I recently got back from Morocco. It's been 3 weeks but I still have a Moroccan hangover. Every time my thoughts go to Morocco or the time we spent there, I feel happy and very content.
I have been writing about my trip on my travel blog - off the map. For those who still visit this blog and who are keen to read about my travels, visit http://off-the-map-mytravelogue.blogspot.com
Friday, November 6, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Back home... and happy to be here
Been away for a while... this whole year has been one like that. There have been several moments when I have wanted to write, but have seldom got down to doing it.
Can blame my absence on my work over the last 2-3 months that has kept me away from pretty much everything... but looking back, I loved those days and miss them.
Am back home in Madras. Moved back after 8 years. Have had my moments of feeling like a fish out of water, but now am glad we are here. What makes it so nice are friends and family. It would be terrible to move back and not have too many people you know or who you can spend time with. Thank you people who decided to make this city home and not move out.
Have been unemployed for the last 25 days. Spent 6 of them on a tough assignment - babysitting my niece and nephew, while my sister and brother-in-law were off on vacation. I survived... need I say more??? But that was an accomplishment in itself.
Made it a point to spend quality time with people I really wanted to see before I left Mumbai and am glad I did that.
Now home and settled... it's a good life as they.
Can blame my absence on my work over the last 2-3 months that has kept me away from pretty much everything... but looking back, I loved those days and miss them.
Am back home in Madras. Moved back after 8 years. Have had my moments of feeling like a fish out of water, but now am glad we are here. What makes it so nice are friends and family. It would be terrible to move back and not have too many people you know or who you can spend time with. Thank you people who decided to make this city home and not move out.
Have been unemployed for the last 25 days. Spent 6 of them on a tough assignment - babysitting my niece and nephew, while my sister and brother-in-law were off on vacation. I survived... need I say more??? But that was an accomplishment in itself.
Made it a point to spend quality time with people I really wanted to see before I left Mumbai and am glad I did that.
Now home and settled... it's a good life as they.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Highs and lows
If emotions can be graphed, my state of mind would make an interesting graph this week. On Wednesday I was ecstatic... my first big TV show was going on air. I was thrilled to say the least. There was a skip in my step the whole day. You couldn't wipe the smile off my face if you tried really hard. :)
Thursday morning was good too... but as the day progressed I started feeling really low... still feel like that.
The show is 60% done... I'll soon be leaving Mumbai and ahhh just feel terrible. I am not someone who loves change... if you know what I mean!!!
I will miss this city and the people... the feeling of independence, the vibe, the buzz and so much more!
Thursday morning was good too... but as the day progressed I started feeling really low... still feel like that.
The show is 60% done... I'll soon be leaving Mumbai and ahhh just feel terrible. I am not someone who loves change... if you know what I mean!!!
I will miss this city and the people... the feeling of independence, the vibe, the buzz and so much more!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Playing audience, audience
This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever done! Okay so I was asked to go and watch this new show that's going on air to see what the set looks like, how the show plays out, etc. Basically spy by pretending to be an audience member.
So my friend and I land up promptly on time, skip standing in line with the paid audience who are awaiting to get in and instead smoothly walk in as we are guests. And we thought everything was going smoothly...
For non TV people yes audiences are often paid audiences. There are different price points, depending on the quality of faces you want on your show.
So we get to the loud, garish set and are vying for the corner seats or any other seats, and the criteria being to stay far as away as possible from the camera. Unfortunately, we kept getting asked to move a little this way and that... till we were right in the middle of the second row. Then the enthusiastic audience coordinator starts doing what he loves the most... getting the audience to behave like monkeys and to follow him.
The ring master made us clap, practice a standing ovation, enact a sad face, go ooohhh, aaahhh, whistle, repeat some stupid, inane slogan and punch our fists. Yes, we did it all to blend in and not stand out. To make matters worse, the camera guy fixed his frame on the two of us and we were picked out to look at the camera and to do all above.
Yes I will be on TV, but posing as a stupid audience member. :(
So my friend and I land up promptly on time, skip standing in line with the paid audience who are awaiting to get in and instead smoothly walk in as we are guests. And we thought everything was going smoothly...
For non TV people yes audiences are often paid audiences. There are different price points, depending on the quality of faces you want on your show.
So we get to the loud, garish set and are vying for the corner seats or any other seats, and the criteria being to stay far as away as possible from the camera. Unfortunately, we kept getting asked to move a little this way and that... till we were right in the middle of the second row. Then the enthusiastic audience coordinator starts doing what he loves the most... getting the audience to behave like monkeys and to follow him.
The ring master made us clap, practice a standing ovation, enact a sad face, go ooohhh, aaahhh, whistle, repeat some stupid, inane slogan and punch our fists. Yes, we did it all to blend in and not stand out. To make matters worse, the camera guy fixed his frame on the two of us and we were picked out to look at the camera and to do all above.
Yes I will be on TV, but posing as a stupid audience member. :(
Friday, May 22, 2009
Chick Flicks & Me
I am a complete chick flick kinda person and have no qualms admitting that! Last night was a marathon chick flick session. I watched Father of the Bride and followed that up with 27 Dresses. It was Friday night well spent at home for a change.
Never been into M&B (yes if you can believe that), read 4-5 pages of one and feel asleep… so I never bothered picking up another. But I love the mushy, feel good, leave your brain behind, cuddle-up and watch, type of romantic comedies. Oh… the joy of discovering one on TV…
My idea of a perfect lazy night at home is watching a movie on TV… or a lazy Sunday well spent is to settle down after a good home cooked meal and spending the afternoon watching a nice romantic film on TV.
My favourites are Pretty Woman and Notting Hill. I can watch them over and over again and not get bored. Hmmm
After watching one my mood gets instantly perked up and there’s this nice feeling in my stomach, a smile on my face... It's amazing how a movie can make you feel so good!
Never been into M&B (yes if you can believe that), read 4-5 pages of one and feel asleep… so I never bothered picking up another. But I love the mushy, feel good, leave your brain behind, cuddle-up and watch, type of romantic comedies. Oh… the joy of discovering one on TV…
My idea of a perfect lazy night at home is watching a movie on TV… or a lazy Sunday well spent is to settle down after a good home cooked meal and spending the afternoon watching a nice romantic film on TV.
My favourites are Pretty Woman and Notting Hill. I can watch them over and over again and not get bored. Hmmm
After watching one my mood gets instantly perked up and there’s this nice feeling in my stomach, a smile on my face... It's amazing how a movie can make you feel so good!
Monday, May 11, 2009
A long time away
I started the year deciding to write often... and like always and like all plans... landed up doing the exact opposite. After my first post in Jan I just haven't found the time to write. What's also strange is that the out of the 7-8 blogs I follow, about half of them haven't written in months. I hope they will all be back soon... I miss reading you write people.
So what's been keeping me busy is work and a lot of it... more than I have ever worked before I think. I worked on a film as a line producer... it was unbelievable amount of stress and a lot of crap that you have to take from people... but when I saw my name on the big screen... and when my husband told me that I had made him proud it was all worth it. :)
Soon after I started work on my first big television show... I spent unending hours in office and often wondered if this is all that there is in life... want a holiday and want to go home... but know that when the show goes on air, and if it does well (fingers crossed) I will be a very satisfied person.
But for a few months longer life is going to be work and more work... Just hope I can survive this madness and come out alive!
Come July and I move back home... to the city that I was in born in and where I have spent some of the best years of my life. There's a bit of excitement, a bit of anxiousness and lot to look forward too...
So what's been keeping me busy is work and a lot of it... more than I have ever worked before I think. I worked on a film as a line producer... it was unbelievable amount of stress and a lot of crap that you have to take from people... but when I saw my name on the big screen... and when my husband told me that I had made him proud it was all worth it. :)
Soon after I started work on my first big television show... I spent unending hours in office and often wondered if this is all that there is in life... want a holiday and want to go home... but know that when the show goes on air, and if it does well (fingers crossed) I will be a very satisfied person.
But for a few months longer life is going to be work and more work... Just hope I can survive this madness and come out alive!
Come July and I move back home... to the city that I was in born in and where I have spent some of the best years of my life. There's a bit of excitement, a bit of anxiousness and lot to look forward too...
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Slumdog, Jalebee Cartel and a lot of positivity
A late Happy New Year!
This New Year so far has been a very interesting one for me. The first day was spent shopping, drinking and spending good time with family in Bangkok. I also got a great massage. :)
Back in Mumbai, work continues as usual... with feelings of randomness, madness and some moments of happiness, all thrown in for good measure.
Met up with a really close friend last week, who I haven't seen in 3 years, and that felt so nice!
Also, happened to watch a screening of Slumdog Crorepati (the Hindi version). Watch this version if you understand Hindi. It’s probably better cause you don’t have to read subtitles!
I went in with some preconceived notions, as I had heard some reviews from friends. I was told that it's extremely gritty and portrays a side of India that is not very pleasant, and that kind of hits you in the face. I was also curious to see if the film is worth all the hype (this was before the Golden Globes were announced).
Well here’s my verdict for whatever its worth. I loved the film. It made me feel a lot of things. Yes, it made me cringe at times. But those things I cringed at are the reality of this country that I have so easily learnt to ignore and forget. It’s almost like those things have been relegated to a part of my memory that does not exist.
By now everyone knows that the film is about this young man called Jamal who wins Kaun Banega Crorepati contest. The film unravels how someone who never went to a proper school knew all of those answers. Shot in the by lanes of the bastis in Juhu and Versova - the grime, the muck, the filth is shot so beautifully. The camera work is fantastic. I have always said that I don’t want to be a film maker. But this one made me want to pick up a camera and tell a story visually…
It also made me want to stretch open my arms and take as many street kids home as I could. When you see those faces and see their pain and struggle, you realise what terrible lives they have. At an age when children need to be pampered and protected, these kids are left to fight for their lives.
But the film is as much about hope and triumph as it if about despair and poverty.
The background score is amazing. It really lifts the film and adds a zing to it.
I have read reviews where some describe this film as a typical Bollywood story shot with Hollywood sensibility. While, in some ways I would have to agree but aren't films all about the way you tell a story? Stories most often are always the same it’s the narrative and the visual treatment that makes its different.
Cheers to Danny Boyle and his producers who had the courage and conviction to pick such a story, cast such wonderful, relatively unknown faces, and to tell it in a simple but fantastic way!
Also, came across this music video of this song called “Tough Cookie” by Jalebee Cartel and loved it. I must say that Indian performers are getting on par with their international counterparts. Well executed cool video and funky song.
Finally, just feeling very positive and optimistic at the start of the year… another year with lots of time to follow your dreams and live life the way you want too!
Hope it’s a fun and safe year for all of us!
This New Year so far has been a very interesting one for me. The first day was spent shopping, drinking and spending good time with family in Bangkok. I also got a great massage. :)
Back in Mumbai, work continues as usual... with feelings of randomness, madness and some moments of happiness, all thrown in for good measure.
Met up with a really close friend last week, who I haven't seen in 3 years, and that felt so nice!
Also, happened to watch a screening of Slumdog Crorepati (the Hindi version). Watch this version if you understand Hindi. It’s probably better cause you don’t have to read subtitles!
I went in with some preconceived notions, as I had heard some reviews from friends. I was told that it's extremely gritty and portrays a side of India that is not very pleasant, and that kind of hits you in the face. I was also curious to see if the film is worth all the hype (this was before the Golden Globes were announced).
Well here’s my verdict for whatever its worth. I loved the film. It made me feel a lot of things. Yes, it made me cringe at times. But those things I cringed at are the reality of this country that I have so easily learnt to ignore and forget. It’s almost like those things have been relegated to a part of my memory that does not exist.
By now everyone knows that the film is about this young man called Jamal who wins Kaun Banega Crorepati contest. The film unravels how someone who never went to a proper school knew all of those answers. Shot in the by lanes of the bastis in Juhu and Versova - the grime, the muck, the filth is shot so beautifully. The camera work is fantastic. I have always said that I don’t want to be a film maker. But this one made me want to pick up a camera and tell a story visually…
It also made me want to stretch open my arms and take as many street kids home as I could. When you see those faces and see their pain and struggle, you realise what terrible lives they have. At an age when children need to be pampered and protected, these kids are left to fight for their lives.
But the film is as much about hope and triumph as it if about despair and poverty.
The background score is amazing. It really lifts the film and adds a zing to it.
I have read reviews where some describe this film as a typical Bollywood story shot with Hollywood sensibility. While, in some ways I would have to agree but aren't films all about the way you tell a story? Stories most often are always the same it’s the narrative and the visual treatment that makes its different.
Cheers to Danny Boyle and his producers who had the courage and conviction to pick such a story, cast such wonderful, relatively unknown faces, and to tell it in a simple but fantastic way!
Also, came across this music video of this song called “Tough Cookie” by Jalebee Cartel and loved it. I must say that Indian performers are getting on par with their international counterparts. Well executed cool video and funky song.
Finally, just feeling very positive and optimistic at the start of the year… another year with lots of time to follow your dreams and live life the way you want too!
Hope it’s a fun and safe year for all of us!
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