No Blind Faith in Education

It has been almost four years since I graduated from my college. My parents played a big role in deciding what I would study. They had my best in mind. But from where I am right now, I know that was perhaps not the best decision.

Despite a degree in Computer Engineering, I work at an investment bank, and my role does not require me to know programming. I would have done better to study Commerce. 

Of the umpteen reasons I have, I will give you five reasons not to blindly follow your parents' way when it comes to education:-

1. Times have changed

The economy does not thrive on the sectors that it thrived on 20 years back. Your parents' field may not be doing so well today.

2. You cannot keep living your parents' dreams

It is time to think on your own feet and do what your heart desires. Do not sacrifice forty years of career for four years of education.

3. We should aspire to be global citizens

More often than not, our parents' college-decision is based on myopic factors like job-placements and time-to-commute. They tend to overlook the benefits of going to a college that provides exposure and helps one #thinkBIG.

4. Parents tend to compare

How often have we been compared to our siblings, neighbours, and just about every other person of our age? Every individual is unique with her innate talents. Success does not mean the same thing to everyone.

5. You don't want to live with regrets

Take chances while you can. How will you achieve something your parents haven't if you keep doing only what they have?

This video drives home the message that your college-decision should be fashioned by its implications on your future, not just your present. Good luck!

My Dream Husband

I am twenty five. And even though I am lucky to not be pestered by parents or nosy relatives to get married, I thought I would draw up a list of qualities I would like in my future husband. :-P Only if the lucky boy meets all of the things in my list will I exclaim, "Fantastico! You can now propose to me." ;-)

Requirement #1: Must be intelligent

I don't think I will enjoy talking to someone who doesn't have at least my level of intellect. I might be happy with a cute looking guy for a few years, but what when he starts getting wrinkly and old? I will have to have real conversations with this man, won't I?

Requirement #2: Must believe in gender equality

This one's a no brainer. I won't stand a guy who thinks males are superior to females. Or even someone who thinks women should be put on a pedestal and worshiped. Gender equality in our case would mean respecting each other's ambitions and choices and believing in each other's strengths. I don't need my man to carry my luggage. I am a strong woman and can take care of myself and my stuff as well. And I want him to be able to do the same. We will not favour one person's career over another's. Equality also means I won't change my surname. If we need to keep one surname, we will both adopt a completely new one. :-)

I want someone who will spend lazy evenings with me

Requirement #3: Must fall in love with me

Now this is a tough one. It is very hard to find someone who truly loves you for who you really are. Most people who have a crush on you have their own image of who you are. My man must really understand me and accept me with all of my quirks and craziness. And I too will have to learn to do all of that. I don't believe in sacrifice. So, I will just keep looking until I find the perfect fit connect.

Requirement #4: Must love the environment

I have asthma, and I absolutely hate anything that pollutes the air. The air quality in my country is pathetic as it is. I don't like people burning incense sticks, or polluting the house in the name of purification. I also detest smokers and people who burn crackers during festivals. I will walk out of the relationship if my man forgets to even get the PUC check done for his car.

Requirement #5: Must know the art of handling money

I am a total pro in money matters, and I don't want the guy to ruin my credit prospects by the simple act of getting married to me. If he has unpaid credit card dues or similar things, he'd better look for another girl. Joint application for home loans consider the credit history of both the woman and the man. Despite being a darling saver, I don't want to live with a bad interest rate on my house because my man has been careless. When I demand equality, I truly mean it. I am not the type who will take her husband's wallet for shopping and everything else. By the same token, I don't want someone who doesn't take care of his health or has smoked so much he'll be spending the rest of his life paying medical bills. I lead an active life and make smart dietary choices. I won't be happy paying for the husband's hospital dues. If he has ruined his health, he must be prepared to pay for it!

There are a million other things I want in my guy. But once he clears these 5 hurdles, he'll have the opportunity to take me out on a date. I shall disclose the other hurdles if I like the place, the cuisine and the ensuing conversation. :-D

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Book Review - The Bestseller She Wrote

Today, I shall be reviewing Ravi Subramanian's latest book - The Bestseller She Wrote. Earlier this month, I received an autographed copy of the romance novel. You can also read my review of God is a Gamer by the same author.

Fast Facts:-

Title: The Bestseller She Wrote

Author: Ravi Subramanian

Genre: Romance (Fiction)

Publisher: Westland Ltd

Pages: 391

Price: Rs.295 (Paperback)

Key Characters:-

1. Aditya Kapoor: A successful author and banker
2. Shreya Kaushik: An MBA student and an aspiring writer
3. Maya: Aditya's wife and a teacher at an international school
4. Sanjay: Aditya's best friend from IIM-B 

The Review:-

'The Bestseller She Wrote' is not what you would ordinarily expect from Ravi Subramanian - the writer whose claim to fame is a series of successful financial thrillers. He writes his first romance novel, but the premise is still well within his comfort zone - writing and banking.

The story is explores a phase in the life of Aditya Kapoor, a bestselling author who also holds a senior position at a bank. He is handsome, charismatic and very lucky to have an understanding and loving wife in Maya - his B-school sweetheart. Theirs is a happy family with a toddler in the frame.

Aditya meets Shreya, a topper at IIM-Bangalore when he is invited to his alma mater to address the students and promote his latest thriller. Shreya is an attractive and intelligent girl who is fiercely ambitious at the same time. She pines to become a bestselling author of Aditya's stature. What in the beginning seems like an innocuous acquaintance, later turns into an adulterous affair. The plot is a result of coincidence and also deliberate scheming.

The book explores the delicate and dangerous world of adultery - how it starts, what goes on in the mind of an adulterer, if conscience and guilt make their presence felt, what happens when the cat is out of the bag, and if cheating can ever be forgiven. At the same time, the setting takes the readers through the nuances of getting one's book published and promoted. There are also the usual office scenes at the bank and the sundry issues you would expect.

The twist in the story is the sudden importance attributed to Maya and what happens to her. This is what keeps the book from going down the done-to-death route of a regular romance novel.

My Verdict:-

Perhaps I was expecting better stuff from the author, given my past experience with his writing. This is why the book disappoints me. Many cliches have been fortified in the book. Also, Subramanian seems to have made as little use of imagination as possible. Large parts of his story seem to mimic the life of Chetan Bhagat or perhaps his own. He casually indulges in name dropping - Ashwin Sanghi, Blogadda, HT Brunch and even Anurag Kashyap! The references seem jarring and distract you from the story as you wonder why he is irritating you with unnecessary third-party promotion.

The novel is not too bad though. It is fast paced and interesting enough to be carried along on a train journey. The interlacing of a certain global crisis is what kept me hooked to the book when my attention was wavering.

This book gets an overall rating of 6 on 10 from me. Here's a video-glimpse into the story:-

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Food for Smiles

In our socially connected world today, we are digitally close but perhaps our hearts are miles apart. We tend to compare more - who looks better on Facebook? Who has more followers on Instagram? Who tweets from the most exotic locations? We tend to have thousands of friends, but we know few of them closely. We appear to be superficially happy, but are we really content from within?

The latest fashion fad will tell you it is the "in" thing to be skinny. How else will you fit into that pair of super-skinny jeans or string bikinis? You know you cannot lose all of that stubborn fat just by gymming and running, so you will also start following a strict diet of only freshly squeezed or cold pressed juices, fat free milk and high protein meals. In doing so, you will steadily reduce your production of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine - the "happy hormones". And ultimately, you will sit there all alone - sulking at your life and scrolling through your social media newsfeed.

I used to be that person a few years back. But I cut out all of the negativity from my life and now I love to stay happy and keep people happy! It is nice to go out for a jog in the park and eat green veggies. But you must not starve yourself of that occasional glass of wine, bar of dark chocolate or plate full of McCain snacks!

When my friends from Poland and Brazil and I shared some delicious snacks...

If I throw a party for my friends, I would have an array of delectable finger foods to go with the craft beers and soft drinks and fruit juices (for those health freaks ;-) ). I'd serve McCain Smiles to the sullen guests to help them forget their worries, McCain Potato Bites to the skinny fellows who haven't eaten carbs in ages, McCain French Fries to the angry old ladies who think the West is trying to hijack our culture, McCain Veggie Fingers to the snooty non vegetarian who things vegetarians only eat leaves, and McCain Aloo Tikki to the snobbish foreign return who complains about everything that is wrong with India.

When all of my eccentric friends dig into their deep fried goodies, they will lose themselves in the cheesey flavours and stop groaning about their lives. They will know that it is time to put aside their smartphones and tablets. They will find friendship once again as they smile and laugh through the evening and into the night.

Every Girl Must Watch This!

I have hardly ever spoken about what I watch on TV. It is quite unfortunate now that I just don't have the luxury of time to watch my favourite shows, but there used to be one time when I would watch a lot of things on the telly....

As a kid, I grew up on American cartoons, series and sitcoms. In my teens, I was especially influenced by "Ginger", the lead character from "As Told by Ginger". That was a cartoon series on a pre-teen girl who would go through the usual rigmarole of having to deal with pre-teen-girl-problems such as keeping her friends happy, avoiding getting into the bad books of the popular girls, having crushes and getting guys to like her, having mixed feelings towards that guy-friend, the first kiss, puberty, make-up, shaving the hair off her legs, dressing well, keeping an annoying brother out of her way and having a love-hate relationship with her parents. Phew! That girl did have a lot on her plate. I completely loved her story! And I watched this during my formative years and most of my early teens. Here's the title track for you:-

This was the only cartoon series in which the characters would have their own wardrobes! They would change clothes every day and even repeat them! This was the most realistic cartoon show ever! I was terribly upset that it stopped running in India after a few years, perhaps because the average Indian cartoon-viewer preferred action-sequences and mystery. Back then, I did not have Tata Sky+ Transfer to rescue me from my situation. If I had had it then, I would have recorded every single episode so I could watch it anytime - even now. This amazing technology lets you carry your entertainment anywhere! I can now actually watch my favourite episodes up in the air when I'm flying on a long haul flight, or when I'm stuck in a slow moving traffic. I can watch it on a tab, a laptop or my phone - or good old TV!

"As Told by Ginger" is one show every growing girl must watch. It teaches one how to handle life and deal with being at the cusp of childhood and adolescence. It taught me to be a better teenager when I finally turned one. And it made me think through the consequences of my actions, so I rarely acted on an impulse. I hope it will teach you (or your daughter) a thing or two too!

#SachchiAdvice from Dad

Most affluent Indian parents treat their daughters as delicate dolls, mollycoddling them and not letting them lift a finger. Daughters of doting fathers are usually brought up on unlimited access to clothes and accessories. They are gifted cute VW Beetles on their graduation and a new phone every birthday. Most of my girlfriends have been living a fairytale. They never repeat outfits, always have their daddy or a driver to pick them up and drop them to sundry parties and hobby classes. Now that they have jobs, they are not even expected to save any of their income! They still get their pre-job privileges and have all of their salaries available for splurging on binge shopping and parlour treatments.

Unfortunately, I had none of the above. Even though my father loves me very much and earns enough to give me the life of a princess, he has ensured that I have a simple upbringing. I have never received pocket money in my entire life. Whenever I needed money, I would have to tell my dad the reason, and he would hand out a sufficient sum to me - not less, but certainly not more than what I would require. While many of my friends had cellphones at the age of 13, I was lucky to get his old mobile when I was 17. I spent most of my childhood thinking I was adopted. Afterall, my mum got to go on lavish shopping sprees (even to Dubai!), so we certainly did not have financial problems, right?

My father would extoll the virtues of hardwork and self reliance. He would tell me that one day I would be richer than those people with pocket monies, and he was teaching me how to be independent. I did not understand much of it back then, but all of that makes perfect sense to me now. I look back and feel proud of the fact that I bought my first bicycle at the age of 9 with my own savings. I would keep all of the gift-money (which I received from relatives on birthdays and festivals) in my little piggy-bank.

That habit of saving money had made me independent in a lot of ways. When I turned 16, I could fund my dates without having to ask for anything from my parents or having to lie to them in the process. I did not have to be a high-maintenance girlfriend who would literally rob their boyfriends of the very last penny that they managed to save. I saw the biggest benefit when I started working. My finances were impeccable! While most of my new colleagues were spending on expensive labels, fancy dinners and exclusive parties, I was carefully slotting my monthly salary away into retirement funds, bank deposits and mutual funds.

The king (my dad) hangs out with his princess (me) in Moscow (March, 2015)

No, I did not turn into a miser. I just learned to manage my money better. Even after saving aggressively, I have enough left to buy myself nice outfits and shoes. I also managed to visit 6 countries this year (yes, you read that right! :-) ) with my own hard earned money. And I do a trip within India every month. Sometimes, even I cannot figure out how I manage to globetrot and save so much at the same time. But I know, it is my father and his excellent child-rearing skills that has made me this successful and independent woman I am today. I cannot thank my dad enough for all the #SachchiAdvice he has been giving me all this while. I know how to stay physically fit, but my dad has taught me the art of staying financially fit!

I am participating in the #SachchiAdvice Contest by MaxLife in Association with BlogAdda.

The Best Gift was your Advice

Most of my friends who meet me for the first time since school or college tell me I have changed a great deal. It is almost as if I have undergone some sort of transformation - an image makeover, if you will. What they think is absolutely right. I have changed. But this has not been an overnight miracle. It has taken me several days, weeks and months of consistent effort... and following some priceless advice.

Before I tell you about my present, I must acquaint you with my past. I have always been ambitious, but limited in my imagination to dream. I used to think dreams should be reasonable and within reach. Anything too big was just fantasizing and a waste of time. I was also quite introverted, though not shy. I had a few talents - I could write and compose poems, but I never looked at those skills as anything more than hobbies.

Cut to the present - I am an international half marathoner with a world record up my sleeve; a published author and a rising blogger. Most of my new colleagues would classify me as a seasoned extrovert without a second thought. I dream a lot. And I dream without limits or boundaries.

I am elated after earning my finisher's medal at the Vilnius half marathon earlier this month.

All of this did not happen by magic, with a fairy Godmother turning me into some kind of Cinderella with a flick of her wand. It happened when I met a colleague (Purujeet) at my first job after graduation. We became fast friends over our common interests and love for books. He told me to think like men do. Men are usually fiercely competitive and ambitious. They take risks without the fear of failing. They do not worry about what the world thinks of them. They lead and succeed in whatever they set their eyes on. It is on his advice that I started aiming for a better life and career. A few months later, I switched my job and landed something far more glamorous (well, as glamorous as a banking job can get :-P ). I also discovered that ambition, the ability to take risks and be fearless are gender-blind.

Purujeet would also take me to various gatherings to meet his friends and colleagues. He seemed to have hundreds of them. That really put me out of my comfort zone. I did not like meeting new people or talking to people I did not have anything in common with. I would usually stay quiet or just give short answers to what his friends would ask me. I never made an effort to keep up the conversations. Later, Purujeet would ask me why I wouldn't open up. He told me I wouldn't get far if I let others take control of the conversations. I would have to be attentive and socially aware. I would have to put in some hard work and get to know people better, and also get them to know me better. Purujeet's #SacchiAdvice has made a very big difference to my life and my outlook towards life.

Step by step, I changed the way I thought - about myself and about the people around me. I realized I used to pay too much attention to how others perceived me. I was shaped by what I thought the world would approve of. I gradually stopped doing that. I learned to live for myself. I pursued hobbies I had never pursued before - ballroom dancing and running.

With Purujeet - my best friend, advisor and mentor

With time and practice, I got better at my craft. I ran at several long distance running events in Mumbai across 20 months. And earlier this month (10th September, 2015), I happened to be the first and only Indian to run the half marathon at Vilnius (Lithuania)! It brought tears to my eyes when I thought of how I would never participate in any sport or athletic activity as a kid due to my problem with asthma. I had conquered my respiratory condition and shattered my boundaries. My boundaries were never physical. They were only in my mind.

Today, I have another feather in my cap - my first published book! I never thought I'd get to that level so quickly. I still have a long way to go, but that friend's advice has been my guiding light... which will light up many more pathways to success for my future. 

I am participating in the #SachchiAdvice Contest by MaxLife in Association with BlogAdda.

Fixing the Perfect Match!

The Indian Premier League is long over, but the cricket fever still remains. It is a little like eating chocolate and still lingering on to the aftertaste. I have heard many people say that cricket is like a religion (with its own God ;-) ). But I beg to differ.

I feel that cricket is much more than a religion. Most religions have Godmen who prescribe. But cricket does not have to resort to any tactics to garner followers. One gets addicted from the very first game! Cricket is more like a cigarette or drug addiction. (I do not smoke or do drugs, but I know a lot of people who do.) The more you indulge in it, the more addicted you are. And this addiction does have its side effects - you forget to do your homework, to take your dog out for a walk in the evening, to buy groceries on Saturdays or to be on time for your oh-so-very-important meeting at work.

Cricket has become so overpowering that most people have started missing their kids' PTA meetings, skipped their cousin's wedding, sacrificed a long, romantic dinner on one's own anniversary or missed their daily workout.

Fortunately, we can now stay connected to the game while doing all the other thing that we love to do or are required to do. All thanks to UC Browser, This new mobile browser in the market claims to be faster than your usual options. And what's more! You can get live cricket updates and pictures and videos on a specially dedicated cricket service - the UC Cricket. This feature gives you the live scores with auto update, fixture and result reports and the latest news and videos.

Now that you can carry cricket in your pocket, make sure you carry your own self to all those wonderful events which you have been missing! Your child will actually study harder if she/he knows that you take keen interest in school and related activities. With UC Browser set to take care of everything, you can now go on that date which you had been missing for the match. Who knows, your date might actually want to watch the cricket match that you never wanted to sacrifice for any occasion. 

With so much time at hand, I would certainly go travelling to offbeat places with my smartphone or tablet in tow. The moment I get in the train, I would switch on UC Browser and start the cricket service. Now, for every workout session, I will watch the UC Cricket videos as I run on my treadmill. This will be so much better than being a couch potato and neither eating well nor doing any exercise. So, the next time you decide to choose one over the other, choose both! You will have both cricket updates and social media status updates from your new location where your are trying a cool activity with all the people you have been too busy to meet.

Buddy Parenting - A Positive Trend

When my parents grew up, they were reared with a threatening cane which would come down sharply on their knuckles if they misbehaved. Fortunately, that trend has changed. When I was growing up, my parents ensured that I learned to behave well not out of fear but out of understanding. I am no longer a kid and am old enough to have my own now. I am now treated as an adult and my opinions are valued at home. I was wondering how people bring up their kids these days. So, I decided to carefully observe my cousin and my little nephew of six.

My sister in law is an angel of a woman and I strongly believe that only luck won my cousin such a gem of a wife. She is an even better mother! I spent quite a few weeks in their spacious home in Ahmedabad, and observed how my little nephew was being treated like a young mind and not just a cuddly baby.

Large rooms can help your kids play and stay happier!

As a toddler, my nephew learned to brush his teeth before eating anything in the morning as my sis in law would make that look more attractive than tearing open a bag of chips. Every time my nephew wet his pants, he would start crying out of fear and guilt. But my smart sis in law, would give him a perplexed stare and ask him what the big deal was. She would ask him to change his pants as she wiped the floor clean. My cousin learned to deal with guilt in this way. His fear of trying out new things was quashed as my sis in law would make him accompany her to the grocery store. The little kiddo learned how to pick his favourite biscuits and carton of Chocos from the aisles of the supermarkets. He learned how to assert his individuality in his own little way.

If your kids hate walking, buy them a mini-scooter!

On my latest trip abroad to Moscow, I saw how happy the tiny tots looked. Most of them did not have to be carried or dragged on prams. They wore skates, used skate boards or scooters to keep up their pace with their parents. I even saw some cool parents take to scooters so they could commute the way their kids did.

Our children can teach us wonderful ways to enjoying the little things in life. We must not be instructive or authoritarian in our style of parenting. It is much better to be a friend to your little bundle of joy. Try buddy-parenting and immerse  yourself in the 'Khushi Ke Pal' as you emulate the philosophy of 'Khuljaye Bachpan'!

A Fresh Look at Traffic Jams

Any Mumbaikar will tell you how much we hate our roads. There is either a pothole every few metres apart or an ensuing jam that will keep you behind the wheel for eons. While the average person stuck in a traffic jam would just remain frustrated and have a bad day ahead as a consequence, I have an interesting idea for you all to turn a traffic jam into a "jam-session"!

When all the vehicles around you are honking and the traffic is still, do not just sit there and curse the roads or the drivers. Get out of your car or bus or auto and off your bike or scooter. Go out, play some music and dance! Or if you are lucky, call Anushka Manchanda to sing for you in the middle of the streets! She will cheer up every angry passenger in the bus and make them sing along. While you are at it, make a call to the Southern star - Allu Arjun and get him over to teach you some cool dance moves! If you are not yet convinced of this electrifying pair of singer and dancer, watch this video of Bezubaan Phir Se, one of the songs from the upcoming movie - ABCD 2:-

ABCD in the title of this movie stands for Anybody Can Dance. Allu Arjun is terrific in his new lean look. Anyone would be amazed by his flexibility and the agility with which he commands over the dance floor. We must not forget that he has Anushka Manchanda's crystal clear and powerful voice to infuse a new life in the dance.

Being a dancer myself, I know how wonderful it feels to be able to move your body in a rhythm of your choice. You must mot wait for moments in which to dance. Instead, you should just start grooving when you hear some good music or catch some nice beats. A couple of years back, I was at an amazing party but I was too shy to dance. A shot of tequila later, I hit the dance floor and showed off my moves. I danced not only until the last song was played, but also with some very hot guys I would otherwise have never had the courage to approach.

So, take my advice. The next time you are stuck in traffic, hop out and dance like Allu Arjun to Anushka Manchanda's music! ;-)

I am blogging for the #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you?

A Fresh Move on a Boring Day

You will not believe how boring my office days usually are! To add to the boredom, my weekdays are tiring too! Let me take you through my schedule on the average workday:-

7 AM: I wake up after snoozing my alarm for half an hour. And I am woken by my screaming parents who cannot believe I have grown up and am not a school kid anymore.

7:30 AM: This is when I am actually awake and ready for a shower.

8 AM: I frown at my wardrobe and manage to fish out a half-decent outfit for work. If it's not well ironed, I have to iron as well. Then I throw in my hairclips, lipgloss and lip balms in my tiny pouch and decide I can do my hair and lips at office. I only wear some sunscreen and scrunch my hair up in a bun.

8:30 AM: My mum screams again to get me to have breakfast, and I realize then that I am late for my office cab. I take one bite into a fruit and ask her to pack the rest. She throws me a dirty look and curses me again. I rush out of my house, but remember to take my phone out of the charger just at the last minute. After getting irritated by the lifts that will take ages to arrive and the auto-rickshaw drivers who will never want to go anywhere, I finally am on my way to office.

9 AM: I reach office looking like I was stuck in a cyclone. Then I log on to my computer and am bombarded with a series of emails that make my heart sink. I cannot believe I am loaded with work again! I work non stop with only some loo breaks and a lunch break.

1 PM: Lunch is again something that makes me depressed. I wonder why nobody wants to change the caterers.

1:30 PM: My colleagues in London walk in and we have back to back meetings while my backache gets worse sitting on my chair for so long.

6:30 PM: It is finally time to leave for the day! But the traffic is just pathetic! To add to it, the rains beat mercilessly.

7:30 PM: I return home damp from both outside and within. I wish to do a bit of blogging, but my body is so tired, I just want to sleep. I carry my tired self through snacks, a lot of nagging from my mum and dinner.

Midnight: If I am lucky, I manage to sleep. Or else, I keep working until it's 1AM.

The only way to energize my dull day is to have Allu Arjun dance for me every morning with Anushka Manchanda singing a melodious number. This power packed duo can certainly charge my boring office day with some excitement with their glamorous presence. I would love to have them over at office too! They would totally rock the office and get us off our PCs and on the dancefloor!

I am blogging for the #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you?

Book Review - Changes (Family Portrait Series)

For the past two weeks, I had been reading a wonderful novel by an authoress of Trinidadian origin. It is only today that I finished "Changes" which is the first volume in the Family Portrait Series by Gillian Felix.

Fast Facts:-

Title: Changes 

Author: Gillian Felix

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Family Drama

Publisher: GillianFx Publishing (through Smashwords)

Pages: 80
File Size: 291 KB (PDF version)

Price: Rs.62 (Kindle Edition ebook)

Key Characters:-

1. Adriana Banovic: A fifteen year old actress in a daily soap who is suddenly removed from her role as her character takes a generation-leap.
2. Kevin Banovic: Adriana's elder brother and a popular face in UCLA.
3. Leighann DaCosta: A famous teenage singing sensation who only wants a normal life.
4. Savi DaCosta: Leighann's mum and manager who puts pressure on her daughter to continue with her singing career.
5. Haze Lyndon: A new boy in UCLA who catches Adriana's fancy on one of his shoots. 

Gillian Felix

The Review:-

"Changes" is the first book in the Family Portrait series. It is a family drama, mainly about the Banovics. The story begins with Adriana Banovic losing her job as the lead character in a popular TV soap. She is upset because that means she would have to join the Westwood Academy, a school for the rich and famous. She hates the snobbish atmosphere there.

Meanwhile, Leighann, a singing sensation stressed with the demands of her busy celebrity life, collapses on stage during her concert. She wants to give up her career to live the life of a normal girl, just as her friend and elder step-sister, L'Wren. Savi, Leighann's mother, is livid. She controls her daughter's every move and enjoys the perks of being the celeb's mum.

A few days later, both Adriana and Leighann find themselves at Westwood and deal with the exciting yet mean world of high school. The air is thick with pranks, crushes and friendships. At school, Adriana clashes with her nemesis, Astrid. And off school, she lusts after Haze, a handsome guy she finds at a photoshoot.

While the kids enjoy their teenage lives, the parents have their own share of ups and downs. Robin, father to Kevin, Adriana and Zax, learns of the death of his father, Victor. Victor leaves Robin his huge wine estate. Robin never got along with his father when he was young. The story keeps you guessing what will happen - Will Robin accept his father's estate? Will Adriana find Haze again? Will Leighann be happy in her new life?


My Verdict:-

I love how smoothly and swiftly the story proceeds. One can tell it has been written by someone who loves to write and is gifted in the art. Gillian succeeds in keeping the characters unique and interesting. The book holds your interest until the very end.

Changes gets an overall rating of 9 on 10 for the excellent storytelling, smart characterization and interesting plot. The story is good enough to be made into a TV series.

Funny #CrashThePepsiIPL Ads

So, today's match got cancelled due to rains in Kolkata. :-( But you don't have to be so sad, because I have brought you 5 Pepsi-IPL ads that will tickle your funny bone:-

1. Atithi Devo Bhava

This is probably one of the worst ads, but also really funny! The plump guy is fed up of his neighbour who keeps visiting all the time just to have Pepsi. So, he comes up with an ingenious idea of getting a shot glass so he doesn't have to part with too much of his favourite drink. The victory dance with all his flab jiggling about is perhaps the funniest bit of this ad.

2. Lift the Pepsi

This is a classic lift scene with the mandatory hot girl in short and tight clothes stuck with a dork. So, the smarty pants guy throws the ball inside the lift so he can get in with her on the pretext of collecting his ball. But the tables turn when the girl intimidates the guy and smoothly takes away his can of Pepsi and drinks it all up!

3. Blindfold for Pepsi

This is actually one of the best shot videos. It almost looks like a real ad. Even the background music is quite soothing. All the three actors are good looking. The story makes good use of the game of blindfold. It doesn't have anything to do with cricket or IPL, but the concept is nice. The two guys decide to blindfold the girl and drink the Pepsi out of her handbag.

4. Boom Boy gets Angry!

This one is hilarious! The supposed actor just cannot remember his dialogues even after several retakes. This is when the director collapses with exhaustion and the boom boy blows hot and cold with anger. The angry man grabs the bottle of Pepsi off the actor's grasp, drinks it up and says the dialogues with perfection. He also berates the dumb actor for being useless.

5. Blind Date with Pepsi!

A good play over a blind date! A young guy is late for his first blind date. He gets into a lift with a man perhaps in his forties, and speaks to his date over the phone. When he asks her how he will recognise her, she says she's got a Pepsi on her table. The older man hears this and forms an evil plan in his head. The young guy tells her that he's wearing a black shirt. The scene rolls over to the date table. And you can see the old man in the young guy's shirt drinking up the girl's Pepsi! :-D

Check out the #CrashThePepsiIPL videos & participate in the activity at BlogAdda.

My Favourite #CrashThePepsiIPL Ads

The IPL season is on again! While I'm not really into cricket, I happened to watch a few ads on YouTube. So, here's my list of ads that I thought were the most creative:-

1. The Jungle Match

This ad is particularly creative because of the unique jungle backdrop. I love forests and all things natural. The scene has been shot really well. Even the acting is good. The idea of getting tribals in the game of cricket is quite cool. The concept is quite Rajnikantesque. The ball that is hit by the old man goes all the way above the clouds in the sky and brings down a bottle of Pepsi.

2. The Pepsi Chase

This video is quite well shot. I assume it took many retakes. The first two guys are seen jumping over walls and running all across the college campus to taste the Pepsi in the bottle. It drives home the message that 'when two people fight, the third fellow takes the prize'. Great acting by all the male actors!

3. Restart After a Setback

I really liked how this ad told an entire story in 30 seconds. No job-loss or breakup is big enough to engulf you. Have faith in yourself and keep trying. There will always be a better job, a better life-partner, a better tomorrow. I like this story of hope. Finding out your boyfriend or girlfriend is cruel can really suck. Sometimes you are dumped and then some other times, you need to break up because you can't stand that jerk. But once the worst is over, you must get up and keep going. The same goes for jobs. Sometimes, you are sacked, and if you are lucky, you have the opportunity to quit. But the thrill of finding something new is irreplaceable.

4. Burp Your Way Through!

This ad is quite an interesting and funny one. A bunch of guys need access to the TV that the girl gang is hogging. So, they drink up all the Pepsi and go burping around them. The girls get irritated and leave the turf. Victory!!! This one is definitely low budget. Looks like it was shot by a bunch of friends who hung out at one of their flats.

5. Save Our Soul, Pepsi!

Another jungle ad. But in this one, the bottle of Pepsi is actually the saviour. An interesting tip to save oneself from attacking tribes! The costumes are made entirely of leaves, and adds to the humour element. The tribal guys acted really well. The victim was not too bad either. So folks, remember to carry a bottle of Pepsi when you go trekking on your own! ;-)

Check out the #CrashThePepsiIPL videos & participate in the activity at BlogAdda.

Steel-Willed Resolve

Every year, our country gives birth to certain people who grow up not only to raise their families but also to rise. They rise above their circumstances to inspire a million others. Today, I will tell you about two such people who inspire me. These stories are of people who have been nominated for JSW Will of Steel awards.

The first beacon of hope is Dr. Debal Deb. He has spent over twenty years in the difficult and unstable areas of eastern India, helping farmers stay true to their roots. Dr. Deb's cause is something nobody would ever have thought of. It doesn't even remotely come across as vital. But herein lies the crux of his struggle. He has worked with several farmers to conserve traditional seeds. His work is time consuming, and requires a lot of patience and long hours of field exposure to educate the farmers about the importance of indigenous varieties of seeds. In India, we have a crisis of traditional varieties of seeds due to the rampant cultivation of crops which are widely consumed or yield the best produce. Many farms still have cash crops as a backup.

Source: willofsteel.in/home/story/117

Dr. Deb's relentless efforts have saved nine hundred and twenty varieties of rice in in West Bengal and Odisha alone! His creative and unique approach is impressive and inspiring. He truly knows that India can progress only when the poorest farmers understand what they are growing and how they should be growing it.

The second story is that of Arunima Sinha, a volleyball player of national level. She inspires me for more reasons than one. She is an amputee who climbed Mount Everest! It is my dream to summit the tallest peak of the world once in my lifetime. That peak is extreme not just in its height but also in its harsh conditions - the wind, the temperatures that go up to minus seventy degrees Celsius, the low concentration of oxygen which takes your blood-oxygen level to about 40 (normal level is above 94). Such conditions are enough to kill the fittest of people. To survive the Everest, one needs plenty of endurance, excellent levels of fitness and nutrition, and several days of acclimatization.

Source: willofsteel.in/home/story/69

All of these challenges increase in intensity when your left leg is amputated. Arunima first showed her courage when she fought with the goons who were trying to snatch her chain. Then again when the robbers threw her out of the train. I salute such women who have the strong will to fight for what is right and rise despite all odds. I sincerely hope we all find that will of steel in us. It is an important ingredient in getting anything done, especially when our circumstances are unstable.

I’m voting for Dr. Debal Deb and Arunima Sinha’s #WillOfSteel and blogging on BlogAdda to help them get felicitated and eventually enabled by JSW.

Book Review - Shamsuddin's Grave

Earlier this month, I received a review copy of Shamsuddin's Grave by Paromita Goswami. My busy schedule kept me from finishing this novel, but I finally read the last page today. You can read my review now!

Fast Facts:-

Title: Shamsuddin's Grave 

Author: Paromita Goswami

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Partridge

Pages: 280

Price: Rs.450 (Paperback)

Key Characters:-

1. Shamsuddin: A poor Miyan Muslim in Assam - the central character
2. Latika: A passionate and dedicated social worker who forms a close friendship with Shamsuddin
3. Snehalata: Latika's aunt and Shamsuddin's benefactor
4. Debjyoti: Team Lead of the NGO that helps the slum dwellers in Guwahati. 

The Review:-

Shamsuddin's Grave is the story of a poor man who leaves his small village in Assam to make more money in the city of Guwahati. However, Shamsuddin is caught in new problems of the city. He finds it very expensive to make his ends meet and works doubly hard to afford a roof over his head and save for a new home. All this while, he leaves his wife, Amina, and their children with his brother. When Shamsuddin returns to his family after a couple of years, his world shatters.

Latika, a divorcee, leaves Delhi to work at an NGO in Guwahati. She is appalled by the pathetic and unhygienic conditions of the poor people living in shanties, especially those belonging to the Miyan Muslim community. Latika rolls up her sleeves and gets to work right away, despite threats from the local goons.

The book is very special, mainly because of the powerful story that needs to be told to the world. Paromita explores the sensitive situation in Assam and addresses the problems faced by this state - floods, infiltration, Government apathy, illiteracy, human trafficking and poverty. The author gets the emotions spot on! The characters feel real and unique.

The only downside of this book is the poor editing and sweeping errors in spelling and grammar. The same story, in the hands of an expert writer, would perhaps make it to the Man Booker longlist.

My Verdict:-

This book gets an overall rating of 6 on 10 from me for the moving story and high levels of interest that it commands. However, the poor language hinders the novel from being a great one.

*  *  *

The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.

Book Review - Metro Diaries

Another day, another love story! Today's review is for 'Metro Diaries' by Namrata. This book is a collection of short stories on love. I read the electronic version, but you can also buy a paperback.

Fast Facts:-

Title: Metro Diaries 

Author: Namrata

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Revelation House

Pages: 162
File Size: 901 KB (PDF version)

Price: Rs.248 (Flipkart price for paperback) / Rs. 187.15 (Kindle edition)

The Review:-

Metro Diaries aims to bring you a collection of twenty true love stories captured in various cities and towns. Namrata, the author, proclaims all of the stories to be true, with changes only in the names of the characters. One of these stories is about herself. She does not reveal which one, though. Each of these stories have short verses separating them.

The stories are about people who have fallen in love, lost love, been through pain, and found love again. The characters range from teenagers and young office goers to married and old homemakers. Of all of the short pieces, I found the 18th and 19th stories to be the best. 'Love Revisited', the 18th piece, was the story of a beautiful girl who is married to a Londoner and later abused. Her story of escape and finding love again was slightly engrossing. 'The next story, 'The Last Letter', was that of an old lady reminiscing her days of yore when her husband was fighting in the war of independence in India. This one was touching.

Apart from these two, I found the remaining stories quite dull. The characters are not well fleshed out. Almost every character in the book seems to behave in a similar fashion. Their dialogues, emotions and reaction largely remain the same. The author fails to recreate the emotions of men. The points of view and letters from men and women are startlingly similar. It is evident that this book has been written by a novice who only uses feminine perspectives. Also, the book is littered with spelling and grammatical mistakes. The usage of certain words and phrases are absolutely out of place.

Some of the poems used in the chapter are nice. I do not wish to discourage the author. I know it takes a lot of courage and perseverance to bring a book to the table. Nevertheless, I feel Namrata needs to read a lot of diverse material so she can create better quality stories with more colour in her characters. Some of her pieces look promising. With plenty of practise, reviewing and editing, I'm sure she can come up with much better books in the future. I wish her the best in her literary journey!


My Verdict:-

This book gets an overall rating of 4 on 10 for poor editing and repetitive use of similar phrases. The book failed to keep me interested. However, some first time lovers and readers may enjoy the book in bits and pieces.

Only If You Accompany Me...

Today, as I flipped through an old album of a friend, I realized how much I miss him. It brought back wonderful memories from the past. From several beautiful instances, I clearly remember one that I shall narrate to you tonight.

It was sometime in October,  a couple of years ago when one of my close friends from work (let's call him Himanshu for the sake of the story) told me about the Bandra Wine Fest which would be held over the weekend. He really wanted to visit that festival as wines are one of his favourite alcoholic drinks. As fate would have it, I had a major exam on that Sunday morning. That meant I would not even have the Saturday to myself, as I would have to spend all of my time studying.

I felt horrible that I would not be able to go along with Himanshu. So, I got another friend to volunteer keep him company. This guy was an alcohol worshipper, so I guessed the duo would really enjoy their time in Bandra. But after the broke the news to them, they both seemed sullen. They had been thinking I would accompany them, and their hearts sank when they found out I was bailing myself out of this. The spiralling sadness engulfed me in guilt. Then, I decided to put my time management skills into action!

On Sunday morning, I finished my exam early and managed to get back home and finish lunch. I immediately called up Himanshu to check if he still wanted to go to the wine fest. He asked me sarcastically who I had arranged for him. I apologized and said I was free for the rest of the day and would love to spend some time together. He perked up immediately and asked me to pick him up in 10 minutes.

On our way to Bandra, he told me how he had almost gotten himself into a date-like situation with a girl he met the previous night at the cafe next to his place. She was so obsessed over him that he had gotten 14 missed calls after he told her he was going with me. After he showed me half a dozen text messages from that girl (named Gayatri), Himanshu switched off his phone and said, "My evening is all yours! No distractions today."

I wrinkled my forehead and told him he shouldn't be an idiot and just take his new girlfriend along. "Girlfriend?!" he balked. "I barely know her, Oindrila! I am not going to waste such a fantastic wine fest on a random chick I just met. You know how badly I wanted to go with you. I wasn't going to go with Gayatri even if you were unavailable today. I told you last week that I would go only if you accompany me."

I smiled at that. We both knew how much we loved wines. None of the other friends we had were into wines the way we were. They would be more attracted to beers and whiskies. But one thing we enjoyed more than wines was our friendship and the company we provided each other. I was glad I could make Himanshu feel special that day just by following my heart and showing up. But what said to me was even more sublime. I think he made me feel better than acing my exam would have.

The wine fest was absolutely rocking, by the way! We had over twenty glasses of wines and ciders, and ate quite a lot to cleanse our palates and keep us from collapsing with intoxication. There was even an impromptu salsa session, but we danced rock and roll to a slow tune. We were drunk alright! I have many pictures of that afternoon which turned into evening and ended late in the night. But don't think I will ever need pictures to remind me of that day.

I am participating in the #DilKiDealOnSnapdeal activity at BlogAdda in association with SnapDeal.

Book Review - The Guitar Girl

Today, I finished reading a novel that took me back to my teenage years! I really love feeling that way again. For that, I must thank and congratulate Aniesha Brahma, the author of 'The Guitar Girl'.

Fast Facts:-

Title: The Guitar Girl 

Author: Aniesha Brahma

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Romance

Publisher: self published through Kindle Direct Publishing

Pages: 193
File Size: 932 KB (PDF version)

Price: Rs.61 (Kindle Edition ebook)

Key Characters:-

1. Rhea Shah: A sixteen year old schoolgirl who regularly writes in her journal.
2. Sophie Ghosh: Rhea's best friend, classmate and confidante. 
3. Arjav: The third friend and classmate who completes the trio.
4. Robbie Shah: Rhea's elder brother who goes to college and has his own band - Blitzkrieg Bridge.
5. Joy Fernandez: Robbie's best friend and another member of the band. 

The Review:-

This is the story of Rhea, a high school girl who has a huge crush on Joy, her elder brother's best friend. Sophie and Arjav, Rhea's best buddies, are the only two people who she can confess her feelings to. Robbie, Rhea's brother, is in college and only visits home on weekends when he usually gets Joy along. They have a very popular band which Joy plays the guitar in.

Unable to gather the courage to confess her love, Rhea starts a blog under the assumed identity of 'The Guitar Girl'. On her blog, she posts poems and songs that reflect her true feelings for Joy. Coincidentally, Joy comes across her blog and finds The Guitar Girl's lyrics to be perfect for their band. He offers her a contract which Rhea/Guitar Girl accepts on the condition that her anonymity is kept intact. Meanwhile, in her real life, Rhea ends up getting secret guitar lessons from Joy after a serendipitous incident.

Rhea's dual identity makes the situation very interesting and the story takes unexpected turns. To thicken the plot, her friends too have something to tell her. The book keeps you guessing if Rhea will have her happily-ever-after while she tries hard to manage her studies and tons of homework that she is assigned almost daily as punishment for passing notes to Sophie and Arjav in class.

The narration is youthful and in line with the media teens use to communicate. The entire book is a compilation of text messages, Google Talk chats, Facebook messages, notes passed in class and journal entries. The lingo is spot on and the characters lifelike. There are some typos in the book, but I'm not sure if they are deliberately placed to simulate real chat-scenarios. The editing, otherwise, is quite good, and the style consistent with that associated with the 16-18 age group.


My Verdict:-

This book is the perfect chick lit novel for preteens and teenagers! It is almost India's answer to Princess Diaries. The dialogues, levels of maturity and tones are carefully matched with the characters. The Guitar Girl is, not surprisingly, a pageturner! The story is light and an excellent palate cleanser if you have been reading critically acclaimed books. There could have been more layers to the story, but I like it the way it is. Simple, happy and light.

This book gets an overall rating of 9 on 10 for making me walk down my memory lane and reminisce the innocence and youthfulness of my teen years. My rating is biased as I am a huge fan of teen fiction and romance. However, even the unbiased reader would have generous and positive feedback for this story!

Book Review - The Accidental Wife

I just finished reading the second novel by an NRI writer, Simi K. Rao. The book kept me glued to my desk all day, and it is with a happy heart that I write today's review - for "The Accidental Wife".

Fast Facts:-

Title: The Accidental Wife 

Author: Simi K. Rao

Genre: Mainstream Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Kando Books

Pages: 202
File Size: 6.11MB (PDF version)

Price: $1.59 (Kindle Edition ebook)

Key Characters:-

1. Rihaan Mehta: A ridiculously handsome neurosurgeon and Harvard graduate who is nagged my his mother to get married.
2. Naina Rathod: A beautiful teacher and photojournalist who becomes Rihaan's "accidental wife". 
3. Shobha Mehta: Rihaan's controlling and commanding mother whose only goal is to find her son a suitable wife and herself a complying daughter-in-law.

The Review:-

The Accidental Wife is the story of two strangers - Naina and Rihaan, who agree to get married for reasons of their own. Rihaan, a successful neurosurgeon and an incredibly attractive Harvard graduate, is sick of his dominating mother constantly badgering him to get married. All Rihaan wants is to get his mother off his back and live his own life freely as a bachelor in New York. Meanwhile, Naina, a stunning Delhiite, who teaches school kids and ardently pursues her passion of freelance photojournalism, wants to remain independent and single.

By both design and deceit, Naina and Rihaan find themselves in wedlock and are forced by social-appearance-pressures to keep up their little "drama" even as they both outwardly detest being with each other. Life, however, plays cupid, and with time, the two protagonists of this story fall in love with each other.

In a few months, their love story is met with a tragic incident that shatters their tranquil lives. This is when the true test of love is administered by fate. Will Rihaan and Naina persevere and pass this test or will their story end in tragedy? Only this novel holds the answer.

The story at first seems like a regular chick lit or romance novel with the usual elements of two attractive characters besotted with each other, some tiffs and some scenes of unbridled passion. But Simi shows her real skill when she brings in the surprise element in the latter part of the book. That is when the book gets really intense, and enters the realm of a serious novel.


My Verdict:-

The two lead characters are undeniably well fleshed out and have interesting personalities. The plot is very tight and the editing rather good! (I could only spot a couple of typos in the entire book.) Simi is quite adroit with dialogues, and she creates very natural scenes, especially with the words exchanged between Naina and Rihaan. Despite the predictability of the romance scenes, the adept writing makes you enjoy every moment. The first half of the book seems like a run-of-the-mill Bollywood romance movie, but the author ups her game in the second half with the story taking a very grave turn. The animal-passion in the former half of the book transforms into a deeper love that has little to do with bodies.

This book gets an overall rating of 9 on 10 for putting an unusual and interesting spin on an otherwise regular love story. The good quality of writing, easy pace and charming story makes 'The Accidental Wife' an unputdownable book!