|
|
|
|
|
End of an era
Back in reckoning |
|
|
Enabling the disabled
Multi-organ failure
Chasing wrong things
CINEMA: NEW Releases
Missing pull
Amiable attempt
A good time ahead
|
End of an era
Sachin
Tendulkar has, finally, confronted the reality. At 40, the thrill of the chase is over. His race is run. He has bitten the bullet and, heart-wrenching as it may have been, he's decided to retire from the sport he's played and trained for at least 30 years, and which he's graced with his skill and his class. Tendulkar's career will end next month after the second Test match against West Indies. The announcement of the decision has made fans across the world relive the last 24 years of their lives - the little man from Mumbai has become a very important part of the lives of millions. India has grown up with the habit of Sachin. In the 2011 population census, 80 per cent of Indians were born in or after the year 1967; the oldest among them were 22 when Tendulkar blazed like a rare meteor across the horizon. The TV boom ensured that Tendulkar gave more memorable moments to more Indians than any other person, ever. Cricket fanatics — even the ones who have frequently disparaged Tendulkar for, allegedly, not winning enough matches for India, or for slowing down as he neared a 100, or for being completely usurped by the marketers — fell in love with him when he was 16. As a chubby lad with a curly, halo-like hairdo, he played the fastest bowlers and the wiliest spinners without fear, with authority. The purity of his technique, his hunger for runs were phenomenal. He inspired great expectations, he never let anyone down. He possessed the very Indian quality of respecting people for being older; he guided and advised the younger players. Tendulkar is not perfect, but India's love affair with him never ended. The body of work of the genius will be complete at age 40, a fate that is unique to sportspersons. But Tendulkar will continue to awe and inspire people. He's not the likeliest person to become a commentator or an administrator. But he wields enormous influence over people due to his integrity and sincerity and can do much good. For starters, he could work on improving his poor Rajya Sabha attendance figures, and pursue his dream to make sport more relevant to India's children.
|
|
Back in reckoning
Some
of the best known names in the world of literature have never received the most coveted prize for literature - the Nobel. Not even Leo Tolstoy, Marcel Proust, James Joyce, Emile Zola, Henrik Ibsen and Mark Twain. In his will, Alfred Nobel had wished the award to be given to the most outstanding work in an ideal direction. Over the years the term 'idealism' created much confusion and came to be interpreted broadly as works of lasting merit, championing human rights, which made the selection of works more political. This year too when almost everyone believed that Japanese marathon runner and writer of magical realism Haruki Murukami would be the front runner in the race for Nobel, the award went to a lesser known Alice Munro (82), a Canadian writer who had won the Man Booker International Prize in 2009. Munro is honoured for her ability to create pitch-perfect empathy with her small-town female characters, which remains almost undetectable in her short stories. She is often compared with Anton Chekhov, whose art of story-telling was termed as the apotheosis of this genre. Chekhov revolutionised story writing with his amazing humanism, but never received the Nobel. What makes Munro's stories more deserving for Nobel than Chekhov's? Her works seem to deal with bastions of domesticity, but she flays this material with the unflinching efficiency of a hunter skinning a rabbit. Her best-known short-story collection "Too Much Happiness" deals with sensational subjects that would better suit pulp: violence, adultery, extreme cruelty, duplicity, theft, suicide and murder. By honouring an author of short stories, the Swedish Academy may have instilled fresh oxygen in this almost dying genre. Since Nam Le's brilliant collection of short stories "The Boat," one has not heard of a collection of stories being talked about in literary circles. In India, despite a glorious tradition of short story writing, no publishing house gives a place to story collections. With Munro's books crowding the book stores post- Nobel, chances are the short story format will get a new lease of life.
|
|
|
Enabling the disabled
Though
the need for inclusion and productive engagement of the disabled has been stressed time and again, the status of their employment in India leaves much to be desired. The Supreme Court's directive to the Centre and the state governments to identify within three months the posts and vacancies meant for persons with disabilities for accommodating them under the 3 per cent quota is both a landmark and an imperative. In a country where a significant percentage of people suffer from some or the other disability and where societal attitudes are marked by insensitivity rather than empathy for the disabled, the apex court's observations are pertinent and hopefully will enable many to find what is rightfully theirs. For quite some time India has been making the right kind of noises, and to be fair, has made many important moves too. While laws like the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995 were framed keeping in mind the right of the disabled to lead a life of dignity, in 2007 India ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Besides, the Central Government adopted a national policy which recognises the value of people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the ground reality, despite individual examples like visually challenged Ajit Kumar making it to the prestigious civil services, hasn't changed much. The fact that states like Haryana were unable to fill the posts reserved for the disabled proves that many initiatives remain on the paper. While the governments are under an obligation to protect the interests of the disabled, the public sector too must wake up to its social responsibility and tap their abilities. The real barometer of a society's progress lies in the way it treats it most vulnerable sections. While disabled-friendly laws, pertinently those dealing with employment, must be implemented in letter and spirit, public spaces in India too must address the requirements of people with special needs.
|
|
|
A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. — Lou Holtz
|
Multi-organ failure
The
Indian economy is passing through an extremely critical situation which was acknowledged by the RBI last fortnight by raising the interest rates. The economy is suffering not only from the global spillovers but also from domestic ailments for quite some time now. This is reflected not only in the lower growth rate of 4.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2013-14 but also in the spluttering exchange rate. The global spillovers are expected to continue, probably worsen, once the unwinding of the unconventional monetary policy actually begins in the US. The scenario is expected to be challenging amid the ever-widening current account deficit (CAD), worsening fiscal targets, persistence of high inflation, slowing growth, deteriorating asset quality of banks and depleting levels of confidence of the markets in governance. These challenges are not easy to face for any country. But first we must have the correct diagnosis and only then can we strategise to stage a respectable recovery. The first signs of deterioration in the economy, if analysed on a quarterly basis in a dis-aggregated manner, began in 2009-10 with CAD of more than 3 per cent of GDP in three quarters. In 2010-11 manufacturing had succumbed to lower growth and by 2011-12 services and construction followed suit. Thus the country has been in the ICU, in the economic sense, for more than a year with a multi-organ failure. The index of industrial production has been stagnating at very low levels for the last two years. The pervasiveness of the slowdown is reflected in a wide range of industries. The growth rate of manufacturing of 2.7 per cent and 1.0 per cent in last two years compared to 11.3 in 2009-10 seems appalling. Some industries like motor vehicles have registered contraction. The services sector has recorded the lowest growth in 11 years at 6.8 per cent during 2012-13. The growth rates in construction, tourist arrivals, and cargo traffic have declined over the last two years. And in the absence of a credible measure of real interest rate, national savings and investments have also been declining. To curtail CAD the government has increased the import duty on gold. This and other steps, as would be expected, have resulted, according to press reports, in higher smuggling of gold. However, despite the efforts of the government and stringent measures by the RBI, CAD during April to June 2013 continued to be high. On the other hand, the oil subsidy has been reduced with a monthly reset. But the additional expenditure on the Food Security Bill would probably compensate the reduction in the oil subsidy. In such a depressing situation, recovery on account of a good monsoon can neither be immediate nor substantial. After all, agriculture only accounts for about 13.7 per cent of the total GDP. And, in view of the food Bill, the assessment of agriculture production and food grain requirement will also change. The impact of the Land Acquisition Bill, on both industry and agriculture, is yet to be assessed. To stage a respectable recovery, some concrete steps are required. First, there is a need to reduce the twin deficits. The best antidote against these deficits is high growth. To achieve high growth, the government has to identify sectors which have potential growth and initiate targeted measures. In a weak economy, a revenue-led fiscal correction is rather difficult. Expenditure compression may also be difficult unless there is a sharp reduction in capital outlay or substantial increase in government borrowings. A reduction in capital expenditure would imply lower accumulation of assets and increased borrowings leading to higher interest payments, both burdensome in an inter-generational sense. Thus, the complex situation demands a careful analysis. Exchange rates play an important role in exports and imports and an over-valued currency could also be a cause of high CAD. In determination of exchange rates, inflation differential between two countries is a crucial factor. As inflation has been high in India as compared with the US, the exchange rate should be permitted to adjust according to market forces. China prefers to have a highly depreciated currency while, it seems, India prefers to have an overvalued currency. China prefers the beggar-thy-neighbour policy to grab a larger share of global exports while India, it seems, prefers, enrich-thy-neighbour policy by insisting on maintaining an over-valued currency, losing its share in global exports. Similar is the story of interest rates, which impact not only investment decisions but also consumption decisions of consumer durables like white goods and automobiles. As a citizen, it is clear that the Union Ministry of Finance and the RBI are aware of the grim situation. But what is not clear is whether the two have a common view on the diagnostics of the problem? Is it high interest rates, policy paralysis, governance deficit or simple uncertainty that is the cause of lack of demand and slow growth? In the absence of a credible and common diagnosis, at least in the perception of the common public, how would a strategic recovery path emerge that inspires confidence in the course of treatment? It is this lack of direction and forward guidance that probably is confusing the market. To move ahead and to navigate the economy through such a turbulent period, it would be helpful for the country if a committee of economic experts is constituted and mandated to arrive at a consensual approach forward, similar to the National Advisory Council or a panel of doctors treating multi-organ failure. That is the need of the hour, irrespective of ideologies, and the common Indian, even if illiterate, is neither new nor afraid of facing challenges. But responding to uncertainty, and confusion, of course is a different story and the legend of Ashwathama is The writer is the RBI Chair Professor of Economics, IIM, Bangalore. The views expressed are personal.
|
|||
Chasing wrong things My father is an active social worker and a very observant man, always keen on helping others. A couple of days ago he told us about an incident that happened with him while coming back from work. He was driving home when he saw an elderly man, maybe in his 70s, trying to cross the road. It was a crowded road and he was unable to move. My father parked his bike and went to the man to help him. He softly held his hand to help him across but the old man jerked away his hand with an angry look on his face. My father kept standing by his side. Every time he tried to cross the road, he failed. After trying for several minutes, he looked at my father with a helpless and guilty look. My father again took his hand and helped him to the other side of the road. Just as he was about to leave his hand, the old man grabbed it and said, "Kaash har ghar mein aise log hote" (I wish every home had people like you). He continued to walk on the road but my father stood rooted to the place, thinking how lonely the old man would have been. Was he shocked to get help when he least expected it or was he so used to being on his own all the time that my father's display of affection unnerved him? Listening to this incident I was reminded of a Romanian folklore. Once, in very ancient times, people of Romania thought that the old people were an unnecessary encumbrance. Since they couldn't do much work and were dependent, it was decided that all people above the age of 50 would be killed. A young man, who had a lot of respect and love for his father, hid him in a cellar to save him and took good care of him. Many years passed and the country was hit by a famine. All the food grains were exhausted and there was nothing left to sow. The old man saw all the sickness and suffering from his cellar. He called his worried son and told him to plough the soil outside his house. He did so, and finally when the rain came, wheat began sprouting at some places. Soon the news spread that a man who had sown nothing was reaping the crop. The king summoned him and asked him about his secret. After much hesitation, the boy told the truth that his father had told him to do so. He knew that when people brought the crop home, many grains were spilled on the soil outside their houses and the same grains sprouted outside his house. The king was surprised at the old man's wisdom and he handsomely rewarded him and his son. Elders are an ocean of wisdom, knowledge and experience. Their guidance is like a rudder that steers a ship in the right direction. When I look around, I see people trying to own things: a new car, a bigger house, another piece of designer jewellery. And while doing so, they forget that they have left behind so much. I wonder if money can ever be the substitute for comradeship and tenderness. I am reminded of a lovely passage from the book "Tuesdays with Morrie":"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and
meaning."
|
|||
CINEMA: NEW Releases
when
an anti-war message comes in the shape of a spoof expectedly the first casualty is logic. So once you are ready to give rationale and factual accuracy as well as attention to detail a wide berth, you can sit back and enjoy this comic take that comes loaded with a strong message. Certainly the film whose intentions are amply clear in the title as well as all through the narrative isn’t an out an out laugh riot. Sure to begin with one is alarmed by the audaciousness of the writer, at the manner in which he mocks at the Pakistani Army. One of the funniest characters in the film is a Pakistani Commander Khan pulled off well by Sanjay Mishra. Javed Jaffery is trumps too. Actually much of the comic brigade are Pakistanis. Then there is Mukul Dev in an interesting part of a misguided Afghani infiltrator. But if the director makes fun of those from across the border he humanises them too. At the end of the film, the heroic efforts of the hero and the heroine in stalling war notwithstanding, it’s these characters who walk away with our hearts. To be honest, the writer doesn’t stop shy of lampooning Indians too. But here it’s the usual pet favourites, the standard sitting ducks for all satire. So it’s the political class and the media that he takes potshots at. Dalip Tahil in several roles, including that of Indian defence minister, is his prime target of ridicule. The Indian Army, however, the director leaves alone and not just because our hero Sharman Joshi is a captain in the Army. Probably he realises he dare not touch a raw nerve. But emotional chord despite the bizarreness of it all he does manage to touch. No one wants war…. is the overriding refrain and echoes through the most significant section of the population the youth wired to the world. Of course, in the tale of how a pretty journalist (Soha Ali Khan) manages to avert war…. you have to suspend credulity and belief. Indeed, yes the bonhomie between soldiers across the border is as jingoistic as some of our war movies riding high on patriotism. In short, does the director oversimplify things? No doubt. But you can’t help but feel—wish the reality was as simple and the enmity between the warring nations could come to an end as simply as it does in the film. In tension fraught times for this thought alone you can watch the film from which the chances are despite the cheesiness of it all you may walk out with a smile.
|
|
Missing pull That this phenomenon is graphically captured is creditable but that feeling of awe, if one really feels it, does not last long. After all, the story is the thing, and the father-son team of Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron has a wafer-thin story centred on biomedical engineer Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) stranded in space after their space shuttle Explorer is hit by debris from a recently crashed satellite. The sounds and FX are perfect, but however lucid they too tend to get repetitive, even monotonous. So does the heavy breathing by Dr Stone and this leaves the viewer neither here nor there. Sandra Bullock out of her space shuttle in vest and shorts is easier on the eye but not by much. After a long-stretched out middle there is a climax of sorts. For plus points, Sandra Bullock (who seems to be shedding her girl-next-door persona, earlier she was a cop in Heat) is expressive as one mostly sees her face behind the space suit and the handsome but ageing Clooney is totally wasted. Only for those looking to be spaced out.
|
|
Amiable attempt The film begins with the Chupke Chupke premise where a love sick Kabir (Ali Fazal) who is in love with Rachna (Anisa Butt) decides to con her uncle Professor Laxmi Nivas (Gulshan Grover) into taking him on as a devoted shishya —just so that he (the former) can get him(the uncle) to agree to the marriage. Of course the Professor’s wife (Amrita Raichand) is more than willing to take advantage of the Guru-Shishya parampara to utilize the more than willing shishya’s talents as a housekeeper cum cook. That’s particularly not something that would sit well in a reality check. Though the script doesn’t have much to laugh about, the antics of the individual characters do appear smile worthy. Unfortunately it’s not all stitched together well enough to make it sweet. The songs are peppy though and the performances quite remarkable considering that there was precious little to work on-for the actors. Ali Fazal and Gulshan Grover pull off double roles with distinctive flair, Amrita Raichand appears to be enjoying herself immensely, Anisa Butt is just about bearable and Razzak Khan impresses as the gay leaning Don. The non-existent humour, though, dampens the spirits quite a bit here!
|
||
|
A good time ahead So, he goes back in time to correct the mistake and though it makes a change in his circumstances it brings to light some other not-so-pleasant experiences. Is it a remedy worse than the disease? But Tim goes about his task manfully. May be 123 minutes is a tad too long. There are no outstanding performances either. Domhnall Gleeson is just about average and Mary McAdams is easy on the eye. Cameo player Bill Nighy is again effective and so is Tom Hallander. All in all. About Time is surely worth taking a look at.
|
||
|
Saturday,
October 12
Fukrey is a comedy film directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba and starring Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh, Richa Chadda, Vishakha Singh, and Priya Anand in the lead roles. The story and dialogues are written by Vipul Vig and the screenplay was written by Vig and Lamba. ZEE CINEMA 9:19AM Teri Meherbaniyan 12:18PM Arya: Ek Deewana 3:05PM Durga IPS 6:05PM Bhai 9:00PM Vishwatma INDIA TALKIES 9:30AM Heyy Babyy 1:00PM Devdas 4:30PM Mr. Natwarlal 8:00PM Aan ZEE CLASSIC 9:40AM Keemat 12:24PM Dharam Karam 3:31PM Arzoo 7:00PM Johny Mera Naam 10:00PM Bandhan ZEE STUDIO 8:00AM Babe 10:10AM United 93 1:00PM Real Steel 3:30PM Back to the Future Part III 6:00PM Marvel Iron Man (Season 1) 6:30PM Marvel Iron Man (Season 1) 7:00PM 25th Hour 9:30PM The Tudors (Season 1) 10:30PM Pearl Harbor STAR MOVIES 9:16AM The Front Row with Anupama Chopra 9:46AM Flight of the Phoenix 12:00PM The Avengers (2012) 2:41PM Six Days Seven Nights 4:52PM The Big Boss 7:01PM Bolt 9:00PM Butter 11:26PM Hellboy II: The Golden Army MOVIES OK 8:15AM Chaahat 11:30AM Bhagam Bhag 2:40PM Raja Hindustani 5:50PM Nafrat Ki Jung 8:00PM Agneepath 11:35PM Black Water STAR GOLD 8:30AM Aisha 11:15AM Veer 2:40PM Kurukshetra 5:10PM Jodi No.1 8:00PM Fukrey 10:55PM Dilwale ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Fareb 10:30AM Wardaat: The Revenge 1:30PM Police Aur Mujrim 5:30PM Sahhas 8:30PM Ek Aur Zalim SET MAX 7:00AM Vaastav: The Reality 10:30AM The Super Khiladi 1:00PM Mujhse Dosti Karoge 3:30PM Singh is Kinng 9:00PM No.1 Mr Perfect Sunday, October 13
Shootout at Wadala is a crime thriller written and directed by Sanjay Gupta. It is a prequel to the 2007 hit Shootout at Lokhandwala, and it is the second installment of the Shootout series. It is based on the book Dongri to Dubai. The film features John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut, Tusshar Kapoor, Manoj Bajpai and Sonu Sood in lead roles. ZEE CINEMA 9:09AM Haatim Tai 12:04PM Yamlok 2:50PM Krishna Aur Kans 5:31PM Mr. India 9:00PM Tirangaa INDIA TALKIES 1:00PM Housefull 4:30PM Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam 8:00PM No Problem ZEE STUDIO 9:00AM Pearl Harbor 1:00PM The Frighteners 3:15PM 25th Hour 6:00PM Marvel Iron Man (Season 1) 6:30PM Marvel Iron Man (Season 1) 7:00PM Pride and Prejudice (Season 1996) 9:30PM The Tudors (Season 1) 10:30PM Bowfinger ZEE CLASSIC 9:39AM Saudagar (1973) 12:30PM Mother India 3:50PM Geraftaar 7:00PM Bobby 10:00PM Kalicharan MOVIES OK 8:35AM I Hate Luv Storys 11:20AM One Two Three 2:15PM Ferrari Ki Sawaari 5:05PM Nagin 8:00PM The Great Veera 11:00PM Kahaani STAR GOLD 9:30AM Zokkomon 11:45AM Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani 2:55PM Ramayana: The Epic 5:05PM Ek Aur Ek Gyarah: By Hook or by Crook 8:00PM Dangerous Khiladi 10:40PM Deewar: Lets Bring Our Heroes Home ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Khatarnaak 10:30AM Ek Dulaara 1:30PM Purani Haveli 5:30PM Mohabbat Ke Dushman 8:30PM Suraj STAR MOVIES 9:24AM Ghost Rider 11:36AM National Treasure: Book of Secrets 2:11PM Terminator Salvation 4:28PM Hellboy II: The Golden Army 6:50PM The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 9:00PM Ice Age: Continental Drift 10:41PM The Hulk SET MAX 7:00AM Movie 10:30AM Dhoom 2 1:00PM Shootout at Wadala 6:30PM Rowdy Rathore 8:00PM Shootout at Wadala
|
||
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
But packed with some genuinely funny moments it has you laughing at more than one juncture. And guess what, amidst the laughs and fun it makes your eyes moist as well. Actually in the madness that the director unleashes he doesn’t lose sight of the film’s one point refrain—war has helped none and is quite unnecessary really war hai bekaar. 
“I know I’m devastatingly handsome, but don’t stare at me,” tries Kowalski bravely. But with only two characters to evince interest is a clear no-no.
When
Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is a guy who comes from a family accustomed to traveling in time. It all began with his dad (Bill Nighy). And Tim has good reason to do so when he misses the bus as far as cute Mary (Rachel McAdams) is concerned. Tim is too shy to kiss Mary on his first date.
Fukrey
Shootout at Wadala