Vimarsh

“So you are a scientist?” he continued the informal introduction to continue the talk. Normally, people like to talk, even with strangers, when they are alone. “Yes, I am.” I replied. “So, what is your area of specialization?” now, he wants to assert himself. “Drugs.” My briefest possible answer. “Ohh” “Do you know something about drugs?” my enquiry. “Not much just heard about them in films. What kind of drugs you work on?” “I am actually working on the drug which is yet undefined, I am planning to name it as ‘Braine-dead’.” “OK.” “This drugs is found everywhere in the world. India has also faced many consequences even from the days before the days of British raj. But, earlier it was found in patches. After independence, it was in 1947 when the entire country had faced negative consequences of this drug.” “If it’s so old then why there is no good research available on this Drug? I haven’t heard of any such drug.” “Exactly, that is the u...

Given below is the text of a letter that was initially written by a group of individuals and sent as a rejoinder to the article written by Chetan Bhagat titled, ‘ Letter from an Indian Muslim Youth ’ published in The Times of India on 30 June 2013. The letter was sent to The Times of India The signatories include non-Muslims, because a large number of the emails read, ‘I am not a Muslim but I am equally disgusted by Chetan Bhagat’s letter’. Given below is the text of letter followed by more than 200 signatures: A Letter to Mr. Chetan Bhagat from Indian Muslim Youth 3rd July 2013 Dear Mr. Bhagat, At the very outset, let us make it clear that we are not fans of your regressive fiction. Therefore, we write to you not as crazy fans but as Indian Muslim youth, who felt utterly patronized, insulted and hurt after reading your article, ‘ Letter from an Indian Muslim Youth’ .  You might have not realized this, but in pretending to render ...

On the evening of Friday, June 21, as India reeled from the shock of the calamity in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi landed up in Dehradun with a handful of officers. By Sunday, it was claimed that he had rescued 15,000 stranded Gujaratis from the wreckage of Uttarakhand and sent these grateful folks back home. This miracle was played up in media. But how was this feat achieved in a day or so, when India's entire military establishment has struggled to rescue around 40,000 people over 10 days? Reports say that Modi pulled off this coup with a fleet of 80 Innovas. How did these cars manage to reach places like Kedarnath, across roads that have been washed away, over landslides that have wrecked most access routes? But let us assume Modi's Innovas had wings as well as helicopter rotors. Including the driver, an Innova is designed to carry seven people. In a tough situation, assume you could pack nine passengers into each car. In that...

I was unable to look into her eyes. As if I were responsible for whatever happened to her. From the time, I knew about it, I didn't dare to talk to her. I kept a distance from her as if I were the only answerable person there. Last few minutes of her, possibly final, meeting with us, and she was there, just beside my chair with a big smile, not only on her lips but also in her bright eyes and she bids farewell, and I could only "congratulate" her, though it was not the right word to utter. I am strong, but not strong enough to tolerate all the injustice taking place around me. I am not the only one who should speak, shout, scream; but the people who are entitled to utter on such matters have held a dead-silence. 

Rule #1 : There are no rules. There are as many ways to make a film as there are potential filmmakers. It’s an open form. Anyway, I would personally never presume to tell anyone else what to do or how to do anything. To me that’s like telling someone else what their religious beliefs should be. Fuck that. That’s against my personal philosophy—more of a code than a set of “rules.” Therefore, disregard the “rules” you are presently reading, and instead consider them to be merely notes to myself. One should make one’s own “notes” because there is no one way to do anything. If anyone tells you there is only one way, their way, get as far away from them as possible, both physically and philosophically. Rule #2 : Don’t let the fuckers get ya. They can either help you, or not help you, but they can’t stop you. People who finance films, distribute films, promote films and exhibit films are not filmmakers. They are not interested in letting filmmakers define and dictate the way they do thei...

તિબ્બતની સ્વતંત્રતાની ચળવળમાં કાર્યરત એવા ઘણાં તિબ્બતી મિત્રોને કારણે હાલમાં જ બે-ત્રણ સંગીત-સભામાં હાજરી આપવાની થઈ. ત્યાં મને સહુથી રસપ્રદ વસ્તુ લાગી તિબ્બતી ગિટાર. આ ગિટાર આપણે જોયેલી વેસ્ટર્ન ગિટારથી ખૂબ જ અલગ હતી. એનો આકાર નાનો હતો , એમાં પણ છ તાર ( strings) હતા. પરંતુ , એ છ તાર બે-બેની જોડીમાં મુકાયેલા હતા , જેથી દૂરથી જોતાં ત્રણ જાડા તાર હોય તેવું લાગતું. આ પ્ર કારની અલગ બનાવટના કારણે , તેના સૂર પણ વેસ્ટર્ન ગિટારથી બિલકુલ અલગ હતા. ૧ બીજા શબ્દોમાં કહીએ તો ગિટારમાં તિબ્બતી અવાજ હતો , પશ્ચિમી નહિ. આ સંગીતસભામાં કેટલાક તિબ્બતી મિત્રોએ દેશની સ્વતંત્રતા અને સ્વમાન માટે પોતાની ગિટાર પરથી સૂર છેડ્યા. એ કેટલું સારું હોય છે કે , જયારે તમે તમારા દુશ્મનને ઓળખી શકો છો. એ સમયે પોતાની દરેક જણસ બચાવવાનો પ્રયત્ન કરી શકાય છે , ગિટાર પણ , સૂર પણ , અને અવાજ પણ. શું થશે જો ગુજરાતી અવાજ જોખમમાં મૂકાશે તો ? આપણી પાસે તો એવી કોઈ ગિટાર રહી નથી , જેનાથી આપણે સંપૂર્ણ ગુજરાતી સૂર લગાવી અને આપણાં જ તૂટતા અને ભુંસાતા અવાજને બચાવી શકીએ. એ સમયે એવી કઈ વસ્તુ હશે કે જેને ગળે લગાડીને આપણે ર...