Migrated Decade

It has been ten years to the day since I made my move from the Orient to the Occident. The day I would board my first international flight with one of my closest friends as we headed to the land of Uncle Sam under the guise of getting higher education. The day I would acquire my FOB (Fresh off the boat) status. (It never made sense to me, unless boat is a metaphorical representation for an airplane.) The day I would journey in the footsteps of other immigrants who left a known world to pursue an unknown dream. Leaving behind family and friends (yes, yes, a girlfriend too), my city, my country, my identity in pursuit of an unknown adventure, with a nebulous idea of what lay ahead. Ten years is perhaps a short time to call the adventure complete. Ten years is perhaps a long enough time to judge how the adventure is going.

From finishing my studies that I thought would be hard to finding a job that I thought would be easy, from getting married to the aforementioned girlfriend to being a father of a lovely little boy, from possessing unbridled curiosity to maturing – in age, looks and hopefully wisdom too, from sharing a love-hate relationship with my country to sharing a love-hate relationship with this country, from vacillating between the need to go back to the need to stay here, from the successful exploration of one’s abilities to the lonesome discovery of one’s inadequacies, from pursuing old passions to exploring new ones, from slowly shying away from people I was close to only to discover some others that I might never part away from, from finding a comfort point in life only to determine that you can never really get comfortable, the last decade has been a lifetime within a lifetime.

The tale of immigrants is so similar to others and in its minutiae, so different as well. We fly out of our homes with two bags of belongings, and two decades of experiences. The destiny we shape is often uncontrollable even though we may think we are our own masters, but we forge a new sense of identity each day of our passing lives in a foreign land. Perhaps the new identity entails always treating yourself as a displaced entity in a foreign world, or perhaps it sees itself as expanding our horizons in a global village. Decade after decade goes, and just like the start of the previous one, I wouldn’t hazard an accurate guess on how the next one will go. For the moment though, I will celebrate ten years gone by, a life not derailed, an adventure developing as we speak, a story not yet complete.

Slumber

The television and the dragonfly
Joust through the night
The dragonfly: with a constant hum
The television: with constant light

The arbitrator sat through all of this
Eyelids closed, breath heavy
As the remote lay in his right hand
With a finger on ‘Mute’

Beacon of Liberty

Captured this photograph from the Staten Island Ferry last weekend. Got lucky with the time of the evening. I thought I might share this here since it has been a while since I have uploaded any pictures.

Tourist

I was in New York City in the recent past. Walking on foot like a dutiful tourist, to places I was told are the heart of the place. I walked around looking not at the sights with which I was already familiar. I walked around looking at the hands and feet and visages inhabiting the place. Walking around in seemingly Brownian motion, each one of those pairs of hands and feet were guided by a pair of eyes to a fixed location. It struck me then that I like cities with histories. Not recent settlements like Seattle, which are a century old, but places where generations have trodden and made the place their own. A city is a new shiny firmament built on ruins. A city is a ruin waiting to give way to a new path. The rubble is lost, but the myths are never buried. They are carried through across generations. The stones and pathways and the buildings each guide its latest inhabitant to live within this newly created environment. Without the knowledge of its denizens, it creeps into their language and lifestyle and accidents and successes and instills a sense of pride as a long lasting scar. I did not see New York City the way the brochures intended me to. I saw it spread thin and luminous and lonely, on those faces, carried by a pair of hands and feet to their destinations.

Stasis

The tap was dripping water with the comprehension of one who possesses a sense of rhythm. The laya was vilambit, Arun would have said. Arun knew all about rhythms. Arun knew a lot about everything. Arun would have surely said that, and much more. But Arun hadn’t said anything for the past year, thought Vishruti, sitting crouched at the other end of the bathtub, watching the tap release water with unerring accuracy. Tulips smiled at her, mockingly, through the photo frame across the wall. Her neatly stacked array of shampoos, promising her vibrant, bouncy, radiant hair teased her from their vantage point on the edge of the bathtub. Her hair, tousled, tangled, fell over her shoulder and covered her right hand. Her eyes, swollen, empty, soulless, stared into the vast emptiness in front of her. The answering machine was pretending to be her ears, taking in the pleas of her parents to call back, trying their perfunctory daily call in the hope that she would pick it up. They were worried, especially today. A year since Arun’s death. A year since a promise of a lifetime together was broken. All that was left behind was a life derailed, and a woman, trapped in the amber of an unfulfilled pledge. “Is there such a thing as too much love?”, she wondered, catching a glimpse of herself as she lowered the shiny new blade to her wrist.

Father's Day

I saw you tiptoeing around the house with a glint in your eye. Was it for the mischief you have done or intend to do? I would never know. I saw the edges of your lips curl into a satisfying smile. Was it from something that made you happy or some joy you are going to bring about? I could never guess. To decipher it would require me to make an objective observation. From the moment you opened your eyes to every occasion you call me “Pappa” in those dulcet tones, you have robbed me of any objectivity I could possess.

Here I am: your old man. Brown-eyed, fair-skinned, receding hair, bespectacled, chastened.
Here you are: my son. Brown-eyed, fair-skinned, silky hair, wobbly, animated.

We meet in the middle: two worlds residing under the same roof, two lives colliding and intertwining in a curious mix of head and heart, genes and emotions, love and admiration.

You are an eighteen month young boy. Young enough to wear your emotions on your sleeve, with not a deception in sight, not a shred of malice, not a bias in place. Young enough to laugh with your mouth wide open with the sparkle of teeth matching the unbounded sounds of rapturous merriment. Young enough to dance with unbridled joy at a song, admiring the strains of melody as they fill the space around you.

You have grown eighteen months old now. Old enough to look straight into my eyes and speak a thousand words without a sound. Old enough to invent new games and draft people into playing them. Old enough to have a curiosity that questions the humdrum existence of everyone and everything. Old enough to let me have the pleasure of teaching you something. Everything.

I have grown eighteen months wiser now. Wise enough to wake up each morning with the knowledge that the best lessons in life come with responsibility. Wise enough to know that a study in flailing arms can teach you all about surviving. Wise enough to laugh and worry to my heart’s content about the smallest and biggest things related to you.

I have grown several years younger too. Young enough to learn a new language that you put together. Young enough to let go, even for moments, of my biases and inhibitions. Young enough to be a boy, even if the slight traces of grey in my hair dictate otherwise. Young enough to know what it feels like to be a child. Young enough, to learn.

So, there we are; parent and child, guide and student, brothers in arms, rogues in merriment, father and son. The other day, I saw you trying to slide your foot into my shoe. I am sure you weren’t looking for symbolism like your old man was. I am sure you weren’t trying to bridge the gap between our worlds, trying to see what it would be like to be me.

I am sure you didn’t see me playing with your shoes either. Happy Father’s Day, my son.

Customer Service

Dear Sir,

We apologize profusely
But the volcano obtusely

Kept throwing up ash
Preventing our mad dash

Your order is on hold
And can’t be foretold

How long it will take
So for your sake

Please refer to this manual
Very descriptive, very visual

Refer to page thirty-nine
“The use of a hammer to break a spine”

Your ordered assassin is running late
But if you absolutely cannot wait

We hope to help you proceed ahead
Anything to make sure your spouse is dead.

Yours sincerely,
Hitmen Inc.

Synopsis

Lived, Loved, Lost, Lived, Loved
Is it your life's story?
A little rearrangement
And it well could be.

Double Negative

She was called a Rose
Once. In Error.

When the note passed
In Chemistry class
Reached the wrong Shruti

She smiled through her braces
Surprisingly unsurprised
And looked over
To thank her admirer

Justice on earth
Manifested itself
As she glanced
Through her heavy set glasses
At the wrong Vinay.

Burn After Reading

Four little flickers were seen in a distance. They were the embers of a dying night. They were like the first sparks of fire that would turn on the cauldron that was the sun. They were four little glimmers suspended in mid-air, forming an arc, as they travelled in a parabolic motion. The flickers weren’t without company. They had owners. The banished gathered around in the dying cold waving those flickers. Was that a sign of protest or a sign of surrender? Were they mourning their loss of right to burn away where they wanted, when they wanted or was that a sign of defiance? The faceless vigilantes were burning their lungs and lighting up the universe. Smoke hung around them with muted admiration. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the congregation came to an end. The lights went out, one after another. Dawn engulfed them, and robbed them of their masks. Heads hung in shame (or thought), a wry grin to boot, and a throaty cough to enunciate, the newspaper men headed back to their truck. The world was going up in flames. At least their fire has been put out.

Imaginarium

Don’t fear me.
I am just a thought;
Common as the wind, the sun, the stars.
Take me in and fly with me.
Through air, through water, through time

Don’t be afraid.
At best, I’ll vanish as if by some sleight of hand
At worst, I’ll consume you
I’ll cover you up in my tight embrace
And leave you; famished, insane, refreshed.
Right on the doorstep
Of new possibilities

Imprints

I like the notion of photographs on film. The days when one would buy a roll of 24 or 36 photographs, depending upon the size of your ambition and the generosity of your pocket. There was none of the cowboy attitude to photography, none of the profligacy in taking pictures, none of the devil-may-care attitude to clicking incessantly. You had to wait for the moment; prime yourself for that exact location and the exact expression that would summarize your visit to the sunset point. You couldn’t afford to blink to the flash, couldn’t afford to let the hair fly in front of your face, couldn’t afford to let passers-by intrude the sanctity of the frame. Each photograph was a precious occasion and it had to be treated honorably. There was then the charm of how many photographs would turn out good. Maybe 21, maybe 23. The day long wait would seem interminable and the suspense would be heightened when picking up the photographs from your neighborhood studio. There was poetic justice, if you had such a bent of heart. What does it mean to have an over-exposed photo? Or a blank? Should I seek metaphors in the results of clumsy technology? There is something to holding an actual print in the hand, and poring over the minutiae on it. Something to lie down on your bed and look at the face of the one you love; which for narcissists could be themselves. There is something to insert the pictures into a big album, and sit with the tome on your lap as your friends and family gather together to reminisce the old times. Yes, the old times. Unlike Dorian Gray, you get old, and the old faithful print gets old with you, torn at the edges with the colors fading away.

Notes From A Graveyard

One wonders if he chose to live his life that way. Selecting brevity over loquaciousness, precision over vagueness, certainty over ambiguity. I wonder if he knew that your life in all its glory will be summarized in a few words written over your dead body. I wonder if he had envisioned his epitaph written over his tombstone. I wonder if he thought that the elegance of the carving on that piece of rock should be matched with the elegance of a few words that would capture his essence. I wonder if he knew that long after he was gone, he would be introduced and summarized to anyone visiting him as a man of few words. I wonder if he had chosen those words: “He lived”.

Marked

She bends the edges of the day to leave it dog-eared. The act of marking a memory. She has no option but to continue the story. Written more quickly than can be read. There is no time to pause and ponder, to make the tock after the tick wait a little longer.

All she has is this book, bent in places, torn in others; that she closes tightly, lest it fall apart. On days when the story inches through the hours, with nary a tragedy or success, she revisits those pages. Bent at the edges. Left dog-eared.

Ab Main Jaan Gaya Hoon

The quiz is done and it was a success! Over 85 teams of two showed up, with kids and other spectators which led to a full auditorium bursting at the seams. Yet, they all stayed for the elims and they all stayed for the finals and loved every moment of it. Generous support through the quiz and generous applause at the end dispels the notion that quizmasters can't be made to feel like rockstars! All the hard work and the long hours were made worth by the feedback and acceptance of the event. Time to kick back, and ... err, get to the taxes, work etc.

I have uploaded the questions used on event day online for your perusal. Please note that the files are fairly high in size.

http://cid-994235a3f10dad2e.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.Public/Jaane%20Tu%20Ya%20Jaane%20Na%20-%20Bollywood%20Quiz

Enjoy!

Jaane Tu ... Ya Jaane Na!

I have been busy using my spare time to compose and conduct a big, bad Bollywood quiz at the end of this month. I have written before about the quiz club that I am a part off. Our quiz club is collaborating with Ekal Vidyalaya, an NGO, to host this quiz in Seattle on the 27th of March. I get to set the quiz (which is something I love) and the NGO benefits from it (which is something they'll love)

The scale is big and we expect people in the droves, which also means that the it needs time and energy to set up something that will be high on quality and also high on public appeal. The subject however combines two of my passions: quizzing and Hindi music and movies; so the pressure is a welcome challenge.

If you are in and around Seattle, please do attend (and please register on this site before that).

Come support a good cause.

Come support the QuizMaster :)

To India And Back

Back online baby! Between a three week India trip followed by an excruciatingly long and very stressful bout of illness for my one year old, time has flown. After a long time, I am finally sitting down to jot down some thoughts hoping that ‘normalcy’ is here to stay.

I was in India through the new year, taking my son for his first trip as a PIO card holder to the land of his ancestors. The time was spent in Mumbai to a rather comfortable spell of weather and dotted by some religious functions through that period; mostly aimed at getting my son blessed and tonsured and providing all we know with an opportunity to see him at one shot.

Here are some thoughts from the trip:
1. The change I observed in the previous India trip continues unabated. The construction of the metro rail seems to be in overdrive and there’s hardly any road left to drive on. I wonder if in a 100 years, the only way we travel will be layer upon layer upon layer. To add to the mix, the number of cars on the road have increased and larger models are on display now.
2. I employed the cool cab on several occasions and it was completely worth it. I like how they can be summoned so easily, have electronic meters and provide the comfort a long journey requires
3. There is no substitute for the support system that India provides. It became so obvious in the contrast that our return to the US accompanied by my son’s illness provided.
4. There are also distinct advantages in having kids exposed to more people. Everyone brings in a new way to stimulate/engage the kid and when you don’t have to do that duty 24/7 just by the two of you; you also get to spend some quality time with the kid in an energetic fashion.
5. The kid also gets so used to this. My son would occasionally look past me and my wife once we got back to Sammamish to see if someone else would show up.
6. Why people – just stepping out of the house provides super stimulation! How many times was my son taken out of the house for a small walk and he came back wide-eyed and energized. All he may have seen is a dog fight on the road.
7. Indian mosquitoes love American blood. That’s a tough thing to deal with.
8. My son learnt how to say bye-bye with a gentle yet continual wave of the hand. Turns out auto-rickshaw drivers are likely to stop for that action from a year old kid as well!
9. One of the key highlights of the trip was taking my son to Rock Beach – one of MY favorite places. A connection has been established.
10. You realize you have just climbed down the priority order for your parents once they have a grandchild! Boy, what would I give to be the center of attraction like that. Highlight of the trip was seeing the joy that the great-grandparents experienced. The four generation photo with me, my son, my Dad and my grand-dad will be something I will always cherish.
11. An airplane trip to India with an infant is a scary and tiring proposition. Thankfully, it turned out to be much easier than my paranoia had projected. Can’t blame all those tired frustrated kids; being strapped to their seats for such long periods of time.
12. The Bandra-Worli sealink looked good; from a distance. I need to travel on it the next time I go to India.
13. Indian news channels still continue to exhibit a lot of trash. Indian TV has now gone the rural route – when it comes to the theme for television serials.
14. Someone gift me a dictionary to understand the SMS lingo of this generation.
15. You know you haven’t been to India in a while when your loved ones gift you a shirt that would have fit you two years ago, but is significantly smaller now.
16. When men of my age put on weight; the number of compliments you get for ‘looking good’ will surprise you. I must be fitting the image of a ‘prosperous’ Gujju guy heading towards his middle-age.
17. I was very happy to see the focus on fitness in India. Specifically, the coverage for the Mumbai marathon that was going to happen just after my trip. Conversely, there were also a lot of ads for ‘managing’ the weight through medication, surgery etc. (ala USA)
18. Reading the newspaper; the actual newspaper is such a joy. If only I had the time when in Sammamish ….
19. The international airport in Mumbai has been transformed quite well. Very impressed by the quality of the place and the maintenance of it as well.
20. Not so amusing was the custom guy hauling me up because he did not know what a tripod does!
21. You have no idea how much advantage having children can give you when it comes to queues at the airport. We came back from Amsterdam which was just recovering from the Detroit terrorist incident a day before and had huge queues for security check just before boarding. Have a kid? Breeze right through!

That’s that for now. Hopefully, normal services on this blog will resume soon.

Hindi Film Songs: Best of 2009

Here’s the sixth edition of the list of my best Hindi film songs from the year (previous lists: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).

Reiterating the disclaimers:
1. The songs aren't listed in any particular order. I have just listed them in the order in which I came across them.
2. I try to listen to each new album that comes out at least once. However, there are simply too many new movies and too many songs to follow. It is possible that some may have been omitted.
3. I am going to attempt to limit the number of songs per movie to three. That does not imply that there aren’t any more on the movie’s list that I like. I follow that rule under most circumstances just to keep the length of the list in check.


Here’s the year end assessment: The quality of music in Hindi film music continues to go downhill, at least in my perspective. Music directors are not creating melodies that I can quote a year down the line. It is almost like songs are made with a few fixed hooks, with no role in really pushing a movie’s story forward, with singers whose names I can’t possibly recall, the need for gayaki in music is going down because beats are the major constituent of a song and a certain ‘voice’ is a substitute for actual training in singing. I could almost count on my fingertips the number of soundtracks that were good this year, and if you take out Rehman, who is consistently producing some really quality music, there are fewer music directors whom could you count on producing great music (the Pritams and the Shankar/Ehsaan/Loys are doing a higher volume with mixed results). And pray tell me if the songs are in Hindi or in Hinglish: why on earth do we need English lyrics in every song? Is it required? Does it enhance the quality of the song? I don't believe so. I think I am a little disillusioned by the results and am wondering if this is the last edition I will produce on this topic. Let’s just leave the decision to next year. I am open to suggestions on songs that you think should be on the list but are missing. I am also open to debates on my choices but as is the nature of blogging, one who owns the blog has the final say. Hope you enjoy it.

I am off to India in a few days so I am publishing the list in advance and if you don’t hear from me on your responses, apologies in advance. I’ll get back to you once I get back.

Song : Aasma Odh Kar
Movie Name: 13 B
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan, Chitra
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Neelesh Misra
Why is it on the list? : Surprising to find such a refreshing melody in what is a movie in the horror/thriller genre. Chitra sounds especially sweet rendering this song.


Song : Delhi Destiny
Movie Name : 99
Singer : Raja Hasan
Music Director : Ashu
Lyrics: Vaibhav Modi
Why is it on the list? : Sweet amalgamation of western sounds, Indian alaaps, Raja Hasan’s crisp vocals and good lyrics.


Song : All Izz Well
Movie Name : 3 Idiots
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Swanand Kirkire
Music Director : Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics : Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list? : The movie is just releasing but I can already see this as a campus anthem. Sample the lyrics that make it thus: 'Confusion hi confusion hai, Solution kuch pata nahin, Solution jo mile toh saala question ka ab pata nahin'


Song : Give Me Some Sunshine
Movie Name : 3 Idiots
Singer : Suraj Jagan, Sharman Joshi
Music Director : Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics : Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list? : IITs must be torture chambers, or at least that’s what I make of the rather morose outlook on a life in education. The sentiment for obtaining a simpler childhood is well expressed.


Song : Chiggy Wiggy
Movie Name : Blue
Singer : Kylie Minogue, Sonu Nigam
Music Director : Rehman AR
Lyrics : Abbas Tyrewala
Why is it on the list? : The combination is quite unique though the output could have been better. It is on the list primarily because of the rarity factor.


Song : Rehnuma
Movie Name : Blue
Singer : Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam
Music Director : Rehman AR
Lyrics : Abbas Tyrewala
Why is it on the list? : There is a little bit of James Bond in this song. One of the better compositions of what was a below par score from Rehman.


Song : Rishte Naate
Movie Name : De Dana Dan
Singer : Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Suzanne D’Mello
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Why is it on the list? : Nice and easy melody for Pritam. Surprising choice of singer: one would have expected someone like Shaan to have rendered this song instead.


Song : Baamulaiza
Movie Name : De Dana Dan
Singer : Domnique Cerejo, Mika Singh, Style Bhai
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Why is it on the list? : It’s the calypso with singers ranging from Mika Singh to Style Bhai (remember him?) Catchy.


Song : Masakali
Movie Name : Delhi 6
Singer : Mohit Chauhan
Music Director : Rahman AR
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : Now this is what I call an album. Outstanding music by Rehman and the Prasoon/Rahman team served up some really good melodies. Mohit Chauhan is presented in a very different light by Rahman and he shines. Rehman’s orchestration takes this song to the next level.


Song : Arziyan
Movie Name : Delhi 6
Singer : Javed Ali, Kailash Kher
Music Director : Rahman AR
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : Javed Ali and Kailash Kher complement each other very well in this song. Prasoon though shines through the best. ‘Daraarein Daraarein Hai Maathe Pe Maula, Marrammat Muqaddar Ki Kar Do Maula’. Nicely done.


Song : Bhor Bhaye
Movie Name : Delhi 6
Singer : Shreya Ghoshal, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
Music Director : Rahman AR
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : What an outstanding achievement this. A bandish composed in Gujri Todi, the overlaying of the recording of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with Shreya’s recital is quite subtly done. Shreya did very well here.


Song : Emosanal Attyachaar (Brass Band Version)
Movie Name : Dev D
Singer : Bony Chakravarthy
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amitabh Bhattacharya
Why is it on the list? : Here’s another good album for this year. In terms of taking the story forward, only a few of them have any role to play, but we are going the way of Hollywood movies now. I am going to pick this song for the use of the brass band, whose unique use makes this song so likeable.


Song : Nayan Tarse
Movie Name : Dev D
Singer : Amit Trivedi
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amitabh Bhattacharya
Why is it on the list? : The music director doubles up as the singer for this song, which starts off slowly and becomes a full blown rock track towards the end and you will find yourself nodding your head vigorously to the beats as it progresses.


Song : Yahi Meri Zindagi
Movie Name : Dev D
Singer : Aditi Singh Sharma
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amitabh Bhattacharya
Why is it on the list? : Some scope for female singers now. Aditi’s voice and her rendition suit the mood and message of the song really well.


Song : Ishq Hi Rab Hai
Movie Name : Dil Bole Hadippa
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Jaideep Sahni
Why is it on the list? :Dissapointing album from the Yash Raj stable. This one’s sort of ok. Jaideep Sahni’s comparing India to jhappis is interesting.


Song : Aarambh
Movie Name : Gulaal
Singer : Piyush Mishra
Music Director : Piyush Mishra
Lyrics : Piyush Mishra
Why is it on the list? : Piyush Mishra, the actor, was a surprise as a singer/lyricist/music director. His first attempt has been really good. This song is a call to arms and the chaste Hindi is a pleasure to here.


Song : Aisi Sazaa
Movie Name : Gulaal
Singer : Shilpa Rao
Music Director : Piyush Mishra
Lyrics : Piyush Mishra
Why is it on the list? : Shilpa Rao does a commendable job carrying this song with a lot of pathos and very little support from the instruments.


Song : Ranaji
Movie Name : Gulaal
Singer : Rekha Bhardwaj
Music Director : Piyush Mishra
Lyrics : Piyush Mishra
Why is it on the list? : How many Hindi film songs are going to have a reference to Bush, Afghanistan, beer all at one go? Rekha Bharadwaj seems to be enjoying herself in this song.


Song : Bebo
Movie Name : Kambakkht Ishq
Singer : Alisha Chinai
Lyrics: Anvita Dutt Guptan
Music Director: Anu Malik
Why is it on the list? : For old times’ sake. This is the kind of song that the Anu Malik/Alisha Chinai combination spewed with alarming regularity in the 90s.


Song : Lakh Lakh
Movie Name : Kambakkht Ishq
Singer : Neeraj Sridhar
Lyrics: Anvita Dutt Guptan
Music Director: Anu Malik
Why is it on the list? : Foot-tapping number with the right choice of singer.

Song : Pata Hi Na Chala (Sad)
Movie Name : Lottery
Singer : Abhijeet Sawant, Santosh Singh
Music Director : Santosh Singh
Why is it on the list? : Remember Abhijeet Sawant, the first Indian Idol? Apparently he made his movie debut with this movie, which I confess I hadn’t heard off until I came across its music. There are perkier version of this song, but I liked this one.


Song : Sapnon Se Bhare Naina
Movie Name : Luck By Chance
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : Farhan Akhtar is by most counts always going to get movies with excellent music in them, and Luck By Chance was no different. The song conveys the urgency and ambition of the protagonist effectively.


Song : Yeh Zindagi Bhi
Movie Name : Luck By Chance
Singer : Loy Mendonsa, Shekhar Ravjiani
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: Another par for the course song from the movie


Song : Dil Todnewale
Movie Name : Mere Gharib Nawaz
Singer : Kavita Krishnamurthy
Music Director : Ghulam Ali
Lyrics : Suroor Lucknow
Why is it on the list?: Probably the most obscure movie of 2009 for me. This is an old-style ditty but Kavita makes a rare appearance and impresses. The music is purportedly by Ghulam Ali and I am assuming it is THE Ghulam Ali, but I haven’t confirmed that yet.


Song : Hai Junoon
Movie Name : New York
Singer : Kay Kay
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Sandeep Shrivastava
Why is it on the list?: A refreshing song in an otherwise disappointing soundtrack.

Song : Janeman
Movie Name : Radio
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics : Subrat Sinha
Why is it on the list?: Himesh is back with a vengeance with some good songs on this soundtrack. He holds centerstage in this song with minimal intrusion by instruments. Shreya gives good company to Himesh in the song.


Song : Teri Meri Dosti Ka Aasman
Movie Name : Radio
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics : Subrat Sinha
Why is it on the list?: Beautifully paced song with clean arrangements again. Himesh does a good job as a composer and also with his ‘new’ voice.


Song : Mareeze Mohabbat
Movie Name : Short Kut - The Con Is On
Singer : Hrishikesh Kamerkar, Kirti Sagathia, Nikita Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: Has the Salaam-E-Ishq hangover but is equally catchy.

Song : Kal Nau Baje
Movie Name : Short Kut - The Con Is On
Singer : Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam
Music Director : Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: I am amused and pleased by the inventive lyrics. Co-ordinating a date over the moon. Nice melody.

Song : Haafiz Khuda
Movie Name : 8 x 10 Tasveer
Singer : Mohit Chauhan, Tulsi Kumar
Music Director : Salim Sulaiman
Lyrics : Irfan Siddiqui
Why is it on the list?: A lot was expected from this movie that turned out to be a complete dud. Mohit Chauhan does a good job with this soft number.

Song : Tu Jaane Na
Movie Name : Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
Singer : Atif Aslam
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: It always amazes me how a singer like Atif manages to be so successful. He is an ordinary singer, but somehow the uniqueness of the voice is all is required in today’s day and age. This song strikes a chord with the listener due to its tune.

Song : Haan Main Jitni Martaba
Movie Name : All The Best
Singer : Kay Kay, Yashita
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Kumaar
Why is it on the list?: Kay Kay infuses a lot of energy in this hummable ditty from Pritam


Song : Khudaya Khair
Movie Name : Billu Barber
Singer : Akriti Kakkar, Monali, Soham
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: Soham of the ‘In Dino’ fame makes an appearance here and carries the breezy song well.


Song : Jaoon Kahan
Movie Name : Billu Barber
Singer : Raahat Fateh Ali Khan
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list?: Rahat has the right voice for this song and Sayeed Quadri does a good job with the lyrics. Very non-Pritam song from Pritam.


Song : Tere Naina
Movie Name : Chandni Chowk To China
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics : Rajat Arora
Why is it on the list?: The only bright spark in what was a hugely disappointing album.


Song : Zulfaen Khol Khal Ke
Movie Name : Do Knot Disturb
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Sriram
Music Director : Nadeem-Shravan
Lyrics : Sameer
Why is it on the list?: Oh Boy! This is a blast from the past. A Govinda movie with music by Nadeem-Shravan and music by Sameer. This is here for nostalgia’s sake.


Song : Ummeed
Movie Name : Firaaq
Singer : Rekha Bharadwaj
Music Director : Rajat Dholakia
Lyrics : Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: Rekha’s voice carries the hopelessness of the situation very well. Gulzar’s lyrics hit the mark.


Song : Tu Hai Rab Mera
Movie Name : Jugaad
Singer : Krishna
Music Director : Sachin Gupta
Lyrics : Rohit Sharma
Why is it on the list?: Wouldn’t have expected anything out of this movie, but I came across this excellent melody. As is the norm, this song has a good Sufi flavor.


Song : Dhan Te Nan
Movie Name : Kaminey
Singer : Sukhwinder Singh, Vishal Dadlani
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: Need I say anything?


Song : Kaminey
Movie Name : Kaminey
Singer : Vishal Bhardwaj
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: This is a triumph for the Vishal-Gulzar duo. How do you take a cuss word like Kaminey and manage to weave a song around it so beautifully?


Song : Pehli Baar Mohabbat
Movie Name : Kaminey
Singer : Mohit Chauhan
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: The first notes on the piano set the theme for the song that instantaneously bring a sense of soothing calm further enhanced by Mohit Chauhan’s voice. Gulzar writes breezy inventive lyrics:’Yaad hain, peepal ke jiske ghane saaye mein. Humne gilahari ke jhoothe mutter khaaye the’


Song : Shukran Allah
Movie Name : Kurbaan
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Salim-Sulaiman, Salim Merchant
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: Salim-Sulaiman are back to their patented style of using Arabic phrases in their songs (they did it ‘Mar Jawaan’ in Fashion) and the result is a nice breezy melody with the Sonu-Shreya pair in full flow


Song : Ali Maula
Movie Name : Kurbaan
Singer : Salim Merchant
Music Director : Salim-Sulaiman
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: The second best song of the movie is a situational set-up. Salim takes to the mike himself in rendering this song. Also makes me wonder if ‘Maula’ is the word of the year with so many movies with at least one song with Maula in the title.


Song : Khanabadosh
Movie Name : London Dreams
Singer : Mohan
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: Following Rock On, this was a movie based on SEL had to give music for and they did a good job by not attempting to repeat the formula. This is a good foot-tapping number that Ajay Devgan uses to establish himself as a singer in the movie.

Song : Khwab Jo
Movie Name : London Dreams
Singer : Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: A soft number, an excellent male duet and a well-written song.

Song : Ajj Din Chadheya
Movie Name : Love Aaj Kal
Singer : Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: Pritam gets a shot to repeat his success with Imtiaz Ali and Rahat gets a song to suit his voice.

Song : Chor Bazari
Movie Name : Love Aaj Kal
Singer : Neeraj Shridhar, Sunidhi Chauhan
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: Song that addresses an interesting situation yet manages to stay a lot of fun.

Song : Ye Dooriyan
Movie Name : Love Aaj Kal
Singer : Mohit Chauhan
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: Seems like you can’t get a hit movie score without a song by Mohit Chauhan. Nice ditty.

Song : Khudaya Ve
Movie Name : Luck
Singer : Salim Merchant
Music Director : Salim-Sulaiman
Lyrics : Shabbir Ahmed
Why is it on the list?: Salim Merchant lifts the song with his vocals, which was the one bright spark in an otherwise disappointing album.

Song : Mudhi Mudhi Ittefaq Se
Movie Name : Paa
Singer : Shilpa Rao
Music Director : Ilayaraja
Lyrics : Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list?: Ilayaraja rarely composes movies for Hindi film songs but it is always good to hear songs from him. Shilpa Rao does a good job in handling the jumbled lyrics Swanand serves up.

Song : Maahi
Movie Name : Raaz - The Mystery Continues
Singer : Toshi
Music Director : Sharib-Toshi
Lyrics : Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list?: Toshi rides on Sayeed’s lyrics and makes an impact with the song. The best composition of the movie.

Song : Dhoop Ke Sikke
Movie Name : Sikandar
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan, Anusha Mani
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: Prasoon Joshi gets a chance to write about the innocence of children once again and SEL do a good job doing justice to the lyrics.

Song : Tum Mile (Rock)
Movie Name : Tum Mile
Singer : Shafqat Amanat Ali
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list?: The rock version of the song gets a shot in the arm with Shafqat Amanat’s vocals.

Song : Iktara
Movie Name : Wake Up Sid
Singer : Kavita Seth
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amit Trivedi
Why is it on the list?: Amit Trivedi (of Dev D) is the guest composer for this song which turns out the best song of the movie. Kavita Seth, who has sung few song in Bollywood thus far brings freshness and charm to this song.

Song : Wake Up Sid
Movie Name : Wake Up Sid
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: I love the way ‘Wake Up Sid’ comes in at the end of the mukhda. All Sids everywhere would be wise to wake up listening to this song.

Song : Bikhri Bikhri
Movie Name : Whats Your Raashee
Singer : Sohail Sen
Music Director : Sohail Sen
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: There were a lot of expectations from this movie in terms of its music, but I have picked up a couple of songs that I liked. This is one of them.

Song : Jao Na
Movie Name : Whats Your Raashee
Singer : Sohail Sen
Music Director : Sohail Sen
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: The song uses the guitar very effectively to set the rhythm for the vocals to follow suit and Soham does a good job with it.

Dissent

“You have to stand for something!”,
She yelled;
Hot streaks of aggression
Flitting across her pacifist face.

“You spineless coward!”,
She finished
With all the spite
She could muster

He shifted uncomfortably
Gazed at his shoe-laces
And with his mystical powers
Of cynicism
Made her vanish from his very presence

It’s as if
Ghosts of conscience spoke
To deaf ears of reality

Flash Backwards

I was watching the highlights of the day one of the test match at Brabourne being played between India and Sri Lanka and felt instantly nostalgic. The last time I was in there was in the year 1989 watching Australia play Pakistan in the Nehru Cup. 1989!! Given that there is a twenty year gap between a strong memory I possess and today, I must be growing old. I remember going into the match with my father, with the heightened expectation of seeing my cricketing hero in flesh and blood: Allan Border.

Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir formed a formidable bowling line-up for the Pakistanis and it was always going to be an engaging battle. These were the days when one-day scores weren't of the run-a-ball variety seen today. Pakistan went into bat first and scored over 200. Several times, Border ran back to the boundary to chase the ball and I jumped up and down in excitement. Wasim Akram hit a couple of huge sixes towards the end of the innings and I was pretty certain one of them was going to come in and hit me on my head. Thankfully, nothing of that sort happened and I spent the entire lunch excited in the anticipation of the run chase. Turns out the excitement was to end there. Imran Khan bowled exceptionally well and won the match for Pakistan. When the second Australian wicket fell, my heart lept in pride when the section of crowd I was in started chanting "Border, Border". To my rather limited worldview then, it was heartening to know that my favorite cricketer had other fans too. I joined in the chorus to the best that support my lungs could provide. Unfortunately, it was not to be the day I got to watch him rescue Australia. He pittered and pottered around for a while and ultimately got caught in the gully of Imran's bowling. When you don't watch a match from behind the bowler's arm, you lose out on so much of the details. In those days, there were no big screens on the ground and it was only after I got home and saw some highlights in the news on TV that I realised how much prodigious swing Imran had managed to extract from that pitch. It was not a match that had India in it, but I could hardly be called neutral.

There is something about that ritual: of waking up early in the morning to go to a cricket stadium, of a father taking a son along, partaking in the excitement and curiosity of the young one, creating memories that fire up after so many years. It is a rite of passage, a bonding ritual, a tender lesson. Here's to the hope that someday there will be at least one more trip to Brabourne, by a father and son with the last name Pandya. Perhaps twenty years after that, that son might reminisce the occasion as fondly.