Duets I Fancy

Several songs in Bollywood (Hindi films) are great for lyrics, music, or both. This is just a short list of a few duets that I like.

Mere meet bata tujhe mujhse kab pyar hua aur kaise..a vague film called Putlibai, but what a song!

Tum mile pyar se mujhe jeena gawara hua..from Feroz Khan-Mumtaz starrer Apradh.

From Mahal, a Dev Anand-Asha Parekh film, this lovely duet- Aankhon aankhon mein hum tum ho gaye deewane,..a slow, melodious tune that grows on you..

Are yaar meri yum bhi ho ghazab ghhonghat to zara odho..from Teen Deviyaan, starring Dev Anand and Kalpana. Has a unique tune, in a conversational style.

Chalti Ka Naam Gadi- the ultimate pair of Madhubala and Kishore Kumar - Haal kaisa hai janaab ka, kya khayal hai aap ka? Awesome.

Abhilasha is the film, and Sanjay Khan-Nanda the unlikely pairing. But the song is fabulous- Pyar hua hai jab se. mujhko nahin chain aata...

Piya piya piya mora jiya pukaare- from Baap re Baap. Kishore Kumar yodels to perfection on an OP Nayyar tune.

Naya Andaz- the film. The song Meri neendon mein tum mere khwabon mein tum has a dreamy quality. It is unique because Shamshad Begum is the female singer, with Kishore Kumar. They haven't sung many together.

Tu laali hai savere wali gagan rang de tu mere man ka..Incredibly, this song stars Danny and Jaya Bhaduri. Film Abhi to Jee Lein. 

Koi mane ya na mane jo kal tak the anjaane woh aaj hamein jaan se bhi pyare ho gaye- from the film Adhikaar.

Achhi nahin sanam dillagi dil-e beqaraar se..from the film Rakhi aur Hathkadi. Vijay Arora had this great song with Asha Parekh.

Waada karo jaanam na chhodoge yeh daaman zamaana chahe chhoote..Vinod Mehra sings this with Maushumi in Sabse Bada Rupaiah.

Of course, there are many more..

Flower Show-Part 3

Flower Show 2018- More Pics

A riot of colours and beauty worth beholding-the pics are worth lakhs of words.

Empress Gardens Flower Show 2018

A riot of colours would be an understatement.

and some more..

The Post- Film Review

This would not be possible in India easily. But the story of a US newspaper taking on the government is a gripping one to watch. Old hands Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep do a great job of acting the parts of the editor and owner of the Washington Post, considered a local paper and an also-ran compared to biggies like NY Times. They end up exposing the misdeeds of several governments, including the the Nixon govt. of their time, on the Vietnam war.

I do remember the crusading coverage of the Emergency in India by the Indian Express in the seventies, but such coverage has been rare since then. The freedom of the press also needs the firm backing of the judiciary, as the film seems to say. Checks and balances are what makes democracy superior to autocracy and other forms of government. The powers that be always have a justification for their actions, but someone is needed to bring in perspective. I am also reading a book on the subject called the Lies of The Land, about lying by various governments, the British and others.

The press is definitely needed to play its rightful role in maintaining the balance. 

Jobs and Tourism

Pic from Jaipur

Tourism is a job creator many times over. Every tourist needs a place to stay in, food to eat, and transport to move around. Some of these (the first two) may require some capital investment, but the transport could come in various forms, including private taxis or aggregators, or other local options (two-wheelers, cycle rickshaws, etc.).

Guides speaking multiple languages are an asset, and so are other information creators and providers. Local travel agents can also play a big role. Entertainment providers can also think creatively and develop options for travellers on a tight schedule, or those with more time.

I have recently started looking into tourism for research, and I find it's an area rich in potential for research too. If the right policies are followed, India can probably outdo itself with its rich variety of travel motivators, from history and architecture, to spiritual or medical reasons.

Good marketing of course, can lead to a big impact on tourism, both international and domestic. 

International Colleagues

When I worked at Lander in the U.S., I had colleagues from various countries- I remember at least two- a Venezuelan and a South Korean. Of course, we had American colleagues as well. Got along with one particularly-Leslie Price, who was (is) a fun-loving person, and her husband Bob, and mom Joyce. We are still in touch virtually, though we haven't been able to meet after I left South Carolina.

This is a pic of Leslie (above) from those days.

Ron Green had been a colleague at the Clemson Ph. D., and went to teach at Johnson City in Tennessee later. We visited him regularly, and the drive was spectacular in the Fall season. He had been close for three years, and his wife Carmon and daughter Sara made us feel at home.

A lot of visiting faculty from Europe and the U.S. came for short visits when I was at IMT Ghaziabad, and here at IIM Indore too, some of them Indians working abroad. We are likely to internationalise a  bit more as we are getting accredited by global bodies.

Samren Singh was an Indian in the US who taught at Lander like me,

and we became friends with him and Annie, his Canadian wife. Still in touch virtually.

International Friends

Being in the U.S. for a Ph.D. (1986-1989) was good from many different angles. One was that I met people from many different countries- Alberto from Portugal, Godwin Udo from Nigeria, Masoud from Iran, to name a few. Our group of Indian students also had a permanent member from France, Anne Pouliquen, who was studying in the Agriculture Dept. We actually visited each other's homes later on. Her place in Northern France was an interesting one to visit, full of history and charming rural atmosphere. Mount St. Michael was nearby, and Rennes too. She took us around to these places, and we ate some excellent seafood and cheeses at her place and her parents' farmhouse. She in turn visited us in Harihar, and we went along to Hampi and Pondicherry with her. Muthu, our friend in Bangalore, received her at the airport. She also travelled alone to various places in India.
Some pics from Hampi (above and below, first) and Pondicherry.

Masoud and his wife also visited us in Bangalore, and I met him in Malaysia while he was a visiting prof. there.

Guide to Making and Releasing Historical Films

Don't just pick up a history book of your choice and start shooting. Follow these steps.

Make a list of the characters in your story.

Make a list of all the individuals or groups they have offended in the past or will offend now.

Go to each of these individuals/groups.

Take them out for coffee.

Make them sign a copy of the script saying Ï am not offended, nor shall I be offended by your film.

Make the film.

Release the film, with their signatures after the censor certificate. You are trying to be historical, not hysterical, after all..

Mukkabaaz- Film Review

Given that the film runs its length on two completely new actors in the lead, it's a very good attempt. It's the charming heroine and raw, gritty hero who actually make the difference in a tale that's in danger of becoming a new stereotype. The North Indian small-town ambience leading to turmoil in the lives of some of the protagonists, I mean. A complete anti-thesis of the Karan Johar urban stereotype, this is nevertheless another one. If what is depicted in it is true, it is sad indeed that small town autocrats still function in this way. If it's not, cinema needs to write and tell stories which are more varied.

The good things are Vineet Singh and Zoya Hussain- the lead pair, and the known faces of Ravi Kishen and Jimmy Shergill (who's also getting typecast). The length of the film is a tad too long, and shaving 15-20 minutes off would have made it a lot crisper and more effective in its impact. It drags at times, because you know what's going to unfold.  The subtext of forward versus backward castes is handled well, without intruding too much on the storytelling. Also, the joblessness in small town India comes through, in attempts to get one through sports quotas. The end is a big surprise. Overall, not bad. Worth a look for a film buff, especially if you are not into mindless extravaganzas. The music could have been better.

Positive People

These, by my definition, are people who spread a positive vibe, most of the time. It has little to do with their condition at the time, or their financial status, or age etc..may be, kids are a great example, because most of them will give you positive vibes.

Not so adults. Why? Maybe we are obsessed with our work or home pressures, career progression, or an unsatisfying job (assuming we work for someone). But then, you see lots of people who are generally able to smile through anything, and even laugh at themselves and life.

No idea how they do it, but these kinds of people are a joy to behold and be with. In films too, my favourites were the happy-go-lucky people (yes, I know they were acting) who exhibited a devil-may-care attitude, or a mischievous demeanour, in a nice way. Dev Anand comes to mind (his autobiography is titled Romancing with Life), and so do Shammi Kapoor and Kishore Kumar. And Madhubala in many of her roles.

Book Review- The Curious Marketer

This is a book by Harish Bhat, who has marketed many products in India. His experiences and observations are what it is about. A long time ago, I had read a similar book by Gurcharan Das which was based on his experiences with Vicks.

Very engagingly written, with each chapter only a few pages long, it is a very good read. Most of all, I liked the thoughts about new products that could be launched, based on observing trends- weight loss, for instance. I know Rujuta Diwekar has sold a few million copies of her book on the subject, and gyms have generally offered slimming packages  and raked it in.

He has a nice style which draws on his own experiences of marketing and advertising (and consuming) in India, and sometimes his experiences abroad -like wine-tasting in Austria. Many nuggets can be thought-provoking, if today's marketers are still in the habit of reading anything at all. The use of music, using babies in ads, and the trend of corporate 'suits' wearing colourful socks to compensate for their sedate (boring?) formals are some of the things I found interesting.

Eating Places

I think for me, the top of the pops are the Irani chai joints, because of memories associated with them, from engineering college days. They were usually non-descript places with names like Hilton, Ramser, Lighthouse; small and just tolerably clean, with a crowd of people of every description. But they all had a warmth which the best of restaurants find difficulty in giving you. The food selection wasn't great- an Osmania biscuit, a bun-omelette, or a mirchi bajji- a delicacy for gourmet eaters fond of fiery stuff. But we spent hours at some of these joints, sometimes discussing dreams of going to the U.S., but mostly the last Bollywood movie or something more down to earth. The waiter-boy's cries of "do chai la" still rings in my ears, after decades.

The coffee cafes probably serve the same function today, but wifi has intruded to make them more tech-oriented, and maybe conversation-less in some cases. They are definitely posher, cleaner, and still limited in eats they offer. I have spent a few hours talking to people at some CCDs (particularly one on Brigade Road, Bangalore- Anupriya, Shafique, Zargar were some of the people I yapped with). Another pleasant place I remember is Coco's in Hyderabad where Nikita and Ritika were with us-it has the feel of a Goa shack (in Jubilee Hills). And in Bangalore again, a Vietnamese place where I met Shweta, Coconut Grove where I met Saumya, or Church Street Social where Shafique, Pallavi and I socialised. In Mumbai, some pleasant conversations happened In Chili's where Divya Singh was involved, and a mall food joint in R Mall where Bhagyalakshmi and I met. Not to forget Sanjeev Kapoor's Yellow Chilli, where Garima Shah was on the other side of the table.

In Belgium, of all places, we had landed in a Lebanese restaurant, and the waiters served us with a lot of warmth when they learnt we were from India-I think this was 1987, when four of us were doing a Eurail trip. One or two ordinary Greek restaurants in Athens were also very nice and warm.

Great Actors

Out of the ones I have seen on screen, I would classify these among my greats-

Kishore Kumar, Mehmood, Amitabh Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Prithviraj Kapoor, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Madhubala, Rekha, Kajol, Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Dev Anand.

There are of course many others who were good, but had some flaws- Raj Kapoor imitated Charlie Chaplin a bit more than necessary, though he played the simpleton pretty well.  Rajesh Khanna was very good in some roles, but could not pull off some others, and became a stylised version of himself in his later films. Anand, though, remains one of my favourite (best?) films, and it starred him.

Smita Patil brought an element of mystique to many roles she played. Shabana was also good in some of her roles, many offbeat. Rekha also played some woman-centric roles like in Khoobsurat with great confidence. Her transformation from a raw, dark Southie to the mainstream was remarkable. Kajol is one of the most natural actresses ever, and I wish her career had lasted longer.Of recent actresses, Vidya Balan has acquitted herself well in diverse roles, and may make the list.

Dev Anand gets into this list after discounting some of his later films, which were atrocious, but he pulled off a lot of memorable roles, and acted well in at least a couple of classics like Guide and Tere Mere Sapne, while entertaining a huge fan following in a variety of roles in his early films up until Des Pardes. Johny Mera Naam is a classy masala Bollywood film of his.

Relaunching the Seminar on Thought Leadership

There was this course that I ran in IMT Nagpur a few years ago. We had around 40 students in it, and I had generated a list of thought leaders (authors, playwrights, inventors, explorers) or ideas that have impacted the world or society in a big way. The students in groups had to research the topic given and tell the class through a presentation how the given person or idea changed the world. There would be  a critique of the presentation from me and a couple of students from the audience, and a Q and A.

I still remember the course vividly, and hope that students do too. I am collaborating with my colleague Shweta Kushal at IIM Indore to relaunch the course here for our 5-year integrated program students. We both hope that we will learn a lot about history, inventions, art, etc. that changed society and our lives, along with our students. Two of my former students, Padmapriya and Jogeswari had also come in to guest lecture in the earlier edition of the course, and added diverse perspectives-one worked with an NGO, and the other was a director of a Golf tours company- Golftripz..

Renaming Our Educational Programs

Indian Institutes of Management in India used to have one flagship MBA program-except that it was called the PGDM, or Post Graduate Program in Management, and was a Diploma. Now, the new IIM Bill converts that potentially into a degree, along with other programs of the institute.

IIM Indore has a few other programs like the 5 year Integrated Program in Management and a Weekend PG Program for Working Execs. in Mumbai.

These will also get a new name in line with the change in the name of our flagship program.

What's in a name? A lot, actually. The Ph.D. is currently known as the Fellow Program , and will get a more easily recognisable name-the Ph.D- very soon. Makes the graduate more marketable, other things remaining constant. Same is the case with the 5 year Integrated Program in Management which may become MBA (Integrated).

A welcome change for many students.

I Do What I Do

This is obvious, you may say. But Raghuram Rajan found it interesting enough to use as a book title. So there must be something in it. So I got thinking (always a dangerous thing for my blog readers)- and..voila, I listed out things that I do.

I do laundry (after all, this is a laundry list)

I eat, and don't cook- that way I get to criticise other people's cooking, rather than they criticising mine.

I travel, and expand my mind. Not sure if an infinite expansion is good for it or not..

I draw..conclusions from what I read and observe..otherwise I can't draw even to save my life.

I pontificate, but only to those who will listen-students don't have much of a choice...

I use tech tools according to my proclivities and convenience, otherwise shutting them up for good if I feel like it. You may not think so, but..

I blog because there's no editor telling me what to write and what not to..hope YOU won't, after this..

Nonsensical Words in Song Lyrics

Yahoo, chahe koi mujhe Junglee kahe.. has one.

Aiyyayya karoon main kya, suku suku..seems like another one. Both Shammi Kpoor/Rafi songs.

Edlari odlari ohoo, in Zindagi ek safar hai suhana (the yodeling part) is a third. Kishore Kumar song.

Biri biri biri..meri jaan maine kaha, meri jaan tune suna, dil ne dil se kya kaha? Good question.

Oooooh, Mehbooba, mehbooba..an RD Burman song again.

Ek chatur naar has a couple in the middle of the duet/fight. om bram, aa ee oo a ai...etc.. adding to the fun quotient in a fun movie.

Eena meena deeka is full of them.

Applying for a Job

No, I am not applying right now. I have a job. But this is about the process of applying for one. I am not including campus placements here.

When do you feel like applying for one? Usually there is either a positive or a negative reason. You may be motivated by something on offer (salary, location, job challenge) or trying to escape from something- a bad boss, bad colleagues, subordinates you cannot handle, bad location, etc.

Your search begins. You apply. This in earlier days involved getting a CV typed by sitting next to someone, later morphed into typing your CV and printing it, and further has changed to emailing it or posting it on a  job site.

Then, you wait, with no news until you suddenly get an invitation to an interview. Then you try and figure out what the interviewers want to hear-How you love challenges, you are a quick learner, dynamic, and all the rest. If you speak the truth, you generally stand no chance.

So, if the process encourages deceit, you may have to go with the flow, and once you get hired, revert to your real state, whatever that may be. And get found out, and resume the search, ..for the next job..

Actors of a Kind

This is about actors who played bit roles or villain's roles in Hindi films.

Ajit was a villain who cracked one-liners with aplomb, and became the most "joked-about" villain due to them. Mona darling, Raabert, and Michael, tum cycle par jao..etc. were the stuff of legend.

 Another actor (actually two- Keshto is with Utpal Dutt) who always made a mark, usually as a drunkard, with his characteristic hichki, was Keshto Mukherjee. The scene below is with another actor with terrific comic timing, Utpal Dutt, who brought the house down in Golmaal with his role of a hater of clean-shaven guys.