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अंत करो
मैं तो आखिर एक पंछी था,
जिसके पर थे कुतर चुके,
पिंजरे को घर था मन किया,
आह की चाह की टीस जिया,
पर तू ओ जालिम आयी क्यों,
अपने संग आस ये लायी क्यों,
अब पशोपेश में उलझा मैं,
कोई आये इसको सुलझा दे,
तब तक बैठा मैं तड़प रहा,
या शुरू या इसका अंत करो|
याद
आज भी याद है मुझे वो दुपट्टा तेरा,
सुनहरा था रंग, दिल गया था मेरा,
उस पर से झबरे से तेरे बाल हाय,
क़त्ल होना ही बस बाकी था बचा|
बचपना तेरा, हर बात पे हठ करना,
जाने कब तेरी बातें अच्छी लगने लगीं,
जाने कब मुलाकातें सच्ची लगने लगीं,
क़त्ल होना ही बस बाकी था बचा|
आँखें तेरी, पल्कें झुकना औचक,
तीर सा मेरे सीने में आके लग जाना,
बिन काजल भी तू थी मृगनयनी,
क़त्ल होना ही बस बाकी था बचा|
साँसों का साँसों से टकराना उफ्फ,
याद है मुझे नशे सा, न भूल सका में.
आह और चाह का सफर दूभर,
क़त्ल होना ही बस बाकी था बचा|
छमक छमक चलना माशाअल्लाह,
और मिलना बचके नज़रों से सबकी,
वो चेहरे पे मुस्कान से आती सिलवट,
क़त्ल होना ही बस बाकी था बचा|
न जाने क्यों किस्मत रूठी सी थी,
न जाने क्यों हिम्मत छोटी सी थी,
जो हाथ छोड़ा, और तन्हाई ओड़ा,
क़त्ल होना ही बस बाकी था बचा|
Shahrukh Khan: The end of a superstar
I grew up in an era when only Shahrukh Movies excelled at box office; others were relegated to a distant second, apart from occasional few. Now it’s the other way round. Chennai Express aside, there has been a string of duds from the ‘former’ megastar. It started from Don Line of movies, when SRK went from a mass hero to a multiplex one.
Still his movies kept getting initials (first weekend collection), which is driven mostly by star appeal and not by the content. But a string of movies backed by ‘loss absorbing’ corporate studios, has taken audience’s faith away from him. When Ra One bombed, there were murmurs but no one was deeply concerned. Even Aditya Chopra (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) and Yash Chopra (Jab Tak Hai Jaan) could muster mere hits with Shahrukh and not Salman/Aamir type of blockbusters.
More than Fan, I think what stamped the end of an era was Dilwale. Even with dream SRK-Kajol lead, it was beaten hands down by a period drama Bajirao Mastani, both released on the same day. There was a time when others planned their movies around SRK releases. It was saddening to see how SRK was forced to delay the release of Raees by a year and still struggled to find a solo Friday.
Some fans cited backlash against him for his intolerance remark, as a reason for failure; this until, mega success of Dangal. Aamir’s success showed that intolerance issue did not have public support and was just limited to political sound bytes. Road ahead for SRK seems tough mostly due to his failure to reinvent himself and the cult successes of Salman and Aamir.
Let’s see what Raees has in store for him and the audience. Don’t bet on a Sultan/Dangal type blockbuster.
Media bias and why it is bad
India had its first brush with power of media with Jessica Lal murder case. Govt. and Courts buckled under media pressure. Public supported the campaign whole heartedly. The case had all the ingredients of a pot boiler made for television. It garnered TRP’s and served justice. A win-win.
Media backed Anna Hazare who shook the roots of Indian politics and gave us Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal’s anti-political diatribe was tailor made for claps and whistles. People lapped it up (at least those who could afford cable television), resulting in a resounding win.
Last half decade or so Arnab Goswami took media activism to another level, equalling US journalists. In US, journalism is too bi-partisan. Two major political parties reflecting two differing ideologies have their own propagandist media apparatus. Last decade or so has given India the same. Media, which used to be a stronghold of Congress, got rivals in BJP. Today the field looks evenly distributed.
But the bias in media has turned out to be bad for society. To be true, it’s not just the bias, but the biased people earning millions and prospering is what irks common man more. It’s not mere coincidence that oldest and largest democracies are headed today by individuals who rode the anti-media wave. Modi called media news-traders, his people called them presstitutes. Trump has called media all sorts of names.
6-8 years back, in India, media was this promising child with high credibility. Currently, it’s credibility is as bad as that of US media. Biased towards one side or the other.
Earlier media used to shape the politicians and politics worldwide. Nowadays politicians shape opinions about media. Ironical isn’t it? In India it would be a first in modern times that PM and Govt has more credibility than media. And it’s scary. I’ll tell you why.
Media is one branch which has the power to keep the legislative in check. It talks directly with public and informs them if executive is doing anything wrong. And public does the rest in the next election. The loss of credibility of media will hit this balance hard. With corporatization of media, the problem is bound to get much worse. Media bias is the new form of crony capitalism and quid pro quo. Scratch my bacl and get favorable coverage.
Whatsapp, facebook and youtube channels have come up as alternate media. They berate main stream media just like I have been doing through this post. Some like the_young_turks have got a huge following and along with that subscription money. It was nice initially but as the current US election showed they too became biased and carried out their own propaganda.
It’s very important for media to curb political leanings. If media persons want to be political activists, it’s their right but they should quit the profession first. If they can’t curb this inherent bias, they should not go on air. Rise of fascism is preceded by a biased media!
धूमिल शाम वो
थकी हुई सी शाम थी वो,
जब देखा था तुझको मैंने,
पागल सी, झबराई थी,
पर मेरे मन को भाई थी।
बात बात में गुस्सा होना,
कभी पूरा, या आधा पौना,
हर लहजे में तेरे लड़ाई थी,
पर मेरे मन को भाई थी।
आँखों में डाल आँखें मैंने,
जब दिल की बात बताई थी,
तू जरा भी ना शर्मायी थी,
पर मेरे मन को भाई थी।
पागलपन औ सनकपन में,
अपनी ही लत, अपनी ही हट.
दिमाग की तूने हटाई थी,
पर मेरे मन को भाई थी।
रोते रोते, हँसते हँसते,
आस पास, कभी दूर-दूर,
परेड मेरी करवाई थी,
पर मेरे मन को भाई थी।
हाँ ना में औ ना हाँ में,
कभी सुलझन, कभी उलझन,
सांसें मेरी अँटकायी थी,
पर मेरे मन को भाई थी।
राह कठिन, चाह अडिग,
कट ही गया, काफी रस्ता,
भूला ना धूमिल शाम वो मैं,
जब मेरे मन को भाई थी।।
NDTV and the fight for TRP’s
I said this in the past and I will say in again, there is a cut throat race for TRP’s among News Channels. Earlier we saw Ravish Kumar doing a blank screen against the Channel that is getting TRP’s and now we see Barkha Dutt doing the same.
I don’t like Barkha and Arnab equally hence I will try to remain unbiased in my analysis. Why Barkha Dutt wrote what she wrote. From the days of Nira Radia tapes, which Arnab have used time and again to hit at paid journalists, Barkha Dutt have not been able to hit back. Barkha Dutt was the most prominent journalist to have been named in those tapes. No other News Anchor apart from Arnab went against these people. The rivalry was sown that very moment.
Slowly Arnab ate away the TRP’s and hence the Advt. revenue of other News Channels. NDTV was a major casualty in this. Low TRP means less money. Therein lays the sudden outburst. It does not lie in Arnab shaming her for Radia tapes, it does not lie in pointing out Hafeez Saeed naming her as a well wisher, and it does not lie in calling her anti-national. It lies in the TRP and the money.
That Barkha Dutt has to write a blog to put forward he point of view is a sign enough as to how many people watch her show. Few years back she was the one who used to set the primetime news agenda. Nowadays hardly anyone watches her show. It is the frustration. Arnab would be grinning ear to ear. He likes any and all publicity. If people talk about his show, it is a win enough for him.
It’s sad to see a leading News Channel going down the barrel. But it happens with time. Some survive, some perish. I think Arnab’s success lies in the fact that he chooses topics based on what will get more TRP’s. NDTV and Barkha on the other hand have not been able to get out of anti-RSS, anti-BJP ideology and a lot of times end up losing TRP’s as they just can’t give prominence to News that goes against that ideology.
All said and done, the clash has the potential to bring out dirty laundry of media out in the open. And who would not relish it!
Right to Swift Justice to all
Supreme Court today stayed the demolition of Adarsh Society. The demolition was earlier ordered by High Court. I looked at this piece of news and gave a yawn. I am not able to recollect how long this has been going on. Seems like ages since this corruption issue came out. Since then what we have seen are hearing, orders for demolition, and orders for stay on demolition. I mean it never seems to reache to conclusion.
How many of you agree with me that, when you hear some strict judgement passed by HC, you know it will be stayed by SC? When you hear some big shot has been jailed (after years of courtroom lingering), you know that he will be out on bail next day? The process have gotten so repetitive and convoluted, it stinks. How many of you have no faith left in the time bound justice?
I for one am very much pessimistic about this. I don’t blame the judiciary per say. They are bound by the infrastructure and number of judges available. But such a mockery has taken away faith from the justice system. And it does not augur well for a nation.
I think majority of issues in the country would go away if we fix judiciary. Make the justice system fair and fast. Imagine you can get a hearing within week and next date, the very next day. From Lower court to High court to Supreme Court- all within a month. Over. Imagine you never have to wait for Dates. Will you see so much corruption and crime? Majority of issues India faces today can be linked to corruption, which I think follows directly from excruciatingly slow judiciary.
With all the judicial activism I see, it’s time for judiciary to act tough and pass a judgement on “right to swift justice” to all. Order (and not ask) Govt. to create more courts and induct more judges. If Govt. is not doing, take suo moto, create a panel of retired judges and do it yourself. When you can do it in the case of BCCI, why can’t you do it when it comes to swift justice?
I know it’s too much to ask of the judiciary, but what has been done in case of President’s rule in Arunachal and Uttrakhand; What has been done in BCCI case; these are landmark judgements. They go beyond what judiciary could have done say 10-15 years back. I say notch it up a little and go for the kill. Take suo moto and force Govt. provide “swift justice for all”. You have all the tricks up the sleeve. Attach it to one of the Fundamental rights or whatever. I beg of you, just do it!
AAP goes the BJP way: Destination for Party Changers
Those who follow elections closely would remember, in 2014, when BJP was riding high on Modi wave, it was perfect destination for people who wanted to change their party. From Disgruntled, sidelined people to those who saw pegging back on Modi wave was a winner, hopped on to the BJP train. BJP too accepted them with open arms. Some inductions were controversial, others less controversial. From Congress to AAP to JDU everyone was welcomed. It was in fact necessary as BJP, having not won elections for so long faced a dearth of faces. This was addressed by inductions from other parties.
The same trend I see for 2017 Punjab elections. Siddhu is the biggest catch. Names of Congress leaders are also coming up. It’s free for all. Again as party it is necessary as there are no faces, no leadership for AAP in Punjab other than Bhagwant Mann. Hence AAP seems to be going the BJP way. However Kejriwal hates Modi, this is one thing he has learnt from him fairly quickly.
I feel these inductions will help AAP, which is riding on a huge anti-incumbency wave. But AAP has to be careful while letting people in. IT has to have a food proof vetting process. One wrong move can harm bad. More than a face for CM’s post, AAP would need faces for MLA’s. This would be the biggest challenge. I assume a lot of people from other parties will contest on AAP ticket. This makes vetting process even more necessary.
Hope the good sense prevails.
Why US Elections make me sad: And no it’s not about Trump
Elections in world’s oldest democracy and the leader of the free world should have been about all that is good about Democracy. It should have been a showcase to world which can influence non-Democracies to become one. However I am afraid to say US elections make me sad. I’ll tell you why.
The debate should have been about the candidates, the policies, what they can do or not. However I see the media discourse about who is raising how much money. Money, which should have been abhorrent when associated with a candidate, is being considered a virtue. The liberal media is celebrating the candidate who gets more money out of the wealthy donors, the Oligarchs.
Consider the headline on CNN, “Clinton burying Trump: $42 million to $1.3 million”. It reeks of a feeling that a candidate with more money is more virtuous. And this makes me real sad. It feels the real purpose of democracy has gone lost. Each person, rich or poor, was to have equal say. However a donation by rich, which is then used to influence other voters, makes the voice skewed. Rich has more voice even in elections. I am sure if Trump had raised more money, the headlines would have been is his favor. It’s not just CNN, its all media. In fact it’s a general sense.
Whole concept of democracy has become a sham. In the world’s largest democracy, India, it is even a bigger sham. Billions of dollars of black money is spent during General elections. It’s akin to buying votes.
So much money in politics and its naked celebration by media makes me sick. Makes me wonder, where did it all go wrong?
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