Fear Aging?? Not A Chance!

Wondering why the sudden thoughts on age and all of that ? Well..it happens and I guess one is entitled to pensiveness , once a year when the birthday has come and gone, reminding you of the inevitability of transcience and yet the urgent need for positivity that ought to envelop us at all times.

Received this from a ‘good friend’ who timed it perfectly. It is so inspiring that sharing on ‘Sachiniti’ was as if paramount..

George Carlin’s Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we’re kids? If you’re less than 10 years old, you’re so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

“How old are you?” “I’m four and a half!” You’re never thirty-six and a half. You’re four and a half, going on five! That’s the key

you get into your teens, now they can’t hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

“How old are you?” “I’m gonna be 16!” You could be 13, but hey, you’re gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life. You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony! YOU BECOME 21 YESSSS!!!

The Rinku Sachdeva I knew (Updated - Mumbai Mirror Responds)

Rinku Sachdeva

Kaveetaa Kaul

Update 6th April 2008: Rinkus father Mr. Harish Sachdeva puts forward his feelings and viewpoints. A must read.

Update 3rd April 2008 : If getting to the unadulterated truth is your concern then please read comment 78 where Ankush, Rinkus family member has spoken out in as veracious and candid a manner as possible.

Update 30th March 2008: Post the publishing of this write up on ‘Sachiniti’, Bapu Deedwania a senior correspondent of Mumbai Mirror got in touch with me ( see comments 13-16) . I was only too keen to set the ball rolling for her to meet the Sachdevas .. their trauma needed to be put forth as well. Todays Mumbai Mirror presents their version of the situation, exactly as Bapu had promised me, without any effort to sensationalise..purely verbatim.Responsible journalism can be such a boon. Thank you Bapu. See bottom of post for details.

Update 28th March 2008 : As predicted here,investigating police officials have found no evidence of any ‘alleged affair’ Rinku Sachdev was ‘reportedly’ accused of . For those of us who knew her, it is not important, since we weren’t assailed with doubts in any case. However, defiling of her good name, issues about circumventing facts, would ultimately tell on her near and dear ones, family and friends which would be grossly unfair. Hence this attempt to showcase the truth.See bottom of post for details.

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How does one grieve over the shocking death of Rinku Sachdeva a 28 year old who you knew as a teenager, whose parents were a couple you looked forward to meeting if only to hear their laughter and imbibe their joie de vivre? How does one replace that happy family with an image of what the TV channels air? Just how does one console the parents? Are there words which can express that ‘I understand your pain I am with you’? And more importantly would such sentiments matter any more? Would they ever be able to recover not just from the loss but more from the sordid insinuations made in the media some blatant some implied but equally defaming?

A Year Later - O P Nayyar Remembered With Top 25

Today 28th January marks the first death anniversary of maestro par excellence O P Nayyar.

I had written a post on OPN on April 16th 2006 whilst he was yet amongst us but in response to a news item which detailed how O P ji was living with an adopted family. One knows now that the family in question accorded him all the love and respect they could possibly summon. At the time however, to imagine a ‘Badshah’ of Music directors and especially someone who had lived life on his own terms, royally, in such dire straits, evoked a surge of emotion.

Thus the post ‘O P Nayyar- Not Forgotten” was born which has since accumulated staggering statistics of 20,000+ views and 1,000 + comments and growing. Perhaps the highest in the Desi blogosphere. This if anything is a reflection of the magic of OPN’s melodies and the ardent love of his fans from all over the world. Timelessness if a factor to evaluate talent, OPN wins hands down.

Of the hundreds who commented..Famed music composer from Pakistan, Sohail Rana, one of his ghazals being the unforgettable ‘mujhe tum nazar se gira to rahey ho, mijhe tum kabhi bhi bhula na sakogey’ ,

Christmas And New Year - Goa Style

2007 marked completion of 21 years of our regular visits to Goa most often bi annually. Nothing can profess better how high it rates on our favourite holiday locations list. The sea, sand, surf, chilled out environs, virginal beaches ( some), garnished with lip smackingly divine cuisine ….all ingredients which spell ‘memorable holidays’.

The ‘Kaul Family’ can today boast of being virtually efficiandos in the field of recommendations for leading the ‘good life’ in Goa. Cross my heart. The best eateries, Goanese style, or Malvani, the best beaches, the most happening destinations.. all you have to do is ask and it shall be revealed.

Mumbai Fare : Britannia

Mr.Boman Kohinoor and me’

THERE IS NO LOVE GREATER THAN THE LOVE OF EATING’.. is a mantra diligently followed as well as encrypted in the menu of Britannia restaurant..

and damn gainsayers , mostly the lot obsessively watching their calories and waists, longingly, pleadingly, lurking around, not daring to venture close when you are probing the Biryani expectantly, excitedly trying to muffle the slurp.

Lakme Revlon Deny Female Staff Marriage Symbols

Kaveetaa Kaul

Without attempting a perfervid take on this incident, I found it prudent to expatiate on Sachiniti to bring the issue to light. Its time we make wrong doers answerable.

A recent shopping experience left one feeling quite disgusted at the dictatorial attitude of cosmetic companies Revlon and Lakme towards their female staff. A casual chat revealed that married women at the respective counters, while expected to be ‘made up’ to the hilt were permitted to wear neither the ’sindoor‘ ( vermilion mark on the forehead indicating marital status) or the ‘mangal sutra’ ( a sacred thread of black beads donned at the time of the marriage ceremony) as a matter of policy.

It got my goat and I have mailed them my views on the issue reproduced below:

A Short Gap..

My mother has taken ill. I cant quite get myself to writing . Hoping and praying she will be fine soon.

Her story..

Of Rains And Times Of India

Brace yourself for some wild gloating about moi in Toi.. in the second half of this post!!

Meanwhile, the legendary Mumbai monsoon has arrived! For many it proves to be a source of great nuisance, erratic trains, pot holed roads, dampness galore, for me nevertheless a welcome relief, a time to romanticise. It takes a lot to incite me these days. My maids quite aghast at the fact that a treasured broken vase, is met uncharacteristically with just a disapproving look, a mild reprimand and an advice at caution. She is as yet, I presume, wondering whether it has to do with her prayers or the almost perfect ‘pakoras’. Drat.. will she ever guess it has to do with almost perfect weather? Come October and my elephantine memory is gonna get her into a chase!

Touch Me Not- Schools Ban Touching

Kaveeta Kaul

India is in a state of extreme confusion…as yet undecided on the one issue that is the national obsession, namely ’sex’.While the average citizen seems to have attained adulthood considering the relaxed disposition, not going into a frenzy every time the ‘words’ mentioned, our politicians who have recently donned the mantle of moral custodians, are struggling between the Middle and Dark ages, frothing at the mouth, incensed over Valentines day, huddled couples on the sea front and so on.

Reminiscences

Gosh..this was nostalgic!! Bringing up children is the single most exasperating, vexing, maddening unpaid job in the Universe and also the most delightful!!..see for yourself why Moms need eyes at the back of their heads..

Abhi Ash Wedding - Bachchans Take On Bollywood

1513 views

Kaveeta Kaul

My personal gossip news vine is Shirin- a beautician who comes by once a month, to help satisfy my compulsive vain urges. The fact that she is also a favourite with other filmi folk lends to the credibility of spicy tidbits interspersed with her routine, which she offers most willingly, free of cost. Mostly its a monologue..me with my eyes closed, trying earnestly to relax away my blues while she chatters away undeterred..Responsiveness is not a criteria she bothers herself much with…and neither is she impressed with subtle piquant wit. I often sense the similarity with the Vijay-Basanti (Sholay) catatonic syndrome.. y’know what I mean.

Eternal Sunshine And Bollywood

Kaveetaa Kaul 

Saw a movie which is considered quite a ‘cult film’ by most cinephiles and also enormously inspiring by some makers. It is certainly not your quintessential ‘worth-a-watch’ film. Primarily because it needs you to be attentive, mature and intelligent. It pre-supposes the inherent sharpness of the viewer..such a diametrically differing standpoint from the Indian cinegoers perspective, since he enters a cinema hall to lose himself and surrender to the sensibilities of the maker. While films such as ‘Eternal Sunshine of a spotless mind’ demand that you ‘grow up’ and watch the meanderings of the script with your senses alert.

No, this is not a review of the film. In fact it would be a trifle difficult to indulge in that exercise.

Another Candle Snuffed Out..

…Hmmm..you guessed right.. birthday yesterday.

What is it about this day that gets you into ‘reflection mode’?

Amidst the roses and cakes ( black forest with its creamy spongy, layers) prayers offered and blessings received, the day was spent in lighthearted frolicsome banter. Perhaps to re-invent the charisma of childhood years when regular, fervent, announcements were made almost a month preceding the 4th of April, so as to circumvent, eschew any room for forgetfulness/misunderstanding..

Inspite Of It All..

Kaveetaa Kaul

Oftentimes, lifes vagaries present before one a spate of experiences which as if challenge the roots of our existential paradigm. In other words we, perchance seem to encounter seemingly impossible circumstances and individuals, who yank the carpet from underneath our feet, before one can mutter bally-ho, compelling us to re fashion our mental make-up.

Bhram An Illusion - The Truth Behind The Scenes (Updated)

Plain Speak: So called critics, or imho self congratulatory presumptuous ‘opinionators’, its made to appear, are having a field day spewing venom against their arch rivals Magna publications of Stardust, the producers of Bhram to get even or perhaps settle personal scores all in the name of a ‘Bhram review’. My question is : Why bring in Bhram? Why take potshots at the film? Weirdos..“Yunfair I say” ..aka Rajnikantham!! Yena rascala..mind it!! Naansense! Honestly how do these guys look at themselves in the mirror and not cringe?

That aside, the fact is there are plenty more, as is obvious from the number of ‘neutral’ critics who have raved about the film, who dont play games while reviewing movies,who dont have bosses or ex bosses sending them reviews to publish, neither are they pressurised to pleasing ‘friends’ they owe one to, so loyally tear down a rival film (too threatened by its craftsmanship) ,most of all they are not greenhorns, just out of their nappies and handed the simplest job of all, which reads..’ you like story.. you laugh.. therefore good film’…or ‘ cheap thrills .therefore great film’.. end of review.

Some critics actually have at least a rudimentary knowledge of film making (one in a hundred) coupled with a soul ( one in a million) and can sift out a genuine effort towards evolved cinema like Bhram from copies of Hollywood hits right from dialogues to shot takings.. which is indeed heartening..Kudos.

Trust me when I say that the goings on are too cheap and crass to expand on. The identity of those behind the meticulously planned campaign to denounce the film is shocking!! You’d Never guess!! Unless you belong to the media and have first hand information !

Stress-Latest Victim Saif Ali Khan In Hospital

Kaveeta Kaul

6050 views

Stress is the modern day equivalent of the plague in days of yore. It has swept all under its devouring shadow. The obvious difference being that while the latter was attributed to causes beyond control of the individual, the former, arose directly out of serious neglect towards factors which precipitate the onset of its often fatal ramifications.

Frankly, I was quite taken aback at the news of ‘chhote Nawab’ Saif Ali Khans mild heart attack. Firstly due to the image of the stars fitness( the snaps been chosen from among scores to prove the point) stories circulating to do with his exercise regimen. Secondly with the sequence of events.

Are The Truly Wealthy Truly Stingy?

Kaveetaa Kaul

To me wealth would mean ‘having something which money cannot buy’.

Fortunately not many agree with this connotation. Or, how would there ever have been delightful stories of the ‘rich and famous’ their idiosyncrasies , fads and foibles, their escapades and escapism, slanders and slumbers, gossip and infamy, which cater to the entertainment industry across the globe. Its sooo much fun to return from a drudgery of the mundane kind, put your feet up and lose yourself in the inanities of the ‘other world’, where the most pressing issue is caring for the multi million dollar estate. So you see, the wealthy serve a purpose as well..doling out vicarious pleasure to the millions ’bout their millions.

Now when alluding to ‘wealthy’ I mean the Really Seriously, Unthinkably Wealthy.. chosen few..the kind who own villas all over the globe, jet set hi fliers, breakfast in Spain and lunch in Miami kinda guys. As luck would have it..sigh..

The Passing Away Of A Legend -O.P. Nayyar

Kaveeta Kaul

Update: You can listen to the podcast of my tribute in a programme dedicated to the Legendary O.P. Nayyar on PodioIndia Ep 31

A truly sad day for Indian music.

This post which receives a record number of hits consistently, referred to by Google, never failed to amaze me at the sheer number who were in search for Nayyar Saheb even now. Today, however, it began receiving an unusually continuous string .

I knew then, maybe what I had feared for a while had happened…Had to mournfully update it.

The total number has crossed over five thousand , just on the link provided above. If anything this substantively proves that Nayyar Saheb was a maestro par excellence, whose memory and strains of melody, stirred our souls, filled it with a longing to know more about him, in a bid as if to connect with the man behind the music and creator of that magic.

Please read the link provided for details on the maestro and his life.

Famed music composer from Pakistan, Sohail Rana, one of his ghazals being the unforgettable ‘mujhe tum nazar se gira to rahey ho, mijhe tum kabhi bhi bhula na sakogey’ , visited the blog and speaks of the last call to O.P. Nayyar just a month ago..he pays an emotional tribute to him in the comment section of the post.

His adopted daughter Ashwini Karandikar too speaks, in the comment section .

Ashraft through his comment has informed us of his passion for O.P.Nayyar’s music and that he has laboriously collected every single song composed by the maestro. Incredible! True passion and grit which needs to be lauded. Priceless treasure is now his!

Siraj Khan who has been writing the biography of O.P.Nayyar Saheb, exclusive rights for which had been granted to him by the maestro, had commented on this post last year as well.. Please read his tribute and of his plans for the book.

View O.P. Nayyar-Not Forgotten. ( 13161 views- 708 comments )

Kaveetaa Kaul

Anniversary- Sachiniti

Kaveetaa Kaul

Today, 27th January, marks a year since I began writing this blog. Whilst writing my first post, I felt a tad silly, since I had no clue who would, or rather would anyone end up reading my blog.

This brings to mind the romanticism of Majrooh Sultanpuri

“Main akela hi chala tha janibe-e-manzil magar

Log sath aate gaye aur karavan banta gaya“