the indianness of being argumentative

I was biking down the road not aggressively which I innately do whether while speaking, writing, pulsaring, driving, eating or having great *** (fun, I meant). That’s also how people know me. So chanting a song as if Sonu Nigam’s soul has entered mine, I suddenly happened to stop my bike as I saw a car guzzling down towards me. Both of us applied the breaks at the same time. A slang instantly came out from my mouth but it died before coming out because I knew that both the vehicles and the lives were safe so Its better not to create a hue and cry about the failed accident. Both the vehicle was just inches away from each other. The skidding sound of the car created huge shrilled noise and caught everybody’s attention. It just appeared to me that a scene from movie “Dhoom” has been recreated. Nobody was hurt (talking of cars, because objects happens to be more precious then lives nowadays). The incident happened in the middle of a busy cross-road. Few people came down there within no time as they had already anticipated some sort of clash. I always wonder as to why other people are so much delightfully interested in other people’s problems unless being called for. Maybe they know that their problems are beyond redemption so let’s dip our beak into others problems. No wonder, why humans are called sadist and especially Indians. I think no one can compete with India in terms of GDP(GOSSIP domestic product). I thought it meaningless in standing there anymore but suddenly the person from the car came out and started staring me as if he is the police and I have committed some heinous crime and going to kill me right away. My eyes retorted back with the same intensity with which he stared. For a minute I thought he is the 007 James bond and I am the culprit. People were anxiously biting their nails off as if world war III is going to start. We were in the midst of jammed traffic road. He loaded himself with all slang he had learned and was about to launch it. People were shouting from behind to disperse and as in India there are always free mediators, arbitrators and counselors who came in to delay the launch of deadly slang missile from his mouth. Then suddenly an ambulance came from behind to which we all dispersed, though the driver was unsatisfied so he noted my bike’s number. As if there was no other work left. I went home oblivion of the whole incident and slept till the evening.

In the evening I happened to visit the crossword and co-incidentally I happened to pick “The Argumentative Indian” written by Amartya sen. In this book he has synonymised argumentative nature of Indians with traditional historical, cultural and social milieu in which our ancestors right from the Vedic times resided, in a 350 page epic I should say. I read some excerpts from the book and it was truth revealing. But looking at the contemporary scenario around the world I think that every denizen of every developing nation ultimately gets cultivated, molded into an “argumentative being”. The society has an inherent quality of molding a person’s terseness into loquacity & tranquility into chaoticity. Right from price bargaining at the vegetable vendor to a high profile mall we all are inherently argumentative where only our subtlety gets changed in the latter. Right from Birlas to Banias argumentativeness is manifested through different forms. I asked a person standing besides me as to why people are argumentative. He was reading Khushwant Singh’s book interestingly (I realized that I have committed a sin) and I happened to broke his erotic concentration so he frowned and snarled at me and said, don’t disturb. He himself started argument ting as to why am I asking such uninteresting question at this time? (Obviously when you are reading khushwant Singh’s novels everything else looks dull). He added hurriedly and angrily, what’s wrong if one is argumentative, its one’s own inherent right. I completely surrendered to this argument as I lost the debate 10-0 and did not argue further. But I thanked him as he gave me this new perspective that its one own fundamentally fundamental right.

Argumentation is both constructive and destructive and we all are aware of that. But we always make a conscious attempt to convert a constructive argument into a destructive one. So what is it which makes a person an argumentative animal? Is it Ego, Money, Stress, Frustration, insatiable desires, heredity, chaoticity, Democracy, marriage, boss in the office, price rise, cricket, splitsvilla, swayamwars, big talk shows, News breaking channels or just being oneself. The reasons can be numerous but the solution lies within. Let us be voraciously argumentative when it is actually needed rather than meaninglessly argumentative.

Let there be an argument for global peace and not global piece; let there be an argument for love and not hatred; let there be an argument against injustice; let there be argument for one India and not many India’s; let there be an argumentative protest against something wrong; and finally let there be an argument for “We” and not for “I”. Let there be constructive arguments which may bring innovations, path-breaking Concepts and ultimately smile and not grudges.

my --chaotic-- self

Every game,every profession has a master, an icon, a performer, a God. Tennis has Roger federer, acting has Amitabh bachchan, leadership has Obama and so it is true for every profession in the world.But have you ever heard a sex-worker getting applauded, popular, getting hall of the fame status. do we ever say that he or she is the best one in the business so lets hire them. may be not.its not because they are despised, denigrated or considered a taboo in our society.its all because they dont completely love their work.most of them are thrown into the business during their school going days.none among them ever is emotional, passionate and obsessed about their work.what they finally aspire for is money.you all might disagree but life is all about emotions.that is one thing which differentiates us from machines.
life is a big conundrum thats what people say, and thats true as even i have experienced it sometimes but still i like to play it simple but not straight. like this , i am confounded with one such significant question. i just dont understand one question i.e. why do we need to do something. sometimes maturity, stability, steadiness seems so borring and pathetic. to get embroiled in responsibility seems as if your own freedom is lost.whenever i go out i am inundated with questions as to what do i do?toh kya sudhi aayu, tane toh aaram chhe ne, IAS clear thase ke nai, and all non-sensical questions.
i wonder that i dont even have the freedom to dream, aspire and fly.how can i make them understand that sometimes journey itself is the destination. is it not enough that i am living.why do anyone needs to prove that he or she is an IAS, CA, MBA or Doctor. The lens through which society peeps is blurred and myopic. even if i become an IAS someday i would still remain that bloody, naughty, indulgent varun.i would attached more power, authority, prestige and staus to myself thats it.i agree that one needs to responsible and self dependent.but i sometimes wonder as why we need to work. its not that one should be conplacent and lazy. but i think everybody should work or do a job or whatever they do to earn money because ultimately they like it and not because they should.lets work if you enjoy and money be the by-product. i promise you 'll be bestowed with opulent wealth.its not at all questioning one's ambition or desire.if you are not doing what you love ,just pack your bags and go home. but yes if its a means to an end then continue with it.i think i am blessed in the sense i am getting the fruits of the hardwork of my lovely parents. people do have compulsion to work hard and earn money for bread butter.but the point i want to make is that lets not pigeon-hole anybody with respect to its credentials and degrees.dont machinesed our work process for achieving some credentials in the society which finally leaves you dehumanised and emotion-less.
i hate the term emotional intelligence when acheiving success makes you think more from brain and less from heart. challenge, competition, jealousy are so outdated virtues and piece makers and peace breakers.lets not weigh people on the merit of degrees, awards, certificates scripted on one's resume. both IPS and PSI are humans with contrasting classes and grades.its not that i am not ambitious otherwise i wouldnt have chosen larger then life dream of clearing IAS.but i think everybody is talented outhere.you just need to believe in the power of your dreams.
do you know what i want to do? i want to travel the whole world.i want to learn people, cultures , behaviours and ultimately dream. my best part of the day is wheni sleep as thats the only time i can be myself and i can dream. maybe thats not the most pragmatic way of living life.i know finally money matters and all that. but still whenever in life you get a chance live your dream.
atleast start doing one thing from tonight that is dream unlimited!!( without putting logic into it).



varun desai

my name is khan:the film through my lens

my name is khan:movie through my lens
making a film on rare abnormalities is i think in vogue.no wonder after the success of tare
zameen par & paa, this film is made. may be in the era of consumerism symapthy and emotions
are expensively sold.we, the people are tired of watching movies which shows
muslim-terrorism nexus redundantly.everybody is trying to acheive sucess on this sensitive
issue.But my name is khan is a good movie...its a movie about an abnormal person achieving
extraordinary feet.so whats so differrent between other movies showcasing same subject like
new york, kurbaan, khuda key liye and many more.the difference lies where in other movies
the script says that a muslim is not a terrorist but he is a muslim where in MNIK rizwan
khan proudly enunciates that he is a muslim & he is not a terrorist buttt though he is a
muslim , he is human first and muslim later.the movie upholds the principle of humanity...
in the era where humanity is standing at crossroads, this movie has done well to showcase
this fundamental princile of being human. coming to acting performance, shah rukh khan who
has been the epitome of charisma,glamour and persona despite of being completely
contradictory in this role has surely won several accolades...his acting prowess is worth
appreciating...watch it for SRK for sure...
the first half is very cliche, dialogues dont have the intensity to stir you from within,the
plots sometimes looks typical bollywood style, butt butt at the end of the movie, the
simplicity of the protagonist is adorable...its all bout how humanity survives under all
odds...
its always great to watch shah rukh and kajol back togather...natural melodrama is aptly
shown by kajol and other co actors...
but i have two issues whichi cant get away with it...first, there must be millions of khans
living in india as well as abroad and the innocent one are shouting and pronouncing since
years that they are muslims, they are khans and they are not terrorist...but are those
voices heard? ask yourself? i dont think so...actually those voices are crushed...so one
thing is clear that if you are a khan and we know you are not a terrorist but for your voice
to be heard you need to be someone like shah rukh khan...means famous and rich...otherwise
you wont be heard as it is going on since years...think over it...because maybe i have a
solution but may be its not plausible and acceptable nowww...second issue is that i think
the movie has a lot of similarity with the oscar winning movie forrest gump .dont say an outright no, watch it for yourself to discover it.