Give it Up: Good vision, Uncertain results

Subsidies are meant to ensure that those who cannot afford certain essential goods and services are provided these at a lower price. The difference between the market price and purchase price is borne by the government. Therefore, it should also mean that those who can afford the market price actually buys it at that rate.

The recent campaign launched by the government, which exhorts the public to give up LPG subsidies, is in consonance with the above mentioned idea. Those who can afford to give up the subsidy can give it up, while someone who cannot afford it will be provided the subsidy. This is an idea that has economic and social relevance in our country. When combined with Direct Benefit Transfer, it will allow the government to prevent diversion of domestic LPG cylinders for commercial use- agents will no longer be able to divert those cylinders unavailed out of the twelve subsidised ones each consumer is eligible for, to the black market. In addition, the subsidy given up by each consumer is used to benefit someone who is currently using firewood or other inefficient and polluting source of fuel.

All this however, seems too idealistic because it is too rational  and too simple. It does not consider how people actually think, as for instance, the middle class are already fed up with inflation, especially that of food items; voluntarily taking a price hike might not even cross their minds. They experienced a major disappointment through the hike in indirect taxes without any reductions in income tax (not even deductions permissible under various sections) in the 2014-15 budget. This, when contrasted with huge figures of tax foregone in tax exemptions to corporates and businesses, could make the middle class bitter. Another point of irritation is the demand by MPs to double their salaries despite the huge amounts they draw as allowances and perks they enjoy in addition to their salary. Linking someone who gave up subsidy with another customer who benefited from this is also too simple an idea, which does little to prove the governments effectiveness and earnestness.

The attempt therefore is not going to have a significant impact unless the campaign goes beyond the rational and simple emotional satisfaction of benefiting someone less fortunate. It has to be accompanied by actual government efforts in other areas as well. Broadly, reducing inflation, preventing wasteful government expenditure, raising employment and average income are essential. Specific to LPG, promoting alternatives like piped gas or solar or electric cooking devices can be considered.

Therefore, mere appearances of activity is not sufficient. It has to accompanied by actual effort if the policy is to be effective.

As Time Goes by, Where do I live

In a previous era, my days and my life were based on the seasons. Summer meant vacations and freedom where even the stifling heat could not tire my spirit and body. There was always energy for one more game and always time for one more innings. Rains meant  a new school year, fresh books and drenched uniforms. Months and time of the day did not really matter for all that mattered were the seasons, and every season was always something to look forward to, something to be excited about and something to wait for.

In summer, I used to visit my grandparents place and there would be cousins to play with, elders telling us not to step into the sun and to be careful. But that has changed- one of my cousins is already married, grandparents are gone and we have built a new house in the same place where they had lived. But it is literally and figuratively impossible to recognise that I am at exactly the same place.

It is time that has changed and my life is no longer a matter of seasons, but of weekdays and weekends. The seasons are no longer significant- not just because they have become mixed up due to climate change- but life goes on no matter what. In the same place- which I used to wait anxiously to visit and where I used to play to my hearts content- in the same time of the year, there are no changes with the season. Do I wish those old days were back? That is where the period between my school days and working life taught me valuable lessons.

There was a period between the happy summer vacations and the normal summer days of now- university and civil service exam days. Summer, especially April brought the heat of Test2, lab exams and imminent compre. It was hectic and I wanted breathing space and time to relax- now I wish I was careful what I had wished for. What came next was an era that destroyed the seasons in the way usual people understand and brought Prelims, Post-Prelims, Mains, waiting anxiously, (disappointing) results and recovery seasons. When solely occupied (rather obsessed by exams), what happened everywhere else did not matter and I lost sense of time. The wait was killing, it was depressing and disappointing- time merely disappeared and it was just existence in the hope of something better some day- an endless wait. Three years went by as I stood still, waiting...

What has that taught me? To live in the present because I have control only over my present happiness and I can be happy no matter what the time, season or situation in life. To learn from the past and forget about the rest of it since it cannot come back but can guide me in my future. To build for the future so that I can be happy then too, no matter what the season or the event.

It is time for Selfies in Malayalam Cinema

I was initially sceptical when I went for the movie. I expected it to be another 'Neram' or '1983', but what I saw was quite impressive. It is a worthy successor to the great comedies of 80s and 90s in Malayalam. The name itself is a sign of the shifting times, from 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha' to 'Oru Vadakkan Selfie' symbolosises the shift in our lives, the tales we tell and in our movies.


The movie begins on a new generation theme with the hero failing hopelessly in his education, a song 'enne thellendammava njan nannavoola' and an attempt to create a short film to launch the hero on his path to tinseltown. Then, there are serious twists and interesting plots which make for a crazy and suspense filled ride.

What I like about the movie is its ability to bring in comedy without being vulgar. This is what makes it the true inheritor to great Malayalam movies of yore and this success is even more appreciable and evident when we see the poor attempts by a star of yore to pull along another movie with his old and repeated line of acting and comedy. V. Selfie uses exaggerated situational comedy, something the great comedies were very good at. It makes us literally laugh out loud and brings out issues that are of relevance in our society today, be it hartal or online fraud or safety issues in mobile cameras. It thus uses comedy to bring different flavours out of a solid story.

The acting seems natural, with even veteran Vijayaraghavan keeping his place as the father of the hero, Aju Varghese does well as the stupid side-kick whose antics land the hero in trouble, Manjima does well as the female lead and Vineeth Sreenivasan does his part comedy part serious role well too. Nivin Pauly deserves special plaudits for his performance where he lends credibility to the academically challenged and happy go lucky but compassionate hero.

The scene that struck me the most was when the hero realised how he had let his father down and rings him up in the middle of the night to seek forgiveness. I was disappointed since I expected an all to familiar reconciliation and "all is well between father and son" scene. What came next was just brilliant and it is moments like these that make the movie original, funny and worth watching. The songs are not poetic or something that deserves high praise, but in this movie, their funny tone and lyrics provide brilliant backdrops and leitmotifs. The art and camerawork deserve praise too for the scenes in a crowded temple, moving bus, hideout etc.

This definitely is a family movie, something that the entire family can watch and enjoy, even if some of it feels unfamiliar and disagreeable. That is because the movie is at its core a good comedy rooted in the present- hence unfamiliar to some, and comedy must always be exaggerated- hence it cannot be natural. Expect to laugh a lot, keep singing or humming some of the silly songs that would stay with you and appreciate a really smart and funny movie.

PS- There are notable similarities with the movie 'Neram', but 'Neram' is not effective in its comedy as this one and is more absurd- a bit over exaggerated.

Indian Sherlock too gets an upgrade

I have not read Byomkesh Bakshi stories before and so this was my first glimpse into the world of Indian Sherlock Holmes. It was an experience that makes me want to go back again and again. It deserves appreciation on multiple fronts- I have not seen something this good in a long long time, the last time being 'Kahaani', which too has Calcutta as its backdrop.

But the Calcutta in Byomkesh Bakshi is different. It is the one from 1943, when World War2, drug smuggling, Japanese invasion of India and freedom struggle formed the backdrop. The plot involves multiple twists and turns, suspense, action, a bit of romance and even a femme fatale. It keeps us guessing, makes us ask questions and finally reveals the plot in a creative and interesting sequence. Full marks to the story.

The depiction of Calcutta of the era was brilliant along with the acting. Each actor portrays their role effectively and with skill. I was also drawn in by the graphic novel type imagery they produced- something new in India- which reminded my of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino, but without their unrealistic depictions and hyperbole.

The movie also stays away from the usual bollywood masala and pointless songs, squeezed in comedy and action sequences. Every moment is important to the plot and it is a pleasure to watch the dots being connected and to try and do it ourselves.

In short, its a really good movie. A must watch, a good entertainer, something to cherish as well as look forward to sequel hopefully. These are the sort of movies we need to entertain us, these are the sort of movies that we need to watch and take to box office collection records, not mind numbing and idiotic ones that have been crowned as successes.

Now, let me order the book and read!

Forever..Always..NEVER!

This is not a review of the latest flop in Malayalam movies, but my views on why it is such an agony and disappointment to watch the greats fall from their pedestal. The movie is being advertised as the dream combination of Mohanlal + Sathan Anthikkad + Manju Warrier, but it seems like only one of them really went into the movie knowing their jobs while the other two merely marked their presence without being really necessary to the movie and thus failed to stamp their unique trademarks.

Firstly about the one who was essential to the movie and literally breathes some life into the movie- Mohanlal does his best to raise an ordinary character, plot and dialogues to remarkable levels. Even when he is repeating previous trademark lines, it seems new and original. His acting and comedy however remains underutilised in a story that is so ordinary.

This is where I am so disappointed as Sathyan Anthikkad fails to bring together comedy, trials and tribulations of a divorcee and family bonds in a believable story. The plot has a lot of unnecessary elements right from the "evil" CEO of a construction conglomerate, the "cruel"husband, the elderly couple in the neighbourhood, the perfect mother, the new task oriented editor-in-chief and sad hints of a love triangle. It is definitely the fault of the script-writer that the movie is so lame, but when Sathyan Anthikkad lends his name to a film, the fault must be laid at his feet.

Finally, my biggest personal disappointment- Manju Warrier. I was deeply irritated by the lameness of her first come back movie. This one is just slightly better and that is because her character has a minimal role in the movie and could have been done by just about anybody. There was little to mess up, very few scenes for her and even fewer dialogues. Perhaps it is rustiness which has made her dialogue delivery clearly artificial while expressions have improved a little bit, maybe the effect of so many dance scenes squeezed into the movie.

There are a few who deserve a good word in this movie. Innocent and Lenna, whose roles are totally irrelevant and filled with pointless dialogues do justice to their job. Finally, a word about the audience- the movie is being welcomed with both hands not because it is remotely good, let alone great, but because there are simply NO alternates in this holiday season. There are no other movies that we can watch with our families- parents, children, siblings and grandparents together- and this makes 'Ennum Eppozhum' a superhit. So it is not just the greats that have fallen from their pedestal, but malayalam movies as a whole which has in turn forced the audience to settle for far less than what they have got from these greats.

Another World Cup

The earliest memory I have of cricket is the 1996 world cup. It began a new era in my life as television become part of my normal life and cricket became an obsession, just like it happened for millions of others in their childhood. I remember the defeats to Australia and Srilanka in the group stage, especially the one against Srilanka where Sachin Tendulkar’s century was in vain due to the new equation that was being generated in One Day Internationals by the Srilankan openers Sanath Jayasurya and Kaluwitharana. I even remember the ludicrous conspiracy that their bats were filled with spring which explained the mindboggling scoring rate in the initial part of the innings.

The most exciting game that year was the quarter final against Pakistan where Siddhu’s opening earned him a Man of the match award, Venkatesh Prasad won the argument against Amir Sohail and Javed Miandad was humbled after he started showing off. That was my first experience of the excitement surrounding an India- Pakistan match. This was the era before even landphones, let alone “mauka mauka”, but the excitement and tension feels real even now.

I write about this now, as another World Cup is winding up. India won the match against Pakistan and lost in the Semi-Finals, just like 1996. The 1996 semi final was a heart-breaker at the Eden Gardens with Vinod Kambli crying and walking off with Anil Kumble as the match ended prematurely due to crowd trouble.

It is time to take stock of what has happened in life between these two world cups. Cricket is still a mad obsession in the country but I have come full circle with my interest having waned significantly. From a 2^nd standard student, I have gone on to a lot of things, left them in the middle- either having moved on my own or having been forced to move by circumstances- and then gone to the next. I am thus in the beginning of a new life and a new career, a new era begins.

My entire life, I had gone after science and technology and then learned humanities on the side to prepare for civil service. I had stayed away from commerce and finance academically, despite the environment at home being fully filled by those subjects. This cricket world cup, instead of the victories and the defeat, I would remember talking to customers or checking up information on the bank network while cricket was at the far end of my mind, despite the excitement around me regarding the world cup. I would remember how I tried to learn financial statements, branch operations and deal with annual closing activities.

Another cricket world cup is thus ending, but it is the beginning of a different new era in my life. If it is anything like the previous one, it is going to be one worth looking forward to.

An Occupation

Occupation(noun) : Any activity that occupies a person's attention

This time of the year, the last two years had been hell. This used to be the time immediately after Civil Service Exams results. The times were bad not just because the results were bad, but the period leading up to the results were also bad. There was the frustrating and scary anxiety, the desperation for a good result and then endless speculation and rumours. Life was completely taken over by it and it was misery in its complete manifestation.

This year has been different despite the fact that results have not been published yet- I have been able to realise the complete meaning of "occupation" for a change. The usual purpose of a job is to make money, but I also realised that it is essential to utilise one's time well. If one is not "occupied", the mind will start losing its way, which happened to me the last two occasions. The void left by lack of any occupation had been filled by fear, anxiety and a desperate plea for results to come out, which was more of a plea for mercy killing since I could not stand the pain of uncertainty any longer.

The change in my condition this year is not the result of a new found safety in the form a job but due to mental occupation created by the new job and the regular physical exhaustion from having to go to work. It has been highly engaging because since the time I joined, I have gone through a diverse set of environments and experiences which have been completely new to me. 

The occupation itself is completely unrelated to everything and anything I have studied. Banking is something I have never been exposed to deeply in my life and so I am like a sponge now trying to soak all the knowledge in. This is coming in the form of information, observation and advise. Here, the people around are highly important as they have been kind, helpful and eager to guide the rookie. They vary widely in age, attitude, experience and education, which is something I have rarely experienced in my life and this has given me a totally new perspective.

Apart from this, the events ever since I took up the job have also been quite diverse. From joining to initial exposure, the steep learning curve at a hectic and demanding branch, training at Gurgaon and Lucknow where I met those within my age group but with highly different perspectives and backgrounds (unlike my previous job and at university), practical wisdom in banking and human resource management from seniors and especially the last one week when I had to on deputation for marketing and to a single-man branch.

I can hardly believe that all these happened in the last 10 weeks since I joined SBI. I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams that things would have been so fast paced, engaging and strange. I do not know what the future beholds, but no matter what, I do not think I will have to live with dark days anymore. Whatever the results, let it come when it comes. I am not waiting for it, I am just too occupied to be bothered by something about which I cannot do anything and whatever I could have done, had been done 11weeks ago.

An End and A Beginning

It has been nearly three years since I left the safety of a comfortable job and jumped into the civil service exam fold. It has brought mostly heartbreak and not more than a few glimmers of hope. But what I do have to cherish are the friends I made in this time, some old friends I preserved and an old friend I got back in touch with. The final results are not out yet but I think it is time for me to move on because I have given it all I had both in terms of effort and sacrifice. I cannot do any better and I cannot carry on without a job- it is time to begin building my life.

But I am glad I took the plunge. It has enabled me to appreciate the importance of friends, it has convinced me of the simple fact that we are all social animals at times of both joy and sorrow- joy is meaningless without anyone to share it with while sorrow is unbearable without anyone to console us. It destroyed who I was and created a new person who is now optimistic and unafraid of uncertainties. Experience has now convinced me, despite heavy resistance from me and after repeated lessons which got harder each time, that fear and tension about the future are better left neglected.

Attempts at civil service exams have therefore been a journey of self-discovery and self-self improvement. But as I said earlier, it is time to move on and get back to reality and life. It is as part of that exercise that I rejoined facebook after a hiatus of over 3 years. The break had nothing to do with civil service exams but was due to the overwhelming sense of frustration and even anger at what used to appear on facebook.

But right now, I have decided to rejoin due to three main reasons. Firstly, I have decided to let people be if they want to promote themselves and present their awesome lives, let them. I have realised that my life and my happiness is decided by me. Secondly, I needed to get back to reality. The world had passed me by while I was stationary with civil service exams. My friends have moved on to their next jobs or completed their Masters (mostly abroad or in top institutes in India) and some of them have got married. A few have also accomplished many of the things they wanted to in life. Facebook thus serves as a wake up call, motivation to rebuild my life and stop my feeling of guilt for having settled for something lower than what I wanted. In the short period since I have rejoined, I have realised that joining SBI was right and I could not have waited any longer as time was literally running out for me to start a career. The third reason is that it is time I fell back into the grid. I had no idea what people have been upto and they have no clue whether I am alive or not.

One factor which has enabled me to accept the transition is the fact that despite having to settle for less that I wanted, what I now have suits exactly who I am fundamentally. I love familiar surroundings- language, food and movies especially. I love to go home and meet my family regularly. I would have been happy with a job that paid decently to meet my needs, family needs and build up sufficient savings for the future- home, children, retirement and emergencies. I do not want a highly competitive career because I am not an ambitious person. This was the original me that existed before I went to university, but had disappeared in my struggle to survive the competition there. I had to become ambitious and competitive and I did become that. I chased down goals and gave more than my best, I worked hard and carried on despite failures and opposition.

But perhaps I have had enough of that. I think it is time to use all the lessons from civil service struggles and university to my present life to make it more easy. The competitiveness and ambition, the ability to withstand hardship and uncertainty will be handy when I face life. I learnt to fight against the best and won a few battles (the war is still undecided as I write now). These will definitely come in handy when I face future battles, much easier and relevant to the fundamental me, for which I have been made ready by my past. That is perhaps why I went through university and civil service exams- to give me all the weapons and more, needed to fight the simple battles of my simple life and emerge victorious in those.

I therefore begin with hope. I am moving on to a new life....