रेनी कुजूर, मशहूर अंतरराष्ट्रीय पॉप सिंगर ‘रिहाना’ की तरह दिखनी वाली भारतीय मूल की मॉडल हैं। इस छत्तीसगढ़ी आदिवासी युवती का मॉडलिंग की दुनिया में अपना करियर चुनना, प्रतिस्पर्धा के बाद दिल्ली से लन्दन पहुंचना और एक मुकाम हासिल करने के पीछे काफी संघर्ष छुपा है।

रेनी कुजूर छतीसगढ़ के जशपुर ज़िले के पिरई गांव की रहने वाली हैं, जो एक आदिवासी समुदाय से सम्बन्ध रखती हैं। उनके पिता फिडेलियस कुजूर दिल्ली में स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय में कार्यालय अधीक्षक के पद पर कार्यरत थे। लेकिन, रिटायरमेंट से पहले हृदय एवं कैंसर जैसी बीमारी से पीड़ित होने के कारण उन्हें अपना सरकारी जॉब छोड़कर अपने पैतृक गांव छतीसगढ़ वापस आना पड़ा। यहां आकर वे खेती बाड़ी के काम में लग गए।

आज उसकी लाडली बेटी सफलता के मुकाम में अपने दम पर पहुंची हैं। यह देखकर उनके पिता फुले नहीं समाते हैं। हालांकि, मां ने उन्हें कई बार कहा कि तू काली है, मॉडलिंग की दुनिया में सुंदर और गोरी लड़कियां ही सफल होती हैं। तुम मॉडलिंग करने का सपना छोड़ दो और अपने करियर पर ध्यान दो। बावजूद इसके रेनी ने अपना विचार नहीं बदला और मॉडलिंग को अपना करियर बनाने के लिए वो दिल्ली वापस आ गईं।

रेनी भावुक होकर एक इंटरव्यू में कहती हैं,

लोग आगे नहीं बढ़ने देते हैं हम ट्राइबल लड़कियों को। वे सोचते हैं कि हम ट्राइबल लड़कियां कुछ नहीं कर सकती हैं। हम आदिवासी लोग सिर्फ सरकारी नौकरियों से ऊपर सोच ही नहीं सकते। परन्तु मैं इस सोच को बदलना चाहती हूं। हम भारतीय अदिवासी लड़कियां सब कुछ करने में योग्य हैं, जो वो करना चाहती हैं।

रेनी को अपने काले रंग और अंग्रेजी बोलने में कठिनाई की वजह से कई बड़े प्रोजेक्ट में काम नहीं मिला। शुरुआती दौर बड़े ही चैलेंज से भरा हुआ था। कहते हैं कि मॉडलिंग की दुनिया का सच बहुत कड़वा है, एक मॉडल को अपने प्रोजेक्ट हासिल करने के लिए कई तरह के  कॉम्प्रमाइज़ करने पड़ते हैं। लोगों ने भी रेनी को ऐसे प्रपोज़ल दिए लेकिन, उसने हार नहीं मानी और डटी रहीं।

रेनी कुजूर को लोग उनके रंग और छोटी नाक की वजह से रंग सूचक कटाक्ष और ‘चपटी नाक’ वाली लड़की तक कहकर चिढ़ाते थे। रेनी कुजूर का मॉडलिंग तक का सफर युवा वर्ग को एक प्रेरणा देता है और हमें भावनात्मक रूप से सोचने को मजबूर भी करता है। खासकर, भारत जैसे देश में जहां गोरा रंग एक ‘टैबू’ माना जाता है। ऐसे में रेनी की कहानी नए युवा वर्ग को प्रेरित करेगी।

इंटरनेशनल पॉप स्टार रिहाना के दुनियाभर में लाखों करोड़ों फैन्स हैं, तभी तो जब लोगों ने रेनी की तस्वीर और वीडियोज़ सोशल मीडिया यूट्यूब में देखा, तो लोगों को पहचानने में मुश्किल हो गया कि ये रिहाना हैं या रेनी। उनके फोटोशूट और वीडियोज़ सोशल मीडिया में खूब वायरल हो रहे हैं। कई टीवी मीडिया वाले उनके इंटरव्यू के लिए उन्हें आमंत्रित कर रहे हैं।

रेनी एक इंटरव्यू में बताती हैं कि जब पहली बार वह रैम्प में एक गुड़ियां की तरह उतरी तो लोग उन्हें देखते ही चिल्ला उठे, “देखो, देखो एक काली परी उतर कर आ गई है।” यह सुनकर रेनी रोते हुए वहां से चली गईं। आज रेनी कुजूर के वे आंसू उनकी ताकत बन गए हैं।

रेनी को खूबसूरत कहने वालों की कोई कमी नहीं है। आज कुछ लोग कहते हैं, कुछ परियां काली भी होती हैं। पूरा सोशल मीडिया रेनी का दीवाना हो गया है और उसे ‘इंडियन रिहाना’ कहने से कोई दिक्कत नहीं। रिहाना जानी-मानी पॉप सिंगर स्टार हैं। उन्होंने भी अपने शुरुआती दौर में अपने रंग को लेकर बहुत स्ट्रगल किया था। रेनी कुजूर, रिहाना से बहुत प्रभावित हैं और वो एक बार रिहाना से ज़रूर मिलना चाहती हैं।

रेनी अपने अनुभव को शेयर करते हुए बताती हैं,

मॉडलिंग के दौरान उनका ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा मेकअप किया जाता था, ताकि उनका रंग थोड़ा साफ दिखे। फोटोशूट के बाद उनकी तस्वीर एडिट की जाती थी ताकि उनका रंग ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा सुंदर दिखे।

रेनी ऐसी ही एक घटना का जिक्र करती हैं, एक बार एक मेकअप आर्टिस्ट ने उनका मज़ाक उड़ाते हुए कहा कि सुंदर लड़कियों का  मेकअप करना इतना मुश्किल नहीं होता, जितना रेनी जैसे मॉडल का मेकअप करना है। देखो, काली लड़की को मैंने गोरा बना दिया। इस तरह के व्यवहार से रेनी परेशान ज़रूर हुईं लेकिन, कमज़ोर नहीं हुईं। इतनी दिक्कतें झेलने और ताने सुनने के बावजूद वो अपने करियर के लिए शिद्दत से संघर्ष करती रहीं।

एक दिन उनके कुछ मित्रों ने उससे कहा कि वो पॉप सिंगर ‘रिहाना’ की तरह दिखती हैं। रेनी इसे शायद एक मज़ाक ही समझती रहीं। एक दिन उनके दोस्तों ने बिना मेकअप के उनका फोटोशूट कर लिया। शुरुआत में रेनी, रिहाना वाली बात पर खूब हंसती थीं। लेकिन, धीरे-धीरे सब लोग उनसे यही कहने लगे कि तुम्हारा चेहरा पॉप सिंगर ‘रिहाना’ से बहुत मिलता है। फोटोग्राफर भी अपने क्लाइंट से कहने लगे कि यह  ‘इंडियन रिहाना’ की तस्वीर है। इससे कई क्लाइंट्स इम्प्रेस होने लगे, जिसके कारण रेनी को कई प्रोजेक्ट में अब काम मिलना शुरू गया था। रेनी कहती हैं कि आज रिहाना जैसे दिखने की वजह से मेरे जीवन में काफी चीज़ें आसान हो गई हैं। जैसे, उसे अब यह नहीं कहना पड़ता कि वह सुंदर नहीं हैं। क्योंकि लोग रिहाना को सुंदर और हॉट मानते हैं। रेनी इस बात को पूरे तौर से स्वीकारती हैं कि उनका लूक मशहूर पॉप सिंगर रिहाना से मिलने के कारण रिहाना उसकी लक्की फैक्ट्स हैं।

रेनी कुजूर जैसी आदिवासी लड़कियों का मॉडलिंग की दुनिया का सफर भावनात्मक रूप से सभी को प्रेरित करने वाला है। उनके उस संघर्ष से भरे जीवन से हमें यही सीखना चाहिए कि रंग गोरा हो या काला, एक इंसान के अंदर उसकी नियत और चरित्र खूबसूरत होनी चाहिए।

इस 21वीं सदी में हम भारतीयों को ऊंच-नीच, जात-पात, छोटा-बड़ा, काले- गोरे का फर्क करना अब बंद कर देना चाहिए तभी भारत एक महान देश बन सकता है।

The post ‘इंडियन रिहाना’ रेनी कुजूर, जिन्होंने दुनिया को बताया परियां काली भी होती हैं appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

मैंने विक्रम चंद्रा की लिखी किताब सेक्रेड गेम्स नहीं पढ़ी है। इसलिए गायतोंडे से मेरा पहली बार सामना इस किताब पर बनी नेटफ्लिक्स की वेब सीरीज़ सेक्रेड गेम्स में हुआ।

गायतोंडे की कहानी की शुरुआत एक औरत के कत्ल से होती है। वह अपनी कहानी खत्म करने से पहले भी एक औरत का कत्ल करता है। सबसे पहले गायतोंडे अपनी मां की बेवफाई पर पत्थर से सिर फोड़कर उनकी हत्या करता है। अंत में जोजो द्वारा बीस साल तक ‘चुतिया’ बनाये जाने पर वह उसे गोली मार देता है।

जोजो को गोली मारने के कुछ देर बाद ही वह खुद को गोली मार लेता है। मां का कत्ल गायतोंडे की कहानी का पहला अक्षर है और जोजो उसकी कहानी का आखिरी फुलस्टॉप।

सेक्रेड गेम्स के पहले सीज़न में दो और ऐसी औरतों की मौत हुई हैं, जो गायतोंडे के लिए अहम है। कहानी जैसे-जैसे आगे बढ़ती है यह एहसास होते जाता है कि अपने जीवन की हर औरत की मौत पर गायतोंडे ‘जाग’ जाता है। यह जागना हर बार अलग है।

उसकी माँ उसे ‘आज़ाद’ करके जाती हैं और इस आज़ादी में वह शहर में अपनी भूमिका की तलाश करता है। इस आज़ादी के बाद वह खुद को हर उस शख्स से आज़ाद कर देता है, जो उसके रास्ते का रोड़ा हो। चाहे वह हिन्दू होटल का उसका मालिक हो या कचरे का व्यापारी मोमिन।

दूसरी औरत जिसकी मौत अहम है, वह है ‘कुक्कू’। कुक्कू उसकी चाहत है, उसकी ख्वाहिश है। कुक्कू खुद को जन्नत कहती है और गायतोंडे मानता है कि कुक्कू ही जन्नत है। कुक्कू शरीर से भले पूरी औरत ना हो, गायतोंडे के लिए वह अपने होने में संपूर्ण है। और उसे पूरा देख लेने के बाद भी, गायतोंडे को उससे मोहब्बत है।

जिस वक्त गायतोंडे कह देता है कि उसे कुक्कू का जादू नहीं चाहिए, उसे कुक्कू चाहिए, दर्शक भी मान लेता है कि कुक्कू ही जन्नत है। और इसी के कुछ देर बाद होती है कुक्कू की मौत। इसके बाद गायतोंडे सदमे में रहता है। द्वेष से उसका शरीर सुलगते रहता है और अपने अंदर की आग वह भाड़े की औरतों के शरीर पर निकालता है। गायतोंडे को कुक्कू ने मरने से मना किया था। और इस बार वह मौत को चुनौती देने के लिए जागता है। परितोष भाई की मौत के बदले से हुई यह शुरुआत, उसे और शहर पर उसके खौफ को जगाए रहती है।

तीसरी औरत है सुभद्रा। गायतोंडे की बीवी। जो उसे परितोष भाई का बदला लेने के लिए उकसाती है और बदरिया भाइयों की मौत पर उससे कहती है कि गद्दार को मरना था तो मरना था। सुभद्रा गायतोंडे को ना सिर्फ उसके आक्रोश पर वैधता का ठप्पा लगाती है, बल्कि उसके दिमाग पर भी कब्ज़ा जमा लेती है।

अब तक गायतोंडे को उकसाने वाली एक औरत थी, कांता बाई। वही गणेश गायतोंडे को अपनी सत्ता पर काबिज़ होने का रास्ता दिखाती है। मगर सुभद्रा उसे वहां बने रहना सिखाती है। वह पहली औरत है जो उसे शारिरिक और मानसिक दोनों रूप से नियंत्रिण में रखती है। वह सेक्स के दौरान भी उसपर हावी रहती है।

सुभद्रा शुरू में जितनी सरल दिखती है, वह उतनी ही अधिक शक्तिशाली उभर कर आती है। इसलिए सुभद्रा की मौत सेक्रेड गेम्स के पहले सीज़न की सबसे भयंकर घटना है। इसमें गायतोंडे अस्सी मुसलमानों को मौत के घाट उतारता है और नफरत का प्रलय ला देता है। इसके बाद चालू होता है जेल में लाचारी, बेचारगी और तड़प का वह सिलसिला जो एक वक्त के बाद गायतोंडे के लिए बर्दाश्त से बाहर हो जाता है और उसे लगने लगता है कि वह मर जाएगा। और यहीं से शुरू होता है उसके जीवन का नया अध्याय। इस बार जागने के बाद गायतोंडे क्या तबाही लाता है, यह तो अगले सीज़न में ही पता चलेगा।

अंततः इतना तो मालूम है दर्शकों को कि उस अंतिम औरत जोजो की हत्या के बाद गायतोंडे कुछ ऐसे जागता है कि हमेशा-हमेशा के लिए सो जाना मंज़ूर करता है।

The post सेक्रेड गेम्स: औरतों के मरने पर जागता है गायतोंडे appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

जब से फिल्म धड़क का ट्रेलर जारी हुआ था, तब ही से इसकी तुलना मराठी फिल्म सैराट से की जाने लगी थी। हैरानी की बात तो ये है कि धड़क पहली बॉलीवुड फिल्म नहीं है जो किसी दूसरी भाषा की हिट फिल्म का हिंदी रीमेक हो। लेकिन, सोशल मीडिया के ज़माने में फिल्म की रिलीज़ से पहले ही सैराट के प्रेमियों ने हाय-तौबा मचाई दी। मैंने सोचा था कि धड़क से पहले सैराट देख ली जाए लेकिन, बाद में एहसास हुआ कि वो धड़क के साथ नाइंसाफी होगी।

फिल्म की कहानी उदयपुर की खूबसूरती से शुरू होती है और मुंबई से होते हुए कोलकाता की गलियों में खत्म हो जाती है। अगर आपने फिल्म का ट्रेलर देखा है तो आपको फिल्म के पहले भाग में कुछ नयापन नज़र ही नहीं आएगा। क्योंकि गानों से लेकर डायलॉग तक जो कुछ भी आपने ट्रेलर में देखा वो सभी इंटरवल से पहले की झलकियां हैं। दूसरा भाग दिलचस्प तो है लेकिन, उसमें मनोरंजन की कमी खलने लगती है, क्योंकि धड़क जिस गति से पहले भाग में दिलों को धड़काती है, दूसरे भाग में धीमी पड़ जाती है।

कहानी में कुछ नया नहीं है। अमीर लड़की और गरीब लड़के के बीच प्रेम कहानी बॉलीवुड में सदियों पुरानी है लेकिन, यहां “ऊंची जाति की लड़की और नीची जाति का लड़का” वाला फॉर्मूला अपनाया गया है। हालांकि इसका एहसास आपको फिल्म में मधुकर बगला के पिताजी के डायलॉग से ही हो पाता है। इस तरह की कहानियां आप आये दिन अखबारों में पढ़ने के साथ-साथ छोटे पर्दे पर क्राइम-पेट्रॉल और सावधान इंडिया जैसे शोज़ में देखते रहते हैं।

शशांक खेतान ने फिल्म की कहानी भी लिखी है तो निर्देशन की कमान भी संभाली है। लेकिन इस बार दोनों ही जगह वे कहीं ना कहीं दर्शकों का दिल जीतने में कामयाब नहीं हो पाए। फिल्म की यूएसपी है बॉलीवुड में कदम रखने वाले दो नए चेहरे। जहां श्रीदेवी की बेटी जाह्नवी कपूर ने पार्थवी सिंह का किरदार निभाया है तो वहीं मधुकर बागला के रोल में शाहीद कपूर के छोटे भाई ईशान खट्टर नज़र आये हैं।

अदाकारी की बात करें तो दोनों ने ही अपने किरदारों को जिस मासूमियत से निभाया है वो दर्शकों का मन जीत लेती है। फिल्म में जितनी खूबसूरती से उदयपुर को दिखाया गया है, उतनी ही खूबसूरत जाह्नवी लगी हैं और अमीर बाप की खूबसूरत घमंडी बेटी पार्थवी के किरदार में उन्होंने जान फूंक दी है। जाह्नवी में स्टार क्वालिटी है, यदि उन्होंने सही फिल्मों का चयन किया तो अदाकारी के मामले में उन्हें श्रीदेवी बनने में ज़्यादा समय नहीं लगेगा।

ईशान अपनी अदाकारी का लोहा अपनी पहली ही फिल्म ‘बियॉन्ड दी क्लाउड्स’ में मनवा चुके हैं और प्यार में पागल-मजनू मधुकर के रोल को भी उन्होंने बखूबी निभाया है। लेकिन वो आपको बार-बार शाहिद कपूर की याद दिलाएंगे और ये उनके फिल्मी सफर के लिए भारी पड़ सकता है।

शाहिद कपूर ने भी अपने करियर की शुरुआत में बहुत सारी टीनएज लव स्टोरीज़ वाली फिल्में ही की थी और वो टाइपकास्ट हो गए थे। उस छवि को बदलने में उनको सालों लग गए थे। ठीक उसी तरह जब धड़क की कहानी पांच साल आगे बढ़ती है, तो जिस मेच्योरिटी की ज़रूरत किरदार को थी वो ईशान के चेहरे पर दिखाई नहीं पड़ती है। यहां जाह्नवी बाज़ी मार जाती हैं, क्योंकि भले ही फिल्म देखने जाते समय आपके दिमाग में श्रीदेवी की बेटी का ख्याल आये लेकिन, धड़क के ज़रिये वो एक अलग छाप छोड़ती हैं।

सह-कलाकारों में आशुतोष राणा अपनी दमदार अदाकारी से आपका ध्यान खींचते हैं और उनके किरदार के ज़रिये जो फिल्म में राजनीति दिखाई गयी है वो दिलचस्प है। अंकित बिष्ट और श्रीधर वत्सर ने मधुकर के दोस्तों के किरदारों को अच्छे से निभाया है और बाकी कलाकारों ने भी अपने किरदारों को ईमानदारी से निभाया है।

मैंने सैराट तो नहीं देखी लेकिन, फिर भी इतना ज़रूर कह सकता हूं कि सैराट को धड़क बनाने के लिए जितने भी प्रयोग किये गए वो शायद सफल नहीं हो पाए। उदहारण के तौर पर, सैराट मराठी पृष्ठभूमि पर आधारित है, जिसे मराठियों ने खूब पसंद किया। यहां धड़क को महाराष्ट्र से उठाकर राजस्थान तो ले आया गया लेकिन, कोई भी राजस्थानी इस कहानी से जुड़ाव महसूस नहीं कर पाता। मैं खुद एक राजस्थानी हूं और जिस तरह की राजस्थानी भाषा का प्रयोग फिल्म में किया गया है, वह भाषा राजस्थान के किसी भी क्षेत्र में नहीं बोली जाती।

यदि फिल्म में राजस्थान ही दिखाना था तो उदयपुर जैसे बड़े शहर को छोड़कर किसी छोटे कसबे को चुना होता तो शायद राजस्थान के दर्शक फिल्म से जुड़ाव महसूस कर पाते। इस मामले में मेरी पसंद फिल्म पार्च्ड रहेगी, जिसने पिछले कुछ सालों में अपनी फिल्म के ज़रिये राजस्थान के एक क्षेत्र रंग को बखूबी दिखाया था।

दूसरा जिस बेबाकी से सैराट में ‘जाति के आधार पर समाज में भेदभाव’ के मुद्दे को उठाया है, विवादों से बचने के लिए धड़क के निर्माता-निर्देशकों ने उसे प्राथमिकता ही नहीं दी है और शायद इसीलिए लोग सही कह रहे हैं कि ‘धड़क कभी सैराट’ नहीं बन सकती। मेरा मानना है कि धड़क को सैराट बनने की ज़रूरत भी नहीं है, क्योंकि काफी समय बाद एक ऐसी फिल्म आयी है, जिसे आप पूरे परिवार के साथ बैठकर सहजता से देख सकते हैं। ये फिल्म आपको हंसाएगी, रुलाएगी और आपका मनोरंजन करने के साथ-साथ एक अहम सन्देश भी देगी।

The post धड़क रिव्यू: सैराट को भूलकर मूवी देखने जाइए, जाह्ववी और ईशान आपका दिल जीत लेंगे appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Since the release of “Sanju”, there’s been a steady interest about biopics on relevant people, unsung heroes and achievers among the Indian audiences. Recently, the film “Soorma” released without any fanfare or melodrama. Why is no one talking about the film which is based on the life of the Arjuna Award-winning Hockey player Sandeep Singh?

Perhaps this is because we are attuned to lapping up stories which are very dramatic and even ‘spicy’. However, the inspiring story of “Soorma” which is told in an understated manner, really deserves our appreciation. Director Shaad Ali has recreated an impressive story of hope, dedication and inspiration based on the life of the former Hockey captain Sandeep Singh.

Set in the small dreamy city of Shahabad in 1994, the film narrates the story of young Sandeep Singh played by Diljit Dosanjh. His love for Hockey fades away because of his strict coach. But his love for the character of Harpreet, played by Taapsee Pannu encourages him to make a comeback to the game. Basically, the movie has all the crucial elements needed for a commercial biopic and yet maintains the basic core of the story.

The first half of the movie revolves around subtle moments between his family, Sandeep’s love interest and glimpses of the game until the interval. After this, Singh is accidentally shot, and his life takes a complete turn.

It’s the second half of the movie which showcases the real dedication of a true sportsman, who feels a sense of responsibility towards his family and his country. Diljit Dosanjh fits into the role effortlessly and showcases the hard work and determination of the sportsman that is Sandeep Singh. He understood the depth and conflict of the character and essayed it beautifully on-screen.

Executing Shaad Ali’s balanced screenplay, actors like Suyash Trivedi and Siva Ananth, played their characters with a sense of restraint and nuance. Taapsee Pannu is at her usual best in this film, her character ensures that Sandeep Singh becomes a successful Hockey player. Angad Bedi, who plays Sandeep’s elder brother Bikram also shines in this film with his performance. I feel he’s an underrated actor who definitely needs to be seen in more films.

Apart from the smaller roles, played remarkably by Satish Kaushik, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Danish Hussain, the one person who had a lot of my attention was Sandeep Singh’s coach, Harry, played by Vijay Raaz. His Bihari one-liners perfectly add humour to an otherwise emotional movie. The songs in the film are situational and add to the realistic and simplistic essence of the film.

Go watch “Soorma” if you believe in heroism, failure, and a sportsman’s determination to fight back for himself and his country. The film tells the real-life story of Sandeep Singh and the reality of his journey with no melodrama.

The post ‘Soorma’ Is A Must-Watch Biopic With No Melodrama appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

बचपन की बातें और बचपन का दौर सबको खूबसूरत लगता है लेकिन, इस बात का एहसास जवानी और बुढ़ापे में ही सबसे ज़्यादा होता है अर्थात उस दौर से गुज़र जाने के बाद। जवानी में जब हम मुड़कर बचपन में झांकते हैं तो उस दौर का हर लम्हा हंसी नज़र आता है और यह सोचकर हमारे चेहरे पर एक मुस्कान तैर जाती है। साथ ही आती है एक आह जो फिर से उस वक्त को जीने की चाह लिए होती है लेकिन, ऐसा होता कहां है। वक्त का कारवां एक बार गुज़र गया तो बस गुज़र गया, फिर तो बस यादें ही रह जाती हैं।

खैर! कुल मिलाकर कहना ये है कि बचपन का दौर एक खूबसूरत दौर होता है, नादानी और बदमाशी भरा दौर। 

हाल ही में यूट्यूब चैनल TVF ने एक सीरीज़ शुरू की है ‘ये मेरी फैमिली’, जिसमें 90 के दशक की पृष्ठभूमि में एक परिवार की कहानी को दिखाया गया है। एक छोटा परिवार पति-पत्नी और तीन बच्चे हैं। मुख्य रूप से इन्हीं पात्रों के आसपास कहानी चलती है। बीच-बीच में कुछ और पात्रों का रोल भी है लेकिन, इस कहानी का मुख्य आकर्षण है उस परिवार का छोटा बेटा हर्षू, जिसकी नादानी और करामात देखकर आप मुस्कुराए बिना नहीं रह पाएंगे और कुछ देर के लिए अपने बचपन में लौट जाएंगे। 

आजकल टीवी पर चल रहे ज़्यादातर धारावाहिक की कहानी किसी परिवार के इर्दगिर्द ही बनी हुई होती है लेकिन, उनमें इतना जोड़-तोड़ और दिखावापन होता है जो हमने या आपने अपने आसपास शायद ही देखा हो। मतलब सच्चाई कम ड्रामा ज़्यादा। ऐसे में यह वेब सीरीज़ फैमिली ड्रामा के लिहाज़ से अपनी एक अलग ही पहचान बनाती है, जिसमें ना ड्रामा है ना बहुत कुछ ऐसा जो हमारे आपके परिवारों में ना होता हो। यह शो बहुत छोटी-छोटी बातें छोटी-छोटी खुशियां, मासूमियत और बांकपन लिए है हुए जो हर किसी को भाएगा।

शो देखते हुए बीच-बीच में कई बार ऐसा लगा कि अरे यार ये तो किया ही नहीं मैंने, ये छूट गया करना, मौका मिले तो कर लूं। यही जो ख्वाहिश है, वही इस कहानी की सार्थकता की ओर इशारा करती है।

जब एक 6वीं, 7वीं में पढ़ने वाला बच्चा बड़े भाई की बात सुन रहा है, मम्मी-पापा की बात भी सुन रहा है, जल्दी से बड़ा होकर अपने भाई के जितना अटेंशन पाना चाहता है जो कि उसे छोटा होने के कारण नहीं मिल रही है और छोटा होने के नाते मम्मी-पापा से यह भी सुनना पड़ता है कि अपने भाई की तरह बनो। सबसे खूबसूरत बात कि जब पहली बार एहसास होता है कि अरे क्लास में ये लड़की है जो बहुत प्यारी लगती है और उसको इम्प्रेस करने के लिए उस मासूम उम्र में ही जितने प्रयास किए जाते हैं वो तो इस कहानी की रूह है। ऐसे में एक दोस्त जो लव गुरु का रोल अदा करता है उसका कॉन्फिडेंस देखकर बड़े-बड़े मोहब्बत करने वाले और समझने वाले भी दंग रह जाएं। 

हमेशा से बड़े भाई की गद्दी हथियाने की ख्वाहिश लिए छोटा भाई जब देखता है कि बड़ा भाई बाहर पढ़ने जा रहा है और देखते-देखते चला जाता है तो उसे अचानक से महसूस होता है कि उसने ऐसा भी नहीं चाहा था और फिर बड़े भाई की कमी भी महसूस करता है ।

कुल मिलकर एक खूबसूरत, प्यार और मासूमियत से बुनी गई कहानी, जिसे देखकर हम मासूमियत और इनोसेंसी की खुराक ले सकते हैं।

इस दौर में इस तरह के और शोज़ की ज़रूरत महसूस होती है, जो इसे देखने के बाद निश्चित रूप से बढ़ जाएगी। बाकि शो की खासियत आप देखकर ही जानें तो बेहतर है।

The post ‘ये मेरी फैमिली’: TVF का ये शो आपको बचपन की मासूमियत वाले दौर में ले जाएगा appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Dear Mamta,

I have admired your work. I have admired the way you fought and beat cancer. You came back to work and gave us memorable performances. At Grihalakshmi’s midnight women’s half marathon, you ran in the front with Parvathy, Pearle Maaney and Sunitha Krishnan (who also happens to be a rape survivor fighting and working for other survivors). I was there too, I admired how you stood in the front and encouraged women to do their best. Well, the marathon was intended to make the statement that it is a woman’s right to occupy public spaces no matter how late it is! And here you are, making the counterclaim!

*sigh*

I read your interview with TOI which only reflected what I, as a woman living in India, have heard over the years from elders (who don’t care if a guy showed up late at home drunk but get butthurt when girls show up half an hour later than promised), and politicians who would rather depend on the privileged person’s vote more than women’s (here are some gems for you). I had hoped that the current generation of influencers will move forward and discard these age-old concepts.

Even the brightest and those who can only be described as ultra-modern, happen to have a brain that regressed with their attempts at pleasing patriarchal power structures. I don’t know if that is what you intended to do.

When the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was formed, you made it clear that you are not a part of it, neither did you want to be. It is entirely your decision to not be a part or to support the actress who dared to speak out against actor Dileep. However, blaming the victim is uncalled for.

In an interview with the Times of India, you said, “However, the other day I heard someone say that some of the articles had it that instead of AMMA protecting its daughter, it’s shielding its son. It almost sounded like a joke to me. Firstly, it sounds very biased and secondly, to someone who is reading it, it is very provocative. You could really anger one section and comfort another.”

I would like to remind you that in our social structure, women’s rights are confined by a Lakshmanrekha. Women, often called the fairer sex, have to be confined within this space or else they will be ‘at the mercy of those who intend to harm them’.

Sita is punished for her decision to walk out of the Lakshmanrekha more than Ravana for his decision to abduct her.

In other words, victim blaming.

You then went on to say: “I also think pretty women get attacked more. It’s very difficult for a beautiful or a self-aware and independent woman to survive and still stay strong. I think society likes challenging their strength, as we have more stories to tell. We do become victims of certain unfair things. I think average looking women have it easier these days — in all aspects of life, from relationships to professions. They actually do better. I don’t know if I should be saying this, but if a woman gets into trouble, I feel somewhere she is responsible for it. Because if I have gotten into any sort of trouble where I have felt that someone has spoken to me with disrespect or in this situation, a sexual assault or a sexual abuse or anything indicative towards that manner, I feel I would have entertained some part of it. This is what I feel and that doesn’t mean that I am pointing fingers because I don’t think it should happen to anybody.”

Rape is a crime ma’am. A CRIME. Molestation, sexual harassment, abduction, and all such atrocities happen to women because of a man’s decision to commit these crimes. Instead of holding the perpetrator accountable, women’s right to free space is being narrowed down by the power structure. One of the most brutal ways in which this happens in victim blaming.

You said that you didn’t join WCC because you felt you didn’t have an opinion. Lo and behold. This is your opinion – salt over the wounds of the victims.

Do you think that the December 2012 victim was assaulted because of her “sex appeal”? Do you think the 8-year-old from Kathua was raped because she was “pretty”? Do you think a 70-year-old nun was raped because of the same?

Was your statement a way of neutralising the controversies surrounding the issue only because the accused actor happens to be your friend/co-star?

Now, Mamta ma’am, in your statement you also said, “We don’t need WCC to solve women’s problems.”

What an irony.

Of course, AMMA president Mohanlal made it clear in his last press meet that AMMA “understands” women’s issues. You will see it more clearly after watching the AMMA Mazhavil skit which mocked WCC. You will see that AMMA did a fantastic job after listening to Ganesh Kumar’s audio which basically said, “Women are not smart enough to come forward. That’s why we don’t have women chief ministers.”

Director Anjali Menon in an interview said, “The sole purpose of WCC is to provide space for women actors and technicians.” Actor Rima wrote eloquently in her FB post that survivors don’t have to feel guilty for the atrocities they have been made to face.

Your statement let them all down.

Regards,
A disappointed fan.

The post Open Letter To Actress Mamta Mohandas: Welcome To The Victim Blaming Brigade appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

हंसता-मुस्कुराता बचपन, ना कोई परेशानी और ना कोई चिंता। दिनभर खेलना-कूदना, हंसी-मज़ाक मानों तो जीवन का खुशनुमा पल। सुबह-सुबह जब स्कूल जाने का होता है टाइम, तो रोज़ के बहाने पर मम्मी का डांटना, पापा का गुस्सा करना और हम फट से स्कूल जाने को हो जाते थे तैयार। स्कूल में भी पढ़ाई के साथ-साथ दोस्तों के साथ मस्ती और छुट्टी की बेल बजते ही खिलखिलाते हुए स्कूल से बाहर आना। शाम होते ही बाहर जाने की जल्दी, खेलना जो होता था।

पर क्या आज कहीं खो गया है बचपन? कहां गुम हो गई हैं शरारतें? वो शोर-शराबा, मस्ती भरी हंसी जाने अब क्यों सुनाई ही नहीं देती हैं। नन्हें हाथो में अब मोबाइल-फोन ने अपनी जगह बना ली है। वो नन्हीं हंसी अब यूट्यूब के वीडियोज़ और फोन में ऑनलाइन और डाउनलोडेड गेम्स ने छीन ली है। बच्चों की आंखें अब सिर्फ फोन में गड़ी रहती हैं। अब स्कूल की छुट्टी हो तो समझो पूरा दिन फोन के नाम हुआ और स्कूल से आते ही खाना भले ही भूल जाना पर फोन कहां है यही सवाल होता है।

मुस्कान की जगह चिड़चिड़ेपन और गुस्सैलपन ने ले ली है। घरों में आपस में बात करने का चलन कम हो गया है। आदर-सम्मान की परिभाषा भी बदल सी गई है। बच्चों में अपनेपन की भावनाएं नष्ट होती जा रही हैं। अकेलेपन और मानसिक रोगों की चपेट में सभी हैं, क्योंकि सोशल मीडिया द्वारा दूर-दराज के रिश्तेदारों और अनजान लोगों से संबंध तो सभी स्थापित करने में लगे हैं, पर जो रिश्ते पास हैं, साथ हैं उनसे दूर होते जा रहे हैं।

आप ही सोचिये कौन है इसका ज़िम्मेदार। सोशल मीडिया, इन्टरनेट या फोन ज़िम्मेदार नहीं है, बल्कि इनकी जो हमने लत बना ली है, वो लत ज़िम्मेदार है। यहां बात समझने वाली है, दिमाग के तारों को खोलने की ज़रूरत है। ज़्यादा सोचने की ज़रूरत नहीं है, अगर अपने इर्दगिर्द देखें तो बहुत कुछ समझ आ जायेगा। ये प्रकृति भी तो हमें बहुत कुछ बता देती है, पर उस ओर ध्यान ही नहीं है। मौसम हर साल बदलते हैं, नदियां भी अपने प्रवाह की दिशा की और अग्रसर है, फसले मौसम के हिसाब से उगती हैं, हवा की प्रवाह दिशा भी बदलती रहती है। अगर आपको ऐसे नहीं समझ आ रहा हो तो रोज़मर्रा की अपनी ज़िन्दगी को ही देख लीजिये। बच्चों के स्कूल का समय निश्चित है, अगर आप किसी ऑफिस या कहीं भी काम करते हैं तो वहां का समय भी निश्चित है। राष्ट्रीय और धार्मिक त्यौहारों को भी उनके समय पर ही मनाया जाता है।

फिर ये वक्त बेवक्त फोन क्यों अपनी जगह स्थापित कर रहा है। अपनी ज़िम्मेदारियों को बोझ क्यों समझा जाने लगा है। आजकल तो नवजात शिशु के हाथों में भी फोन दिखाई देता है। कभी खाना खिलाना है, तो कभी बच्चे को व्यस्त रखना है, जिससे आप काम कर सकें।

अब आप ही सोचिये जब 6 महीने के बच्चे को आप फोन का अधीन बना देते हैं तो भला 14 से 17 साल के बच्चों को कैसे उसकी लत से रोकेंगे। जिससे भी पूछो वो लम्बी सी मुस्कान के साथ और जाने कितनी महानता का काम किया है इस अंदाज़ से जवाब देता है कि इतना तो हमें भी नहीं पता जितना हमारे बच्चों को फोन के फीचर्स और गेमिंग के बारे में पता है।

पर क्या आपको पता है कि आप अपने बच्चे के भविष्य से खिलवाड़ कर रहे हैं। बच्चों का यूं अपना पूरा समय फोन में इन्टरनेट के माध्यम से कार्टून देखना, यूट्यूब पर फनी वीडियोज़ देखना और गेम्स खेलना, 12 साल की उम्र में सोशल मीडिया जैसे फेसबुक, ट्विटर, व्हाट्सएप्प इत्यादी पर एक्टिव हो जाना, उन्हें अंधकार की ओर ढकेल रहा है। ये आदतें जानलेवा भी साबित हो रही हैं।

सभी अभिभावकों का अब चौकन्ना होना बहुत अनिवार्य है। ये कोई बड़ाई वाली बात नहीं है, इन आदतों से बहुत से नुकसान हैं जिन्हें नज़रंदाज़ बिलकुल नहीं किया जा सकता है। इन आदतों का सबसे बड़ा असर बच्चे की मानसिकता पर पड़ता है, उनकी सोचने समझने, याद रखने की क्षमता, सृजनात्मक शक्ति भी घटती चली जाती है।

फोन तथा लैपटॉप/कंप्यूटर से निकलने वाली इलेक्ट्रोमैग्नेटिक रेडिएशन आंखों की रौशनी क्षीण कर देती है। कानों में इयरफोन लगाकर गाने सुनने की लत के कारण बहरापन आ जाता है। कमर में दर्द और सर में दर्द जैसी शिकायतें बच्चे अधिकतर करते हैं। ये सारी आदतें बच्चों को व्यक्तिगत समाज से दिन-प्रतिदिन दूर करती जा रही है। फोन और लैपटॉप/कंप्यूटर में व्यस्त रहने की आदत बच्चों को माता-पिता से भी दूर ले जा रही है। फोन से निकलने वाले रेडिएशन कैंसर जैसी घातक बीमारी को पनपने का भी एक अवसर है, इससे ब्रेन कैंसर की सम्भावनाएं बढ़ती है।

खुद अभिभावकों का कहना है कि बच्चों के हाथ से फोन लेना महाभारत के युद्ध के समान है। और किशोरों में तो ऐसी लत लगी है कि 5 मिनट बोल-बोलकर 3 से 4 घंटे बहुत सरलता से व्यतीत कर लेते हैं। खाने पीने के प्रति रुझान कम होने के कारण शरीर को पोषक तत्व नहीं मिल पाते हैं और शरीर बहुत सी बीमारियों का घर बन जाता है।

फेसबुक पर कई फीसदी आईडी फर्ज़ी हैं।  जो किशोर सोशल मीडिया पर एक्टिव रहते हैं ज़्यादातर साइबर बुलिंग जैसी घातक समस्याओं का शिकार हो जाते हैं और समस्याओं का सामना ना करने की स्थिति में आत्महत्या जैसे कदम उठा लेते हैं।

अब समाधान और सावधानी अभिभावकों को समझनी है। इस दिशा में शिक्षक भी अहम भूमिका निभा सकते हैं। अभिभावकों को समय सीमा तय करनी होगी और स्वयं भी अपना फोन छोड़कर अपना समय बच्चों को देना होगा। सही गलत में फर्क अभिभावक और शिक्षक भली भांति समझा सकते हैं।

The post बचपन में घुलती सोशल मीडिया की लत बच्चों को बीमार कर रही है appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Kalimpong, a hill station in West Bengal, known for its beautiful nature, climate and flowers. British bungalows that dot the hills offer a majestic view of the Mount Kangchenjunga. After seeing months of unrest during protests by Gorkhas demanding a separate state in early 2017, the small town is once again simmering with anger over the reported presence of Rohingyas. There has been an increase in cases of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar – who are staying in camps in Bangladesh – illegally crossing over into India through the North East.

On April 27, 2018, absconding Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supremo Bimal Gurung wrote a letter to the Prime Minister alleging that suspected Rohingya refugees had settled in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal. BJP MP from Darjeeling S. S. Ahluwalia also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on May 3, 2018, claiming that “more than 320 families have been settled in places such as Deolo, Lava forest, Melli and Rangpo.” Ahluwalia also mentioned, “Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the Dooars region (Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar district) share international borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, all of which are porous and settlement of Rohingyas in the sensitive region can pose a serious national security threat.”

Incidentally, six suspected Rohingya were arrested on July 12 by the police from a bus stand in the Habra area of North 24 Parganas district adjacent to the Bangladesh border. Rohingya refugees are already said to be living in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal since March this year.

A leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, who does not wish to be named, thinks that certain political parties are pushing Rohingya to settle in hills for vote bank politics without thinking of national interest. Binoy Tamang, currently chairman of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) which is backed by the state government, has denied the claims made by Ahluwalia and Gurung.

The reported entry of Rohingya into the hills became an issue when a video clip of Muslim men alighting from a bus in Kalimpong went viral on WhatsApp in April this year. Though the local administration and Muslim community leaders in Kalimpong immediately clarified that the young men were not Rohingya, the issue refused to die down. The people in Kalimpong still believe Rohingya are present in the hills.

Melli is a small village situated around 20km from Kalimpong at the banks of river Teesta near the West Bengal-Sikkim border. Actually, Melli village is divided between the two states, both of which are connected by a bridge. On the Sikkim side, there is a police check post where people have to register vehicle details while entering Sikkim. In West Bengal, you can see a group of people, around 40-50 families, living under the bridge in small tin-shaded houses beside the fast-flowing Teesta. It is populated by mostly new settlers – masons, construction labourer, carpenters, car mechanics, rag-pickers. All the men wear lungis or short pyjamas, long kurtas, skull caps and have long beards.

Most converse in a particular dialect of Bengali, while some also speak Nepali. A small tea stall owner at Melli said, “It started very slowly around three years ago but has picked up pace over the past six months and they learn the Nepali language within 45-60 days.” Recently, more families have come to live here claiming that those already settled here are their relatives. The newcomers are now living roughly one kilometre from the bridge and refer to the place as “Chota Pakistan”. Even locals used this term repeatedly while I was searching for the settlement.

The Muslim influx to the hills, especially in the Kalimpong district, has been happening slowly but steadily over the past few months according to local villagers in the Bhalukhop panchayat. Kalimpong has some very old Muslim residents, mostly concentrated in the Thakurbari area but Muslim populations are growing remarkably on Melli Road.

“You cannot distinguish indigenous Muslim families from us. They speak in Nepali, follow our lifestyle even participate in our religious events. But the new settlers stand out with their clothes and habits,” says Umesh Ghising from Kalimpong market.

Many locals claim that the newcomers are conservative and have been urging the old Muslim families to also become conservative. “A pork shop on Melli Road has been closed because they complained to the authorities. This shop was here for the last 20 years,” said another shop owner near Kalimpong clock tower.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders allege that this gradual increase of Muslim populations in the Gorkha-dominated Darjeeling and Kalimpong is part of a sinister plan hatched by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the state. These new Muslim settlers will form a solid support base for TMC and a precious vote bank for Mamata Banerjee.

People are saying that Rohingya are also living in Deolo and Graham’s Home in Kalimpong. A government employee of the forest department also confirmed their presence and the establishment of a new settlement near Graham’s home.

The indigenous Gorkha community is feeling insecure about the rising population of Muslims in the hills. The government of India has taken a clear stand against Rohingya refugees and their entry into Indian territory is strictly forbidden. Gorkhas believe that the state government’s motive is to create a cultural imbalance in the hills and weaken the Gorkhaland movement.

Some also believe that this poses a security concern at the border. The Rohingya have been declared a national security threat by the central government in an affidavit before the Supreme Court last year. Kalimpong is the headquarters of an army division that is deployed along the strategic border with Tibet. It is also the gateway to the Jelep-la pass that leads to Tibet’s Chumbi Valley, an important Chinese military base.

According to some reports, a huge number of Rohingya have been entering Bengal illegally by breaching the fences along the Indo-Bangla border. “The Bengal government is providing protection to these illegal migrants and providing them citizenship for its petty political gains. The presence of Rohingya in Bengal will become a huge national security problem soon,” said state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh.

Gorkhas and other indigenous communities of the hills are not welcoming of these Muslim people. People in the hills suspect that both Mamata Banerjee and the Centre are trying to marginalise them and make them a minority on their own land.

None of the new settlers at Melli identified themselves as Rohingya when asked. Most people claim they were born and brought up in West Bengal and moved here 10-15 years ago for employment opportunities. A few people said that they are Nepali Muslims. But their language, attire is much different from Muslims traditionally living in Kalimpong.

According to media reports citing government data, the number of Rohingya refugees in India was 10,500 in 2015 and increased to 40,000 in the next two years. The West Bengal government adopted a contrary position to the Centre’s declaration by supporting Rohingya refugees. This decision is being questioned by many. The state shares a porous border with Bangladesh and for decades, Bangladeshi citizens have illegally migrated to the country. It is high time that government agencies identify the refugees and put them on record instead of making them a vote bank.

The post An Alleged Rohingya Camp In Kalimpong Has Locals Worried About ‘Cultural Imbalance’ appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Today, evolving technology has made our life a lot easier than before. It has become a basic need for today’s generation. Like every other thing in the world, technology has its own good and bad. However, it totally depends on how a user wants to use it. Being responsible for the information we share on social media will avoid spam and false news. Many of us will forward any messages, links without any fact-checking. This way, we are indirectly helping some malicious person accomplish their intentions of creating panic or provoking violence.

Recently, messages about a gang of child kidnappers have been doing rounds on social media. It has resulted in the deaths of people in Assam and Jharkhand. Later, police found that the incidents were triggered by morphed videos and photos.

Similarly, another WhatsApp message about salt shortage triggered panic buying in markets past midnight in 2016 and caused a four-fold price rise in some parts of the country.

Many more false messages like our national anthem being awarded as best in the world by UNESCO, discontinuation of free messages on WhatsApp, GPS chips in currency notes etc. have also been circulated.

During election time, tons of messages get circulated regarding candidates of various parties, most of them are not true. Even messages, photos of famous personalities go viral on the internet which end up being false.

Fake news is common on Facebook too. Posts which say that forwarding that message will donate money to children suffering from cancer, heart surgery or any serious illness, or that commenting on some post will verify your account are all fake.

While social media companies are trying to come up with solutions to tackle false messages, it’s our responsibility as social media users to do a fact-check before forwarding it. A simple Google search will give you lots of information. There are also programmes on news platforms which fact-check viral messages and give clarifications. If you don’t have time for research, then at least don’t forward the message.

One more concern on social media is about ‘good morning’ messages. According to research done by Google, these morning messages are freezing up smartphones and crashing WhatsApp’s servers. Let’s spare a minute to write a personal morning message instead of forwarding images of sun-kissed flowers, adorable toddlers, birds etc.

Let’s be responsible and make web life easy!

The post Are You A Responsible Social Media User? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

On July 23, the eleventh day of the waxing moon period in the month of Ashadh, the spiritual procession of Varkari commences in the holy village of Pandharpur on the bank of river Chandrabhaga. In this devotional Pandharpur Wari, more than half a million devotees follow the cradle holding paduka (footwear) of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dhyaneshwar from Dehu and Alandi respectively to Pandharpur for 21 days. The devotees come from about all parts of Maharashtra and Northern Karnataka thus bringing together the essence of Marathi culture to the holy site of Pandharpur, the refuge of Lord Vitthal. A noted Marathi litterateur Durga Bhagwat said in one of her books, “Somewhere there exists some inner link between Pandhari and every Maharashtrian… The kind of inner attachment one has for one’s family and ancestors one feels also for Pandharpur.”

However, for me, the Pandharpur Wari is something beyond regular ritual code. This Varkari culture is very different from many patriarchal, casteist, hierarchical and aristocratic religious sects in India. Although the procession is organised by the government, there involves no official registration of devotees either by the government or by temple authorities. The tradition remains untouched for nearly eight centuries.

There are three peculiar things about this culture that I want to share. The first thing I appreciate is the absence of the caste system. Everyone is the same in the eyes of Lord Vitthal. In fact, the cult of Varkaris was evolved by saints from varied caste backgrounds. The spiritual guru of Varkaris Sant Dhyaneshwar was a Brahmin who didn’t patronise his caste. Other saints include Sant Tukaram – a farmer, Sant Namdev – a tailor, Sant Narhari Sonar – a goldsmith, Savtoba – a gardener, Sant Gora – a potter, Sant Chokhamela  – a Dalit man, and many more. The Varkaris are also religion tolerant as they include the teachings of Sant Kabir and Sikh Gurus in their philosophy. This system is not hierarchical – unless and until one doesn’t follow their rules and regulations, they won’t be identified as Varkari even if their parents are senior Varkari devotees. This feature draws a line between Varkaris and many other castes and hierarchy-based religious institutions in India.

The second feature is the involvement of women in the evolution of Varkari culture, unlike others where women are forbidden to even enter the temple’s sanctum. Although in Hindu culture there is almost an equal number of Gods and Goddesses, women are absent in various sectarian histories. Poet saints like Muktabai, Janabai and Bahinabai make this religious movement an example of inclusiveness amongst various patriarchal sects. Even Lord Vitthal is called as ‘Vithu Mauli’ and Sant Dhyaneshwar is called ‘Dhyaneshwar Mauli’ where mauli means mother. This comparison of Lord Vitthal and Dhyaneshwar with a mother instead of a father indicates that Varkari respect a woman’s role and position and thereby directly compare God with her.

Thirdly, the origin and evolution of the Varkari tradition doesn’t involve any royal families as it was entirely started by saints and practised by the entire society, predominantly farmers. Even in current times, Varkari doesn’t form any political pressure group. Many kings, noble families, political leaders have instituted various ritual codes. The Maratha Sardars are said to have introduced the Kumbh Mela in Nashik. The other Kumbh Melas in Allahabad, Haridwar, and Ujjain are also said to have a princely origin. In order to show united Hindu strength, Lokmanya Tilak started Ganesh Jayanti festival in Pune. However, the Pandharpur Wari was started by saints without any influence from noble families.

Among few bhakti traditions, the Varkari clan has developed entirely by the aegis of people. It is generally observed that local politician-run mandals manage the festivals of Ganesh Jayanti and Janmashtami with a motive of competing with other rival mandals. The Varkari tradition is free from petty politics, thus making it a tradition by the people, of the people and for the people.

While I am not even a manikin Varkari devotee, I have developed a huge admiration for this culture in recent years. Our incumbent Prime Minister should take a clue from the Varkari tradition followed during Shivaji Maharaj’s reign. He used to take spiritual advice from Sant Tukaram and non-Varkari gurus like Ramdas Swami. However, neither Tukaram nor Ramdas lobbied with Shivaji Maharaj to imbibe their ideology in society with the help of administration. The Varkari culture was at its zenith under the leadership of Sant Tukaram but he never asked Shivaji Maharaj to homogenise the society with his teachings. The incumbent government entertains and worship those who want to homogenise the Hindu society with their principles. The Varkari culture and ruling behaviour of Shivaji in the medieval age encourage separation of faith and politics. Shouldn’t the ruling party learn from them?

The post Rising Above Caste, Patriarchy And Religion: Maharashtra’s 800-Year-Old Pandharpur Wari appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Shall I? Or shall I not? I was in two minds when I booked my tickets for the new film “Dhadak”. Directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced by Karan Johar under the banner of Dharma productions and Zee Studios I had heard this movie is the Hindi remake of Marathi movie “Sairat”. I was put off by this comparison between the two directors but still decided to give it a try and see what the movie “Dhadak” had to offer.

Set in the backdrop of Udaipur, Rajasthan, “Dhadak” is a love story of two newcomers cast by the Johar clan. Madhukar played by Ishaan Khatter, the son of a well-to-do hotelier and Parthavi played by Janhvi Kapoor, the daughter of a wealthy hotelier and politician Ratan Singh played by Ashutosh Rana. While I never felt the need to compare both the movies “Sairat” and “Dhadak” I am still sharing my views on why “Sairat” being a Marathi movie is appreciated by non-Marathi’s like me and many others and “Dhadak” falls flat despite being produced under the banner of such a powerful production house.

To start with, let me say in an unbiased way that it is a poorly made film with several drawbacks. The first one being the dialect spoken. To understand how the effect of simple dialects can make a major impact please go and watch “Sairat”. “Dhadak” was set in Udaipur, Rajasthan but the dialogues fail to spark the fire. “Sairat” had its base in rural Maharashtra and the language had made a major impact as the cast was chosen carefully by Manjule. Archie and Parshya a speak rural Marathi dialect with such proficiency that it establishes them as true locals of the region. Unlike the characters of Madhu and Parthavi who seemed to have mugged up the dialogues and delivered them upon instructions of the director. And in no way did they look like locals from Udaipur unlike the cast of “Sairat”.

Though both the movies dealt with the love stories between a rich girl and poor boy “Sairat” has more to offer in terms of love and caste prejudice. Archie was a confident girl and Parshya loved her the way she was. Parshya was a reticent person but was strongly in love with Archie. There were no kisses blown in the air, nor fantasies dreamt up about Archie in skimpy attire. The love which blossomed between them was shown in many unconventional ways. Like Archie, a girl from the upper caste asking for water from Parshya’s family who were from a lower caste which left the entire village flabbergasted. Or Archie driving a tractor and inviting Parshya to meet her alone on the pretext of showing their lands.

“Sairat” showed Archie stealing money from her home and fleeing away with Parshya as she was aware that no one from their families was going to support their love affair. Nowhere does Archie downsize Parshya or thinks that she is better than him. “Dhadhak” had the Dhak Dhak affair where Madhu dreams of Parthavi in a veil and fantasizes about her. Parthavi is showcased as more of a rebellious woman and not a feminist as she tries to make a mockery of Madhu for his inability to speak English. She is aware of her superiority over Madhu though she shoos away a heckler when he was trying to ridicule Madhu when he was singing in English for her which was a challenge to prove his love for her. So while “Sairat” was realistic, this looked like a typical Bollywood drama which failed to strike a chord of empathy.

Parshya had two friends Salim and Langdya (who was disabled) and Madhu also has two friends but unlike a limp person his friend was short and suffering from baldness. He was ridiculed throughout the movie. To make a derision of someone’s appearance should have been avoided but here director Khaitan has used this fact to draw comic scenes in this movie. Here shows Manjule’s maturity over Khaitan on how to depict a character despite one’s drawbacks and not make fun of it.

The caste factor was also terribly handled in “Dhadak”. In both the movies, it was shown that the protagonist’s brother slaps the professor. “Sairat” had left the audience bewildered by depicting such an act by an upper caste person and there were no answers provided whereas here in “Dhadak” Parthavi’s brother Roop is made to apologize to the professor as they needed to win the upcoming elections. Archie’s visit to Parshya’s house left everyone in the village startled and in “Dhadak” Parthavi goes and meets Madhu in the hospital who had been injured because of her. She also speaks to Madhu’s mother and nowhere is it controversial.

Also after running from their homes, Madhu and Parthavi land up in Madhu’s uncle house. He gets a strong support system where his uncle with his connections in Kolkata makes arrangements for both of them. In Kolkata, they are assisted by a compassionate landlord and his wife who manages jobs for both of them. Whereas in “Sairat” both Parshya and Archie lands up in the most vulnerable situation. They have no social sustenance except for a Samaritan who provides them with a meagre support and they settle in a slummy outpost in Hyderabad. They struggle to earn money and in the process end up in misunderstandings with Archie breaking down and trying to run to her mother whom she missed. It was quite natural for a young woman to ache for her family whom she had left for the one she loved. While Parthavi had the luxury of site seeing Kolkata in arms of Madhu, Archie could never have that privilege in Hyderabad as both dealt with life’s hardships. The same nuances were handled poorly in “Dhadak”.

The expressiveness of the “Sairat” actors also lack in “Dhadak”. Although Ishaan tried acting naturally, Janhvi lacked the ‘Jaan’ (life) in her emotions.

The climax was the worst part in which “Dhadak” failed miserably. “Sairat” had a heart-wrenching end in the name of honour killing which had left the audiences wondering if Manjule would make a sequel to this movie. While “Dhadak” leaves you parched and heave a sigh of relief that the movie has ultimately ended.

Good love stories dealing with contexts of India’s prejudiced caste system and honour killings require great filmmaking skills and Khaitan and Johar have totally failed on this front. To sum it all up, watch “Dhadak” at your own risk. Chances are like me you will feel that you have wasted your money watching this baloney in name of a movie and that too when it is a remake of Manjule’s masterpiece “Sairat”.

The post Watch ‘Dhadak’ At Your Own Risk appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

This International Women’s Day, we at GlobalStep wanted to do more than just wish the wonderful ladies working at our organisation. We wanted to go one step further and ask them to wear their creative hats and give us their perspective on characters in video games. With women making up close to half of the gaming population and with some of the top gaming studios being led by women, we felt it was about time!

We circulated a questionnaire with some basic character-related questions to GlobalStep’s women employees across our global offices and the passion with which they responded surprised even us! Through their answers was born ‘Justicia’. This is the story of what we asked them, what they answered and how Justicia was created.

What would be your character’s weapon of choice?

If you thought that our woman character would need a big weapon to help her and showcase her strength, you couldn’t have been more wrong! Bare hands are enough for Justicia to show her adversaries what she’s made of!

“If you fight with bare hands you will know how strong and capable you are!”

“I would prefer to use myself as a weapon, both in mind, and physical strength.”

“She doesn’t need weapons to be a strong and successful woman.”

If your character had a superpower, what would it be?

Sorry, Superman, the ability to fly didn’t find much love from the women at GlobalStep! They chose a superpower that they could use not only in fighting crimes but also help them jet set across the world – the ability to teleport! Because, why restrict yourself?

“I would like to have the ability to instantly be anywhere, anytime, in  any part of the world I’d like!”

“Ability to teleport, then she can go anywhere and fight crime easily!”

What is your character’s strongest characteristic?

Smartness and quick thinking beat physical strength, speed, and agility. The women of GlobalStep felt that a smart woman is able to think quickly on her feet. She can change anything in the world and manipulate any situation to her advantage!

“She would have the ability to think fast, move fast and to stay two steps ahead!”

“Being smart is much better than being physically strong!”

“With smartness, she can just use her inherent qualities to achieve whatever she wants!”

 What colour outfit would your character wear?

If you thought Justicia was going to be dominated by pink, it’s time to break through the stereotypes. Every option they chose had a sense of logic and representation behind it, that really gives character to Justicia. We went with a bold red that symbolizes her strength and aggression, with just a royal touch of gold to show her royalty and grace!

“Gold seems like a special colour by its beauty and value, it also implies being powerful and determined.”

“Red, because it symbolises her strength and aggression.”

What is your character’s main motivation?

Unlike most video game characters that are a part of a heist, assassination squad or motivated by personal vengeance and loss, Justicia chooses to fight for the right things in life! By fighting against injustice and lawlessness, she aims to make the world a better place for everyone in it!

“I would like to make the world a better place. That seems like the least I could do if I were a superhuman.”

“She is fighting for the right things in life.”

We hear you, the women of GlobalStep! And we hope Justicia lives up to your expectations! She could have also had had some other interesting names – such as Crimson, Untitled Ranger, Kaileena and more! But we went with the one that was closest to her one motivation – of bringing justice to everyone!

A huge thanks to all the women at GlobalStep for responding to the survey! Justicia is a character that has a part of each of you, and represents what you stand for in a lot of ways!

The post The Story of Justicia: What Women Want In Their Video Games appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

पश्चिमी या यूं कहें कि अमेरिकी संस्कृति से प्रभावित होने का फायदा भारतीय मनोरंजन उद्योग, व्यंग्यकारों, कंटेंट क्रिएटर्स, और अंततः दर्शकों को मिलेगा। सिनेमा में यथार्थवाद नाम की चिड़िया पश्चिम खासतौर से अमेरिका से ही भारत में आयी है।

व्यंग और आलोचना की भी पश्चिम में बेहद निडर परंपरा रही है। चाहे वो दो बार अपने कार्टूनिस्ट की जान गंवाने के बाद भी निर्भीक खड़ा फ्रांस का वीकली पेपर ‘शार्ली एब्दो‘ हो या वाइट हाउस में घुसकर ट्रम्प की बैंड बजाने वाले अमेरिकी स्टैंड अप कॉमेडियन ‘हसन मिन्हाज‘, या फिर ऑस्कर के मंच पर ही खड़े होकर अकादमी की नीयत पर सवाल खड़े करने वाले हास्य अभिनेता ‘क्रिस रॉक‘।

एसएनएल (Saturday Night Live) और द डेली शो जैसे शोज़ कई सालों (एसएनएल 43 सालों से और द डेली शो 20 सालों से) से चल रहे हैं जो कि क्रमश: सोशल कॉमेडी और पॉलिटीकल सटायर हैं।

अच्छी बात है कि अब भारत में भी लोग धीरे-धीरे इस तरह के कंटेंट को अपना रहे हैं, वो भी बड़ी तेज़ी के साथ। लेकिन, अभी बॉलीवुड को ‘फ्री कंट्री’ का कॉन्सेप्ट समझना बाकी है। अभी वो व्यक्ति पूजा और चाटुकारिता में ही लगा हुआ है।

भला हो इंटरनेट, सोशल मीडिया और यूट्यूब जैसे प्लैटफॉर्म्स का, जिसने आज़ाद ख्याल लोगों को आपस में जुड़ने का मौका दिया। वरना ‘मुम्बई बेस्ड इंटरटेनमेंट सिस्टम’ ने हमें कॉमेडी के नाम पर कपिल शर्मा जैसा कूड़ा ही परोसा था।

एक और गज़ब की चीज़ है जो पश्चिम में ईजाद की गयी, और वो है ‘बियर बार’। यह दैनिक जीवन में सोशल इंटरैक्शन और मनोरंजन के लिए बहुत ही गज़ब टूल है। ‘बार’ वो जगह है जो हमेशा से स्थानीय प्रतिभाओं को आम जनता से सीधे जुड़ने का मौका, प्रोत्साहन और आर्थिक आधार देता आया है। कितने ही म्यूज़िशियन, मैजिशियन, कॉमेडियन, डांसर, सिंगर को इन्हीं बियर बारों ने पहला मौका या ज़िंदगी भर का रोज़गार दिया। ये परंपरा आज भी खूबसूरती से कायम है।

ऐसी कमाल की चीज़ों के ईजाद के लिए इन पश्चिमी, साम्राज्यवादी, पूंजीवादी देशों की ‘मेहनतकश’ जनता को थैंक्स तो बनता है।_________________________________________________________________

फोटो क्रेडिट- यूट्यूब

The post क्या हम भी पश्चिमी देशों जैसी निडर सोशल और पॉलिटिकल कॉमेडी कर पाएंगे? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

During weekends, I spend part of the afternoon at a local coffee shop in the downtown area. It’s a great spot to meet friends and acquaintances, and getting to know about the latest events. One of the news items that caught my attention was about an upcoming movie I had always hoped would be made. It is a film called “Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior”. Actor Ajay Devgn will play the role of Tanaji Malusare who served as one of Shivaji’s generals in the 17th century. It is essentially a war film but reports claim that it will also capture the relationship between the Maratha warrior and his spouse – which might be essayed by Kajol.

As a child, Maharaj Shivaji and his partner and great friend Tanaji were a favourite of mine. I even have a small statue of Shivaji at home. Many people mistakenly assumed me for a Marathi.

Before I went to the US for higher studies, I briefly worked with Kinetic Engineering Ltd in Pune. We were involved in a rural marketing campaign during which we travelled through Maharashtra and got to visit some historical places. One such place is Umrath which is in Raigad District. I got the chance to visit the place where Tanaji lived and even met a few of his descendants. They told us some interesting stories and ballads about the mighty warrior and showed us the spear Tanaji used to fight with which was found in the jungles about 300 years ago. My colleagues and I could barely lift it with both hands.

Tanaji is renowned for the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670 where he fought against Mughal fort keeper Udaybhan Rathore, a formidable Rajput warrior. In 1665, the Treaty of Purandar required Shivaji to give up the Maratha fort Kondhana to the Mughals. Since the fort was of extreme strategic importance, Shivaji did not want to give it up. He assigned the task of reconquering Kondhana to Tanaji, the only one he believed could take on the dangerous task. Undaunted by the terrifying nature of his mission, the lion-hearted Tanaji vowed either to accomplish it or die in the process.

According to legend, Tanaji used his pet monitor lizard (called ghopad in Marathi) to scale a wall of the fort and launch a surprise attack. While this helped them breach the fort, they were soon outnumbered and Tanaji was killed in the process. Angered by the death of their leader, the Marathas charged the fort again under his brother Suryaji’s charge and won.

In the end, it was a great victory for the Marathas, a battle fought with great power, determination and focus. But there was no celebration in their camp. The news of the victory was conveyed to Shivaji Maharaj, who rushed to the fort eager to congratulate Tanaji only to see the brave man’s slain body. Shivaji Maharaj renamed the fort and called it Sinhagad (Lion Fort) in honour of the great warrior. Some claim that after Tanaji’s death, he said, “Gadh ala, pan Sinha gela (We have gained the fort, but lost a lion).”

I am very eager to watch “The Unsung Warrior” and hope it presents an authentic narrative.

The post I’ve Been Waiting For A Movie Like ‘Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior’ Since I Was A Child appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

जी हां, बात थोड़ी कड़वी है, इसलिए दो-चार घूंट पानी पी लें। अब हम पूरे इत्मीनान के साथ इस खेल को समझने का प्रयत्न करते हैं। सबसे पहले हमें ‘आईटी सेल’ के राजनीतिक जन्म और उसके बढ़ते प्रभाव को समझना बहुत ज़रूरी है। ठीक-ठीक याद करना तो मुश्किल ही है कि किस राजनेता या राजनीतिक दल के गर्भ से इसका राजनीतिक उदय हुआ लेकिन, पहली बार इसकी एक झलक वर्ष 2011 में अन्ना आंदोलन के दौरान देखने को मिली।

हालांकि यह आंदोलन तब की केंद्र में बैठी कॉंग्रेस सरकार के भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ था लेकिन, इसे कभी राजनीतिक नहीं माना गया। अरविन्द केजरीवाल, मनीष सिसोदिया, कुमार विश्वास, स्वामी अग्निवेश, किरण बेदी और उनकी टीम ने पहली बार देश की आम जनता को झकझोर कर रख देने वाला आंदोलन किया। ये सही है कि अन्ना हज़ारे और उनका 10 दिनों का भूख-हड़ताल ज़्यादा चर्चा में रहा लेकिन, इस आंदोलन को बेहद करीब से देखने वाले लोग जानते हैं कि किस प्रकार से पहली बार आईटी के छात्रों ने इस आंदोलन को सोशल मीडिया पर हवा दी।

हालांकि ऐसी चीजें अन्य देशों में पहले हो चुकी थीं लेकिन, भारत में यह पहली बार था कि सोशल मीडिया ने एक राष्ट्रव्यापी आंदोलन खड़ा किया। बाद में मेनस्ट्रीम मीडिया ने अपने हिस्से का खेल खेला। बतौर कुमार विश्वास, ”देश को हमने फेसबुक और ट्विटर चलाना सिखाया”।

लोकपाल की स्थापना के लिए हुए इस आंदोलन को कई लोगों ने जेपी के ‘संपूर्ण क्रांति’ से तुलना की लेकिन, हकीकत यही है कि इस बड़े आंदोलन के बाद सत्ता बदल गयी मगर ना तो लोकपाल आया और ना ही भ्रष्टाचार गया। हां, इस आंदोलन के सभी लोग ‘सेटल’ ज़रूर हो गए। अर्थात पहली झलक के साथ ही आईटी सेल ने अपना खेल दिखाना शुरू कर दिया। वह खेल था, लोगों को बेवकूफ बनाने का।

अन्ना आंदोलन में आईटी सेल के माध्यम से सोशल मीडिया के क्रांतिकारी प्रयोग को हमारे शातिर नेता भली-भांति समझ चुके थे। लोकतंत्र में चुनावी राजनीति किसी भी तिकड़म के सहारे जनसमर्थन हासिल करने का खेल है और आईटी सेल इस प्रयास में चमत्कारी प्रदर्शन करता दिख रहा था।

पहली बार कायदे से 2013 में गुजरात विधानसभा चुनाव के दौरान तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी को तीसरी बार गुजरात की सत्ता दिलाने और इसके साथ ही उन्हें प्रधानमंत्री प्रोजेक्ट करने की परियोजना आईटी सेल को दी गयी। जिसका नेतृत्व मेरे हम शहर के एक आईटी एवं प्रबंधन के विद्वान कर रहे थे।

इस परियोजना की वजह से हमें ‘नरेंद्र मोदी, चायवाला’ की इमेज का साक्षात्कार करने का मौका हासिल हुआ। गुजरात में नरेंद्र मोदी को भावी प्रधानमंत्री घोषित करके, गुजरात गौरव को जगाया गया और तीसरी बार मुख्यमंत्री का पद हासिल हुआ। अब आईटी सेल की कृपा से प्राप्त इस जीत को नरेंद्र मोदी के ‘राम-राज्य’ की सफलता के किस्सों में परिवर्तित कर, पूरे देश में एक माहौल बनाने का कार्यक्रम शुरू हुआ।

सोशल मीडिया और मैनेज्ड मेनस्ट्रीम मीडिया के माध्यम से देश में ‘गुजरात मॉडल’ की चर्चा करके श्री नरेंद्र मोदी को विकास पुरुष के रूप में स्थापित किया गया। जिसके बाद बेहद खूबसूरती से इस चर्चा को नरेंद्र मोदी की लोकप्रियता के रूप में पेश कर पार्टी के अंदर मोदी के पक्ष में राय बनाई गई।

यह पूरा खेल किसी फिल्मी पटकथा की तरह आगे बढ़ रहा था। जिसका लेखन और निर्देशन प्रशांत किशोर के नेतृत्व में एसी कमरों में बैठे सैकड़ों आईआईटी, आईआईएम और विदेश से शिक्षा प्राप्त कर लौटे युवा कर रहे थे। ‘चाय पर चर्चा’ और ‘पटेल का स्टेच्यू’ आईटी सेल की ही उपज थी।

खैर, आईटी सेल सफलता के झंडे गाड़ते रहा, हालांकि वे सभी झंडे भाजपा के ही थे। क्योंकि अभी तक अन्य दल इस क्रांति को गंभीरता से नहीं ले रहे थे। जब तक समझते, तब तक सब कुछ खेत हो चुका था। नरेंद्र मोदी जी के नेतृत्व में भाजपा ने वर्ष 2014 में पूर्ण बहुमत हासिल की और पहली बार देश में आईटी सेल निर्मित कृतिम आंधी में उड़ती हुई एक सरकार सत्ता के आंगन में आ गिरी।

आईटी सेल का यह पूरा खेल इस हद तक सटीक था कि हमें इस बात का कभी आभाष भी ना हुआ कि भावी प्रधानमंत्री जी जो मंच से चटाखेदार जुमले और सतरंगी सपने अपने भाषण में परोस रहे हैं, उसकी थाल कहीं और से पकाई/सजाई गयी है।

यह कुछ ऐसा था, जैसे कोई कन्या आपके सम्मान में होटल से मंगाया छप्पन-भोग परोसे, और आप उसे अन्नपूर्णा समझ लोटमलोट हो जाएं। इस दौरान भारतीय लोकतंत्र में पहली बार नेता को फिल्मी कलाकार की तरह कॉमेडी, जुमला, व्यंग्य, और चुटकुले बोलते देखा गया, जिस पर भीड़ भी रंग-बिरंगे चेहरे से सीटियां मारती दिखी। शायद विश्व का सबसे युवा देश आईटी सेल के मायाजाल में उलझा बदहवास हुआ जा रहा था। राजनीति में हमने नेताओं को व्यवहारिकता के न्यूनतम स्तर तक गिरते देखा था लेकिन, अब ज़ोर गिराने पर हो रहा था।

विपक्षी नेताओं के बारे में आईटी सेल ने कई चमत्कारी आरोप पैदा किये, जिनका हमारी मीडिया ने तेज़ी से पालन-पोषण कर बड़ा किया। स्विस बैंकों में कालेधन पर बेहद सुनयोजित ढंग से एक से बढ़कर एक आकड़ें चुनावी मंचों से बोले गए। किसी ने कहा 2 लाख करोड़ तो, किसी ने 4 लाख करोड़। मनमोहन सरकार की नींव हिलाकर रख देने वाला 2G स्पेक्ट्रम घोटाला 4 वर्षों की सघन जांच के बाद फर्ज़ी निकलता है। इस मामले में सीबीआई न्यायधीश को कहना पड़ता है, ”यह घोटाला हुआ ही नहीं सिर्फ मीडिया/सोशल मीडिया की हवाबाज़ी थी”।

चुनावों के दौरान हमने बेहद ज़ोश-खरोश के साथ सरदार पटेल और सुभाष चंद्र बोस को प्रकट होते देखा है। इसी दौरान हर-हर महादेव की जगह “हर-हर मोदी” का उदय हुआ, जो गंगापुत्र भी बने।

कुल-मिलाकर पूरा खेल किसी बेहतरीन इवेंट की तरह संपन्न हुआ, जिसमें झूठ-अफवाहों की थाल सजाकर, जनता को परोसी गई और गूंगे प्रधानमंत्री की वजह से 10 वर्षों की भूख में तड़पती जनता ने चटखारे लेकर स्वाद उड़ाए।

भाजपा के केंद्र में आसीन होते ही लोगों को लगा कि पहले की तरह ही चुनावी राजनीति अब सिर्फ संसदीय राजनीति में बदल जाएगी। नेता दिल्ली चले जायेंगे, हम अपने काम में लग जायेंगे। लेकिन इस बार लोकतंत्र नए दौर में प्रवेश कर चुका था। अब हमारे नेता के कई चेहरे हो चुके थे, लाखों हाथ हो चुके थे। उनके पास आईटी सेल के रूप में ऐसा विकल्प था, जो चुनावी राजनीति के माहौल को बनाये रख सकता था। उसे सुनने वालों की संख्या नेताजी के सामने खड़ी भीड़ से कहीं ज़्यादा थी। अर्थात आईटी सेल का खेल आगे भी चलते रहा अपितु कहीं ज़्यादा प्रगति पर चला। देखा-देखी अन्य दलों ने भी अपने-अपने आईटी के पहलवान सोशल-मीडिया के अखाड़े में उतार दिए।

(आईटी सेल का यह खेल और उसकी रोचक कमेंट्री कई खण्डों में आप तक पहुंचेगी। अगली कड़ी में हम विमर्श करेंगे 2014 के पश्चात आईटी सेल के बढ़ते प्रभाव और दूषित होती हमारी लोकतान्त्रिक एवं सामाजिक व्यवस्था के सम्बन्ध में।)

The post कैसे देश की राजनीतिक पार्टियों के लिए चमत्कार बना आईटी सेल appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

With increasing cases of people being diagnosed with mental issues have created a stir in the society and pushed more people to talk about it, seek help and reach out to their loved ones. In these crucial times several stigmas related to mental health issues have plagued our society, and mental health awareness has become the need of the hour.

Meet Sonaksha Iyengar: someone who’s been doing incredible work in campaigning for mental health awareness and reaching out to people through her art. Residing in Bengaluru, she freelances as a writer and an illustrator. Having battled a mental illness herself, she realises how mental health illnesses don’t come with a clock and how important it is for people to feel comfortable and live in a judgement-free space.

Her campaign talks about the ‘A to Z of mental health’. It’s part of the 36 day challenge on Instagram which calls upon illustrators to express their views on letters and numbers of the alphabet. What started as drawing in the margins of college notebooks, eventually took the form of illustrations in everything: from covers for projects to posters for fests, drawing on post-it notes, water colour paintings to digital illustrations that she posts on Instagram, and she hasn’t stopped ever since.

I caught up with Sonaksha to talk about her incredible campaign in bringing awareness about the mental health scenario in the country and, how she uses art as a catalyst to facilitate this difficult conversation.

Simran Pavecha: You did quite the unthinkable coming up with the idea of doing this with the alphabets! You, quite literally, educated the masses about mental health – only through illustrations; new means, same end. Where did the idea come from? Was it inspired from your personal life and/or struggles with mental health?

Sonaksha Iyengar: Yes, definitely it was inspired from my personal life and also, generally, from conversations with people about mental health. I’ve had experiences while talking to people about mental health and I realized that people aren’t really aware about it. On a whole, as a society we lack awareness about mental health because the subject is so hush-hush and speaking about it is still such a taboo. Since mental illnesses and disorders can often be invisible, they are not even acknowledged and sometimes even ridiculed. There’s just so much stigma associated with it. I wanted to create something tangible to start this conversation and I’ve wanted to talk about mental health for a long time and I didn’t know how to start a conversation about it. So, I thought why not go back to the basics and start from there. That’s how the idea came about. The hope is that people take a few moments to think about mental health and engage in conversations while also listening to other people who are living with these illnesses. That will help us break the stigma that exists, about mental health.

SP: How did you manage through the rough patches in your mental health journey? What was your support system like?

SI: I don’t think my journey is over; it is ongoing. I think I’ve been really privileged and super grateful throughout because I’ve had my mother and brother with me through the journey; they have been there throughout, from before I even had any idea as to what is happening. Having that kind of a support system was really helpful. And, also, having art has always been super helpful because it really helps me let go of things.

SP: It’s really commendable how your posts are exposing people to a wide ambit of mental health issues, beyond just anxiety and depression.

SI: Yeah, that was one of the reasons why I did this series. When I was having conversations with relatives, or with people I was meeting, I realized that majority of us just assume that one is talking about anxiety or depression; there’s, primarily, a general lack of awareness about illnesses beyond that. Hence, it is essential to take steps to build that awareness. And, the way I felt I could begin to do that and contribute is through art. And, that’s my hope with these posts – to constantly and consistently build resources to do that.

SP: Do these posts and illustrations act as a means of catharsis for you?

SI: Definitely. In fact, I started making a lot of reminders for self care posts especially, as a means to remind myself as well. These posts are definitely a form of catharsis for me and they have definitely been a huge part of my coping strategy in my mental health journey as well.

SP: You’ve chosen art to spread awareness about mental health issues and self-care. Was choosing art a conscious decision?

SI: Umm, yeah, it was a conscious decision in a way but, it was also an unconscious decision. It was a medium that I was the most comfortable with and it was also the medium that I felt I wanted to speak to people with. It’s important to be comfortable with the medium yourself, in order to convey something that’s really important and something that you are trying to spread awareness about. When you are trying to convey something that the other person doesn’t know, it’s important that you yourself come from a place of knowledge, learning, research or interest; and, art is something I am familiar with, and that is why I chose that as a medium to work with. Of course, as I mentioned before, I believe that art has been monumental in my own mental health journey and I hope we can begin to look at it as an important tool that can be used in therapy too.

SP: We currently live in times where we have begun romanticizing darkness and death to a certain extent.​ The usage of the words ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’, ‘bipolar’ are used very casually. Could you share your thoughts on the same?

SI: I think that’s really dangerous. It’s hazardous and it takes the focus away from the people who really are struggling with mental illnesses. When you portray mental illnesses as “cool” to have or that is a “trend”, people don’t think that they need to give help to it. They view it as a trend rather than something that they need to pay attention to, which is problematic because, already, there are so many stigmas associated with it. It does more damage than anything else. It is also really hurtful to people who are going through it- especially, people who use mental illnesses as adjectives – like, people saying “I am really depressed” when they are not really depressed.

And, it obstructs expression for people who are really going through it because if people are using it casually, then the person going through it feels a larger lack of space, and also immense fear to express their feelings. It’s dangerous on many levels and in many layers.

​SP: Do you believe there’s a ‘right’ platform or stage where we need to begin mental health education? Where does it start?

SI: I don’t believe there is a right platform or stage; we should start now. We should have started ages ago. I believe it’s important to start early; in school perhaps. We might have our first experiences with mental health as early as when we are in school as little children. We often don’t know what we are going through at that point of time. It’s important to know that it’s not something to be afraid of. Awareness is definitely a step in the right direction and mental health education is essential.

SP: ​How important do you feel are support groups for students in campuses, given that cases of depression, anxiety and suicides at are on an all time high, especially within the student community?
​
SI: It’s definitely important to have support groups for students in campuses because students go through so many issues – academic pressure, peer pressure, financial struggles, among many others. And, it’s also so competitive these days. It’s really important to have a space where they can discuss their feelings and express themselves without the fear of judgment. Support groups are really essential. And, it’s important to have not only psychologists and counsellors but, peer- led student groups and support groups as that adds a layer which many students might feel useful. It is also important to have support for people who are marginalised by gender, sex, religion, abilities and caste, among other things. It’s difficult for so many people to access therapy, anyway, because it’s so expensive and largely inaccessible. So, yes, it is really important to have a space in colleges where there is community support without the worry of costs and finances.

SP: People downplay depression. There are times when because of lack of understanding and awareness, friends and peers call out a depressive state as throwing tantrums and “overdoing it”. In your opinion, how should a person deal with this lack of space to be themselves, how can one cultivate a personal space that’s devoid of conditions and judgement?

SI: This is really difficult to answer because of the variables in the situation. But I think for me, it was first important to just understand the things I needed. It not only gave me an understanding of what I needed to chart a path to getting better but also figure out what resources I had access too. Art was crucial for me to be able to create that personal space because it was my means to express myself without judgment. Because, most of the times when you are going through these illnesses, it can be really arduous to get even mundane things done; to get out of bed is really difficult; to leave the house is really difficult. So, it’s important to create a space where you give yourself and time and space to grow and to just be. For me, it has been really important to not set a time limit for recovery. And I think for each person that will vary.

SP: In one of your illustrations, you have said something very spot on – “grief doesn’t come with a time-stamp.” Do you think we place the idea of happiness on a pedestal?

SI: Perhaps. Perhaps we place the idea of “constantly” being happy on a pedestal. I think there is this idea that we constantly have to feel alright, which can be really pressurizing and stressful. I don’t think anyone can feel constantly happy. And yes, speaking about the not so happy parts or the days that aren’t great is a way to normalise it, in a sea of seemingly happy moments.

SP: ​How do we be a friend to someone who is depressed? What are the do’s and don’ts?

SI: So, first of all, there is no one-size fit or universal rulebook. I think that is really important to understand because most of us think that there is. But I think it is really important to create a a safe space for them to share, to be and to create a support system for them to be able to cope. It’s also important to remember to not give them advice. What a lot of people do is that when someone is struggling with a mental illness, they shower them with unsolicited advice like, “you should lose weight”, “you should change your diet”, and you should do this and that. That can be really frustrating. So, just don’t give them advice.

Let them know that you may not completely understand what they are going though, but, you have an open mind and you are ready to listen to them and make sure that you actually have an open mind and actually are willing to listen to them. Don’t just say those things, mean them.

And, also, importantly, support the approach that they decide to take – if they are an adult, especially, whether it is medication or talk therapy or any alternative therapy; whatever method they choose to approach or deal their mental health with, support them. Give them space to recharge and feel whatever they are feeling.
Listen to them. Be physically present whenever possible. Don’t constantly compare them to other people. Don’t make them feel that what they are going through is not bad enough. Be patient with them. Don’t tell them that, you know, they don’t have a reason to feel this way.

You can follow Sonaksha’s latest work and projects on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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This interview was edited for clarity and length.

All the illustrations in this post were originally posted on Sonaksha’s Instagram account.

The post This Young Instagram Star Is Spreading Mental Health Awareness Like A Boss appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

The latest edition of the reality show “Indian Idol” recently faced flak on social media for focussing more on the personal lives and tragedies of contestants rather than singing during auditions. Many people complained that the show was being driven by making contestants weep and showing their poverty-striken background, rather than encouraging their talent. It was subjected to many memes.

On a serious note, all these memes pose some very hard-hitting questions about the mockery producers of such shows have created in the name of ‘talent hunting’. These so-called talent hunt reality shows have all become a business for gaining TRPs, sponsors, advertisements and for churning out money. Today, Indian TV reality shows are about everything except talent.

The sheer amount of fighting, abusing, and drama that happens in a reality show is something which the viewers were already accustomed to, but this capitalising on human emotions by selling poignant stories of participants is the new rock-bottom low. Sadly, this is happening in almost all reality shows today where real talent has been left behind and what we are left with is fabricated and unnecessary drama.

And what’s more worrying is the effect of such shows on the pysche of small children who participate in them at a very tender age and are not mature enough to deal with the things that come around in front of them. Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, in the past, has openly requested authorities to ban reality TV shows that have children as participants. He feels such shows play with their purity and emotions.

The over-inquisitive judges compelling contestants to reveal their hardships has become the main objective in these reality-cum-masala shows. With the daily soaps still dealing with naag-naagin, bhoot-bhootni, saas-bahu or cliched love stories, people had thought that these reality shows would give some respite. Unfortunately, the reality shows too have become more or less the same.

The post Tragic Backstory > Talent: The Formula For Indian Reality TV Shows appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

By Shreehari H

“There cannot be peace without first, a great suffering. The greater the suffering, the greater the peace,” reads the manifesto of John Lark, an undercover fundamentalist who wants to destroy the current world order. The syndicate hired by this advocate of anarchy is referred to as “The Apostles,” who have a policy of terror for hire, and the titular fallout refers to three plutonium cores that have suddenly gone missing and could pose an unprecedented threat in the wrong hands. The targets, ironically enough for a group named after the twelve disciples of Christ, are three of the holiest sites in the world: the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, and a nuclear dance of death seems to be looming on the horizon.

Ethan Hunt, the ethereal charmer with a “long and incriminating history of rogue behaviour” is brought up to speed. His mission – should he choose to accept it, of course – is to recover these weapons of mass destruction, and put an end to the syndicate’s nefarious designs once and for all. As summed up by a character in the film, this is technically a suicide mission, and one with not too many recourses, although the audience tuned into watching this demigod hop, skip and jump from one state of imperilment to another, might be inclined to think otherwise.

Like Brian de Palma’s original in 1996, Christopher McQuarrie’s latest film, arguably the best in the franchise, is filled with signature strokes that have by now become emblematic in a sense: from Argentine composer Lalo Schifrin’s famous theme tune to 3-D printing machines that reconstruct facial topographies at the click of a button, from messages that self-destruct in five seconds to pompous, self-aggrandizing declarations of disavowment.

Besides Tom Cruise, the cast boasts of many familiar and accomplished faces, including Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust, Hunt’s current flame, Sean Harris as Solomon Lane, adversary extraordinaire, Michelle Monaghan as Julia, Hunt’s ex-wife, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn. Additionally, the cast boasts of Ving Rhames as Luther Stickwell, and the spiel-spouting Alec Baldwin as Alan Hunley, the new Secretary of the IMF (not the International Monetary Fund, in case you were wondering). The acting in this new installment, as always, is top-notch, and is further elevated by the addition of two newcomers to the franchise: Henry Cavill as August Walker, a CIA assassin, and Vanessa Kirby (Princess Margaret from “The Crown”) as the White Widow, a complex, layered woman whose machinations are best left undivulged.

Cinematographer Rob Hardy’s frames remain suffused with an all-encompassing darkness as if to underline how high the stakes truly are this time around, and his propulsive, frenetic camerawork goes a long way in making the film consistently enjoyable. The deftly choreographed action sequences here are the best in any Mission Impossible movie yet, and Cruise continues to put his own neck on the line even as he indulges in one death-defying stunt after another: from resuscitating a colleague reeling from hypoxia in the midst of a skydiving sprint to zipping through Parisian streets with the police hot on his tail. This is a summer blockbuster in the best sense of the word – albeit one burdened by an occasional overdose of exposition – and one best relished on the biggest of IMAX screens.

“We should all be dead. Why aren’t we?” Hunt wonders at one point in the film, and the audience, are in on the joke as always. Hinting at his character’s infallibility, Cruise makes us realise how we almost seem to have grown up alongside him for the better part of the last two decades. This, after all, is a superstar who imbues the word ‘cruise-control’ with a whole new meaning, a man whose avowed objective remains the same: to charm legions of swooners across generations into the delirium of ecstasy left in his wake – and as always, we partake only too gleefully.

Mission: Endorsable, I say.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This post was first published here.

The post ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Is The Summer Blockbuster You’ve Been Waiting For appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

When you’re a woman-identified or femme-presenting person who’s “on the heavier side”, the world can be a very stressful place. We see around us ads where women with some 7% body fat are made to feel self-conscious about how they look (Lipton Green Tea, I’m looking at you!). Imagine what it’s like for us fat femmes! Wouldn’t it be nice to be told for once that you’re okay just as you are? Wouldn’t it be even better to hear that dozens of times? Well, Sydney-based artist Joanna Thangaiah has you covered! And if you haven’t already been lovin’ her on Instagram, here’s what you’re missing!

Her art style is arresting. Each figure is a lovely cocktail of rockabilly, acid-punk and riot grrrl, with Thangaiah’s trademark button-nosed baby-faced femme, sporting out-of-this-world mascara. And each illustration carries with it a powerful, brazen, no-bullshit messages of self-acceptance.

Thangaiah’s work speaks for itself, and without further ado, we’re just going to let you enjoy the energy wafting off of each of these images!

Thangaiah’s work tells us all that ‘big girls are beautiful’, but that’s just barely scratching the surface of what she does. As the daughter of Sri Lankan parents living in very white Australia, her identity as a woman of colour finds expression in her art, as an identity that is simultaneously demeaned and exoticised. It’s an experience that any woman of colour in a largely white setting might relate with.

Something else that’s striking about her work is how fiercely confident her mascara-ed characters are. Fat femmes have had to recede, shrink, and apologise for who we are and how much space we occupy. We are told to wear shame like a second skin, to punish ourselves for how we look. But Thangaiah completely flips the script, by sticking it to The Man (read: patriarchy). And you have to admit, it’s super therapeutic!

All images courtesy of Joanna Thangaiah. To see more of her awesome work, check out her Instagram page, and her store.

The post 23 Super Awesome Feminist Comics To Fight Back Body Shaming appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

In a conversation with actors Arun Kumar Kalra, Sarbasis Bhattacharya, Indrani Dutta, Arnab Basu, Arundhati Banerjee, Seshadri Ratna Mitra and writer Anurag Sikder during the making of the play “My Darling Clementine”, I, as their director, asked them about the relevance of data privacy and leaks in their individual lives.

Piyali: How relevant is data privacy in your life? Why? How are you impacted by it? Any incident where you feel your data was misused or compromised?

Indrani:  Data privacy is important because it can be misused by third parties for fraud, scams and identity theft. My personal data which I have shared with a particular organisation for a certain reason has been done keeping in mind that it is safe with that organisation. Medical records, financial transactions, personal data etc. can be wrongly used by other agencies for their purposes. When I get pesky calls from banks/financial institutions, it is a clear example of the sharing of my personal data without my consent.

Arun: When the internet and social media happened to me, I too felt empowered, as now I could broadcast myself in ways that one could not have dreamt of before. The monopoly of many institutions and individuals was broken. There was a democratization of sorts especially in the field of communications. An individual could now stand alone and their voice could be heard. One could air thoughts with the world just as many big powerful organizations could.

But slowly, the other part of this saga appeared, as it turned out that it was a game run by corporations who would like to make more money and have control over its customers.

Arundhati: I can never trust what I’m reading on the internet because more than half of it is fake.

Talking about my experiences, I have had many instances on social media which pushed me into depression more than once. People have compromised my privacy online and misused my data to take revenge, make fun of my vulnerability, plagiarized my hard work and stolen credit from my work.

Seshadri: A relationship becomes stronger depending on the kind of emotions I share with a person. Emotions are built when I share more information, stories and definitely what’s happening in my life with the other person. A leak of such data means, a part of me gets totally exposed out to the public. On a personal note, I have lost a few of my closest people in life because I was a victim of data privacy leak.

Anurag: I was born at a time when the wave of swift technological transformation became the norm. Through it all, what wasn’t clear till recently was what we were giving in return for adapting to these new technologies. Now, with the knowledge that big corporations are using frivolous data extraction techniques, it feels like I sometimes have a difficult time adhering to my own beliefs. I feel like my decisions are being influenced on a subconscious level by another mystical force. That scares me a bit and as a result, I have become very careful with my activities on “connected” devices.

Piyali: How has been your experience working in a science-based play?

Seshadri: Today, when you can live a day without food but not without technology, these stories become even more important. Hence, I feel lucky that a project like this came into my life, where I am getting the chance to question some of the most believed facts of today’s generation. This play helps me to act and spread awareness about things still unknown to a lot of people around me.

Being a person who is fascinated by technology and all the time surrounded by it, the most difficult thing was maybe to make myself realise that no matter how much we depend on it, technology has its adverse effects and those adverse effects are man-made to safeguard the interest of some organisations/people. Once I realised the importance of the situation, I was ready to put my energy into spreading it to the maximum number of people possible.

Sarbasis: My experience of working in the play has been a catharsis of sorts, as this play is an amalgamation of scientific research, science fiction and performing arts. In the first few narrations of the story, I was baffled by the facts and technicalities of the subject. I was concerned how we will present it in a dramatised form to the audience that will be accepted and appreciated. However, you (the director) approached it with new perspectives and dramatized it. Now it seemed vital to tell this story.

Arnab: In my personal life, I work in the financial sector. However, theatre is my real passion and here I get to play the character of a scientist. It seems like an unbelievable dream coming true for me.  As I honed myself to develop this complex and multidimensional character in such a contemporary play, I challenged myself to bring it to life like never before. I have approached it with completely fresh and new perspectives, where I challenged my own self, unlearnt and learnt, discovered new dimensions to my own approach.

Arun: In Delhi, most of the theatre being done is just about repeating much-staged classic plays. Very few original and relevant plays are being done these days and this play stood out in its intent to me. It might not be like a traditional dramatic play for some, but for me, its heart is in the right place. I consider it as a trailblazer and I hope it starts a movement for many more such contemporary and relevant topic based plays in our society.

Arundhati: I’m a person who is comfortable with any genre. Plays on such topics are not easily made so I’m really happy that a science-based play has now been added to my theatrical repertoire. Since I have a background in traditional theatre, I find this play very informative, I haven’t done anything like this before. I’m always up for doing something that I haven’t experienced before. With that, I have a lot of faith in you (the director), as to how you are bringing it alive. People need to know these ugly truths in detail.

Piyali: What was the most difficult thing for you to do in the process of making this play?

Anurag: This play is the first one I have ever written. It has been a journey of adapting to a new means of storytelling and respecting the opportunities and challenges that it presents. Also, it has been a stellar lesson in managing talent for a live performance. It’s all a part of the learning curve and I am glad I approached it all with an open mind and heart.

Arun: The most difficult part of a science-related play is to get your facts and logic absolutely right. One ought to have a scientific temperament or inclination for doing such plays. If you are not keen on science and technology then you will have very less to contribute here.  The most important thing which is tackled in making a scientific play is to make it very simple, clear and understandable for the audience. That is only possible if the actors put in the effort to develop their own knowledge and clarity about the subject as guided by the director. I like to add additional dimensions to the character, that go on to strengthen the playwright and directors belief about the subject. I have done exactly that. This play very crucial as it would lead us as close to the truth as possible.

About the Author: For the past 19 years, Piyali Dasgupta has been working across industries like education, development sector, writing, CSR, corporations, brands, arts and aviation with expertise in strategy, events curation, teaching, capacity building, experiential learning, counselling and writing. She has been writing for various digital media publications, plays, children’s novella & a documentary film. She curates children writer’s, theatre, art festivals and events. Her first directed documentary film was part of the international film festival. She has acted in plays and movies and now directs her own plays. She is the founder for an experiential festival for children from underserved communities with participation across Delhi NCR. She is part of international storytellers group from 47 countries. She has studied Expressive Arts Therapy, Palliative Care Counselling, Hypnotherapy, Narrative Therapy and English Literature.

The post ‘It Seemed Vital To Tell This Story’: The Story Behind Our Play On Data Privacy appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.