Stop Grinning Start Thinking !

I always envied my Advertising counterparts for the simple reason that they seemed sooo content with their work. They always seemed to be standing on a high pedestal of morality as we mere mortals seemed to dog through the drudgery work we didn't seem to like.... 

Then today I came across this article in the Indian Express.... I really don't envy Grey Worldwide for this one! 

The Report reads : 

Maya gets ad films made on self, spends Rs 5 cr

 Lucknow: Ostensibly cleared by the UP Chief Minister this time, the long-awaited four-minute ad film on the "overall development of Uttar Pradesh" under the Mayawati Government was telecast on various TV channels on Wednesday.

The film is one of the 13 that the state Government has got made in view of the next elections, by Grey Worldwide, an advertising agency. The films were to be released on January 15, Mayawati'sbirthday. But during a special screening on January 14, she had raised many objections on the content, and the project was shelved.

"Her basic objection was that the film was focusing more on heritage and culture of the state, whereas she wanted the film to revolve around her," said a Governmentofficial.

She had reportedly asked the filmmakers to go through the films the Information Department had made in the past, including documentaries made by professionals. A committee was also formed to screen the content of the films.

So, the haste to make up for the delay was palpable as the four-minute ad film was distributed to prominent television channels on Wednesday, and the airing began immediately.

The visuals – Mayawati in the backdrop of her project blueprints and layout – said it all. Although these are termed the UP Government's advertisement films, the budget of Rs 5 crore, according to sources, and the cast are good enough for a feature film.

There is Kailash Kher who has lent his voice to spread Mayawati's message. "Kyunki mere pas aawazhai, mere pas unka saath hai (I've got the voice and her company)," he says.

Names like Kiran Deohans, director of photography for Hrithik-Aishwarya starrer 'Jodhaa Akbar', and his filmmaker wife Abaan Deohans are associated with the film. The lyrics are composed by SandeshShandilya of the "mauja hi mauja" fame.

Of the films, the longest is of 11 minutes, say government officials, which showcases the overall development of the state. Four films of four minute each show projects in different sectors. Eight others, varying from 45 seconds to one minute, are on topics ranging from education, health and infrastructure.

The film on infrastructure, to be aired on business news channels, is yet to be released.

Later, the films will be released in cinema halls and sent to other states, for which the party will soon formulate a strategy.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/maya-gets-ad-films-made-on-self-spends-rs-5-cr/422593/

 The Postmortem 

Well.... they seem to have laughed their way to the banks, but the entire procedure of writing a script, to getting it shot for a narcissist CM and with the Sarkari Babus breathing down your neck is not exactly my dream job. 

Apart from my sympathy for the Grey guys, I cant help but wonder... We laugh as we read this article, but somehow, the self indulgent act of the CM becomes acceptable after being lampooned, as though we silently say ' Yeh paise nahi udaenge tho kaun udayega? '  Well hope we soon realize that the 5 crore which Grey is happily pocketing is the tax payers money ... SO, stop grinning and start thinking !

How It Changed

Just received A forward from a friend ... and by the end of it all that was left in my mind was a big " TRUE".

Just yesterday I was telling someone, that in class 12 I received a pocket money of Rs. 20 and never really had wanted anything more... now the day I have Rs. 20 in my pocket and a day ahead I will hit the panic button! I always blamed it on the cost of living but deep down I know the costs were half the story the wants were the other half... Well a nice forward...Reading it was like humming the tune of Country Roads Take me Home to the Place where I belong ....

Here i am sitting in my office @ night… 
Thinking hard about life 
How it changed from a maverick collage life to strict professional life…... 

How tiny pocket money changed to huge monthly paychecks  
but then why it gives lesss happiness…. 

How a few local denim jeans changed to new branded wardrobe 
but then why there are less people to use them 

How a single plate of samosa changed to a full Pizza or burger 
But then why there is less hunger….. 

Here i am sitting in my office @ night… 
Thinking hard about life 
How it changed….. 

How a bike always in reserve changed to bike always on 
but then why there are less places to go on…… 

How a small coffee shop changed to cafe coffee day 
but then why its feels like shop is far away….. 

How a limited prepaid card changed to postpaid package 
but then why there are less calls & more messages…… 

Here i am sitting in my office @ night… 
Thinking hard about life 
How it changed….. 

How a general class journey changed to Flight journey 
But then why there are less vacations for enjoyment…. 

How a old assembled desktop changed to new branded laptop 
but then why there is less time to put it on………. 

How a small bunch of friends changed to office mate
But then why we always feel lonely n miss those college frnz.…. 

Here i am sitting in my office @ night… 
Thinking hard about life
How it changed….. How it changed…….. 

Lizard Tales

Lizards...

I feel the creeps even as I write this! I feel a yuck! eeews ! A kind of feeling in my head and my toes already feel something creepy... Well, this is how half the world views the lizards. My moms voice pops up in my head " That small lizard would not be able to kill you! Considering it has never bitten anyone in my knowledge". She chides as I refuse to get into the bathroom, which has a petrified me in one corner and a equally petrified lizard on the opposite corner!

Well yesterday, the same small lizard almost killed my roomie with a partial heart and partial panic attack. This made me wonder what is it about lizards that petrifies us so much?

First, I remembered the good old house lizards which colonize our house and terrorize our souls. Well there are two reasons I can think of why I don't like them : 

• Lore says that these tiny things are poisonous and it they fall into your food well that could well be the ' The end ' of the people who consume it! When i checked the net now no such fact was confirmed... but I still trust the gyan given by my ancestors and chose to believe the lizards are poisonous 
• The lizards pee is acidic! well I have to accept I have never seen a lizard pee in gallons from the top of the ceiling but well I could give my ancestors some credit and chose to believe them 
• The lizards and squishy squashy ( the feeling I get... nothing to do with their constitution... they are vertebrates for those who are susceptible to get misled) and give me goose bumps 
• They run over the ceiling , so they petrify me with the threat of falling on my dear head... OK they are not cows that can kill by dropping dead on you.... but nevertheless not a very nice idea.
• Though I deem them far less dangerous than a rat or a cockroach which stray into the house, I still am biased to hate the lizards the most. Ya, for one you cant kill them....

That reminds me though I have seen some firang friends throw a shoe and squash a lizard or two . I have not seen any such act by Indians.... Back home I'm pretty sure it is a sin! If you even accidentally crush a lizard to death it is a unwritten law to visit the temple of Kanchi and pay penance to the golden  lizard statue there or at least wash the feet of some one who has touched the golden statue. 

spring you the picture of orginal lizards.... this is the holy golden statue in Kanchi 

By the way That reminds me when the lizards make a kick kich kind of odd noise, people read omen into it... I have heard good and bad omens of it... so no clue which one to follow... Or, u might simply be in North India where the lizards are visibly larger in size compared to their south Indian counterparts but are noticeably more silent . A few of my north Indian friends refuse to believe lizards make noise at all. But ya on a personal level I see the north Indian lizards are visibly larger but very slow and silent almost lazy .... in winters they vanish ( hibernate) and in summers they simply dangle it corners like dd coloured paint melting off the walls.... So I perceive them less dangerous then their south Indian counterparts which dart around the house like hyper active children!

Check D India

I was quite surprised when I read that women’s cricket world cup started well 2 years before the men’s event started! But it’s kind of weird to see the stark contrast in the popularity of the men’s and women’s cricket in India.

Now the 9^th ICC Women's Cricket World is starting from 7^th of March in Australia. You are thinking ‘So what?’… Well... the India women’s team reached the finals last year, this year they are marked to be one among the favorites!

Now the remarkable team is captained by a captain equally remarkable: Jhulan Goswami: She was the ICC woman cricketer of the year in 2007and is the fastest woman bowler in the world averaging 120kph! Man oh Man!

Now India being India, and cricket being cricket her appointment as captain got reported on 3^rd Feb while the actual appointment happened on 1^st February . Well Ashley Cole’s girlfriend’s dress or the lack of it finds the print but well women’s cricket can of course wait!  But, of course we are an empowered nation we have a women president who rubber stamps out decision! 

Story idea : courtesy Abhipedia 

Bell Bajao! Rings a Bell :)

After a long time I came across a campaign, which is pitched so well, that you can connectwith it. The break through initiative connects right at the begining with the tag line Building human rights culture.... seems to have got it right :)

What's best about the campaign is that it does not cringe and plead for your attention. Most of the social campaigns I have see give rise to a sense of helplessness, like watching a tragic horrifying movie which you would rather forget or flip channels . The Bell bajao campaign instead tells us what we can do. The suggestion is simple and their portal http://www.bellbajao.org/ is interactive, lively and definitely not depressing.