Online Contests, Blog Discoveries and More

Going down memory lane, I think its been years since I participated in any kind of contest ( I don't recall the last contest I submitted an entry for - Must be decades ago?). Well, here's the thing - When you're in your 30's and a working mother, somehow participating in any kind of contest does not seem to be on the cards..

However, for the past few weeks I've participated in a couple of online writing contests, and realized that there are just so many of them happening every now and then (on Blogs, Twitter, etc etc.). Its actually fun. Of course! If you win - Its great (And I did win a few - And the gifts typically tend to be books - Which I love reading, So that's great too..).

But more than winning and losing - I think it is the sheer joy of participating in a contest and the effort that you put in which gives you a High - Let me just call it "The Participation High" - Ever experienced that? Well, its a good feeling - let me tell you!

And the second great bonus is that it connects you to some amazing people / writers from across the globe. In my case, I have discovered several new blogs which I really enjoyed reading.

So without much ado, let me list down the new amazing blogs I've discovered:

Words BY Saru Singhal

VidyaSury : Going a-musing, collecting smiles BY Vidya Sury

Kavi's Musings BY Kavi Arasu

Paromita Bordoli Writes BY Paromita Bardoli

Rainbow Hues BY Kajal

Born with Heels BY Pooja

Tarang BY Tarang Sinha

Cartoons Doodles Quotes

The Philospher's Stone BY Richa Singh

Between Write and Wrong BY Sakshi

Some Bedtime Stories

Tryst with Writing

Stop by and check out their blogs.. I loved reading them!

Have you discovered any new blogs? If yes, leave a comment to let me know...

The problem with this thing called MARRIAGE is

The problem with this thing called MARRIAGE is the "DIFFERENCES" between what MEN and WOMEN want...

Most MEN want someone
Who looks amazing and beautiful most of the time
Who has a unparalleled personal net-worth 
Who speaks like the Nightingale
Who has a heart of gold
Who is well-educated
Who earns less than him
Who thinks progressively
Who cooks like his Mother
Who asks / questions very little
Who obeys his commands and demands
Who accepts everything that comes her way
Who makes him feel important most of the time 
Who is willing to give-up everything (No questions asked!)

Most WOMEN want someone
Who truly respects them 
Who truly cares for them
Who truly trusts them
Who truly loves them
Who truly encourages them
Who truly supports them
Who truly accepts them

That's the POINT!
Where can you find such MEN?
Where can you find such WOMEN?

The Bollywood Talent

Before I start the post, a disclaimer - "Neither an I a Movie / Bollywood Buff nor am I a Movie / Bollywood critic".

As any Bollywood follower / lover would know, Bollywood completes 100 years of Indian cinema in 2013!

100 years is a long time.. It is a century.. Many of us cannot even imagine what the world would have been like way back then (1913) - How movies were made, How actors / actresses could / would have been / looked, How movies were distributed, How money was made? (& Who made the money?), What was the end-to-end movie industry value chain?, Where and How people watched movies? How was the pricing done?... So many unanswered questions for the curious and inquisitive mind

Coming to 2013 - Bollywood is a flourishing thriving "money making" "creative" industry.

The first fact is this | Not all "creative industries" make money.
And the second fact is this | And not all Bollywood movies make money..
And the third fact is this | But those movies which make money are laughing their way down to the coffers!

Its easy for "Bollywood outsiders" (including viewers) to critique, comment and judge the "Bollywood insiders" (including actors / actresses / directors / producers / musicians / and the zillions of other creative staff who work endless hours to create that one "single movie"; just for your viewing / entertainment) at every opportunity they get. After all, passing free judgment is easy, especially when a 'creative piece of work' is out in the open, and open for public display! How many of us actually ponder to think about or even understand the basics of how a movie is made?

But that's not why I'm writing this post.. There are ample articles / views / perspectives / opinions on films / movie-making, history and evolution of cinema, famous dialogues / movies / actors / actresses - All doing the rounds this year!

I'm really writing this post about what makes it all possible - The Bollywood TALENT

Every industry needs talent - To exist, to grow, to thrive, to survive.. And Bollywood is no different

So let's try to define what TALENT really means.. I tried to find a suitable definition, and sharing one that was most appropriate "TALENT is a recurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied." The emphasis here is on the word "recurring" and "productive application".I agree!

Talent in any context, especially in the context of Bollywood is around these two words. And mind you! The recurrence to a large extent in Bollywood is determined by others, not by YOU! Because the next opportunity / movie / film that a "Bollywood insider" can / may be associated with depends on the work you did in the past ;and of course, to some extent your lineage and own personal networks, and whom you know in the Bollywood industry!

And here's the other fact | Talent exists in abundance in India, and Bollywood is no exception.

From the very beginning, the Bollywood industry has identified and nurtured its share of talented people and individuals - Be it in acting, singing, direction, story telling, writing lyrics, cinematography, etc. These stalwarts in turn provided a baseline / benchmark for talent; and so began the journey and evolution of Bollywood talent. If you quiz anyone from the previous generation to reel out the names of people who epitomize Bollywood talent, you'll most likely hear the following names - Raj Kapoor, Madhubala, Nargis, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Helen, Lata Mangeskar, Javed Akhtar, Rekha, Rajesh Khanna, Rishi Kapoor.....And all of them have proved their talent again and again.. Movie after Movie.

The thing about the commercial success of the movie is that it depends to a large extent on the audience. And hence, for any film-maker / actor / actress, he / she should be able to connect with the audience. Otherwise, the chances of a movie being a commercial failure is significantly increased!

The new generation of movies released from the start of this decade (2000) have changed the face of Indian cinema - They are on new topics / ideas , innovative in design / technique / presentation / rendition, more rooted in the "real-world" as opposed to a "make-believe" ideal world.. There are just so many differences...

And yet! Two things remain the same
(1) A movie needs creators (talented actors / actresses / directors / musicians, etc.)
(2) A movie needs consumers (viewers / audience)

So who are the new Bollywood Talent who defining / have re-defined Indian cinema?
Aamir Khan
For his perfection, for his ideas, for being able to "walk the talk"

Amitabh Bachchan
For his unparalleled acting, for "re-defining" what it means to be a star, and that age is not really a variable in the equation if you have the passion to act, and the talent to deliver

A R Rahman
For the soul-stirring magical music he is able to render.. again and again

Farhan Akhtar
For the uniqueness in the diversity of talent - Both in front of camera and behind the camera, and a the power of the message in all his movies

Javed Akhtar
For the words which make you think, make you feel, make you wonder how he says it so well -  every single time

Kajol
For the way she can touch your heart with a smile, a word, a tear or a gesture - And its so natural!

Karan Johar
For the knowledge, range and depth of talent on all aspects of film-making; and for re-defining Bollywood cinema in terms of topics, budgets and movie-making

Konkana Sen
For the "realism" and "depth" she brings to every role and character

Priyanka Chopra
For being able to truly innovate her personal style and (re-)present in every single movie; and for the phenomenal growth as an actor which is demonstrated in every single movie

Ranbir Kapoor (One of my personal favorites as of date)
Oh! What can I say? There is something about the way he acts which sets him apart. All I can say is "He is truly gifted, and talented"; and every time I watch him act - I feel its coming from his soul!

Shah Rukh Khan
For his ability to connect with the audience minds and hearts in a way that no other actor really can!

Vidya Balan (One of my personal favorites as of date)
Superb and Fabulous actress who is again "divinely talented", and very "connected" to her talent. Beauty, grace and talent all rolled into one

 And what really stands out among all these individuals is this!
They are GIFTED
They are TALENTED
They are AWARE of their TALENT
They have AGAIN and AGAIN "repeatedly" been part of COMMERCIAL SUCCESSES
There is "SOMETHING" (which is hard to describe) about they way they deliver - which makes you wonder "JUST HOW DO THEY DO IT"

That's my view.. Would love to hear yours. Leave a comment to let me know

Ah! The GRACE…

Not many of us acknowledge, appreciate, understand or respect grace. Even I didn’t. Until I started observing. Observing people, faces, expressions, smiles, movements, interactions, eyes…. And after hours of observation, you begin to notice..

This thing called “GRACE”
It’s hard to define or compartmentalize or pin-point grace
It’s there for everyone to see; and yet it is so subtle
It exists and yet it does not; atleast it is not so apparent

One of the most beautiful quotes I’ve come across is “Grace is the beauty of form under the influence of freedom.” BY Friedrich Schiller

Yes! There’s something about grace which is synonymous with “form” and “freedom”. And “form” and “freedom” are also integral elements to “dance”

So there’s some unexplainable link between “dance” and “grace”
I don’t know what it is.. But it exists
In the way a dancer moves his / her eyes
In the way a dancer moves his / her face
In the way a dancer moves his / her hands
In the way a dancer moves his / her belly
In the way a dancer moves his / her hips
In the way a dancer moves his / her legs

I can’t help but think about Bollywood in the context of dance. There are some actresses / heroines who epitomize “grace” – with their eyes, with their smile, with their movements, with their moves

Top on this list are Madhuri Dixit (Ah! The grace in her eyes, face movements, smile and hand movements is a class apart), Hema Malini (Ah! The grace in her movements and in her honesty), Dimple Kapadia (Ah! The grace in her voice, in her charm, in her personal style), Madhubala (Ah! The grace in her eyes), Sridevi (Ah! The grace in her innocence, in her eyes, and in the confident-and-yet-not-so-confident demeanor)..

Wonder where and why grace is not so apparent in new age heroines?
Is it somewhat dying, or becoming more subtle or are we not observing enough?

Ah! This GRACE.. It makes you start writing a post, and then not know how to end :)

The Many of Types of Couples

Over the past several years, I've had the good fortune of observing and interacting many types of couples (dating, newly-weds, married for 10+ years, 20+ years, 30+ years, 40+ years and 50+ years)

And I observed that there are very specific patterns that emerge between a couple..

I don't know how these types evolve over time - May be based on the kind of personalities each of them individually are, the power equation in a relationship, their past, their values, their life experiences, their culture, their upbringing, their interactions with other couples, etc. etc. etc.

Type 1 : I say, so YOU do
Type 2 : I do, so YOU do
Type 3 : I don't say, so YOU don't say
Type 4 : I don't say, so YOU say
Type 5 : I don't do, so YOU should do
Type 6 : I don't do, so YOU don't do
Type 7 : I don't say or do, so YOU don't say or do
Type 8 : I don't say or do, do YOU should say and do
Type 9 : I say or do - But don't tell you, and I don't know what YOU say or do
Type 10 : I say or do - But don't tell you, and I don't care what YOU say or do
Type 11 : Let's do together

Majority of the couples I see around me fall in Types 1 to 10 (Sad but true!)
Very very few (an infinitely small percentage) fall under Type 11

If you're a couple in Type 11, really really GOOD FOR YOU!