There was a time when I used to breathe in Bollywood. So much so that I sometimes claim to be a former walking encyclopedia on the same. Well, why not! I used to pore over all available film magazines, bought audio cassettes of almost every new film, used to wait eagerly to see the 'shorts' of favorite songs on channels like ATN, MTV and Channel V. And the unalloyed joy when the song came on is something unparalleled. Also, making scrapbooks with pictures of actors and fighting with a friend for a picture of SRK -- it was amazing!
I don't know when I lost track of this obsession, and as usual, I attribute it to the time life stepped into employment phase. And in the intervening years Bollywood changed, almost unrecognizably -- dream city got off screen, songs lost intelligible lyrics, a whole new set of people now inhabited the celluloid with a fresh set of values and attitudes.
Location change is welcome since cinema can introduce new places. It's been good to see more of the heartland and other places along with new dialects of Hindi. But the shift in song style is difficult to digest. It's made worse when good old hits are re-done with changed lyrics. I still wonder if Akshay Kumar felt anything while doing the new "Tip tip barsa pani." I cannot watch the latest version.
What's perhaps most saddening (for me, no offense intended) is to see favourite movies and/or characters now being re-analyzed and categorized under new gen, very correct labels. So, former ideal romantic heroes are now toxic boys, simple, inane stories are now scanned for gender bias/stereotyping/ further toxicity. I realized with a bang while doing a Buzzfeed quiz on "Which Toxic Bollywood Boy is your True Soulmate?" and I got Raj from DDLJ !!
Still, Bollywood still tenuously holds on to what it once was. It still, albeit occasionally, offers dreams, an escape into a beautiful world, and helps sustain hope. Of course, this may sound very inappropriate and tacky for many, but anyone who truly enjoyed the old Bollywood would understand the sentiment.
I, for sure, am immensely proud of having grown up in the golden 90s and feel fortunate to have absorbed the dream, the joy, the excitement and pleasure that the then Bollywood gave me.
Disclaimer: The following is a purely personal view and is not intended to hurt or distress.
Once upon a time, hypersensitivity used to be something related to allergens. It was also something that one felt in the formative ages with regard to what others thought about you which had a direct link to nascent self-perception. The first one could be cured with medicines while the second one usually cured itself as one grew up. However, the latter does not seem true any more as emotional/psychological hypersensitivity seems to be on the rise, and moreover as fodder for what now trends as 'cancel culture'.
Gender is one of the areas where usage of words/pronouns has become so problematic. While an ever-widening gender spectrum is often pitched as inclusiveness, isn't it also somewhat aggravating intolerance? Calling a female by the pronoun 'she' can be offensive since that person could well be 'non-binary'. Moreover, if one so much as mentions how absurd this is, one qualifies as '-phobic'.
What I still don't understand is the notion of non-binary. There is male and female, which are terms that indicate biological sex. The 'other' is a sociological construct. Well, feminists claim gender (feminine, masculine) itself to be a construct. A quick look at the Wikipedia entry on gender transition is quite baffling due to the sheer number of terms mentioned to refer to people of various orientations.
Be that as it may, what exactly is gender spectrum other than suggesting a possibility of transitioning from male to female or vice versa? Even in queer relationships, isn't there a male-female equation, where one of the partners is termed as 'husband'? If this is so, how exactly is a person non-binary?
Even more problematic is the question of transgender. They are often called the 'third gender' and so non-binary, again. But then doesn't a transgender attempt to transition from man to woman or vice versa? This seems to be a volatile issue since beloved JKR has been a recurrent victim of transphobia, which now has alienated her from her friends as well.
So, what exactly is the problem here? If one is so confident and at home with whatever gender/sexuality one chooses, why should a mere pronoun affect them?
Oh well! Nowadays it feels that to be normal (oops, potentially offensive again), no, wait, there is a term for that too -- cisgender -- is becoming stale. And by the way, cisgenders are entitled to being offended as well. A lot of people simply assume that being a single woman (that too in the wrong age group) is equivalent to being a lesbian.
"Why don't you travel?" "Go for a trip, you'd feel better" -- and other permutations of these have been thrown at me time and again. So much so that I feel traveling is pretty overrated, and rather tedious. For someone who is a daily commuter, travelling may not always be appealing, and I don't think I'm deep enough to feel the transformative experience that journeys are supposed to bring. Anyway, what I've come to understand is, being on the move is much enjoyable than having to get down or flit from destination to destination; provided, there is a window seat.
Even though clueless about wanderlust, I have always been fascinated by trains, Indian Railway to be specific. Railway station has been an important part of my formative years since every weekend I'd be at the railway station with dad, waiting for mom to arrive from her workplace. Equally indispensable part of this trip were the poori masala from railway canteen and the chilled HPMC apple juice, and a comic book or magazine from Higginbotham's.
Spotting the slow moving engine from afar was one of the most exciting feelings and even today when a train is spotted I feel the same. The walk from one end of the platform to another, was yet another interesting part of the weekend visits, along with peeping into the Station Master's room to see the board that showed train positions.
Coming to think of it, trains are a kind of portal to different lives/worlds. Just observing a family/individual with luggage, waiting to board a long distance train can trigger the imagination to build up a narrative. In my imagination, I've arrived at New Delhi in Rajadhani Express (perhaps the poshest train then); or gone to Mumbai in Jayanti Janta, or thought about the distance covered by Himasagar Express as it traversed the entire length of the country, from Kanyakumari to Jammu Tawi/Katra !
How many times have I pretended to be one of the travellers rather than a local !
At a phase when 'favourites' are becoming vague and non-existent, I'm truly glad I have retrieved my love for trains. And I still long to board a long-distance train !
Many ask what I plan to do with my money and life. I guess I now have an answer to that -- I will take tickets for the many trains I've seen leaving the platform; and I'd be inside the train rather than looking at it and imagining its journey.
ChatGPT has arrived. And suddenly there is an array of impressive possibilities !
I remember hearing about it for the first time during a session on research, a casual of mention of something potentially big. But then, like typical AI behaviour (hear/see/speak something and all your feed is full of that same something), since that day 'ChatGPT' became part of daily parlance, and now it's almost the norm.
Of course, by now, one shouldn't be all that surprised about the strides AI is making and the pace at which they happen.
Nevertheless, it compels a number of questions, philosophically, foremost among them being authenticity and originality.
AI/ChatGPT can produce perfect content. Sounds attractive, right? Especially for those who can't write or don't bother to spend energy on putting own to paper. What's more appealing is the fact that such writing is not conventional cut/copy-paste, but content of a rather better standard, and the agent behind it remains concealed and so the product generated is thereby 'original'. Wow !
But then, as this becomes normal, what about people who actually write "originally"? What would they feel if a really good piece of writing gets labelled, even jokingly, as "may be it's ChatGPT"? That's sad.
AI can mimic sound, face and whatnot.
Instagram is now fast filling with new Bollywood songs redone in old masters' voice. So an Arijith Singh number can now be heard in Rafi Saab/Kishoreda's voice. What exactly is so great about it, I fail to understand. It feels rather odd and undeniably artificial.
But it is harmless unlike the video call scams which are now on the rise. So, now one has to double check if it's actually the "original" person calling !
May be it is too cliched to lament about what the world has come to. After all, it's a post-truth world built upon narratives where virtual and factual reality are decreasingly antonymous.
Disclaimer:
This is original, human-generated content, part of actual thought process. If any part of it resembles AI standard, it is purely coincidental.
No technology (other than smart phone) was used in the process of making this.
One of the saddest part of growing up (in common parlance 'growing old') is the stuff one gives up, either deliberately or simply out of boredom. While 'good old days' still maintain a stranglehold in strange ways, there is occasional realisation that the list of things no longer enjoyable or exciting are growing longer.
So, is indifference a part of the usual biological changes or even a hormonal thing?
While giving up things out of boredom or pronounced indifference seems fine, what's rather painful is having to be vigilant about what one eats. Having to watch calories, and even checking the ingredients for potential threats to vital organs to the struggle to rein in certain stats from reaching the borderline, it's tiresome and mind-numbing.
I mean, is there anything one can consume without having to consider if it
It is sure to put one off food for ever, and thereby give up one of the remaining sources of feel-good things.
Thanks to the phenemenon of information and influence overload, one out five people is a health/nutrition expert who confidently and convincingly proclaim everything tasty as unhealthy. And as substitute, offer colourful looking stuff which are most often bland, and inspiring enough not to fancy food ever.
Oh well, just another part of life.
So, as certain ads say, have some masala oats if you crave a samosa ! Oh yeah!? Whoever says that has either not had/doesn't like samosa, or is fibbing wholeheartedly.
It's not just a few chocolates (and their taste) that have vanished over the years. Some really good beverage brands too have bid farewell, and of course, replaced by rather poor substitutes.
First in this category is Gold Spot, the wonderfully refreshing orange fizz, every bit the "zing thing" it claimed to be! Not too sweet and not too fizzy, Gold Spot was a cherished drink for sure. Moreover, it was shudh desi as it was a Parle product. It is interesting to see how we had real good homegrown products like these before the advent of all those foreign brands in the 90s. Alongside it was Thums Up, one of the most iconic cola drinks of the 1980s and 1990s. A Thums Up bottle in hand used to be a style statement among the youth. Other companion products were Limca, the "lime and lemony," and Citra "super cooler" -- all of which, undeniably, had unique tastes.
Sadly, Parle gave up these brands to the Coca- Cola company which eventually replaced Gold Spot with Fanta.
Apart from richer colour and increased sweetness, Fanta was unable to recreate the charm of Gold Spot (well, this is a personal opinion, yet I'm sure whoever had Gold Spot will agree!). Later came Pepsi, Mirinda, 7Up and Teem from the kitty of Leher Pepsi. Perhaps on account of its striking advertisements, use of celebrities (Bollywood and Indian cricket especially) and catchy jingles, Pepsi was somehow more of a favourite than rival Coca-Cola. However, as with other things, the more Pepsi became popular, the taste was comprised and today, despite various types, even colours (remember blue Pepsi?), this brand too seems to have lost its magic.
In the midst of all these ever-changing products, the only one which has managed to hold on to its original taste is perhaps Frooti, again from the Parle stable, which is still deliciously "mango" and "fresh and juicy"; and I hop eat least this remains so.
As it's always said, 'change is the only constant'. But when once-loved products are cast off because they no longer give that old pleasure, it is hard not to be sad.
Well, may be there are those who don't fancy them much, yet chocolates undeniably offers comfort and are one of the most delicious things under the sun. (PS:- I mean only brown milk chocolates here; no offence to white and dark ones)
In childhood chocolates were occasional treats rather than comfort food. And so they were all the more cherished. Also, sharing liberally was often done with reluctance because it was unlikely that you would get another one anytime soon (thanks to this rare treat, I have only one bad tooth even this late in life 😄)
My all time favourite brand of chocolates is of course, Cadbury. Even the name sounds so delicious, it never brings to mind the eponymous butler in Richie Rich comics. Almost all types of Cadbury are mouthwateringly awesome.
Take for example the ordinary bar. I guess at least a few might agree with me that the only time two bottles of milk felt attractive was on Cadbury's wrappers. There was a time when Cadbury bars used to be thick and totally scrumptious. Imagine when this thick squares came stuffed with raisins and nuts in Fruit and Nut bar ! I still remember the rather shiny grape and fat cashew on the wrapper, a fit prelude to what lies beneath it. In the same league belong Roast Almond too.
Yet another delightful bar was Crackle. The blend of rich chocolate and crunchy crispies was indeed extraordinary.
The gooeyness of 5 Star wasn't always so sought after as the others, yet it was unique in its own way too. Gems used to be so yummy and the chocolate filling was much better; I once got a pencil box in the shape of a rocket from Gems 😁
And then came Perk ! Oh what a truly marvellous thing it was ! The famous advertisement for Perk featuring Preity Zinta perhaps had the best caption ever --- thodi si pet pooja -- indeed it was one of the best chocolaty treat ever.
As though all these were not enough by themselves, some genius at Cadbury tried combining all the above into one super duper feast in the form of Picnic !!! God ! That was THE best chocolate bar ever! Wafer, dry fruits, nougat, caramel all wrapped in rich chocolate. What more could one ask for ! It was a meal in itself because one bar was very filling (trust me, Fuse is not anywhere near this)
And how can I not mention Nutties. Small yet superbly delicious, those cute little rounds had brought immense pleasure once.
Sadly, all of these are in the past tense. Because, over the years Cadbury's taste has painfully declined, and now except Silk, rest all just look brown and taste sugary, zero flavour and totally soulless, leaving one yearn for the old bars.
Picnic is no longer available in India and Perk and Nutties are pathetic imitations of their old selves.
Some time back a friend had sent a video on somebody explaining about this transformation in chocolates, which was attributed to the size of the squares and marketing or some such thing. Whatever be the reason, it's sad that taste is compromised for profits. And even though there are countless new brands and types of chocolates around, they can never be a fit recompense for good old Cadbury.
There may be unimaginable combinations in Madbury and every possible filling for Silk, but can Cadbury ever bring back that old taste?
While talking chocolates, it would be injustice not to mention other brands like Nestle. While not a personal favourite, I'm grateful to Nestle for Quality Street. It was a very rare treat, accessible only when aunts came from abroad since it was not available here back in the past. Every single piece in that was so awesome, mere thought triggers craving. So is the case with Kit Kat, or the version of it my uncle had brought from the ship while he was serving in Indian Navy. I have never had that kind of Kit Kat again till somebody brought Kit Kat Chunky, again from abroad. Galaxy, Vochelle, Snickers, Bounty and Ferrero Rocher -- all from the Gulf -- were also really yummy.
That brings me to the thing I have time and again discussed with friends -- how imported chocolates taste much better than Indian ones. The comparison is quite natural because the difference in taste can be felt by anyone. So, now it is like if you want to have a semblance of tasty chocolate, you will have to shell quite an amount and buy a bar, rather larger than necessary.
All that can be said is simply this -- कोई लौटा दे मेरेबीते Cadbury 😑😢
In memory of every moment that Cadbury presented to me in my childhood, this evergreen ad of the time when political correctness mattered little; at least the jingle and Sankar Mahadevan haven't changed.
