Before I start with this blog, there are two things which should be noted here.
Thing number 1. Before you get smart and start asking me what happened to my supposed-to-be-funny blog, let me tell you that I've decided to write some serious stuff in. Thats the only way I can convey to you that apart from being a clown, I am a bit intellectual too. (Please believe me).
Thing number 2: I just came back from lunch, and I forgot this one. So lets forget it.
My company had organized a Walkathon event, wherein we alongwith our clients were supposed to take a stroll alongside the great arabian sea, from Nariman Point upto Mafatlal Bath near Charni Road station.
Yes the thought of such extreme physical activities leaves me largely exhausted....leave aside actually walking all the way through and when with clients you need to flag a smile and also keep talking ( Huh!!!).
Moreover this activity was to start at 7:45am from Nariman Point on a Sunday.
So by now people would have easily calculated my motivation level to take part in such activities.
But the best part was that this walkathon ended with a Breakfast at a posh hotel in Churchgate.
So Calculative that i am and also being very busy for such activities ( read Lazy)i had predecided my route for the event.i understood from the concerned team that of the total 4 kms to walk, 2kms were to reach Mafatlal Bath from NCPA apartments and 1.5 kms back and then take a diversion and walk 0.5 kms to the Hotel where breakfast would be served.
Basically it is like walking in a " U " direction. I mean 3/4th of an " U " and take a diversion.
So as decided i promptly reached the venue at 8:45am (instead of 7:45am.....assuming it would take atleast 60mins for people to walk 2 kms.....i told you i am calculative of arbit things). I stood as at the exact point from where the diversion was decided. Wearing a look of sick soilder,and my official Walkathon event Tshirt, i waited for the rest of "really tired co workers and clients " to join me from this point.
As i was fudging with my phone,waiting, i heard an elderly man who was seated nearby in a seat,call me. He was around 65years, wheatish in complexion and was wearing a polo t-shirt and trousers.More striking feature was his Ray ban goggles and i-pod which were fixed to his ears.( What a mix of old and new generation was he..Huh!!)
I moved towards him and he wished me said "Good Morning , I am Anutosh Banerjee"
Me: Hi I am Rax ( i have decided from now on to use this as my name in substitute)
AB: "Are you not participating?" he asked me in astounding english with an American Acsent.
Me: Actually got late, so am waiting to join them here.Are you invited as well?
AB: No no, I saw them pass by this place. Have been sitting here since 7.Having breeze you see.
Me: Yes sir,,,its good for health.You will see Anil Ambani jog as well.
AB: Yes son, do you stay nearby?
Me: No i stay at a place which is like the other side of Mumbai.This is our event for helping the underpreveleiged,so participated in it. i said as if people would just throw money at us seeing us walking.
And do you stay here sir?
AB: No, I am a retired IAS officer from the railways division.I just came here yesterday,i stay at the railway quarters for us which is at Churchgate.
Me: Ohh thats nice. So where are you from, sir?
AB: I stay at Delhi, Vasant kunj area. I live there all alone in my 4 bhk house. Its very boring after working with people surrounded all around you and then suddenly seeing that there is no one to even speak to after you retire..( he said in an emotional voice)
I understood that there is such an ill effect on Railways side being the largest employer in India.
He continued, i have 2 sons and a daughter. Daughter is married and is in Jamshedpur. Both sons are abroad.
My first son completed his Risk Management from UK and works with government there. Second son is a globe trotter. He himself never knows in which country will he wake up the next day. He basically is based out of Sweden.
Me:Thats nice, and impressive as well.
AB: Yes nice, ( He smiled in a sarcastic way, which told me his story of being lonely)
The days keep changing and the youth today dont care or even believe in elderly people's words or ideas. They are independent and want to live the moment, he said.
Me: hmmmmmm, true sir(i smiled in a compassionate way which would atleast make him feel happy that there is someone he got to speak to today)
AB: Ok leave it, here is my card, do buzz me when you are in Delhi. Ya but remember, i keep travelling throught India. If i feel i need to go to Jaipur, i just board a train and reach there.If i feel I want to see Jammu, i just go. Tomorrow i intend to go to Shimla....so if you are in Delhi just call on my cell.
The best thing in my life was i worked with the Railways and hence i have a free pass for life.
Me: Wow!!! i said as i was reading his card......"Anutosh Banerjee, IAS, Retired Railway Board..................( Actually WOW, if railways give such a facility to travel for free throughout the country, i thought,whats the harm in working with them)
AB: Whats your birthdate son? he asked me as he took my card. I said Sep....
He noted it and said....you will receive a greeting card every year from this year start. And remember it will be from me.
Me: I felt for a second very happy that i will receive a greeting card every year, that too from a person whom i met on a sunday trying to avoid my walk along the sea shore.( Can Laziness be better rewarded?)
Thank you so much for that and Sir i can see my colleagues coming here, i guess i need to go.
AB: It was a pleasure meeting you son. I dont have anything to give you apart from this chocolate here.( he fetched one out of his pockets)
Me: Thanks sir.( i said took the chocolate and walked off)
I joined my team and continued walking along side the sea thinking of my conversation with this old stranger. A few words still were running over my mind like "the youth today dont care or even believe in elderly people's words or ideas"
I smiled meekingly and saw the chocolate in my hand.
GOD What if this chocolate is drug laced? i looked behind to see if he was following me. But he was not.
Anyway i just flung the chocolate in the mighty sea and told myself, Thanks for sharing your story, i dont need the chocolate sir , just your time was enough and continued my walk to have breakfast.
........the youth today dont care or even believe in elderly people's words or ideas......
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Why so serious? ( Actually Why not so serious)
Sarath: Dude i lost my watch today. It was worth 5000 bucks.( Sarath my friend, about whom i have mentioned in a previous blog as well, said with a disgusted look)
Me: Oh Shit!!! " ab bahut time waste hoga na tera " ( i said with an infants smile in me)
Sarath did not understand if he should laugh or cry for that reply.
But thats me. I always have this habit of cracking bullshit jokes especially during serious moments.But it is majorly due to my parallel brain which keeps commenting on every aspect of life, every second, which comes with such wise cracks during the most difficult times.
I still remember one conversation with a friend of mine post the attack on Taj and Trident last year, by the terrorists.
I was at Bangalore when this thing happened and my friend who was in Mumbai sent a chat message to me when these events were happening.
RK: Man,,,you know the news?
Me: what?? you put papers? ( This was the only news according to me then)
RK: Not that.....there has been a terror seige in Taj and Trident hotels....many people have been kinda taken hostage. And worst is that they are burning the hotel from inside.
Me: Thats bad,,,,,but would Taj have cut the price of their dishes for today? post this?
There was a 5 minute gap when he did not reply ( may be he must be cursing me, or would be cursing himself for having said this to me or whatever)
post that he came back
RK: You are a piece of Shit.
(and he went offline)
I know that was kinda harsh. I know there has to be some perfect time to crack jokes, but this is the problem with having a parallel brain.
This phenomenon has been in me since childhood, even before i knew this was wrong or stupid.
The other day i was just thinking of how this phenomenon played role in my life and saw that every time i was punished in my school or picked up fight with friends was majorly because of this cruel thing in me.
Also i understood that i never discriminate between anyone while giving back such replies. There was a time when i used to crack such spoilers on my teachers, elderly relatives, nehibours, Boss even God at times .
But somehow this has been brought under good control by me in the past 2 years.
As many people think of , even i had decided to go slow on such wise cracks post my college, ie when i enter the corporate life.
So it was the first day in the coaching classes where i was supposed to teach mathematics.(I think,most of you guys know i started my career as a teacher in a local coaching class)
The owner of this coaching class came to me before my first lecture and gave me a piece of advice.
"Sir, this is your first lecture today.As i hope you will , i know you will, help this class grow by teaching relegiously. From the feedback i have got about you, i know you are good at studies and also teaching
(Ha...now my parallel brain started to work......"who did you ask to Mister??....i am pretty sure all the people who gave a feedback about you to me , told me you take feedback from all the wrong people..ha! my parallel brain started telling my normal brain)
"Always remember", the owner continued, "first impression is the best and the last impression....so go and give your best performance today................and remember one more thing" he said with a firm voice now " Do not crack jokes on your first day of teaching..... the students will start treating you like a friend of theirs"
Now that was a mindblowing dialouge...much smaller than ShahRukh khan's 20min motivational speech before the women's hockey team, but the last statement was the only one which stayed back in my mind.
Even while walking into the class, my parallel brain started telling me.....hey did he take feedback from the right people about you that he said the last statement ( Shut up brain......your job is not to ask me questions.....your job is to find answers for me....i told my brain and walked into the classroom)
I recited that i should be a bit serious and walked in to the class room.
After customary introduction with each of the students, i scribbled the name of the chapter on the blackboard.
When i heard " Sir , excuse me, can i come in"
In a second i understood it was a student, in the next second i understood he was late, in the third second i understood he was late by 7 mins.
So this was oppurtunity for me to show that i was a "Serious" prof and hence asked him to walk in and have a seat.I introduced myself to him and he to me. Then i like a practiced principal closed the book and turned to the class and said.
"See students, i am very, very strict when it comes to the start of my lecture here. Someone walks a couple of mins late he not only looses his time but also distracts the flow of the lecture by a few more minutes.
( Yes, you are sounding like a strict prof dude, said my brain)
From now on, no one enters my lecture late...if you are 2 mins late, you are 58 mins early for the next lecture...getting me?
(Nice one new prof, my brain said)
So set your watches to match that of mine and you should be here at the time specified for tomorrow for my lecture..am i clear, i asked with a stiff face.
"Sir but we dont have maths lecture tomorrow" said one of the students and the whole class started to giggle slowly on the reply.
"So what friend, neither do i have my watch today" i said and the whole class started to laugh wildly.
I know it was a wise crack but totally unwarranted for the situation.But thats how my career began.
I can just go on with such instances in my life....but unfortunately i have to start working on the new report which i started today.
(Dont lie....tell the truth you have to go for lunch)
....ooh dont read the previous line, it was my parallel brains work.
Me: Oh Shit!!! " ab bahut time waste hoga na tera " ( i said with an infants smile in me)
Sarath did not understand if he should laugh or cry for that reply.
But thats me. I always have this habit of cracking bullshit jokes especially during serious moments.But it is majorly due to my parallel brain which keeps commenting on every aspect of life, every second, which comes with such wise cracks during the most difficult times.
I still remember one conversation with a friend of mine post the attack on Taj and Trident last year, by the terrorists.
I was at Bangalore when this thing happened and my friend who was in Mumbai sent a chat message to me when these events were happening.
RK: Man,,,you know the news?
Me: what?? you put papers? ( This was the only news according to me then)
RK: Not that.....there has been a terror seige in Taj and Trident hotels....many people have been kinda taken hostage. And worst is that they are burning the hotel from inside.
Me: Thats bad,,,,,but would Taj have cut the price of their dishes for today? post this?
There was a 5 minute gap when he did not reply ( may be he must be cursing me, or would be cursing himself for having said this to me or whatever)
post that he came back
RK: You are a piece of Shit.
(and he went offline)
I know that was kinda harsh. I know there has to be some perfect time to crack jokes, but this is the problem with having a parallel brain.
This phenomenon has been in me since childhood, even before i knew this was wrong or stupid.
The other day i was just thinking of how this phenomenon played role in my life and saw that every time i was punished in my school or picked up fight with friends was majorly because of this cruel thing in me.
Also i understood that i never discriminate between anyone while giving back such replies. There was a time when i used to crack such spoilers on my teachers, elderly relatives, nehibours, Boss even God at times .
But somehow this has been brought under good control by me in the past 2 years.
As many people think of , even i had decided to go slow on such wise cracks post my college, ie when i enter the corporate life.
So it was the first day in the coaching classes where i was supposed to teach mathematics.(I think,most of you guys know i started my career as a teacher in a local coaching class)
The owner of this coaching class came to me before my first lecture and gave me a piece of advice.
"Sir, this is your first lecture today.As i hope you will , i know you will, help this class grow by teaching relegiously. From the feedback i have got about you, i know you are good at studies and also teaching
(Ha...now my parallel brain started to work......"who did you ask to Mister??....i am pretty sure all the people who gave a feedback about you to me , told me you take feedback from all the wrong people..ha! my parallel brain started telling my normal brain)
"Always remember", the owner continued, "first impression is the best and the last impression....so go and give your best performance today................and remember one more thing" he said with a firm voice now " Do not crack jokes on your first day of teaching..... the students will start treating you like a friend of theirs"
Now that was a mindblowing dialouge...much smaller than ShahRukh khan's 20min motivational speech before the women's hockey team, but the last statement was the only one which stayed back in my mind.
Even while walking into the class, my parallel brain started telling me.....hey did he take feedback from the right people about you that he said the last statement ( Shut up brain......your job is not to ask me questions.....your job is to find answers for me....i told my brain and walked into the classroom)
I recited that i should be a bit serious and walked in to the class room.
After customary introduction with each of the students, i scribbled the name of the chapter on the blackboard.
When i heard " Sir , excuse me, can i come in"
In a second i understood it was a student, in the next second i understood he was late, in the third second i understood he was late by 7 mins.
So this was oppurtunity for me to show that i was a "Serious" prof and hence asked him to walk in and have a seat.I introduced myself to him and he to me. Then i like a practiced principal closed the book and turned to the class and said.
"See students, i am very, very strict when it comes to the start of my lecture here. Someone walks a couple of mins late he not only looses his time but also distracts the flow of the lecture by a few more minutes.
( Yes, you are sounding like a strict prof dude, said my brain)
From now on, no one enters my lecture late...if you are 2 mins late, you are 58 mins early for the next lecture...getting me?
(Nice one new prof, my brain said)
So set your watches to match that of mine and you should be here at the time specified for tomorrow for my lecture..am i clear, i asked with a stiff face.
"Sir but we dont have maths lecture tomorrow" said one of the students and the whole class started to giggle slowly on the reply.
"So what friend, neither do i have my watch today" i said and the whole class started to laugh wildly.
I know it was a wise crack but totally unwarranted for the situation.But thats how my career began.
I can just go on with such instances in my life....but unfortunately i have to start working on the new report which i started today.
(Dont lie....tell the truth you have to go for lunch)
....ooh dont read the previous line, it was my parallel brains work.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Prisoner's Dilema...........(The plight of an Investment Banker)
Let me break the norm....usually articles carry disclaimer at the bottom , that too in invisible print, making it unreadable for anyone even with an extra pair of eyes.....however let me start this blog with a disclaimer.
First...Nah...this is not Game theory,........Second this is no where close to Nash Equilibrium (if you understand that)....Third....this is not a story of a Real Prisoner......Fourth....Even though i write all this i love my profession( i writing this statement in my complete senses also this statement is not under coercion or threat to my life)....Fifth...i am not a real prisoner( Ok i give up... i am not sure of this statement)
The actual title should have been "Life of an Investment banker".
Yet , somehow the similarities in our lives is strikingly very close that by listening to just the outline one can easily get fooled that a prisoner is an investment banker (i know prisoners will be offended being called Investment Bankers , offcourse)
"Yet at a philosophical level, a real prisoner is called a prisoner only by outsiders and an investment banker is called a prisoner only by himself and his fellow community" {i should get a statement of the millennium for this}
To start with, what will a prisoner be devoid of in the first place......a lot of thinking into it leaves us back with only 2 important facts.
One is his independence and second is his family. Ask an investment banker he will crib that it is exactly the same two things which has been snatched away from him.
Well one can always debate saying that an investment banker is cash rich. Yes this community is, but what use is of all the cash when you cannot put it to use. The highest he thinks is of the next suit he wants to purchase or the next hi-fi, wi-fi,infra, outfra blackberry or some gadget which will keep him busy even further.
I have read a lot of prisoner diaries and each one states that the first sign of a person imprisoned is , he looses sleep. Thinking of his fate, future and life, he looses sleep.Study says, probably he may sleep for say 4-5 hrs a night.
Ask an investment banker he will actually envy someone who sleeps for 4-5 hours a day.
Due to this lifestyle both of them mostly have a miserable family life. Their health conditions due to improper food (improper timing in case of investment bankers) are very fragile.
One set of prisoners spend majority of time moving heavy bricks from one place to another and another set spend in flights moving from one place to another.
The prisoners live in the fear of being caught and wacked by the Jailer for anything done or not done.Investment Bankers live in the fear of markets collapsing, clients shouting and flights delaying.
On free time the prisoners may sit and probably discuss arbit ideas and past events.
Investment bankers spend majority of their lives time in meetings and discussing arbit strategies and numbers.Both of them end up with majority of their ideas being termed "stupid" or "not feasible under present conditions" by their own fellows.
Both have a love for numbers and counting.Prisoners keep counting the number of days left to be released from the prison.Investment bankers use numbers for everything, logical or illogical.( i know a colleague of mine who says he eats his sandwich in 7mins flat.......how stupid...he keeps a count of these things.......he has said this statement 244 times i have counted.....ha ha how stupid)
Initially a person once in prison will first loose contact with his colleagues, then his friends, then family and finally enemies.
Investment bankers firstly loose all in one go.
The only contact with outside world for a prisoner is the window in his prison cell. And for an investment banker it is the "Windows"in his Dell.
At some point both doubt the existence of God.
Both think that a little more money would get them out of this vicious web.
There is no place for movies,vaccations,festivals, friends marriage, birthdays,etc. in their lives.
Last but not the least....a major chunk of prisoners will vow never ever to enter this maniac world of imprisonment again......however the Investment banker will always have a dilemma here.
I will stop here....got to catch a flight now else will be late for a meeting.
First...Nah...this is not Game theory,........Second this is no where close to Nash Equilibrium (if you understand that)....Third....this is not a story of a Real Prisoner......Fourth....Even though i write all this i love my profession( i writing this statement in my complete senses also this statement is not under coercion or threat to my life)....Fifth...i am not a real prisoner( Ok i give up... i am not sure of this statement)
The actual title should have been "Life of an Investment banker".
Yet , somehow the similarities in our lives is strikingly very close that by listening to just the outline one can easily get fooled that a prisoner is an investment banker (i know prisoners will be offended being called Investment Bankers , offcourse)
"Yet at a philosophical level, a real prisoner is called a prisoner only by outsiders and an investment banker is called a prisoner only by himself and his fellow community" {i should get a statement of the millennium for this}
To start with, what will a prisoner be devoid of in the first place......a lot of thinking into it leaves us back with only 2 important facts.
One is his independence and second is his family. Ask an investment banker he will crib that it is exactly the same two things which has been snatched away from him.
Well one can always debate saying that an investment banker is cash rich. Yes this community is, but what use is of all the cash when you cannot put it to use. The highest he thinks is of the next suit he wants to purchase or the next hi-fi, wi-fi,infra, outfra blackberry or some gadget which will keep him busy even further.
I have read a lot of prisoner diaries and each one states that the first sign of a person imprisoned is , he looses sleep. Thinking of his fate, future and life, he looses sleep.Study says, probably he may sleep for say 4-5 hrs a night.
Ask an investment banker he will actually envy someone who sleeps for 4-5 hours a day.
Due to this lifestyle both of them mostly have a miserable family life. Their health conditions due to improper food (improper timing in case of investment bankers) are very fragile.
One set of prisoners spend majority of time moving heavy bricks from one place to another and another set spend in flights moving from one place to another.
The prisoners live in the fear of being caught and wacked by the Jailer for anything done or not done.Investment Bankers live in the fear of markets collapsing, clients shouting and flights delaying.
On free time the prisoners may sit and probably discuss arbit ideas and past events.
Investment bankers spend majority of their lives time in meetings and discussing arbit strategies and numbers.Both of them end up with majority of their ideas being termed "stupid" or "not feasible under present conditions" by their own fellows.
Both have a love for numbers and counting.Prisoners keep counting the number of days left to be released from the prison.Investment bankers use numbers for everything, logical or illogical.( i know a colleague of mine who says he eats his sandwich in 7mins flat.......how stupid...he keeps a count of these things.......he has said this statement 244 times i have counted.....ha ha how stupid)
Initially a person once in prison will first loose contact with his colleagues, then his friends, then family and finally enemies.
Investment bankers firstly loose all in one go.
The only contact with outside world for a prisoner is the window in his prison cell. And for an investment banker it is the "Windows"in his Dell.
At some point both doubt the existence of God.
Both think that a little more money would get them out of this vicious web.
There is no place for movies,vaccations,festivals, friends marriage, birthdays,etc. in their lives.
Last but not the least....a major chunk of prisoners will vow never ever to enter this maniac world of imprisonment again......however the Investment banker will always have a dilemma here.
I will stop here....got to catch a flight now else will be late for a meeting.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
3 Idiots discussing 3 Idiots
I had started writing this post long back but was able to conclude it only today.
This is no secret that 3 idiots has been termed the Best movie by a great margin when box office collections are the only criteria.
It has already grossed Rs315crores in the last week closing. It is , study says , people like me who see movies more than once, which has caused the exponential rise of the collections.
Yes i saw the movie twice. The second time i was fortunate to see the movie along with a couple of friends of mine. Sarath, who is a Professor at a local Coaching classes and the other one is Vinay who works in a private firm and is a die hard movie maniac. ( names of their companies withheld on their request,...no pestering........Initially i tried to convince Sarath that his employer advertises on any vacant space in the stations, including public toilets.....my blogsite was much better than that,,but he dint budge)
I recollect our fun filled conversation post the movie
Vinay: Man this movie was amazing!!( this is his usual......i remember he told this after he had seen some Uday Chopra movie as well)
Sarath: from the corner of his lip shooted "Yeah....like any of Aamir films"
Me: "Yeah man worth every rupee we spent in the theatre"
Vinay: See he started his "everything - is - money" talks ( he pointed at me shaking his head in disgust)
Me: No man,,,am just telling something i read in the ET today ""It seems it has grossed the highest in the history of Bollywood...already a few hundred crores if i am not wrong."
Vinay: See he started his Eco times, business standard again. Then he continued , controlling his laugh.."hey Sarath you know what, i think this guy here is by mistake born into Tamil bhramin community ...he should have been a "baniya".
Sarath: sensing opportunity " what baniya...he cant sell a simple baniyan what baniya will he become" ( and this was reason enough for them to laugh wildly at my expense)
Vinay: But you know what he in order to save money must have stopped wearing Baniyan (Another stupid joke which was over-exaggeratedly laughed by the other two idiots)
Sarath: Yeah man....this guy always gets around pulling everyones leg...."aaj fasa apne paas"
The vengence pining mind of mine started to search for some topic which could get these two back to ground.
Me: No man not that, you know what Ghajini took 13 weeks to gross Rs 200 cr, but this movie had already made more than a 100cr in the first week.( i quoted confidently as i was sure they wont question my numbers)
Vinay: So whats are you trying to tell?
Me: It is not because of Aamir starring it that it grossed this high........
Sarath: Then? You mean its because of Prof Viru SahastaBhuddi?( name of Boman Iriani in this movie) (Again he started laughing thinking Vinay would join him, but Vinay as i know him, when thrown a point to think will think on it seriously)
Me: What i am trying to tell here is not the actor who is driving the sales......but it is the concept.............
Vinay: Yes man....even Tare Zameen par was a great hit....it was a tax free one right??
( Yes..Vinay.....i don't care ,,,if it was tax free... but you have already come to my line of thinking that's more important you fool...i thought to tell, but instead i choose to say)
Yes man.,.....this whole education system is like......... that shoe polish wala ( i pointed at one as we were walking)
Suppose that our brains are the shoes.....the schools think that just wiping the dust out of shoes is enough......so people end up trying to upgrade to polishing shoes....i.e the coaching classes ( i purposely pointed at Sarath) and these people think polishing is our job and they do it just for the heck of it......i think, they think that once polished the shoes wont accumulate dust ever.......and they don't care if the shoes get dirty once the person who came to have his shoes leaves their place.
Sarath: His eyebrows raised .....his ego being thrashed on being compared to a product used to polish shoes....looked more like a criminal standing in a courtroom facing infinite audience and a stern judge.
Vinay: Yes man...actually the whole education system needs a rethink.........but these coaching classes have already made a business and livelihood out of it, .............this whole change would take an era to get started...........
Sarath: See we serve what people want us for...(said he in a defeated voice)
Vinay: Cmon dude....there can be better ways to teach.....now since you guys charge so exorbitant fees anyways......why don't you provide practical knowledge......whose going to gain by learning that Sulphur plus certain quantity of oxygen is equal to sulphur dioxide. Instead show students it practical use in some industry ....u know these things can be done but have become a victim of the cycle....no use now.
I will actually stop this conversation here, as post this Sarath tried his best defending by trying to justify his work and even comparing it to Mother Theresa's.....but he dint succeed as Vinay was confronting each of his trial with a suiting reply.
He then even moved on to abusing and cursing Vinay and me, but i enjoyed the whole scene and even teased him off to pay for the "Vada Pav" we had.
(Just by saying...these coaching classes profs don't spend a single buck man.....did this magic)
I kept mute and my mind was dancing and laughing at his plight.......(Ha! , it said, Sarath try your luck some other day to pull my leg)
This is no secret that 3 idiots has been termed the Best movie by a great margin when box office collections are the only criteria.
It has already grossed Rs315crores in the last week closing. It is , study says , people like me who see movies more than once, which has caused the exponential rise of the collections.
Yes i saw the movie twice. The second time i was fortunate to see the movie along with a couple of friends of mine. Sarath, who is a Professor at a local Coaching classes and the other one is Vinay who works in a private firm and is a die hard movie maniac. ( names of their companies withheld on their request,...no pestering........Initially i tried to convince Sarath that his employer advertises on any vacant space in the stations, including public toilets.....my blogsite was much better than that,,but he dint budge)
I recollect our fun filled conversation post the movie
Vinay: Man this movie was amazing!!( this is his usual......i remember he told this after he had seen some Uday Chopra movie as well)
Sarath: from the corner of his lip shooted "Yeah....like any of Aamir films"
Me: "Yeah man worth every rupee we spent in the theatre"
Vinay: See he started his "everything - is - money" talks ( he pointed at me shaking his head in disgust)
Me: No man,,,am just telling something i read in the ET today ""It seems it has grossed the highest in the history of Bollywood...already a few hundred crores if i am not wrong."
Vinay: See he started his Eco times, business standard again. Then he continued , controlling his laugh.."hey Sarath you know what, i think this guy here is by mistake born into Tamil bhramin community ...he should have been a "baniya".
Sarath: sensing opportunity " what baniya...he cant sell a simple baniyan what baniya will he become" ( and this was reason enough for them to laugh wildly at my expense)
Vinay: But you know what he in order to save money must have stopped wearing Baniyan (Another stupid joke which was over-exaggeratedly laughed by the other two idiots)
Sarath: Yeah man....this guy always gets around pulling everyones leg...."aaj fasa apne paas"
The vengence pining mind of mine started to search for some topic which could get these two back to ground.
Me: No man not that, you know what Ghajini took 13 weeks to gross Rs 200 cr, but this movie had already made more than a 100cr in the first week.( i quoted confidently as i was sure they wont question my numbers)
Vinay: So whats are you trying to tell?
Me: It is not because of Aamir starring it that it grossed this high........
Sarath: Then? You mean its because of Prof Viru SahastaBhuddi?( name of Boman Iriani in this movie) (Again he started laughing thinking Vinay would join him, but Vinay as i know him, when thrown a point to think will think on it seriously)
Me: What i am trying to tell here is not the actor who is driving the sales......but it is the concept.............
Vinay: Yes man....even Tare Zameen par was a great hit....it was a tax free one right??
( Yes..Vinay.....i don't care ,,,if it was tax free... but you have already come to my line of thinking that's more important you fool...i thought to tell, but instead i choose to say)
Yes man.,.....this whole education system is like......... that shoe polish wala ( i pointed at one as we were walking)
Suppose that our brains are the shoes.....the schools think that just wiping the dust out of shoes is enough......so people end up trying to upgrade to polishing shoes....i.e the coaching classes ( i purposely pointed at Sarath) and these people think polishing is our job and they do it just for the heck of it......i think, they think that once polished the shoes wont accumulate dust ever.......and they don't care if the shoes get dirty once the person who came to have his shoes leaves their place.
Sarath: His eyebrows raised .....his ego being thrashed on being compared to a product used to polish shoes....looked more like a criminal standing in a courtroom facing infinite audience and a stern judge.
Vinay: Yes man...actually the whole education system needs a rethink.........but these coaching classes have already made a business and livelihood out of it, .............this whole change would take an era to get started...........
Sarath: See we serve what people want us for...(said he in a defeated voice)
Vinay: Cmon dude....there can be better ways to teach.....now since you guys charge so exorbitant fees anyways......why don't you provide practical knowledge......whose going to gain by learning that Sulphur plus certain quantity of oxygen is equal to sulphur dioxide. Instead show students it practical use in some industry ....u know these things can be done but have become a victim of the cycle....no use now.
I will actually stop this conversation here, as post this Sarath tried his best defending by trying to justify his work and even comparing it to Mother Theresa's.....but he dint succeed as Vinay was confronting each of his trial with a suiting reply.
He then even moved on to abusing and cursing Vinay and me, but i enjoyed the whole scene and even teased him off to pay for the "Vada Pav" we had.
(Just by saying...these coaching classes profs don't spend a single buck man.....did this magic)
I kept mute and my mind was dancing and laughing at his plight.......(Ha! , it said, Sarath try your luck some other day to pull my leg)
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