Truth is stranger than fiction

-By Swetha Amit http://domain-b.com/goodlife/Read/20091222_my_marriage.html Cross-cultural conflicts are no mystery to the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. It is a ever-present reality. Chetan Bhagat’s latest book “2 states — the story of my marriage” deals with this issue. Partly autobiographical, the tale of two people belonging to two different states and communities is weaved together with instances from the author’s own life to come up as yet another bestseller. Chetan Bhagat’s fourth book is the tale of a Punjabi lad Krish and South Indian lass Ananya and how they fall in love and get married. However, things are not simple as that. From being classmates at IIM Ahmedabad, their relationship traverses the stages of friendship, passion and love to the decision to get married, but they have to overcome the ultimate test, staunch opposition to their union from their respective parents. Whether their love proves strong enough to win over their families is what forms a major pa...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=7e7c3f88-e243-43ca-93bf-22b00ca491d1 She tossed her mass of curls behind her shoulders as she looked at the mass of waves crashing on the shore. They seem to be restless, underlying with currents just like her current state of mind. It’s been six years she thought. It seemed like a long time ago yet the memories came flooding back to her just like it all happened yesterday. Who would have thought that she would return to the same place which depicted traces of her past? As she stared at the stormy sea, her mind took a trip down memory lane as an image of her bubbly twenty one year old flashed in front of her. Naive and oblivious to the realities of the world, she had lived in a world of her own. Blissfully and madly in love, she envisioned nothing except flowers, candle light dinners, sunset and long walks by the sea. Little did she realize that the candy floss romance she was engulfed in would ironically lead he...

There are some evenings which are flamboyant and give you the peak of luxury. And there are others which exhibit such simplicity and tend to remind one of the saying that its simple things in life which bring you joy. Last evening was probably one of the best I’ve had in the recent times. A friend had invited us over to view his magnificent screen at his place which had sound effects similar to that of a multiplex screening. Added to which his passion for music of all genres propelled him to exhibit his huge collection of Bollywood numbers over the years. Right from the 60s to the recent fast tracks, the musical trip indeed made us walk down memory lane. Playing some of the old songs led to a discussion of how music kept changing and reinventing itself every 10 years. The nuances of the yesteryears actresses’ beauty, grace and poise were greatly admired, not to mention the soulful tracks that evoked feelings of nostalgia. It sort of reminded me of going through old photos and reliving ...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=a2bb1bf6-1bc1-4cd6-95a4-df2556f7e73e What a 3 hour film manages to convey with immense melodrama, the same impact is created in 15 minutes leaving the viewers stunned. Not surprising as their attention span is retained all through with a question of “what next?” playing in their minds. It sort of reminds one of a T 20 game of Cricket which is nothing less than a fast paced thriller with the scales tilting on either side at any given point. Kiran Motion Pictures and Indian Ocean pictures’ ‘Gaali’ is one such film that will evoke tremendous cerebration amongst the audience. The movie revolves around a chance encounter of two characters (G.K.Desai and Usha) on the streets of Mumbai after dark. An interesting conversation prevails between a man who has lost his love and a call girl. A flurry of abuses follows with the language depicting immense vulgarity which is typical of such class of individuals lurking around th...

'It's the simple things in life that keeps us from going crazy'! Came across this while going through one of Ruskin Bond's books who happens to be one of my favourite authors. His descriptive style of writing is indeed appealing to the readers, transporting them back to the lush green planes of Dehradun where most of the authors' works are based on. Coming back to the thought provoking statement above, I couldn't help but think that how true and pertinent it was. With external issues existing in abundance in several aspects of our lives, resorting to the simplest things acts as a stress buster not to mention the immense solace that it provides. Since my professional life consists of a great deal of cerebration, resorting to simple things becomes a necessity. Here are a few things which work wonders for me and makes me feel like a magic wand has just cast a spell on me. Catching up on a movie: This is usually a must do every weekend/week day at times either on ...

It’s an irony to note that how certain living beings possess the inability to speak our language and yet do wonders without actually speaking. It’s certainly true in the case of pets be it cats or dogs. Stress, loneliness and depression are no strangers to the human body and mind. Busy lifestyles of people have made it quite difficult for them to give time to themselves leave alone to others. The concept of a ‘friend in need’ gradually diminishes with this lapse in the time factor. And those possessing a large circle may not always be blessed with a non judgemental stance even while talking about a problem. Such instances make humans drawn towards their furry companions who love them unconditionally and are great listeners. They show their understanding in their own way like a soft touch or a friendly lick. It may surprise one to note how much better they feel after this and works even better than an anti depressant drug or a visit to a shrink. While it may not always be feasible to po...

Fitness has become a rage across the globe accompanied by 'feel good' factor which has undoubtedly become a fad amongst varied age groups. Adolescents are anxious about fitting into their jeans, young adults about not wanting to gain that extra inch around their waist line, men wanting a la Arnold body and the older set of individuals combating ailments like cholesterol and diabetes. It’s proved innumerable times that workouts apart from enhancing one’s physical appearance also improve mental health to a great extent. Stress has indeed become an everyday monster infiltrating into our regular regimes. The increasing levels of which results in several complicated disorders such as anxiety, depression and hyperactivity. While meeting personal and professional demands, it’s important to make a little time for yourself and get a little exercise. Else life becomes an irony where slogging away even one's health for money will end up in utilising the same cash flow into medical ex...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=d23a82d1-615a-4c8a-a768-47538bd5db57 July 4th may mark the Independence Day of the United States of America and a long weekend for both the Americans as well as the Indians residing there. However it gives us Indians here a reason to cheer as well with immense pride and gusto as this day embarks a moment of the mother of all battles. Conquering Tiger Hill was no piece of cake for our valiant soldiers as they fought with resilience and fervour at a position which was at a disadvantage. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/10-years-of-kargil-heroes-recall-the-war/96326-3.html Unfavourable weather conditions, surrounded by the enemy on all 3 sides and wounded severely, our Indian army indeed proved their grit and valour. July 4th 1999 indeed is a date that deserves to be imprinted in the history books and minds of every Indian as this war is the embodiment of the subcontinents' victory of the Kargil War. While one holds t...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=fb32c568-fac0-4bbe-8c70-fc4b489b3956 It is said that the true essence of anything is snatched away when diluted with some other flavour. While it is seen in the case of perishable goods, one cannot ignore this aspect with regard to current affairs as well, especially when it comes to areas like Sports, Politics or Art. It is no mystery to millions that Pakistan has been subjected to dire straits on a constant basis. What with the terror activities resurging at an alarming rate, this neighbour of India no doubt has received a lot of flak. To an extent where hatred has developed in the minds of many and quite a few have shown their disdain towards Pakistan with respect to Cricket. The beginning of the T 20 World cup exhibited several individuals writing off Pakistan, be it as an underdog team or one which didn’t deserve to win. Yesterday’s victory after 17 years undoubtedly has brought in a cheer for a country whi...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=082ccd88-8c02-43ab-a14d-c4ebe0c9b053 What began as a casual conversation ended up as one that instigated thought provoking questions within me. After the exchange of the usual pleasantries and polite inquiries, the topic somehow took a turn that delved deep into the human psyche. Being a Psychologist, human behaviour, thoughts, actions, words uttered never fail to evoke fascination and curiosity. A few experiences narrated by those conversationalists made me realize how common such instances were and probably occurred in most people’s lives including mine. One of them chose to narrate an incident in a social set up. Apparently amidst a group of friends, discussions taking place range from tongue in cheek remarks to intense ones which give rise to pertinent points of heated arguments. And if it is not ended amicably, it could result in a lot of resentment and bad blood, especially when unwarranted labelling happe...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=0891773e-8596-4171-8ecc-5bc17d61eccf Life comes in varied colours. How humans perceive them in different shades is what makes it interesting and mystifying at the same time. Some view it as a spectrum of the rainbow. While others view it in black and white interspersed with shades of grey. It’s surprising to note certain not so privileged individuals’ ability to view it as a reflection of paradise even if fate did not seem fair to them. These are ironies which make one marvel at such optimism and pity those possessing the grey shades of bitterness and pessimism. Majid Majidi's‘The Color of Paradise’ is a simple yet endearing story of a visually challenged motherless boy and how destiny unites him with his father. The film starts off with 8 year old Mohammad waiting for his father eagerly to go home for summer vacation. As the boy reaches the village, he is received with immense affection by his grandmother an...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=275e1ac2-bf92-49b2-983e-7e9dda5214f0 Books are indeed mans best friends as they say. Reading is a means of either getting away from reality or plunging into the same in a different manner. While some prove to passing clouds, there are a few which tend to reign on your mind causing a downpour of thought processes and a hurricane in your cognitive space. There are a few which make you cry, laugh or think. Nevertheless they tend to leave lasting impressions which changes ones perspective of themselves or the world. The below are a few ones which have had that impact on me but may not necessarily apply to the rest. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - This book by John Boyne was made into a movie which released last year. The book depicts a poignant tale of friendship across barriers set in the background of the dreadful holocaust. A tale of innocence weaved into horrors and an appalling depiction which makes one wonder ...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=625610c6-1ae7-48d4-b40e-6657c0876674 Many may dispute about the concept of Mothers’ day. Their arguments categorically state as to why only the second Sunday in May should many express their unconditional love to their mothers. And why not every day in the year. While they aren’t entirely wrong, it does take one special occasion or the other to make one feel how much they are cherished in another’s life. If going by the same argument, one can apply the same logic to birthdays and anniversaries and celebrate the entire year. Yet it wouldn’t be the same. This can also be looked upon as a break from the mundane routine one is accustomed to. What with scurrying around from pillar to post and professional demands round the clock, it tends to leave one hard pressed for time for near and dear ones. At times like these, one longs for that particular day to unwind and do something unique to make it up to their loved ones...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=2a3ebf61-309b-4cac-9f39-3686b86fcac7 The title is catchy enough to induce interest in one to grab a copy of the DVD instantly. It certainly isn’t a bed time story as the film leaves a long lasting impact to an extent of rendering a sleepless night. Based on the novel by John Boyne, The boy in the striped Pyjamas is a tale of innocence and friendship interspersed with the horrors of the holocaust. Eight year old Bruno (Asa Butterfield) finds to his dismay that his family had decided on moving from their beloved home in Berlin to the country side. Explanations seem to evade him and his questions are met with a lukewarm and a rather reluctant response. The fact he is able to comprehend is restricted to that of his Commandant father having gotten a promotion and being asked to shift his work premises. With his father busy on a new mission, mother bustling about her new home, sister Gretel on the brink of puberty, Br...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=f117b2e3-4a90-4d1e-aee7-2fde4dea4251 One quick glance at the title is enough to suffice curiosity within the prospective readers. Perhaps it’s the catchy headline that instantly grabs the attention with utmost interest enough to flap through the pages. Varon B K Sharma’s write up on the same is a work of fiction interspersed with events pertaining to real life scenarios and occurrences. The book deals with a common disease prevailing in many parts of the world and has confined millions into its sphere of fear. And it’s the same dastardly syndrome which has enticed the innocent and not so innocent into its jaws of death. Terrorism is that illness which seems to have no cure as one hears of such heinous instances across the world. The globe has witnessed several horrors in the form of brutal wars, the appalling holocaust and other catastrophes which make all the five senses bleed with horror. Yet this remains to be...

It isn’t often that I end up getting bored, but when I do then God help me. In fact I ensure that I have something or the other to look forward to just to keep my spirits up and going. Be it a social gathering, outing, movies, sports, books or a weekend getaway. I just got back from an enthralling holiday and what made it special was the scuba diving experience. Unfortunately my health factor took a toll and I ended up with a dreadful viral which stalled my routine completely. I couldn’t step out of the house and needed ample rest before I resumed any sort of normal regime. Thankfully the IPL provided a great deal of entertainment in more than one way. Watching Cricket is something that always cheers me up not to mention the great start Mumbai Indians were faced with. However the last few days proved to be a disaster with the wash outs due to the rains which I’m sure ended up as a disappointing fare for all of us here in India. Why couldn’t they have checked the weather forecast befor...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b8093360-6f46-43ad-85cf-4e347c32d543 Grotesque is what one would describe this horrifying incident. No doubt the barbaric episode of a gang rape of the girl student has created immense disgust, distress and horror. To make matters worse, the accused were not mere road side miscreants but those belonging to the supposedly elite community of business families? And were students of prestige colleges to top it all. It’s true that news about rape has always sent shudders amongst the viewers and readers. However this particular one seems to have a different connotation altogether leading to a lot of cerebration amongst many. College students are found lurking in fear and uncertainty as a question begins to form in their mind “whom do we trust?” While it may cease to argue that one cannot blame an entire community based on one incident, who could blame them entirely? Parents on the other hand would undoubtedly thicken t...

The last few weeks have been unbearable. The weather hasn’t been kind enough with its temperatures so high that it feels like Mercury has descended upon earth. Not to mention the monotony and the usual routine that makes you long for a good getaway. What could be more heavenly than that of being near the sea side? Added to which this is one place not many seemed to have explored or visited. So looking forward to yet another travel expedition into these lovely islands. The pictures seem to indicate a promising venture into more than what meets the eye. A list of to do activities have been made and I sure hope that I don’t come away disappointed or accompanied with feelings of regret. The time factor is bound to be a hurdle of course. But like my other trips I hope to manage to make the most of my limited resources-time solely. For some strange reason I have never been so excited about a holiday, considering the pre-vacation syndrome of my earlier travels. Guess the 26/11 incident increa...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=cf6aa3df-1b5a-432c-8e57-46e831ce38e9 When one says ‘family’, words like love, support, care and security comes to their mind. However with the recent occurrences attached with a horrifying element makes one want to rethink with regard to such associations. The ‘incest’ virus seems to be the next dreaded disease after terrorism. What with the hearings of Businessman father raping daughter as per Tantrik’s suggestions for monetary gains. And now the latest story on the Mumbai Mirror edition narrated in first person by a 29 year old lad of being molested by his uncle. It made me wonder where the world was heading to. Or how worse can it get? Life seems to be getting complicated with every passing day and relationships are certainly no exception. True that complexity is what makes it interesting but not to an extent that it elicits disgust, horror and dread. To an extent where it makes one question about the safety f...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=a4dc3d3f-14c0-4ec9-b741-4cc0d5d2c2cf It’s not every movie which makes you draw inferences from what was mistaken for a light hearted entertainer at least from the promos. However when it does, it ceases one to indulge in cerebral rumination marvelling at how similar the scenarios depicted in the film are to real life ones. ‘Barah Aana’ may not have gotten rave reviews. Neither does it live up to high expectations. However certain instances with its twists and turns did make me ponder about the ironical stance that was brought out eventually. The story is about 3 men belonging to the under privileged section of the society-a driver, a watchman and a waiter who are thick friends. The film showcases the frustrations exhibited by each character and their cynical view to life. All three lead a simple living until an unexpected turn of events bring about shades of grey, succumbing them into a trap of treacherous crime ...

It’s true that travel is no doubt the best teacher. Indeed it opens your mind to a gateway of experiences making it seeming almost surreal and yet portrays a reality that leaves you awe inspiring. Exploring into various parts of the world, right from remote corners of poverty, to plush locales of silver sand beaches amidst the heights of luxury denotes an exhilarating experience in different ways. Over the past few years I have travelled like never before on a frequent basis all over the country and abroad. Intriguing and enthralling experiences is what I come away with as souvenirs with each location leaving its imprint in a firm manner. It’s astounding to realize that there’s so much to see and so little time. Every time I return from a vacation, my mind traverses back to the list of to see places already planning for a next getaway. Call it impatience, restlessness or morbidity as it makes me want to live life like there’s no tomorrow. But isn’t it true that while one day everything...

Received this via email... This is so true (for many of us growing up in the 90s too).... life does come a full circle. Though I do wonder what this generation is going to say to the next abt what was hard for them??!! Of course for the technophobic...life was probably way easier in the 80s When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking Twenty-five miles to school every morning Uphill... barefoot in the snow. BOTH ways Yadda, yadda, yadda And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it! But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it but you kids today don't know ...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=67e901e1-4667-4f51-a196-8273c5cafdbf Right. The infamous seven year itch is what one usually hears jokingly in a party consisting of newly married couples or oldies. Its ugly face or rather phase in this case is highlighted on when it tunes into a serious note with words lashing out not necessarily musical to the ears. The frustrations, disappointments, blame games linger on continuously till a threshold point beyond which the relationship collapses. However one can hardly imagine that such differences can lead to cause a tragic moment. Such is the dysfunctional aspect of human nature or should one attribute it to incompatibility, intolerance, irritability or a combination of all? Revolutionary Road starts off on a high pitch note literally as a middle aged couple driving down the highway drive each other crazy. April (Kate Winslet) and Frank (Leonardo Dicaprio) face the mid life crisis trying to cope up with unf...