Of Humour and Subtle Messages

I watched 3 movies in the last fortnight – 'Hattrick', 'Mozhi' and 'Just Married'.
3 different story lines, different styles of packaging the stories.
The differences ended there. The 3 films, intended to entertain the audience (which I think, they did very successfully!). All the 3 films used humour as the main ingredient to keep the audience riveted to their seats during the 2 and half hours. But what struck me as most impressive was the way the 3 directors had woven a subtle but powerful message through each of their stories, through the use of humour, laced with poignant revelations about life.
This leads me to think that Indian cinema is indeed reaching maturity levels unheard of till recently. This also got me wondering – So, you do not need melodrama to convey a message! To get a message across to people, all that needs to be done is create something they identify with, keep the treatment of the story light, subtly slip in the message in between. People will see a ‘take –home’ value in the message you intend to convey.

Well done, Mr. Policeman!

I was at a junction, waiting for the red signal to turn green. Right in front of me was an ambulance, its siren wailing to indicate the sense of urgency to get to a hospital. I could see the family inside the ambulance staring straight at the signal post, as if willing for the signal to turn green. But the signal continued to be red for the side the ambulance was in and the traffic from another wing of the junction, flowed, taking advantage of the green signal in their direction. I watched as the signal did not seem to change colours for a very long time. There was a policeman standing in the corner, watching this scene.
In a few seconds, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He stopped the side that had the green signal to move, motioned to the traffic on my side of the road, to start moving, signaling to cars and two wheelers to move on the left of the road so that the ambulance could pass through; all this while the signal still gleamed a bright red for this wing of the junction. Once the ambulance had passed the junction, he indicated to the riders from my side of the road to stop, and let the traffic signal control the flow of traffic again.
I have seen ambulances wailing away at signals till date, waiting for the signal to turn green so that the traffic in front of it would move and it could then move too. But never have I seen a policeman intervene to override the control of traffic by an automated signal, just to allow an ambulance to pass through, and then return the control back to the signal.
Well done, Mr. Policeman! God bless you!

Those Little Pleasures in Life!

I managed to get off from work early today – around 6.30 pm. As I stepped outside the office, I was mesmerized by the sunset. Not because it was more beautiful than sunsets usually are but because it was the first sunset I was watching on a working day, after 1.5 long years!
I was fascinated to watch the birds returning to their nests, the office-goers hurrying down the pavement to get back home soon and spend time with their loved ones, the elderly people taking a leisurely evening stroll on a park pathway, before darkness descended upon the city, young couple sharing a ear of corn or an ice cream, blissfully lost in each other's words. I watched little children swinging on the swings, falling with a thump from the slide, laughing and picking themselves up, their young excited voices being carried over by the wind, voices that seemed to tell me that life is not only spent in cubicles.
As I was heading back home I thought to myself – are most of today’s working professionals missing out on the simple pleasures of life or do they strike that fine balance somehow?
I wonder!

A Tribute to the Most Beautiful Women I Know…

Today is International Women’s Day and the whole world is celebrating Womankind.

Here’s my contribution in celebrating 3 of the most beautiful women I know.

Grandmom – The quintessential woman of steel. She brought up my Mom single handedly after the premature demise of her husband very early in life. I hope some of that strength gets rubbed off onto me through the genetic linkage

Mom – The ace juggler. She provided me with undivided attention and ensured that everything was done ‘in’ time, right from getting me ready for school , dishing up delicious meals for the family. She could multitask beautifully and could stretch herself effortlessly to touch my life every time - I remember her staying up late in the night during my board exams, just so that she could make me that cup of coffee, whenever I felt sleepy. I remember her helping me articulate my thoughts better, driving me every summer afternoon to the beach, being my closest friend and confidante, being the devoted wife to Dad and taking care of his every need. She runs the household like a piece of well oiled machinery. In the midst of all the chaos, she managed to pursue a very satisfying albeit short lived career in journalism too! Hats off to you Mom! You are the best manager in the world!

My best friend’s Mom – The ace Time Manager. I see her as the cementing force of the family, the tower of strength for everyone else. She showers love and affection on every member of her family and on friends of her children too. She manages to carve some time for herself after having taken care of everything that needs attention and after having spent quality time with everyone who matters to her. Wish I could time slice my activities as perfectly as her so that I could create that much needed personal time.

Once upon a time...

• I could remember people's phone numbers, even the ones dialled less frequently. Today, I have to look up my cell phone for Dad's number.
• I could remember friend's Birthdays and would go shopping in advance, for their gifts. Today, I forget my parents' wedding anniversary or a family member's birthday because they do not have Orkut profiles and I, therefore, am not alerted about the big days in their lives.
• I was good at writing different types of letters on paper. Today, I wonder how I should address a colleague, a stranger or a good friend and how to sign off, on email. The letters that ran to 2 pages those days are typed as emails in 5 lines today.

Technology was always intended to be an enabler; an aid to speed up processes. Is it also becoming an aid to lose one's memory gradually? Do we depend much more on technology than technology intends us to?