Saw a great play in Marathi titled Aamne Saamne. It's a story of two couples, one old and one young. The young ones pretend to be married to live as tenants with the older couple. Their stories intermingle, and both learn from each other. A lot of hilarious and serious sequences later. Directed and acted in by Mangesh Kadam, the older husband in the play. Very good dialogue, acting and comic timing..
Went to a Hindi play that was a part of the week-long festival. Amol Palekar was in the audience. The play, Naam me Kya Rakhwo Hai? or What's in a Name? was a satire on several things including gender equality, Kings and Ministers, and touristy artefacts or performances presented as "culture" to foreigners visiting India. Brilliant set design, acting and direction. Music too.
Went to a concert where only vocals rule.. the band does not use any musical instruments. A fusion experiment from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, the play a mix of Hindi and English songs.. or sing them. Interesting experiment, and moderately good singing. There are ten men in the band, I think. No women. That reduces the diversity of what they can sing, but the energy levels are high. I was not familiar with the English songs, but a few Hindi ones were pretty decent. 6.5 on 10.
Innovation is misunderstood. It is not only breakthrough technology or products, it's many small things too. We see them around us every now and then. On the road, in a friend's home, or in a restaurant.
You may have heard of the Comparison of Economies using a Burger's Price in various countries.
I have a new model to compare the economies of Cities. It's called the number of Coaches on Suburban Trains. Economy Size is directly proportional to the number of coaches on your Suburban trains (metro or otherwise).
Mumbai has suburban trains (local) with 12 coaches. So does the Delhi Metro, on most lines.
Pune has 3-coach metro trains. Maybe more on suburban lines to Lonavala..
Hyderabad, likewise.
Kolkata has very few coaches on its metro trains.. maybe more on Suburban local trains to Belur and so on.
If you can do the Math, you will get an idea of the local economy. You can factor in the number of passengers using these as an additional factor in the calculation.
This is how new theories are born.. like an apple falling on your head!
Whenever we see a cockroach, the first instinct is to squat it, or run.. mostly the first. Because it can't attack you back.. at most it can fly.
But now we have a whole political party named after it. The most potent force in politics? We will have to wait and see. But the idea has caught on, apparently triggered by a remark made in a court by India's Chief Justice. He probably used a metaphor in the heat of the moment, but unwittingly gave birth to a lot of memes, cartoons and now, a whole Political Party too.
So it's probably going to lead to a re-look at Lizards, Flies, and my favourite- the Mosquito? I must go tell my friend Anopheles! We have been conversing about various things human for many years, but this- a Mosquito Political Party- is a brand new possibility!
Too much work, if I have to put it succintly. Matlab, there are no defined work hours. The buck stops with you, so everyone looks up to you for advice, guidance and operational decisions. How do I know? I have worked with promoters in the education sector.
Also, chasing payments is one part of their role- or any role- that I dislike. Of course, many of those I worked with had the reverse problem-they wouldn't pay vendors on time, until they were chased for months.
I would rather be at peace knowing that I can leave it all if I feel like it, and let the CEOs or promoters carry the burden the rest of the time.
Work-life balance is a thing, yaar.
Saw another musical show (on May 19th 2026) by a new bunch of singers, barring one- Rajabhau Tikhe, whom I had seen earlier. This was titled Main Sharabi Nahi and focussed on songs while the characters in films were drunk. Also a couple of ghazals about drinking, by Pankaj Udhas were on offer.
A couple of good songs from Haath ki Safai (Tu kya jaane wafa o bewafa) and Inteqam (Aa jaane jaan) brought back memories of those films. Sung by Sophiya Michael and Snehal Apte, which I recorded. Some pics-
We saw a sizzling musical show called Sadabahar Dharmendra yesterday (16 May 2026) at Pune. It was a great evening filled with memories of an evergreen hero who came from Punjab and won the hearts of many, including a Dream Girl. Some great songs were sung.. 4 very good singers, Ali Husain, Makarand Patankar, Swarada Godbole and Radhika Atre. Saira was the compere, and did a good job of it. Pics-
A very entertaining musical show by him and his team- Vyjayanti, Monali Dube and Elizabeth, and Shrikant Bhatt and himself. Songs from many of them were excellent. Vyju/Vyjayanti stood out. Shrikant Bhatt, 81, did well with Talat Mehmood, Saigal songs. Shola jo bhadke, Kajra mohabbat wala, aana merri jaan merri jaan Sunday ke Sunday etc. brought the house down. 3 songs from Jhumroo were sung! The ladies did Shamshad Begum songs well!
Pune is a vibrant city, with a lot of choices- even more if you understand Marathi- of things to do. Plays, music shows (some free!) and events are on all the time.
One such event we attended.. these two were good singers- Pournima Waghmare and Uday. (first pic)
Golf I am yet to play, but the plays and music shows have kept me busy. Food outings and meetings with friends are also pretty regular.
We also have karaoke parties once in a while!
And if you still have the time, Mumbai is not far!
I left IMT Nagpur in 2013. But I have been meeting alumni from the institute ever since. I met one in Kolkata just two months ago. After 2012, when she graduated. This week, I met three alums, including one who just moved to Pune, Ananya Nandi De. Two others, Harshad Lunavat and Phalguni Bannerjee Basu, have been here longer.
A fascinating film about some talking sheep, who solve a murder mystery.
Creatively written and directed, The sheep are the real sleuths in this whodunit involving their shepherd, Hugh Jackman. The usual suspects are lined up, and a twist in the tail nails the perpetrator, just in time.
Enjoyable for its novelty of plot, it is actually based on a novel. Great photography, dialogues and sheep! With a few messages for humans too, about prejudice, casting people out of the flock, exploring new frontiers and so on.
Jamun, and Mango, summer delights. Mangoes come in infinite varieties and sizes.
Ice apple, called Tadgola - a palm fruit, in the summer.
Corn, fresh, in the monsoon? Remember eating roasted bhutta on the way to Mandu on the roadside.
Strawberries are also seasonal, probably during the rainy season or winter.
Guavas are also seasonal, in July August.
Hurda, the raw grain (usually jowar), roasted, is available in winter months. Eaten with jaggery and spice, it's delicious.
If they were made on current happenings, their titles might be-
1. Khul ja Hormuz
2. Mamata ki Kshamata
3. Hormuz- Kabhi khushi de kabhi gham
4. LPG- a Neverland
5. Hormuz ki dum Tedhi ki Tedhi
6. Iran Yuddh ka Kahufnaak Sach
7. Israel ki Giraft mein Trump
8. Vijay hi asli cheez hai
9. Keralam aur Raga- ek Prem Kahani
When you are in a job, you can be useful to friends in your network, either due to your expertise, or your position, or contacts. Maybe you can get things done. Fix a summer internship for your friend's son/daughter, or call someone to do someone a favour.
When you stop working, most of these "powers" go away almost instantly. People who knew you 'forget' you, and you are pretty useless to anyone. It's a different feeling, and can affect you negatively.
But there's also a positive. It's liberating, the feeling that you are no longer going to be approached by anybody to do things for them. You can play God no longer, you are just a human on your own.
Freedom, at last?
Saw a musical show at Balgandharva in Pune- 60s to 90s. Singing by various artistes, reasonably good. Song selection could have been better, in my view. But the show was free, so worth the three hours or so. One good idea was visuals from Youtube were flashed along with the singing, so relived a theatre experience with original actors, alongside.. my favourite was Khatuba, from Alibaba aur Chalis Chor, filmed on Zeenat Aman. Ek main aur ek tu was good too, and Kanta lagaa..
Exit polls were Ok in Bengal and Assam, also in Kerala, but off in Tamil Nadu (except one I think).
Change happened in all states except Assam.
Maybe the lesson is that everything has an expiry date. Dictator or democrat, doesn't matter. Sometimes elections displace them, sometimes a revolution, or an assassination.
Many a time, electors have limited choices. They vote for what seems most likely to benefit, or least likely to harm them.
Congress ruled at the Centre for a long, long time. So did the Communists in Bengal. But at some point, the need for a change became apparent, and it happened. So it is this time.
And yes, the name Vijay helps you win. Not just in Hindi films.
Saw the film about Michael Jackson recently (April 2026). I was in the U.S. when he was a phenomenon, in the late 80s, and we saw a lot of his numbers on MTV then. Liked most of them. Some of them are reprised here, and quite well too- must have been tough for the choreographer and the actor who looks a lot like him.
The prejudice against Black singers coming on MTV is well depicted. So are his love for kids and animals, and cartoons. Of course, this is a positive film, so the only negative is his dominant father who tries to push him into things he does not want, after it is clear that he is a star creator and performer on his own. His social sensitivities are also brought out well.
The music selection is good, and is the highlight- as it should be, for a film about a musician. The signature moves are captured well.
I like Prabhu Deva, the Indian equivalent too. And I still remember the performance of I'm Bad! by Katarina Witt, chamion ice skater, at the Calgary Winter Olympics. It was Good!
To end April, we assembled for a party at our place, with many people in attendance. The oldest was 90, an aunt, and the youngest, around 6. The karaoke added a lot of fun to the proceedings, with everyone participating- with the mic, or in the chorus. The amazing food and drinks meant that we closed pretty late.
Sport teaches you many things. Football and Cricket thrive on teamwork. Basketball on shooting ability to score. Defence too, in some of the team games. What about Golf? It can teach you a few things.
1. Planning a shot. You have choices, starting with what Club to use. Where you want to reach.
2. Concentration. While hitting the shot, all energy is focused on the ball and the swing of the club, or the Putt, on the green.
3. Visualising. On a green, particularly, it's tricky because of slopes-up or down, the behaviour of the ball, because the green can be fast or slow depending on the moisture, grass length and so on.
4. Execution. For all the planning, and the right grip, stance etc., how you play the shot matters the most.
5. Consistency matters more than genius in one or two shots. It's a long haul.
6. Practice on a given course matters, in addition to generic practice. Understanding the course you are playing on is important.
Translate these into life learnings, or work.
I recently interviewed Ravi, a friend in Calicut, on his interests, that focused on Cocktails. This is the link to the chat, on my Chat Masala Youtube channel.
Bangalore has been a pioneer in the Internet Cafe and IT Mindset, and everything tech. But also in craft beer. I remember some visits to Biere Club, one of the first place in the Vittal Mallya Road area. Went there a few times with Avinash Mulky and other friends.
Toit, in Indiranagar was just starting up when I went there with students, Sunny, Jimmy, and Mukesh of KIAMS. Now we have a TOIT in Pune too.
Bangalore now has several pubs and craft beer places, in JP Nagar too. Bramha Brews is one large place. Others are also quite popular.
The good thing about craft beer is that it is fresh, taste includes various flavours, and includes both light and dark varieties. I am not a big beer drinker, but craft beer is an exception.
In Kolkata too, I tried two or three places, in Park Street (Roman theme) and Galleria mall.
It's fashionable to predict what will happen. It also was lucrative at one point. Now, if a party funds you, it may still be.
But I am adding a twist to the prediction game. I am predicting how things may turn out for people like you and me- the Aam Admi, in whichever state the elections are happening. Names ending in 'ni' not included.
1. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
2. Petrol prices will rise. So will a few other essentials, partly to offset doles announced.
3. Liquor prices may rise, for the same reason as above.
4. The first six months will look as if there are bright days ahead.. not using acchhe din, as it's copyrighted.
5. From month 7 to the next election, it will seem like a long wait for change. Refer to 1 above.
The brouhaha over elections in some Indian states is almost over. The counting is on May 4th, a big day for individual contenders and the Parties in the fray. So who will celebrate with a party on that day?
I don't have any guesses, because the Indian voter throws up surprises quite often. What now seems like a pattern, is that Southern States will vote a regional party, but I have no idea what Bengal will do.
But whoever wins, the lot of the common man seems to change very little. Jobs are probably stagnant, and so are wages at the bottom of the (large) pyramid. So what will anyone in that position gain from whoever comes to power is a moot point.
The elite usually continue to flourish, no matter who wins. The era of big ticket reforms kicked off in 1991 is almost over, and India will continue growing at 5-7 percent, due to its large population, as a whole. How that translates into the well-being of different segments is what really matters.
Saw this in Pune yesterday (April 26, 2026). Directed by Lillette Dubey, it's the story of Bodhi dharma, a proponent of Buddhism and Dhyana, which became known as Zen. Brilliant in its direction, and acting, and Sets and Lighting. The scenes depicting China are particularly well done. Actors play multiple roles, barring the lead players. A great message too.
I played Golf starting from my days at Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies in Harihar, around 1996. My colleagues Dhanapal and Vijayakumar, and YK Gaur, were my partners. Occasionally, got to play in Bangalore with friends- Ravi at BGC, or Muthu at KGA. But in later years, I found opportunities to start training students and faculty in playing Golf, when I was at IMT Nagpur. We actually created a Green and played in the evenings, and trained our students and colleagues.
At IIM Indore, I used the cricket ground to play a few shots, and trained some students and faculty in the basics. Also a few MDP participants from various companies.
At NMIMS Bangalore just after the COVID pandemic, we started playing on a green patch in campus, and many faculty or staff picked up the basic drive and Putt. It was great fun and the institute bought a kit subsequently.
I think schools or institutions should, where they have some space, try and teach this unique sport - it's not very expensive to do just a couple of shots and some putting. And the bragging rights for students are priceless!
Life in the US or the west is a dream for many. So is a life in the Gulf countries, for others. But what is the reality, vis-a-vis a life in India? I mean, a working life and a retired life.
I was earning a comfortable (at the time) 40 thousand dollars per year when I got a job in the U.S. as an assistant professor. Spent quite a bit on the 2 Bedroom apartment, and furnishing it. The car and medical insurance payments later, was left with just enough to make a trip to India perhaps, and a comfortable lifestyle. But we had to do our own washing, ironing and cleaning. Car maintenance occasionally came up. If we had had kids, maybe expenses would have multiplied.
The same applies here, at a lower rupee salary. Plus you get maids for housework and dhobis to iron clothes. Drivers are available or autorickshaws in cities. Now metros too. Public transport has always been better in India, and safe for kids and older people. So they are not dependent on you for their movements. Now we have the Metro as well in many cities. Your savings tend to be high in India, as you spend less, unless there are medical emergencies. You can plan your retirement savings too, if you start in your thirties or so.
Job security was higher too, until now. So it's possible for a qualified person to live a good life in India too, particularly for a double income family of the middle classes.
Vasanti was first the wife of Muthu, a colleague and friend. Then, she became a friend- the two daughters also were friends of ours. Swati and Sreya. Saw them grow up, in our multiple meetings. Her Mom and Dad also became friends, so did her brother. Her dad lived to be 95, and was my facebook friend! He had worked in Kolkata a long time.
Vasanti studied at IIM Calcutta, and experimented with a few jobs with companies in Bangalore, and then settled into domestic life. She was into music, serious singer and did a few rounds with friends.
Very interesting conversationalist, with firm views on anything you talked about. Very supportive of my job changes which we discussed many times- whenever I changed jobs.
She had cancer for the last few years, and did fight it for around 5 years, through many chemo or other treatments. Finally the fight ended on April 10th. Will miss you, Vasanti.
With Vasanti and Muthu, in Bangalore. In better times.
Like the Maratha rulers did, we went to a Southern foray, covering Bangalore, Coimbatore and Calicut, in April 2026, to celebrate my retirement..
Did meet a few friends, and stayed with a couple. Mostly by train, except one bus journey from Coimbatore to Palakkad, in a non-AC bus. The Vande Bharat from Bangalore Cant to Coimbatore is very convenient. I used to do this by bus earlier.
Saw a great play in Marathi titled Aamne Saamne. It's a story of two couples, one old and one young. The young ones pretend to be marri...
