds of change or status quo. We of course are also blinded by our own prejudices to either be indifferent to it or reject it outright. We of course being blinded read it any which way we like.
Some thought that strength is because of aggression, violence. And paid the price. That to if you reject one you automatically open the doors to the opposite. And failed on both counts.
Aam Aadmi or the Common Man or Woman – was it this much neglected entity who made a quiet comeback? Neglected, a lower citizen, perenially a seasonal electoral favourite it was this X factor that made a comeback – surprising everyone.
They pushed the youth, they sidelined violence and hate, rewarded the meek, silent one and tried to strike a balance – a middle path. It too shall be rocky. So lets hang on.
Aliens Exist April 12, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Aliens, Bizarre, Opinion, Politics, Writing, india, manifesto, strange.Tags: Indian Election 2009 promises, Is This True, Samajwadi Party Manifesto, SP manifesto 2009, strange but ture, Strange Election Promises
11 comments
A long long time ago, tucked in the winter bed in Jamshedpur, I wondered – do Aliens exist? There of course was no answer. Parents, teachers, friends, elder siblings none had an answer. A few years later, now an adult, I thought probably gods were aliens. They ruled on earth and then slowly abandoned earth in their technologically advanced ‘pushpak vihanas’.
Yesterday I got the answer. Aliens do exist. And they are amongst us!! They reared their oh so common and innocent heads once again. Normally you would not be able to identify them. NO. They have 1 head, 2 eyes etc but…
They want to ban computers
Ban premium English schools
Ban agricultural equipment
Banning Mall culture
No share trading
Yes. This is the Samajwadi Party speaking to you. We want to build a new society ladies and gentlemen. Hark, hark – oh idiot Indians. Don’t mind the abuse for ‘IDIOT’ is in fact just the opposite. Just like our manifesto.
Please vote for me because I am going to take you back a few centuries back. Return to Nature is the key. We shall use bullock carts and increase acreage. We shall send our children to the most expensive english schools but your kids can go to hell.
We shall keep you poor, backward, helpless, illiterate, divided and year after year we shall come and ask for votes. Every year we shall create a new enemy – Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Brahmins, Thakurs, Educated, Urbanites, Biharis, Locals…
And you being the same miserable lot 5 years back will again fall for me – because I will at least help you survive – by throwing my largesse at you.
I will not let you be strong, independent, capable and efficient. You might dethrone me. I am the new Raja.
These are the people asking for our votes. Brazen anti-humanists who are impinging on our collective rights to live in an equal society.
At least now I know.
Exclusive Varun Tape Forensic Report April 2, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Bizarre, Humor, Indian Elections 2009, Personal, Politics, Polity, Random, Society, Writing, fun, hate, india.Tags: Exclusive Varun Tape Forensic Report, forensic analysis of hate speech, varun gandhi hate speech, Varun hate speech report
7 comments
Technical Committee on Lip Reading
The committee members are all watching the Varun Gandhi speech.
Peon comes with a plateful of samosas from Agrawal Sweets. Piping hot tea is also served. Some sealed and otherwise Bisleri bottles on tables.
Mr. Sharma: badhiya hai
Mr. Khan: KYA?
Sharma: arre samosa bhai
Mr. Khan: O.K
BEAT
Khan: samosa baad main bhi khaya ja sakta hai Sharmaji.
Somebody: shhh!
The screening ends
Ms. Singh: aur ek baar dekhen?
Mr. Mukherjee: what is there to see? It is to HEAR?
Ms. Singh: so do you want to hear, Mr. Mukherjee?
Mr. Khan: NAHIN. Main is tauheen ko ek baar bhi nahin dohrana chahta. Saboot sabke saamne hai.
Mr. Sharma: Kyon Mr. Fernandes kya ye tape sach hai?
Mr. Fernandes: prima facie it looks true but…we will have to investigate further before reaching any conclusion because there is a possibility, however slight, that highly capable techno-savvy tech-terrorists, hell-bent on sowing the seeds of division in this great country of ours, and mind you there are quite a few of them, might have tampered so very subtly with the actual contents of this tape, pardon me CD, that what looks true might actually be way off the mark if not completely untrue, so I request patience from the gentlemen here and not to forget the women, how could I forget them that instead of asking me whether it is true or not they should ask – ‘Is it possible’?
Mr. Khan: Is it possible?
Mr. Fernandes: of course it is possible.
Ms. Singh: so what you are saying is that the evidence presented here – in this CD is false?
Mr. Fernandes: I didn’t say that, No.
Mr. Sharma: to phir aap kya bo rahe hain?
Mr. Mukherjee: tum gol gol ghumata hai humko. English humko bhi aata hai. I studied in the Presidency College before you were even born you…confuse karta hai. Kitna paisa diya tumko Sharma ne?
Sharma: Mujherjee babu, zabaan ko lagaam dijiye…
Ms. Singh: oh please…Sharmaji rehne dijiye na.
Mr. Sharma: hamari asmita ko thes pahuncha rahe hain aur aap hain ki
Mr. Khan: aur ye jo bol rahe hain?
Mr. Sharma: kaun kya bol raha hai?
Mr. Khan: yahi…inka to naam bhi nahin liya jaata…kya laajawaab bhasha hai
Mr. Sharma: dekhiye Khaansaab saabit ho jaane dijiye phir bechare par…
Ms. Barat: saabit…andhe hain aap? Forensic ka bahana aur nahin chalega. 10 saal lag jayenge lekin kuch pata nahin chalega.
Mr. Sharma: dekhiye ye haal to pura des ka hai. Ab jawaan khoon hai ladka bhi hai…ho gayi ghalti…chodiye na
Mr. Mukherjee: hum jaata hai…tum log samosa khao, baat karo, mera meeting hai…
Mr. Khan: to kya hua? Ye masla suljhana zaroori hai
Mukherjee sits down
Ms. Barat: Mr. Fernandes. Briefly – is it tampered or genuine?
Mr. Fernandes: you see Ms. B…
Ms. Barat takes out a gun from her handbag and fires in the air. Everybody is shocked and scared.
Mr. Sharma: arre asli hai Madam…
Ms. Barat: KYA?
Mr. Sharma: bandook!
Ms. Barat: NAHIN. Footage asli hai?
Mr. Khan: aap jaisa chahen mohtarma…hamien koi aitraaz nahin hai…
Ms. Singh: is this happening?
Mr. Mukherjee: aah! she is a true revolutionary!
Ms. Barat: FFOTAAAAAAAGE!
Mr. Fernandes: Madam it is genuine, true but you see in India we cannot punish even 1 innocent man…
Fernandes slumps to the table. Everybody is shocked. Fernandes they realize is dead!
Ms. Singh: now what?
Mr. Khan: agli taarikh kabki rakhein?
Mr. Mukherjee: mujhe kya…I don’t care…
Ms. Barat: bandook nakli thi…really see
Mr. Sharma: aap bhi na…khair phir milte hain. Khansaab aapko chhod doon?
Mr. Khan: bilkul, shukriya.
India Votes – 2009; Hate Works March 28, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Indian Elections 2009, Indian Political parties, People, Policies, Politics, Society, development, hate, india.Tags: bjp politics, communal polarizarion, hate poitics, Indian Elections 2009, manifesto, political parties of india, varun gandhi hate speech
10 comments
It’s been a long time since I have keyed words to the screen. Lots has happened. The Indian elections are at hand. A great spectacle of nonsense. Why you might ask is the greatest exercise in democracy summarily being dismissed as nonsense. The aspirations of a billion people, 1/6th of the entire world will be dumped in ballot boxes. Isn’t that a reason to celebrate? Not any more. I am running out of patience.
I made a Facebook group a month or so ago called ‘Reveal the Manifesto’. 1 person a friend has joined it till today. Nobody else was interested in the group the purpose of which was to discuss the strange practice of Indian political parties – leaving old alliances and stitching new ones on perceived gains; to buffer against anti-incumbency; to have a better bargaining power etc and what not. And not releasing the MANIFESTO.
Where was the MANIFESTO I wondered? Nowhere. Some 2 weeks later the Congress released its please – all manifesto. Nobody debated it.
Because we are discussing the hate speech of Varun Gandhi. The entire 2009 elections seems to be about this 1 speech. It is indeed bizarre that no political party wants to change the discourse. The allegations and counter-allegations serve all political parties. One is the secular bandwagon and the other is the right wing. Nobody wants to say, O.K lets discuss policies, plans and vision for the country. Why? Because nobody has a vision and a plan.
Accusation, Spin and Propaganda – these are the 3 pillars of the current electoral process.
BJP: He is a weak prime minister. In fact, he is not.
Congress: He is not capable, hates people
Commies: we hate all.
BSP: make me the Prime Minister
The others, the regional parties are in it to get a better bargain later on. I am of course exaggerating. The state elections some time back were fought on ground realities and didn’t fall prey to any national wave. Even Sheila Dixit, won right after the 26th November 2008 assault on Mumbi after which security became the only talking point.
So what has happened? What has shifted since then? Nothing much.
Hate is a powerful tool. Shiv Sena, MNS, BJP, CPI(M), Congress all have blood on their hands. Old blood, new blood…we all have blood on our hands. So…lets all obfuscate and fool the public. Lets rail against each other. The public blinded will not go and vote. That lag will be covered by bogus voting. We will all win some seats. Oh we are falling short. Lets buy some people like us who are corrupt. There in the expensive resorts funded by rich capitalists we shall all get naked, swim in champagne and cheap liquor, fatten our outstation bank accounts and come back and reclaim our virginity – the media is by our side.
Why can’t we debate about health, education, development, rights, equity, environment, women’s rights, children’s rights, peace…are these invalid. Is growth, safety and equality not saleable? Are we blind as a nation? And it is not an urban – rural divide. There are more right wingers you will meet in a Mumbai local than in the fields of the hinterland.
I will not vote. And if you think by not voting I am not a part of the system you are wrong.
A for Violence – The New Panacea January 29, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Blogging, History, Opinion, Politics, Writing, general, india, karnatak, violence.Tags: attack on women in mangalore, attacks in india, indian role models, karnatak violence, mangalore pub attack, violence in india
5 comments
Ma, Pa look at that brave man. He attacks and gets away. Only 40 criminal cases against him. So cool. So successful. He waves at crowds ma. He has followers pa. I want to be like him. Even the cops don’t touch him. Why are you not like him Pa. So brave. So rough and tough. I will become like him.
Things people do to stop pub / western / new culture. Gehlot, Yedyurappa and Muthalik all are custodians now. We have parents, teachers, principals, police and the State…all telling us what is right. UNILATERALLY.
If I don’t listen, then I should be prepared to be.
a) attacked
b) be molested
c) or be bannned
Meanwhile Shiv Sena, MNS, Bajraj Dal belive that what is life without a bit of destruction of public and private property.
Have a problem. Have to protest. Want a solution.Then…
Break. Attack. Destroy. Set Fire.
Collateral damage. Who cares? Must have slipped on a banana peel, the idiot.
We have absolutely the best teachers & role models for the children of India.
In the name of Lord Ram January 26, 2009
Posted by astralwicks in Uncategorized.Tags: Karnataka - the new right wing lab, Mangalore attack at Enigma, Right wing goons, shame on India
13 comments
Let us attack people.
Let us also kill them.
Let us burn.
Let us loot.
For we are the guardians.
We know what is right.
We know that we are wrong.
Our word is law.
We pray and go to the temple, therefore we are right.
We have money, muscle and yes that makes us right.
We are right, because you are peace-loving and non-violent.
We are right, because you do not protest.
We will again slap, hit, spit, molest and rape you.
Kill you too because the good lord and religion is on my side.
We are the keepers of the faith…in Mangalore and everywhere.
We are strong because we are united in our hate and you…your love is weak.
It only talks, writes and forgets.
We are watching you.
