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Remix row

Jyothi Venkatesh in ‘Risque Remix’ (Spectrum, April 24) has laid bare the tendency of modern filmmakers to unduly twist and distort the time-honoured lyrics of the golden age. Subhash Ghai makes an unfit comparison to prove his point. The song picturised on Dev Anand does not start on a provocative note like ‘choli ke peechhe kya hai.’ The song referred to by Ghai actually is:

“Ankhon mein kya ji / rupehla baadal
Baadal mein kya ji / kisi ka anchal
Anchal mein kya ji / ajab si halchal”

To make a point the other way sound, one can compare a single phrase like ‘rupehla baadal’ (from the lyric quoted above) to ‘Saali bitch’ (a new lyric from film ‘Thank you’). It seems porn and Bollywood have become synonymous. Item numbers and lewd lyrics are signs of Bollywood’s leap to nadir.

Kamlesh Uppal, Patiala

Mystical matters

I read Khushwant Singh’s memoir, ‘A relationship to cherish’, (April 9) with interest. The mystical questions put forth by the writer to his friend, Ruth, are, undoubtedly, puzzling but interestingly all have been explained by the ‘Lord’ himself in the ‘Bhagavadgita’. These have been discussed comprehensively in the holy scripture. The need of the hour is that man’s shocking incredulity in Him must disappear first.

Ravi Datta, Jwalamukhi

Godmen again

This refers to two letters appearing in the Editor’s mail column (Sunday Tribune, April 24) on Khushwant Singh’s article, ‘Godmen and devout’ (Saturday Extra, April 16).

The first letter, by T.R. Wadhwa (Dhuri), more than 100 per cent testified Khushwant Singh’s dig at so-called ‘babas’ and ‘self-styled godmen’ like “Shirdi ke Sai Baba” and other divine personalities, whom those obsessed with religion worship.

Finally, the writer of the second letter seems to be a ‘follower’ of the baba. One should come out of this blind faith in view of the fact that our destiny is sealed at the time of birth. God lives within us and not within the four concrete walls of religious places.

Sunder Singh Giani, Mohali

All about ideas
The write-up “Driven by Ideas” (April 26) by Randeep Wadehra reminds me of Alfred Foullee, who explains history by his doctrine of the “idea-forces”, which are supposed to be the prime movers of social change. He says, ‘The idea contains the elements of possibility, which lead to the result that, when it is present in thought, it finds the means of passing into reality.”
“The mind is more receptive to noble ideas and suggestions when there is no food in the stomach. A full stomach makes an empty head”.
Milton said, “As well kill a good man as kill a good idea.” The Indian state must proclaim this policy: “Strict birth control for the procreation of children; but no birth control at all for ideas and ideals. Let the creative minds (and what human mind is not creative?) be fructified and engender as many ideas and ideals as they possibly can. Let them be as prolific as rabbits and codfish.”
In the environment of perfect liberty, only the fittest will survive, and they will then be adopted and developed to maturity by the state.”
Bharat Bhushan Gilotra, Rohtak