An Impressive "First Show"

A mammoth gathering, a glittering stage, the seven hills backdrop... well "Truly Mega" is in short the launch of "Praja Rajyam", the new political outfit launched by the famed matinee idol Chiranjeevi.

The long awaited political foray, given the clichéd dialogues that kept hinting at the political move from Indra to Tagore to Stalin, finally happened at Tirupati. The fans frenzy may have left a few thousands may be lakhs scurrying to avoid the stampede, but then it was this frenzy that has catapulted the anti-hero to the Mega status that Chiranjeevi enjoys in his 3 decades of filmdom. Even as he fumbles with his words (no more dialogues) and juggles the usage of Telugu and English words, one thing is clear... he is here to stay. Unlike the Sharath Kumars and the Vijaykanths of Tamil Nadu Chiranjeevi is a much bigger force to reckon - here in Andhra Pradesh.

The filmi start to the public meeting, the punch packed narration of his life before films, the well rehearsed speech are things the Megastar is always comfortable with. But the well scripted Agenda of the Praja Rajyam party with issues, like Telangana statehood demand, naxalism and categorisation of Scheduled Castes, being touched upon just to get the pulse of the critics and the established parties racing is commendable.

The Flag: It's a pleasant combination, with the usual message.
For some one who has been a fan of the filmstar - the Mega entry into politics - at least the entry - is nothing short of "Impressive".

Wait I am not saying I am to shift allegiance so soon

Well I would wait and watch to say more - for in true filmy style "Picture ab hi toh shuru huyi hai"

Deafening Silence

SRINAGAR AUGUST 15, 2008: At exactly 8am, CRPF hoisted the Indian Tricolour at Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar on Independence Day. At 3.45pm, Lal Chowk wore a totally different look. Hundreds of slogan-shouting protesters swarmed the area and at 4pm and planted the flags of Jamaat-e-Islami (which looks like the Pakistani flag) and the terrorist outfit, Hizb-ul Mujahideen, on top of the same tower where the Indian flag had been hoisted.

A news that should set every Indian's blood boiling...! NOT for the MOST Secular Government of India. Shudder to think if the reaction will be the same "IF" one day (hopefully not) this happens atop Red Fort in New Delhi.Every big and small politician of the United Progressive Alliance reached the roof tops of TV studios - big and small - to proclaim their displeasure at the happenings in Gujarat. NO the Laloos and the Paswans see no further above New Delhi for any publicity. No REACTIONS either from the depleted Gandhi family or the entourage of sychopants that follow them. NO acerbic comments from the big wigs of the Sangh and its affliations - the Sarkars and the Sarkar Rajs.

Leaves a bitter taste to hear this deafening silence...!

Here is a SILENT PROTEST to the official apathy.

Kashmir and minority appeasement

MY political views have always been radical, but then I don’t sympathize with the ‘leftists’!
My religious views have been very unexpressive, but then I stop short of sounding like a ‘rightist’ when I express. I hate the pseudo secular power hungry 100+ year old political party, which thrives on the poor, the illiterate voters and the born sycophants who eulogize the dumbest of their leaders to no end.

But then when reams and reams of newsprint and hours and days of news bytes go into talking for and against the citizen of this country – very clearly differentiated on religious lines, I have no reason not to express my own views on this. Firstly I don’t hate the minorities, I hate their appeasement – I hate the way they are treated as vote bank. No I am not trying to be politically correct in saying this… for I believe in the simple truth of life – Equality.
If that is so, then why do you have an Amarnath issue that needs hours and days of political debate, but no one was consulted when Haj subsidies were implemented (so I believe… was there a discussion?) What M.F Hussain does is Art and what Modi’s men speak is ‘fanatical’, NO – I don’t subscribe to the Modi way of life and thought, but aren’t these Congressmen to be blamed for the backlash, where a majority is made to look like slaves and the minority – which incidentally is basking in all the attention showered and is greedily expecting more!
I may sound ill informed, true to a large extent, but why is Kashmir always the bone of contention, what have the two countries each holding on to a share of the ‘Kashmir’ doing to make it really worth owning. What have the successive Indian governments over the past 6 decades done to alleviate the living conditions of the people of this region?
Questions that have answers – but then who want answers – as long as there are minorities – as long as they are illiterate – poverty stricken – appeased and pampered – there will be power mongers who will fill their coffers.
Kashmir and minorities are a creation of “the mother (and also the grandfather, son, daughter-in-law) of all political parties” and their personalized policies!

So for now the flavour of the season is Kashmir – that we will hear hogging the headlines and ‘Breaking News’ for long – tomorrow, and when it comes there will be another.
Its Elections time soon – Lets NOT expect anything to change!

61 years and going strong

“There cannot be a more opportune moment to recall the sacrifices of the thousands who lost their lives to secure this freedom”, thus goes in brief many a speech spoken on this day across the country from the ramparts to the backyards, from school grounds to political party offices, Independence has very little meaning in the nation’s context for the remaining part of the year sans this day.
It has not been intentional to sound cynical, but then for someone who believes to be a patriot in the true sense, for someone who feels being a responsible citizen is just a basic requirement, it is hard to digest the hypocrisy of the arm chair preachers who day-in-and-day-out thrive on passing judgement on the dos and don’ts in society and at other times don’t bat an eyelid to do break every possible rule, written and unwritten, ethical and unethical.
Enough of berating the hypocrites, who have governed our lives, lets give a saner thought to freedom. Freedom in the dictionary sense is “The condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints”. Well aren’t we getting too prejudiced with the people who think for us, speak for us and also make us think and speak their language? Where has our inner sense of creativity and analytical sense gone? Can we not make our own opinion and stick to it?
This Independence Day, let’s solemnly pledge to “FREE OUR MINDS” of prejudice, contempt, lack of sensitivity towards the surroundings, towards fellow human beings and towards anything that does not belong to ‘us’. Let’s “SPEAK OUR HEARTS” rationally.
Inculcate the habit of being humane; imbibe virtue as a prerequisite to live - like the air we breathe, the water we drink or the food we eat.

Let Freedom be…! In the actual sense – not just a day to remember on I Day, but a cherished luxury that can be made memorable every day in our lives.

Jai Hind

The Golden Moment

28 long years to hear about another Gold medal in Olympics, a period during which the US of A, China, Russia, Australia and the likes picked up a few hundred Gold medals and are still counting… but then why does the entire nation go ga ga over One single Gold medal…?

A Country of 100 million needed more, but then It had to begin, the jinx needed to be broken, an individual medal was something that happened in the last 3 Games (Paes, Malleswari, Rathore), but the elusive Gold finally arrived bringing cheer to this sports starved (save cricket) nation.

Kudos Abhinav Bindra – You’ve really made us proud… A small step for Bindra – A giant leap for India – sounds clichéd?

For a Nation that breeds cynics by the second, thanks to the 24 hour news channels, such moments are to be really cherished with unabashed enthusiasm.

For a true blue sports aficionado, this is truly the defining moment – The Golden Moment of Life…!

The Z effect in venkrekZworld

After a long intermission comes this Blog which shall give momentum to my thoughts. The earlier blog, though with a fixation for cricket, was lacking in continuity for various reasons that are better ignored.

This new avatar has a conspicuous Z in my world. The Z has for long been in existence in my works albeit in a very subtle coded way.
As I begin this new innings of penning my thoughts I promise (to myself) to explore a wider range of subjects, an exploration of the various interests that govern me and my world, of course with the renewed promise of originality.

The passion for sport though cannot be forbearing; the pursuit will surely cross the realm of politics, music, world affairs, environment and more…!

Cheerz to the new beginning!!!