The beauty of grit...

" 'What' and 'if' are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side by side and they have the power to hold you for the rest of your life. "

These words from Letters to Juliet have touched me ever since I watched the movie for the first time. Towards the end of the movie, Claire reads out the letter that Sophie wrote to her in response to her 'letter to Juliet' fifty years ago. Fifty years later, the response to an ailing heart's appeal was made. Fifty Years! Yes. That is the time it took for Claire's response to reach her. But that it did reach her at the end is what forms the beauty of the story!

Many of us could have the lack of courage to present our deepest melancholy to someone who may easily cause its transformation to relief. It is difficult to express what runs in our minds day and night.

Just like Claire, the dilemma of our lives, too, can lead us into believing that some goals in life are not worth following; that some decisions ought not be taken; that some risks would be better if not taken; that the tiny dollop of courage would not be worth the time; What if the decision goes wrong, What if the gut feeling is nothing more than our mind's manipulation, What if , What if, What if.
This 'What if' is what has, in fact, just like Claire, held us back- from pursuing what could be the most cherished accomplishment of our existence here. While it may prevent us from embarking on that journey of courage that can enable a complete change of our lives, it may also serve as a source of comfort to that lazy bum that does not wish to look beyond the periphery of easy life, the limits of restrictions and the chains of stereotypes.

As I plan on accomplishing yet another goal of my life, about which I shall write very soon, I try to look back and reflect on what it has been that has inspired me to come so far, Why was it that I did not take some decisions while did a few others, where am I leading my life, what is it that I shall accomplish with my existence. Is my life just another life on this planet. Or am I someone a part of the Almighty's Special Task Force.

I reflect. I ponder. I think. I opine. I fail. Yet, I restart the process. For thinking, pondering and then acting in the direction of enlightenment is what, I believe, shall lead me to the goal that I have landed this life for.

Streams of thoughts tend to pose similar threat to my efforts of envisioning a change in the world; of
It is, thus, important that I get rid of all the restrictions that 'What if' has to pose and look into the possibilities that life has to offer.


         Do you remember the last time you had needed to act courageous?

Turning the pages...

I lived another birthday of my life yesterday. Yes, that is how, I believe, birthdays should be marked- lived instead of being celebrated. Living the day that marked the 'official' beginning of respiration and other life processes that are so important to accomplishing that one goal one needs to, in one's life.

As I look forward to another chapter of my life, I feel it important to stop and reflect, introspect and cherish- all that I have had the luck to receive in my life till now. And it is in this wandering that I have lived most of my life. 

By the way, I was really looking forward to extending a BIG 'Thank You!' - To all those who wished me yesterday. I was overwhelmed. That despite no facebook notification, so many people had the memory to wish me on my birthday simply overwhelmed me. Even those who did find it out through some social platform and were kind enough to extend their warm wishes, please accept my deepest regards. Every single word of appreciation and kindness is important to me. Thank You! Each one of you!

So, as I was saying, wandering has been synonymous with my life. It has been a latent constituent of my existence and it was only after it commenced leaving imprints in the form of indecisiveness that I realized its existence.

Have I gained from it? Have I lost anything? God would know. Time shall tell. But for the current moment, I feel like letting the feeling sink in. I really do do want to embrace the very thought of having passed these many years of my life.

This birthday again, I live to do what I need to do the most- Reflect. Introspect. Cherish. <3

                                     
                                      PC: Google Images

Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Take Two: The essence that has stayed

Old is Gold, they say. Well, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Take Two just proved that.

In the early 2000s, when the world was proudly entering the new millennium, here in India, millennials were busy calling it the Y2K (in fact, the Y2K fever had gripped the lingo of the youth). Having been through a major IT revolution, India was still opening to the idea of an all connected network of computers called the Internet. New experiences were being witnessed in different spheres of IT, education, governance, communication including the ever favourite entertainment.

A little prior to this, in the 1980s, the Ramayana of Ramananda Sagar had first created history in the Indian TV viewing experience. Sunday had become the most awaited day of the week. Gradually, genres like comedy, horror and others were mined for improving the experience.

Fast forward to early 2000s, new experiment was again being done to reinvent the magic- except this time, WE, the 1990s-born kiddos were experiencing the magic of these experiments ourselves. We did not have to listen to the stories of the awe that Arun Govil created on screen – we were witnessing our own Sumeet Raghavans ourselves.

None of that magic would have been that impactful had it not been for the artistic geniuses of the directors and production houses that created the lovable content. Be it ‘The Great Indian Comedy Challenge,’ or ‘Khichdi’ or ‘Remix’ or any other show that commenced in that era, our generation – which, by the way, had not crossed the age group of 12-14 years by then- was blissfully witnessing the ‘new content’. TV was influencing our perception of the world, if not defining it completely and thus, the association between the change in age and change in TV content was inherent and inevitable.

It then comes as no surprise that members of the Sarabhai vs Sarabhai fan club were exuberant when the news of the amazing series returning to celluloid was out. Yes, it was a fun moment; it was a fan moment for virtually everyone who had ever witnessed the finesse with which Hats-Off productions weaved magic in the early 2000s through its well-thought plot and comedy, the essence of which has stayed with an entire generation of TV viewers who did not yet have the privilege of watching their dear TV telecasts at the click of a button on YouTube. The best that the viewers of that time had was a repeat telecast which too prevailed only if one had the luck and time to grab the remote control at the exact time. For the deep love for Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, I and many like I am, ensured that even the repeat telecasts were never missed. That explains why we were demanding season reruns or a new season altogether; For us, it was a journey to the good old days, to the times when we were what we can never be again; to relive the days that added to the golden sheen of childhood.

The days, however, would not be relived if the series changed the plot thoroughly and left no points of reference to reflect and connect. Contrary to the expectations of many, Take Two has only slight changes in the storyline and that, in my opinion, is a commendable way of making a comeback. For many, ‘things are as they were,’ is a point of disappointment but for many of us, it is exactly what we had been awaiting. Yet again, many find the series ‘changed very much’. Opinions may and should differ, but the likes of me would agree that the new season is exactly how it should have been.

The excitement with which the show had been awaited had to be matched in the delivery of content and in turn, of its characters. When a series such as Sarabhai makes a comeback, it has a great degree of expectations from the audience to meet for the viewers expect to experience the same magic that had made them fall in love with the previous season. It, then, becomes natural for them to want to meet the characters and the storyline with the same essence and flavour- It is, after all, due to the love for that very essence that the series had achieved the popularity that it did. Who gets nostalgic about the series without quoting Monisha’s “Daddyji, ye nostalgia kaun hai?” said with a naughty grin; without comparing that one gossip friend of their friend circle with the Maya-Sarita duo or the worst poet in a gathering with ‘Kachcha Kela’ 😉 . A good series like Sarabhai traverses from the TV screens into the lives of its viewers just this way. A slight change in the plot, however, does not disturb the poise.

Keeping in line with this theory, Hats Off productions have recreated the connect between the characters and the viewers. JD and Aatish Kapadia, among others, deserve appreciation for being able to keep the flow intact.  As the concept note on their website says – “In this series like its first season, the characters and their idiosyncrasies collide with each other and generate generous dollops of inventive humour.” This collision is what was awaited.

This leads to another point of debate related with the discussion around Sarabhai. Experiencing the class and family conflict is not a rare affair for a lot of us. That said, creating jokes on such stereotypes of conflict indicated, for example, by the famous ‘its-so-middle-class’ phrase could be argued against. But the irony that simply rules out any apprehensions against comedy-on-stereotypes is that the Indian middle class was and is the first audience that the series that got its popularity and love from. Nothing is better than the ability to take jokes on one’s own self and related identity. And may be that is why Maya’s taking a dig at the ‘middle class habits’ does not offend but amuses greatly. None of this humour could have been possible without highlighting class and personal conflicts. In the era of heated debates over who offends and gets offended, the fact that the Indian middle class has so heartedly accepted this wise humour gives great hope.

The new season of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai is, thus, a bliss. The 1990s-born are proud to belong to a generation that has been witnessing the entertainment content become bigger and better with time. We are proud of the Sarabhai team that has recreated the magic without disturbing the poise in the storyline that it had left us with. The plot is amusing and has only left us wanting to have more of the episodes very soon. A major chunk of the audience is awaiting to see more because not watching Sarabhai vs Sarabhai is just so middle-class!

All India Radio Sanskrit News 3rd January 2017

सम्प्रति वार्ताः श्रूयन्ताम् | प्रवाचिका शगुन-सिन्हा :)


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B16O--iLH6RrTVgxMmRWYjc3bDg/view?usp=sharing