Desicritics Author: Aparna Ray

When Gandhi met Munna Bhai

Aparna Ray — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 03:22:36 EDT

"Tum Lage Raho Munna Bhai "
Said Gandhiji with a loud sigh.
"Thanks to your lingo,
I'm suddenly in, bingo!
Just watch my books off bookshelves fly!"

"How can I stand by and frown
When you've made me the talk of the town?
Maine yeh kabhi na socha
I would be a 'chemical locha'
Now I need chullu bhar paani in which to drown!"

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Gandhigiri is suddenly the new buzzword, thanks to Munna Bhai. According to this article, one hundred years after Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi launched his non-violence movement, a new runaway hit comedy film is helping to bring his teachings to a whole new audience... "If Bapu (Gandhi) were to see the film today, he would have applauded the role," said Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar. "Already, I hear people are buying more books on Gandhi after watching the film." The sentiment of the article seems to be reflected by MSM in general.

What do you feel?

*Btw, for those of you who do not know Hindi, here is an explanation of the phrases used:
a)Maine yeh kabhi na socha - I would never have thought
b)Chemical locha - its a slang used by the film's hero to explain a mental aberration which results in him seeing and conversing with Gandhiji as if the latter were alive.
c)To drown in 'chullu bhar paani' - roughly translated it means to die of shame or embarrasment

For Prince and Open Pits

Aparna Ray — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:07:38 EDT

For the last two days all eyes were glued
To the TV, as a child was rescued,
From the depths of the earth.
It was like a re-birth
For Prince, who's one hell of a dude!

But tell me this, who will we take care
Of all manholes that are lying bare?
Will they now get a cover
Or will we wait to discover
Another life in the need of our prayer?

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Death by falling into pits and manholes is not new to India. While the current incident brought national and international coverage, let us see if that translates into some 'concrete' action such as covering these death traps.

What's With All This Blocking, eh ISPs?

Aparna Ray — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:59:16 EDT

Indian bloggers are racking their brains
To understand why some blogging domains
Have started getting blocked
(The whole community's shocked!)
What's happening? Will the ISPs explain?

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Many bloggers in India, for the past few days have not been able to access certain domains like Blogger. Check out the round-up post by Ash for more details.

All The Best, Mr. Tharoor!

Aparna Ray — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 03:40:55 EDT

"Oh Ganapathi, it isn't a wishful boast,
But a vision that Shashi might get the post
Of the UN Secy-Gen
Let us pray he does, amen!"
Declared the old man as he raised a toast!

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India has announced Shashi Tharoor, presently UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, as its candidate to succeed Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Bollywood Supports Aamir - Better Late Than Never?

Aparna Ray — Wed, 31 May 2006 09:51:07 EDT

When Aamir refused to succumb
To threats, the industry stayed mum.
But business was hit,
Forcing them to admit,
That perhaps their silence was dumb!

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Bollywood finally comes out in support of Aamir Khan and Fanaa after maintaining an initial period of silence. However, opinion remains divided. While stars like Hrithik, Big B, Shabana say Aamir has no reason to seek apology, Hema Malini, who apparently personally conveyed Narendra Modi's displeasure to Yash Chopra feels that Aamir has not got his facts right.

Netaji - The Mystery Continues

Aparna Ray — Thu, 18 May 2006 03:06:43 EDT

Did his enemies finally nail him?
In Siberian cold did they jail him?
Three commissions in vain
Probed the ashes, the plane
But none, in the end, could trail him!

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TOI 05-18-2006: Seven years after it was tasked with unmasking one of independent India's most abiding mysteries - the disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose - the Mukherjee commission has concluded that the leader did not die in the plane crash over Taiwan in 1945. The government, meanwhile, has rejected its findings without giving any reason, thus adding another chapter to the controversy.

Pramod Mahajan RIP

Aparna Ray — Thu, 4 May 2006 03:39:34 EDT

A man walked in, gun full of lead,
Shot his brother, and then he said -
"He provoked me to act."
Was it fiction or fact?
Does it matter any longer? He's now dead!

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BJP General Secretary, Pramod Mahajan passed away on 3/5/06. He was shot on April 22 by his younger brother Pravin.

Link

Topsy-Turvy

Aparna Ray — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 02:39:15 EDT

The IAF spokesman said with a frown:
"This is sure to become talk of the town.
For this serious infraction,
We pledge 'corrective action'.
The flag shouldn't have been hung upside down!"

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has apologized for flying the national flag upside down at a meeting of top brass. "Corrective action" was pledged after the flag was displayed upside down on the podium where air chief marshall Satish Tyagi spoke.
Link

Headhunting: Like Matehunting?

Aparna Ray — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:53:28 EDT

As companies lie, eagerly waiting,
Headhunters these days are baiting,
Young recruits, quick,
(Like a conjuring trick)
With a method akin to speed dating!

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Bangalore, India - Desperate to meet growing demand for software engineers in India's high-tech hub, headhunters are adapting the concept of "speed dating" to job recruitment. They are booking stadia and interviewing hundreds of people in a single session to fill the demand for IT jobs.

Link

And the Blooker Goes To...

Aparna Ray — Tue, 4 Apr 2006 05:50:57 EDT

You need not worry anymore
If publishers show you the door.
You're no underdog -
Just start your own blog;
A Blooker could be lying in store!

The winners of the 2006 Blooker awards are:

Overall Winner (and Non-Fiction Winner): Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

Fiction Winner: Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest

Comics Winner: Totally Boned: A Joe and Monkey Collection by Zach Miller

Congratulations to all the winners!