So, what's the plan? - Shivom Oza

I hear about acquaintances getting married. I see friends getting settled in their respective careers. I learn about 'FB contacts' traveling around the world. Few folks turned entrepreneurs and are, apparently, doing well.

I went with these people to the same school/college, have had a similar upbringing, and, presumably, am as focused. Yet, I've no clue about where am I headed, as far as these aforementioned aspects are concerned.

I've been asked the 'what's your plan?' question, often. IMO, the best plan is to not have one at all. Nothing wrong in going with the flow! No?

Shivom Oza

Ugly (2014) Film Recommendation Post | Ronit Roy, Rahul Bhat & Vineet Kumar Singh, Dir: Anurag Kashyap - Shivom Oza

Each one of us has an UGLY side. No, it's not the concealed pimple/hidden scar. It's anger/hatred!

When was the last time you took advantage of somebody who was weak/gullible? When was the last time that you plotted to bring somebody down? Have you ever physically/verbally/mentally abused someone? Have you ever gotten angry only to realize later that you shouldn't have?

'Not being able to control oneself' is an excuse that criminals give after they've committed a crime.

Anurag Kashyap's Ugly showed me my UGLY side. Do watch the film and see if you can find yours. Peace!

Shivom Oza

There's a Festival for Everything - Shivom Oza

Watching 28 movies in 7 days at the Mumbai Film Festival was a life-altering experience. I was sold to the magic of cinema. Attending 7 live events in a week at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival got me hooked on to theatre and stand-up comedy.

Going to the Times Literary Carnival gave me better perspective on issues of national/social/global importance. I attended NH7 Weekender, and my respect for music and musicians has grown manifold.

Lesson learnt - If you wish to develop a passion for literature/cinema/theatre/music etc. and don't know where to begin from, give cultural festivals a shot!

Shivom Oza

Kitna Hua? Kitna Baaki Hai? - Shivom Oza

How much am I earning? When is the weekend coming? How many hours to go before I leave for the day? If I plan a trip, how many days' leave should I apply for? How many likes did my FB post get? How much time is it going to take for me to reach my destination? How many words to go before I touch 100?

Invariably, we spend most of our day - and life - keeping a count of everything, and then wonder why we've become so dull. If only, we valued moments as much as we value numbers!

Shivom Oza

Let's celebrate death! - Shivom Oza

Let's nuke the Pakistanis. They killed 5 of our own and we retaliated by killing 15 on the other side. Bravo, crush them!

If this was cricket - I could understand the overt enthusiasm and cheerleading. Never imagined that there would be a day when we would start cheering the fact that the opposition is losing more number of lives than we are, instead of wickets.

Wars never brought peace in Ukraine/Kashmir/Iraq/Afghanistan. Surely, a nation must protect its borders from insurgencies. However, the jingoism must end.

"War can never be ended by war" - Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai

Shivom Oza

I'd love to quit my job and travel, but.. - Shivom Oza

Ever heard of people who quit their corporate jobs to travel around the world? Their blogs feature wondrous stories, photographs & videos that encapsulate their nomadic life. I've daydreamed about resigning, packing my bags and setting off to Romania/Cambodia/Bolivia/Guatemala, while waiting for the Churchgate local.

However, like money makes the world go round, it is what makes you go around the world as well. I wonder how these people manage their expenses.

I can't wait to take the plunge, but looking at the trends in salaries at Indian workplaces - I might have to buy a lottery ticket soon.

Shivom Oza

Sabki Ulti Ginti Chalu! - Shivom Oza

A much-revered CM gets jailed for an 18-year-old corruption case. A superstar, son-sibling to former parliamentarians, is imprisoned for illegal possession of arms. Another superstar awaits trial in multiple court cases. We've had PMs who've wronged the nation, time and again.

These individuals can do no wrong in the eyes of their supporters. The popularity of these individuals has diminished the enormity of their 'alleged' crimes.

These recent big-ticket judgements have been a relief, and it remains to be seen how many more demigods and demigoddesses get convicted.

To quote Bajirao Singham - seedhi baat - sabki ulti ginti chalu!

Shivom Oza

Mere Bhagwan Pe Mat Ja! - Shivom Oza

A young female animal rights activist was attacked by a mob in Bhopal recently. Her fault was that she held a peaceful protest in front of a mosque, appealing for a vegan Bakri Eid. She happened to be Muslim. Whoa!

I am damn sure that had an environmental activist held a protest calling for an end to visarjans, he/she would have been attacked as well.

Don't be surprised!

This is us. We can discuss Bollywood, Modi, Economy, Sex, Jobs, Life & Cricket peacefully.

Lekin mere bhagwan ke baare mein kuch mat bolna warna..

Long live intolerance!

'God' bless.

Shivom Oza

Television for a 90s kid! - Shivom Oza

It used to be Dekh Bhai Dekh. Then came - Hip Hip Hurray. Movers and Shakers & KBC were loved by one and all. Dubbed versions of Small Wonder & Different Strokes were great, but 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S.' happened. Roadies dragged us back here for a bit, yet HIMYM was the clincher. Then came The Big Bang Theory, Entourage, Dexter, Modern Family etc. We were sold. Now, we lap up Breaking Bad/Sherlock/Game of Thrones. Quite frankly, I'd rather go back to Dekh Bhai Dekh. The 90s generation wouldn't have it any other way, methinks.

Shivom Oza

Are you mocking me? - Shivom Oza

An old friend stammered while talking. He used to be called 'Hakla', often! Dark-complexioned are often called 'Kaala' without reason. There are people who've based their mannerisms/sense of style upon those of the opposite sex. Yes, 'Chakka'! I happen to have squint, and I've had the colourful word 'Kanya' thrown at me.

Chinki, Bauna, Totla..

I have called people names too. When I think about it now, I feel terrible. I hope that those of you reading this, who outrage so much against racism, sexism, inequality etc. in your daily lives, take a moment to ponder upon this.

Shivom Oza

Adoption by choice, not compulsion! - Shivom Oza

We've heard of couples opting to adopt only during exceptional circumstances - can't conceive/gay/have resources to bring up biological as well as adopted children. Else, seldom do married couples choose to adopt instead of conceiving their own child.

I've discussed this thought with a few people, and they've thrown words like 'own child', 'our blood' etc. However, can't we look beyond all this? Whenever I come across an unfortunate family-less child, I wonder what could have been had he/she been adopted as a toddler. If only, we stopped thinking about 'our blood' and treated every life as it were!

Shivom Oza

No terrorist is completely guilty - Shivom Oza

November 27, 2008.

I was devastated to know about the loss of innocent lives. However, my heart went out to the several young gunmen.

Can we really blame them? They were probably raised in an environment where killing for justice was considered acceptable. They were brought up on misguided tales of injustices meted out to 'their' people, while children around the world learnt the alphabet, vowels and mathematics. They had to make the choice between poverty and terrorism, while people their age broke sweat over Science, Commerce and Arts.

Punish them, surely. Yet, is it truly their fault?

Shivom Oza

There's no accounting for taste - Shivom Oza

"How can you possibly like Rowdy Rathore? It's 'senseless' - an insult to cinema."

This is what I was told when I publicly revealed that I loved the Akshay Kumar-starrer. Do you have to watch Kashyap/Motwane/Scorsese/Allen/Fincher etc., to be certified as a film buff? Likewise, why can't anyone who only reads Chetan Bhagat, be proud to call himself/herself a reader?

Having an opinion is one thing; imposing it on others is what I'd call 'senseless'. No one has the right to choose what you should read/watch/think/say, but you.

BTW, I loved Kick. There's no accounting for taste.

Shivom Oza

Begin Again (2014) Film Recommendation Post | Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley - Shivom Oza

How does one cope up with a broken marriage, an estranged daughter and unemployment at the same time? An erstwhile music-business executive Dan (Mark Ruffalo), going through all the aforementioned troubles, attempts to redeem himself by helping a young singer-writer Gretta (Keira Knightley), who has her own share of problems, realize her potential in the field of music. Begin Again is a moving slice-of-life story about getting second chances in life. If you've ever gone through periods of self-doubt (post failure/betrayal), Begin Again should sort your head out. If the movie doesn't move you, its soundtrack definitely will!

Shivom Oza

Work Culture in India - Shivom Oza

The work culture in Indian organizations is abominable. A part of the salary gets deducted for coming late, but no compensation is given to those who have to stick around after work hours. If you happen to give extra time to work, you're supposed to be a 'dedicated' employee. Saturday is a working day (ridiculous). The employers stick to the rule book as long as it is convenient for them. They should realize that if they let their employees be, the latter will perform better. However, there is zero trust. The Indian work culture desperately needs an overhaul.

Shivom Oza

Where are the all-rounders? - Shivom Oza

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India's opening fast bowler, happened to score two 50s during the first Test match against England, last week. I read that some 'experts' are pondering over whether he is the fast bowling all-rounder, the Indian cricket team is desperately looking for! Such reportage left a few questions in my mind - Why do we jump to conclusions? Why are we so desperate for quick-fix solutions? Why are we so impatient? What pleasure do we get by ruining careers out of having unrealistic expectations? Ans. We are like that only! By the way, when will 'achche din' arrive?

Shivom Oza

Just voting will not make any difference! - Shivom Oza

Do all our duties and responsibilities towards our country, begin and end with voting? Just vote, and sit back and watch the tamasha unfold over the next five years, on our television screens! Convenient, isn't it? We want a non-corrupt government, but are we ourselves 100% clean? We want 0% crime rate, but have we never broken the law? We want better infrastructure, but have we never littered? We want equal rights for everybody, but have we never discriminated? We want change, but are we willing to change ourselves? Do cast your vote. However, it doesn't end there.

Shivom Oza

Yellow (2014) Film Recommendation Post | Gauri Gadgil & Mrinal Kulkarni, Dir: Mahesh Limaye - Shivom Oza

This weekend, I watched a Marathi film Yellow, which was based on the life of a mentally challenged girl named Gauri Gadgil, who overcomes odds to become a champion swimmer. It is one of the most inspiring sporting stories that I have come across. How do we usually react when we see somebody who is mentally handicapped? We pity them, and worry about their future. After having watched this movie, I will not do that anymore. We may not realize it, but they do find their happiness in things that appeal to them. They are not necessarily 'suffering'!

Shivom Oza

Boring at the top! - Shivom Oza

India may become T20 champions. Shouldn't I be excited? Wasn't this the tournament (2007) that gave rise to T20, Indian cricket, IPL and Dhoni - all at one go? We had not won anything back then in a very long time! Since then, BCCI has added a T20WC, ICC WC and a Champions Trophy to its cabinet. I don't know about the players but for the fans, the excitement does fade a trifle when victories come by the dozen. Wonder how the Aussie fans kept the enthusiasm going for a decade or so when their cricket team won everything!

Shivom Oza

8 Plays You Must Watch (Part 2) - Shivom Oza

Sex Morality & Censorship - Terrific theatrical presentation on the way censorship has affected the lives of artistes; spectacular song-and-dance sequences

Vagina Monologues - This is not a play for 'women only'; features female chracters from several walks of life, who narrate stories that vary from being rip-roaring to gut-wrenching

Piya Behrupiya - A Hindi-language musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night; powerful performances and exceptional live singing on stage; recommended even for those who haven't read the original

Adhe Adhure - A middle-aged mother/wife wanting to break free; newfound respect fot Lillete Dubey as an actor; real characters living real moments

Shivom Oza

Read Part 1