Abhi to Main Jawaan Hoon and stuff

There is a program on TV Asia that I used to watch and like, 'Abhi to Main Jawan Hoon', presenter is Shiraz Sharif (I think).

TV Asia Program

Its a program that plays only very old black and white (melodious) hindi movie songs. Thats good, because we like to watch and enjoy the oldies too. However, the reason I stopped watching this program is that Shiraz sahab wouldn't stop criticizing new music, and always rates old music very highly while putting down the new generation songs. I totally disagree with him, and I don't understand what the point of his program is. Is it to revive old memories or try to convince everyone how terrible the new music is? He brings in interviewees (celebrities from past) and asks, whats the difference between old and new music? And then says repeatedly 'ab woh baat kahan'. sigh sigh.

Of course, music is different now - but its not bad by any means. Whats wrong with today's music? There are some excellent songs nowadays that, honestly, make the oldies seem a bit boring at times. Thats what I think! There is still good poetry, good use of old and new instruments, better production quality and the scope is so much wider, as it includes non-filmi music too.

There was an interview with Javed Akhtar in the same program and I thought Javed A put everything in perspective. Mr Sharif, of course, asked the same question that he often asks, you know difference between old and new shayari.... So Javed A said (not exact words), 'every era makes good and bad music. Its just we only remember the good music from the past so we think that the previous era was better. In old days too there were poor singers, music composers, but nobody remembers THOSE tatpunjeys. Today also there are many good people writing good poetry, and making good music....' I think thats true. And Javed A must be one of them he he.

Also, there are so many legendary music maestros of the old era, like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Shiv Kumar Shankar, Pandid Jasraj, Jagjit Singh, who still routinely contribute to contemporary music while keeping their solid and rich classical heritage. So many of them come as special guests/judges at Indian Idol, Sa re ga ma pa TV reality shows. And they can teach the youngsters sooo much! This works great both ways.

Oh, I wanted to mention this too on the side - some of the sa re ga ma pa challenge finalists went to wish Lata Mangeshkar on her b'day at her house. Couple of them sang for her. And she asked, 'can you sing something of your own? It is not wise to just copy other singers - when you are able to sing a composition of your own, then THAT will mean you are a great singer'. Well said, Lata di. Gotta love her!

Getting back to Mr. Sharif - please don't criticize new music anymore. It really hurts. Look at this song and tell me its bad poetry, bad music, haan?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KONhYK391pk&mode=related&search=

Cricket again - Loosing to Aus again

So we have lost a few 50-50 matches against Aus. So what? Big deal. Its just a sport - we need to have a balanced view here. I mean, I really won't totally blame the players though. I think its the BCCI or whoever has control over team selection. Look at Dravid - I don't think he wants to play cricket anymore. And Ganguly, Tendulkar - they should gracefully resign. NOW!

I think that Sharad Pawar and other politicians in BCCI should pay more attention to law and order in Bombay/Maharashtra rather than spending all their time in cricket. They should also focus their energy on nabbing the D company members and the terrorists. They are a disgrace!

I hope that Kapil's ICL comes into action soon. And we have a breed of players that can function like robots from another planet (like Aussies) he he, who are productive no matter what. Seriously, they should think and develop long-term strategy and not just for 1-2 matches, even if that means that in short term we only lose matches.

2 TV programs - old review

I thought I will narrate 2 recent programs that I watched on tv - 'out of the box' and 'damkegi delhi'. I saw both of them on Headlines Today news channel. Did you know that Aaj Tak (hindi) and Headlines Today (eng) are both owned/run by the India Today group? I just found out.

Anyhow, so 'out of the box' was a 30min program on IIM Ahmedabad students. And how going to IIMs is not about getting fat pay package from MNCs any more but about 'realizing their dreams and going their own way'. Fresh graduates are rejecting big offers from big companies (upto 1 crore per year package), and doing their own business, such as, catering, music, setting up schools/organizations, making business plans and presenting to govt etc. One of the IIM A graduates, opened a catering business at his own school - he cooks and prepares food for IIM students in their canteen because he realised that the earlier service was not adequate. Right now he is only serving south indian but will soon add gujrati snacks, and chinese and other cuisine as well.

Then there was another graduate who is recording his own album (he found the entire process of interviewing with MNCs boring :). Two recent graduates have opened a website for indian movie reviews and is thinking of schemes that will generate revenue for them. The site is:

http://www.infica.com/main.php.

They divide movies into 'Mist See', 'Should See', 'Time Pass', and 'Avoid'. I think its a great idea - Bobs may be you can contribute and make YOUR dreams come true :).

Another pass out from 1980s opened a blind school which is now the biggest organisation for Blind in India, and other countries including China are now using the same model. This guy also turned down big offers from big companies (of that time). BTW, naukri.com also is a IIM A start-up! I did not know that.

What great stories and so inspiring!! I wish I had taped this program - though I did write to the contact person of Headline News congratulating him on this great program. It included interviews from all of these guys who have set these great examples, and also of the Placing Head of IIMA. This placing officer (also a former IIMA graduate). was also VERY impressive. He was asked 'some graduates work for only 1-2 years in an MNC, and then leave to start their own business, arent they a hinderance to graduates who DO want that fat pay package?'. His response was 'i dont think we should look at it this way - the graduates that are starting their own business are creating jobs for so many others, jobs that dont otherwise exist. If one student provides job even to 10 others, I will be a happy camper'. Good answer, Mr.!

I now look at MBAs from a whole different angle - no, I am not going to do an MBA :).

So, the other program was 'damkegi delhi'. This was about the new model for delhi, which was unveiled (and work begun) to create 40 new flyovers, new roads, green areas, and a neat ultramodern bridge (which is so far only in 4-5 select metros of the world) with water sports on either side of the bridge. This bridge will be the new landmark of Delhi and will be taller than Qutub. This is in the area of Nazirabad (?) which is clogged with traffic - so it will be a big relief to commuters there. This is all part of the new face of delhi which is planned to complete in 2007. Imagine, it took them 2-3 years to come up with this plan (with German help), and now only 3 years to complete for the commonwealth games in 2010. What an ambitous and challenging task! They are also planning to privatise public transport (bye bye DTC buses- phew!) and improve roads, have more trains etc. Good strategy - attack the problem from all sides!

I love stories like these. Dont you? On the other hand, there are stories of lack of law and order in UP, and of shameful match-fixing. Alas...

Did you hear that recently Queen Mary, the biggest cruise ship, passed through SF? It caused traffic jams because everybody wanted to take a look at the ship. This ship, apparantely, has the most efficient waste drainage system - they dump almost all of their waste in the sea! Yikes, I don't think I want to ever go on a cruise again :(. I like what Anousheh Ansari, said in Oprah show, 'all politicians and leaders should go up in space - they will realise that earth is the only home we have in this big vast universe and that we dont take good care of it'.... So true.