The Fear Factor

Question: How much force is required to let an entire country come to halt?
Answer: Only 20 people. (Or even less)

Remark might sound absurd but in last three days we have witnessed the same happening on our home soil at my beloved city of dreams "Mumbai".

Our country has been under constant attacks from terror groups and this year we have seen the hardest hits, despite being cautious we are still very much vulnerable. The disgraceful act has been carried out by so called Jihadis for whom carring out such acts is a path shown by their prophet to meet god almightly by killing innocent people who don't believe in their god. Under desparate outcry one always tend to blame a specific religion or groups from the same religion but don't reach to such immature conclusion, the sheer scale on which the operation by the militants have been carried points out to the sinister strategic intent which surely is an attempt to destabilise India's rise. We India are in making of next global super power and surely as your height grows you make others feel more shorten which hurts a lot. We have always took a peaceful stand on any of the incident happened around the world and shown own fullest support to the needy. But being peaceful seems to have evaluated as cowardly which is the reason why we are under constant attacks from past few years. We are in state of war since we have got our independence. War between religions groups for a peice of land, war between politicians for a seat in the assembly and now a proxy way against terrorism. The only reason we don't have tranquility in our country is because we are not united. Before blaming others we need to wash our own hands. Breach of India's sovereignty is firstly need an evaluation within, I really feel saddened when I say that I have lost faith in our leadership, the people who we have voted to protect our rights are just staying back and safegurding their seat and life. We are out here helpless ready to face another bullet.

The condition in country couldn't go any worst than this when a common man is not safe any place. Government is just sitting back and watching the proceeding, none of our leaders have enough courage and guts to come to the war site and address to the nation, come to the Gateway of India and address the nation that we stand united and we are affirmative to provide protection and safety to citizens of India. The entire world is watching our steps as the calamity is getting international involving people being hostage around the world and at this point of time such casual approach from the top notch officials really puts our image on backfoot and our country in rather emabarrasing situation. The time has come to take hard actions, we don't require any prescription or remedy on dealing with attacks from anyone, we are currently in a rotten state from where no medicine would help. This would require a clean-up operation to ensure safeguarding a common man.

What's the use of country growing with a GDP of 8 when you can't even walk freely, when things are so hostile around then who would like to be part of the India shining campaign, I am afraid if the conditions don't change from this then the curtains on the shining India would fall shortly. But only blaming government would not solve the matter. Solution needs to come from within, from all of us. How many people must have seen these terrorist coming through to the city from Gateway of India, did anyone give a call to police on their suspicion? I guess not even one phone rang in any police station before the gun started blazzing. When people around asks why we are getting targetted so badly while US after 9/11 incident has not been targetted even once? The only reason is the proactiveness and awareness a common man has there, no one there gives a second thought before calling 911. We need to understand that law-order and police is here to protect us, barring all the incidents which have been flashed repeatedly on news channels over the currupted image of these fraternities, we have always seen these real heroes at rescue when even required the most. One must respect the courage and willingness of our soldiers who are ready to risk their own life without giving a second thought just to save a common man. The time has come for us to change our mindset for these gentlemen and pay more respect to them, they are our real saviors amidst all the turmoil around. Charity begins at home and one need to be the change they want to see in the world. The time has come not to be judgemental but to take action and follow them to ensure safety of yourself and your loved one. If everyone can take care of their own then life will be much easier and the world will be more secure, although quite a hypothetical statement but this is something which is a desparate need of the time we are living.

The target audiance for being converted into Jihadis are the innocent young men (Should be called boys) who belong to the a community for which surviving on their own is a mammoth task forget about taking care of their families. With a poor backgroup and an uneducated life style they are the right choice to breed and inculcate poision in heart for hatered against a special group of people or religion. The brainwashing for such people is so intense that the fear of life goes away from them and that's when they become the most dangerous animals for humanity. There is a very thin line between human and animals, we need to stand on the otherside of the line to ensure that we don't forget we are human with conscious and by killing someone, shading blood will take us no where other than a dreadful end where there will be no solace but only solitude, a dark tragedy which will eventually swallow the humanity from heart of every human, once that will happen there will be lots of blood and unanswered quesitons.

Dostana – Dost-Na-Aana

This is all about friendship: Two men love a woman, a woman who shares the same house with them. All the time being in the intimacy she never realizes that in fact she is the love interest of both the men in her life. Reason for the same is quite bizarre and unique, something which you should only know if you are willing to watch the movie. The only thing that could hold and can standout of the movie is despite all the turmoil and misunderstandings these three friends managed to stick together.

I was aware of the theme before I went watching movie but to be frank I never expected such prudent matter will be used to literally make non-sense, what eccentrics the movie to deviate from it's theme is the way protagonists strive to make a run for their love interest but still not keeping the dignity of the social status attained unwillingly, absolutely horrendous. I would say the script has to be blamed for same, one can't understand whether people around are arose to find love for their self or stay mischievous and do the acts which would keep them miles away getting their love.It gets tangled and failed to show both the fun side and the serious side of matter or anything similar. From the performance point of view, apart from showing off skin I couldn't find anything special by John Abraham and Priyanka. After Fashion I must say that Priyanka has got the trick how to wear right look: her dusky skin, curved shape and silky voice would definitely let you run for breath. When in competition John was no less to her and showed his tan body a lot. Abhishek wasn't really doing anything in the movie and the worst part was played by Kirron Kher mothering Abhishek, she really was a waste in the movie: A role which had no meaning and acceleration in the story and should easily gone through the scissor while editing movie. Don't want to talk anything about the direction since there was nothing special to be mentioned. The act put across by Bobby Deol was little to be appreciated. I should mention though that the cinematography has been a big plus for the movie, really best of Miami has been captured through the lense and some really peppy numbers which comes as relief in between well choreographed by Farah Khan, they are the only life saver amidst all confusion.

I don't mean to attack personally Karan Johar as we live in a liberal society and a democratic country where everyone has their right to express views, but he is again and again going juvenile to portray something which is a very sensitive matter and should need a mature handling. If this was to be made a light hearted comedy movie then there were hundreds of other themes. He surely need some other creative thoughts to be put across on the plate for audience to accept both critically and commercially, I guess this movie might get commercial success but I can't imaging this getting any critical acclaim. At least not from my side, this to me was no good than any B-grade movie: a movie I couldn't recommend anyone for viewing not because this deals with a matured matter but because the matter has been handled with immense immaturity, this has not only degraded the social stature of people belong to the stream but also would embarrass everyone while watching it alongside their pals.

League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen

It's very early in the morning and I am already on the ground having a broom in my hand clearing the pitch for practice. This was me, almost all days in my summer vacations while I was on field for practicing cricket. My parents and sisters used to look at me from the window and boy, weren't they angry on me for doing so? I had then put lot of hard work like this to ensure I get batting and bowling when the game is played. This was the desperation I had in me to be in Indian cricket team.

I still don't remember whether I had started playing cricket first or watching it on TV but as long as I go back to my memory, I couldn't forget Sachin's last over to West Indies when we tied the match on a modest total of 126 at Australia in the year 1991, that's when I embarked my passion and love for the game and with no prizes to guess Sachin from then till now is my role model for the game. A very low profile young boy who other than “I want to play cricket for my country” knew nothing to talk. With the greats like Sunil, Kapil, Dilip and others departing from the team everyone started looking up to Sachin to sail the past glories of Indian cricket ahead but for me things were not this complicated, I had to sit glued to my TV set and pray for my team to win, it was very easy for me to be in the team then. Studies and cricket never went along together, I had lot many troubles managing for good scores in both the fields as surely I used to take plunge in either one of them all the time but as the time progressed my interest in the game and players grew more and more to the level that I started believing I'll have a career in cricket. I started playing cricket in all the level when I reached high school.

But this is not about me, this is about my passion and persons who are responsible to get me so much involved in the game that despite long haul of loses and controversies I still bond my self emotionally to the game. I am sure just like me there were millions of viewers used to get up early in the morning to watch match live from Australia, stay awake late to see match when it happened in South Africa or West Indies. The passion was the result of the poster boys Sachin, Sourav, Rahul, Anil “The fantastic four”. The era of mid nineties was dominated by these names who were the role models for the generation next then, the league of people I grew-up looking up to. It was not only because Sachin's bat could stroke any shot in the cricket book, not because Sourav's flashing off drives had no answers by the opponents, not because the great Indian Wall Rahul was the toughest nut to crack and not to forget our beloved jumbo (Anil Kumble) who although was a leggi but for me he was no less than a short run-up medium pace bowler who could bowl wicket to wicket without tiring hours but because of the high standards on and off field they set. The elegance in their game also carried forward in the lifestyle they live. A lifestyle no one would give a second thought to live, flying so high still the legs are firmly grounded. The moral lessons from a son who scores a century for his country after returning from his father's funeral, a leg spinner who gets wicket of Brian Lara bowling with a broken jaw, stroking back to back centuries to awake the world and then leading team with the intense ferocity or be it standing on the crease all day blocking all the fire from opponents to seek a draw or a win for team; these legends have done it all.

But everything that has a beginning has an end, similarly the flagship of these league of extraordinary gentlemen is now started bidding adieu to the game. Our Beloved Dada “Saurav Ganguly” and Jumbo “ Anil Kumble” have put down their caps and taken backseat, time is not far away when two other leaves will also comedown and the sun for these fantastic four would set forever. An era of a life time will come to a dismal end where no one would be there to take forward same grace and lead by example. The young lot of team which is wild and aggressive to win has forgotten the grace and elegance. Once my last heroes put down their bats forever, cricket will no longer be a gentleman's game for me. That day I may say that I have lost a part of me which used to live to watch cricket getting so much involved that tears never took a permission to come out when we lost, smile got just broadened when we beat our traditional rivals.

Fashion: Makes a strong show and statement!!

Dazzling beauties, scintillating faces and an unprecedented dark shadows of backlashes: backstage of the glamour world is grossly scaring and unbelievably haunting. Madhur Bhandarkar’s next real life reel movie although not in the same league of his previous works but yet makes a strong mark on the mind of viewers.

The wow of the movie is the way fashion shows have been presented, remarkable camera work to capture the zest of the glam, astonishing sets and most importantly sizzling Kangana and Priyanka on the ramp. Kangana surely played a real showstopper in the movie; her confidence on the ramp would definitely give complex to seasoned models and even super models.

The story is about rise & fall of an aspiring chandigarh model Meghana played by Priyanka who wants to burn the ramp with her aura and set the stage on fire with her presence. Her confidence and dynamic attitude makes her in the wish list of all the top brands and she acclaims supermodel status from veteran model Shonali played brilliantly by Kangana. I although have not seen much of live fashion shows but had my share of watching and I could definitely rate both of them on the acme of the act they have incorporated for Fashion. Kangana appeals me more than Priyanka as she definitely stands tall when it comes to the flair and attitude on the ramp than anyone else in the movie. She steals the shows when ever she comes on the screen, be it on ramp or being hysterical on and off drugs, she plays such high-spirited roles with so ease and convenience that sometimes I feel that she definitely need a rehab! Priyanka is sassy and sparkling throughout the movie. I guess after Aitbaar this is the first time she has shown her gray shades in movies and I must say it suits her to the fullest. I should praise the entire star cast as everyone has put a splendid show but can’t leave mentioning three other picks which are Mugdha, Arbaaz and Kittu Gidwani. They look so apt and professional especially considering Mugdha as this is her debut she comes as a fresh breeze and makes a positive statement over her acting capabilities.

What impresses me the most is every time I go for a Madhur film being assured that it will be naked truth yet convincing and this guy never lets you down, so real yet commercial. This quality of his film making put him on the list of top directors, another impressive fact is he like Yash Raj, Johars and other houses doesn’t necessarily keeps his patent star cast for making a movie treat to watch but his thorough research and in-depth analysis and most importantly interweaved issues which depicts in the movies like in Fashion it was homosexuality, drugs, casting couch although it could be barred keeping in mind that glamour world cannot be discounted without it, this makes his work so unique. He is a real star maker; he can make deliver goods from anyone and everyone; kudos Madhur for the efforts and consistency. Undoubtedly until “Ghajani” and “Rab Ne Mila Di Jodi” comes this is going to be the best movie of the year from Bollywood.

Crisis Hitting Real Hard!!

The scariest day in market I had seen till date has to be Monday 27th October 2008. My heart bits almost stopped for a spike moment when I saw sensex below 8000. I had done very nice analysis in last four months on how long the down side is left with market and last time I did mention that there is still blood left in the market which will come out. But this is the very first time I have no answer to any question that may ask about the bottom for the market on when they are going to open tomorrow. I guess this phenomenon is way beyond any analysis or explanation, an unprecedented fall which doesn’t have any technical support. How could it be possible that only if FII pulled out money that too just over 16 billion dollars from the market would let it break so deeply?

I as any investor in market am under definite clinical depression on the loss of money and faith on the stock market. I can not go back and blame to the FII for making this happen as I know they are also going through the same turmoil in their own country and can’t be adjudge guilty completely, I now strongly feel that it’s Indian finance ministry and RBI to be blamed for this catastrophe. When you look back to entire crisis happened world wide they were mostly supported by a bubble blast; a bubble of sub-prime mortgage when we talk of the US market. The same real estate bubble was the reason of Asian stock market crash decade ago. All in all when ever there was smoke, it’s definitely fire somewhere around. But what could be the reason of the rise and fall of India’s most attractive investment institute “Stock exchange”. With my understanding I am listing few of the points which according to me are the driving force for this issue.

1. Dollar value: History has witnessed that when ever the dollar value is under pressure, emerging markets like India and others had got the most of the breathing space in the world economy. This was the case between 2003 till 2007, when Dollar value against the currency of world emerging market was at decline hence the trading margin were quite high, yielding the high end profits as well as lowering the operational cost. But now when we stand at 50 Rs per dollar the operating and trading margin for any company would be at a toss seeking a poor performance in all their profit books. This is not only true for India but all other emerging markets like Brazil, Russia etc.

2. Commodity price: While in July we reached the benchmark one barrel price of crude oil as 150$, now we stand at merely 62 $/Barrel. This shows the pressure on the commodities market of the impact market crash has induced in the world economy. Same is the case with the metal stack where all the metals including gold and silver are under their year low costs. Be it the steel, zinc or copper, all are under their historic low values for the year. Although this low cost in not only hurting their respective industries but there are no buyers out there in the market and the reason for that is the most important reason of all which I am going to explain the next point.

3. Finance Ministry and RBI role: How many times our finance minister has come and assured that the Indian company has strong fundamentals and there is enough liquidity in the system to withstand this crisis time. Very well said Mr. FM but the point which he doesn’t understand is: for how long economy would be able to sustain the pressure like this? There is no stopping of bad news and from last 10 months we are only living under the threat of yet another big fall every next day. At such times if the government doesn’t take proactive steps assuring safeguard of Indian industries then we are not far from the down fall we had seen in US this year. It’s very heartening to say that we are right on the path of yet another Greenspan (Formal federal governor in US) in making for India if the FM and RBI don’t take steps to assure buying and propagation of liquidity. I am sure the time is not far away if the same conservative wait and watch strategy is going to be followed by the Indian top brains when RBI and FM would come up with bailout packages to revive the defaulted companies and industries. One of the examples is the aviation industry where government of India is aggressively looking to have their share at some percent to ensure they don’t shutdown their operations and push us back 10 years in development. This is the first leaf we have seen falling off from the big tree, trust me there are many more to follow if the awakening is going to take substantial time from the RBI and FM side.


It’s always easy to blames others and wash off your hands from the problems. Don’t blame US entirely for the crisis back home, yes they are one of the substantial reasons and no one is denying that but then we need to deal with the crisis on our own, we can’t expect US to come out and help us to get over this prolonging hangover when they their self are looking for some helping hands. What I could see as a good strategy from the RBI side is to form an institute that will be a domestic buyer in the market. One would argue that SBI and LIC are doing the same on behalf of government, true but they aren’t aggressive enough and most importantly they need to see their balance sheets. They would not like to come in red in their quarterly results thus would do defensive buying in the times of market turmoil. All the stocks, be it the front liners, mid cap or small caps are available to be picked at very cheap price. Most of them have formed there fresh lows or available at their 52 weeks low, if government injects buying of around 10-15 billion in the market, their profit in next one year would be no less than 30-40%. If government can let FII to make such big margin profits from our market then why not them taking the lead in the recovery of Indian stock market. This is going to help them in two ways, one they would be able to make profits out of this and also when they are the biggest buyer they would be in position to turn the market regulations as they want them to. This will surely safeguard us from the massive sell off we have seen from the FII and hence would minimize any such crashes in near future. This would be a much better proactive action than coming later with bailout packages to revive the market and industries.

I must say the new governor for RBI has come with a mindset of central bank functioning which is very defensive and conducive, he is not aggressive in his strategies. We have seen cuts from the RBI in both CRR and repo rates lately but how much is enough no one knows. The simple reason for raising these entities was to ensure that inflation should be under control. I am not saying that stock market is the health of any economy but yes they mirror the conditions within and if the market is bleeding so severely that too from so long then there should be some healing medication required from the RBI side. RBI thinks that inflation is the only factor which hits the common man and they want to help them by letting the inflation rate come down. In doing so they raised the CRR and repo rates, this resulted squeezing the liquidity. Landing and borrowing money from RBI and inter banks became difficult on such higher interest rates. This made the entire bank sector to land money to the individuals and institutes more difficult. The pressure of world crisis aggregated with this step from RBI and started hitting by liquidity crunch in the market. There were no buyers available in the markets and FII were already in exit mode, hence we saw the historic sell off in the market. RBI and finance ministry must understand that they are in place to protect investment of a common man. But delay in taking the appropriate steps to revive the conditions at home could potentially put us in the road of recession where we would start seeing job cuts and depression. When Indian farmers started committing suicides then our government woke up from the sleep and came with a relief package of 60,000 Crore, I just wish not to see same pattern repeated in the share and job markets. And for doing so Indian government has to put breaks on the liquidity crunch by investing in the market for good of common man. The gentlemen sitting in RBI and finance ministry are much wiser and experienced enough but as a common man I have my own apprehensions when I see such turmoil around. Let’s hope that we have seen the worst time and the future from here is bright.