Some new episodes added to my Youtube Channel, Chat Masala..
About bosses..
https://youtu.be/BV3x6qoWrE4I started blogging around 2008 or 09, with a push from Hari, who was already a blogger. Over the years, it has not dimmed- my enthusiasm for blogging, I mean.
I also have an increased readership among humans and bots, as a helpful reader pointed out when there was a sharp rise in viewership as per Google Analytics. Well, I don't mind it one bit/byte. (intended)
Ok, so this is my 200th blog post for 2025. And it's not even New Year's Eve. So I am going to enjoy this double century.. having once played cricket, I know it's value.
Thanks to all the readers- especially the human readers, for keeping me going by reading and occasionally commenting. I met one reader who told me she was unable to comment. Not being technically competent to solve that problem, I am happy that she reads the blog.
Hopefully interesting things will keep happening, and I will keep writing about them. Happy Reading, and writing, if you are also a writer.
As a bonus, you can take a look at the two latest interviews on my Youtube channel- links below. With Ananya Nandi De and Natasha Kothari.
https://youtu.be/AQwHBrxButc
https://youtu.be/Gpe3yD27_Lg
Trying out something new, thanks to persuasion from Sheetal Garg, a friend, and Prarthana, my daughter no. 1. A series of 10-15 minute videos on a variety of topics. Some guest episodes and some my own. Three have been published so far, and some guest episodes too, with Bhagyalakshmi Venkatesh, covering her views on Happiness and with Sheetal Garg, about music and friendship. Also one with Anjali Paruvu, about education in the Humanities. Mine are related to Hindi films, actors and domestic travel. More will follow. Shot and edited by Prarthana, with help from Pooja, daughter no. 2.
The links to existing episodes, in case you want to watch them.. a playlist.
https://youtu.be/1Ey5BlUQI7k - Episode 1- Hindi Films
https://youtu.be/x4drlX8nQh8 - Episode 2. Favourite heroes from Films
https://youtu.be/wNwMxUqIW9M - the guest episode on Happiness
https://youtu.be/qQLyLUyzllw -Travel destinations in India
https://youtu.be/DhHVQvrFUS4 - Guest episode on Humanities and AI.
https://youtu.be/LoEq7-S2NpY - Guest episode on Music and Friendship
Went to Hyderabad, and met my sister and BIL Hari, and niece Anjali after a long time. Anjali has completed her 12th and is looking at colleges up North. Also caught up with tow visitors at their place. Did not stir out much, as it was hot in the day. Of course, had biryani and small onion samosas with Irani chai once.
Also shot 3 episodes of Chat Masala with Hari, Anjali and Vandana on various topics of their interest. This is a new Youtube Channel of mine where we discuss anything under the Sun. 3 episodes have aired so far, but we have shot a few more.
Back in Pune, we again shot another guest episode with Suhita Thatte, actor and my cousin, visiting from Mumbai. She was here to perform in a Play written by Sai Paranjpye. In Marathi, at a program dedicated to Female characters in Theatre.
Also shot two more solo episodes for Chat Masala, about Friends/ Students who became entrepreneurs, and Bosses I have had over the years -in industry and academia.
I plan to start a Youtube channel called Chat Masala. It will feature chats, sometimes me talking to myself, and sometimes with others.
It's an experiment, like this blog was a decade or more ago. Some experiments work. This one did.
It will feature varied content, from films, music, books, travel, views about life and some undisclosed areas of expert opinions from, well.. experts.
Stay tuned, and you won't regret it.. at least, that's what I think.
My top choices from films, Youtube-
Randhir Kapoor as a dancer..his belly pops out from time to time.. in the song Tujhsa haseen dekha na kahin.. in the film Harjaee.
Deb Mukherjee in the film Ek Baar Muskura Do, sings Tu auron ki kyun ho gayi.. a song supposed to be full of pathos... hilarious. Just watch it.
Taher Shah. Angels is the song, and he is funny as hell (that became a pun!) -he was a Youtube sensation, at least for me.
NTR in his later films (Telugu) cavorting with females half his age was fun to watch on screen. I enjoyed the entertainment on offer.
The English dialogues in Telugu films were also a source of mirth- like "Rutherford, look up once" from Alluri Sitaramaraju, a good film otherwise.
You may have your favourites..
I have found something I can watch finally, both on Youtube and TV. I had never thought I would ever be hooked to either. But TV 5 Monde, a French channel that I discovered last year during the first lockdown impressed me with its content. Movies, or crime investigation type serials, with subtitles. I have continued watching this many evenings, and the standard of the channel is good, and there are no ads- a great bonus.
Also, on Youtube, found a superb series made by A and E America, called Nero Wolfe. The series is based on a favourite character written by Rex Stout, an American. Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe are like Watson and Holmes, but very different from those two. Wolfe never steps out of his house, and asks Archie to do the running around. There is usually a dramatic end to each story, with all the dramatis personae assembled in Wolfe's house-cum-office for the murderer to be unmasked, to the accompaniment of the police in the form of Inspector Cramer, a character by himself.
These come in handy when no outside entertainment is possible. Plus points of the pandemic? Not exactly, but they help. How long can you keep watching the same stats about death, infections and shortages, after all?
There is this bubbly student from IIM Indore, who had a brilliant idea, of connecting alums of different IIMs in Bangalore, for fun and networking. She also runs a Youtube channel called IIM Community. I am not boasting, but I shot a video for the channel on Personal Branding too. If you want to watch, here's the link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdBOh4JntM4
But this is about a meet she organised at 2 days' notice. I went, and had fun meeting some new young friends, and discussing life, hobbies, IIM campuses, faculty, and more. Glimpses.
The group.. Pritam, varun, ..Anjani Kumar and the rest. (above)
For what it's worth, I will share my thoughts on the subject.
A shorter video version of this is available at the link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR03jSS4JVs78nDFqLEtUb5Vs9P1WHxmzRBHH-FyhbPoP-PPN-Z00rwQv-o&v=FdBOh4JntM4&feature=youtu.be
We had a cousins meetup in Pune for celebrating Rakshabandhan.. multiple sisters tied rakhis to brothers (cousins) present, and we had a ga...
