Majaa Maa!

25th May, 2011- Bombay
25th June, 2011- Ahmedabad!

In these six months, I have been to four different states for all different reasons, and fallen in love with each of them. When I think of all these trips now, it's hard to decide which one was better than the other. I have fallen in love, with all the three places- Kolkata, Bombay and Ahmedabad.

I think I mentioned why I went to Kolkata and Bombay.
Quick recap- Kolkata, because our documentary got selected for the Annual Film Festival of St. Xavier's College.
Bombay- for my PG interview in Xaveirs Institute of Communication.

And now Ahmedabad, for a short internship. Hardly an internship though. It was more like a paid vacation, sponsored by MyFM (wonderful wonderful people), and all we had to do was perform a street play that we made in a week's time (whatte fun!).

Just putting up pictures (yet again!) because I can't begin to explain how much fun it was.

12 people (sab ek se badh kar ek item!). Awesome fun!

SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha- Take 1

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_165762856819801&ap=1

If you google SlutWalk, you'll come across a number of interesting articles about this global movement. However, when it comes to SlutWalk Delhi, even though the name carries the burden of being inspired by the Walks held all over the globe, our issue is quite different. In fact, not all that different, but definitely more basic.

We want the right and freedom to choose-what to wear, what kind of jobs to take up,  when to travel, where to travel, who to be with, anything and everything.

Within three days of creating the event on facebook, the 'attending' list had already crossed five thousand. The sad part is that not all of them get what we're trying to say, and still want to 'attend' it because of the 'fancy' name , and the kind of attention it as ended up attracting.

1. We are NOT asking to let us dress-up as 'sluts' and walk on the roads. We are asking you to mind your own business, specially if you think I have a bust-line worth staring, or it's ok to hum cheap songs or whistle when I'm in a public space.
2. We MOST DEFINITELY are targeting the mentality of the people. If you think that, well, 'a dress is a yes', I have an issue with you. And I will only feel satisfied once I've talked you out of this.
3. This is NOT an anti-boy's movement. It's as much as 'anti-girls' movement in that case then, because we have issues with girls who refuse to speak-up! 
4. Yes I am a FEMINIST. And so are you if you think both the genders need to be treated equally. There, I just broke your bubble. It's not a bad word to be associated with. Stop shielding yourself every time you're called a feminist. 

http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-specials-all-about-delhis-first-ever-slutwalk/20110616.htm

This article says a lot of things we are trying to say. Do read it if you come across this piece.

Be a part of the movement if you feel for it. Discuss it with us if you don't. Just don't keep sitting out there, pretending it doesn't matter, because it does.

Hello Bombay!!

I smile every time I think of what I did in Bombay. And I smile because I can explain it better just by doing that.
Every time I did something awesome, I made a mental note of blogging about it. But somehow, none of that is going to be written here. One, because it is tooo much. And second, because it was one crazy trip, and people are judgmental.

So just posting pictures. Clicked around 300, but would be posting only selected few.
Rest are here and there.

                                                               Across  Victoria Terminus

                                                     Jewelery Shop, Colaba Causeway

                                                       Antiques, Colaba Causeway

                                                               Gateway of India

                                           Bugghy Ride, reminds me of 'Salaam Bombay'

                                                 Somewhere, where I'm not supposed to be.

                                                          'The' Taj

                                               Marine Drive, not supposed to be here either.

                                                                   Bombay Boys

Marine Drive, 05.48am

                                                                 Sea-Link, to Bandra

                                                                          Sea Link

                                                                       Cafe Mondegar

                                                     Colaba Causeway, another random shop.

                                                                            I want!

                                  Cafe Leopold, 26/11, part of history. And, of course, Shantaram.

                                                                    Chow-party!

                                                               Bagdadi Restaurant

                                                                     Navy Nagar

                                                                      Marine Drive


P.S. I know it's Mumbai, and not Bombay. Please don't bother pointing that out. I will still call it Bombay. :)

The Leaver and The Leavee (or, The Ignorer and The Ignoree)

As explained by a friend, "In every relationship, there is a Leaver and a Leavee. While the Leaver leaves, the Leavee gets left behind." And I shall add, this might just be a way to maintain balance in a relationship.

I had come up with the same thing (and it the same context, which of course is not of much importance now) a few days before him, the only difference being his Leaver was my Ignorer and his Leavee was my Ignoree. And again, the same old story, while the Ignorer ignores, the Ignoree keeps getting ignored.

I rest my case.

FRIHET Pictures :D

Play: FRIHET -A Montage on Ibsen Women

Directed By: Mishika Singh and Nupur Saha

Lights: Mishika Singh

Sounds: Diksha Dumra

Costume: Lakshya, team

Make-up: Mrignaina Chandra

Photographs by: Nishant Chandra

Irene -Swedha Singh

Mrs. Alving -Umang Sabarwal

The Man -Ayushi Das

Lona -Apeksha Verma

Nora -Ananya Banerjee

Margit -Urvashi Kapuria

Confessions of a Workaholic (?)

'Confessions of a Patient' would have been more apt title, but I wouldn't want to do that to myself one day before my big day.

So ya, this semester, more that work, it's been illness that had kept me away. After the last post about Mail Today (that would be end of June), I slipped on the stairs broke my back (almost, severe spinal injuries). Took me a month to get better. And in September again I was down with viral, so one whole week of good food that seemed tasteless and very high temperature!

End of September went surprisingly well. My first play -FRIHET (first one which I co-directed) was staged in Little Theatre Group Auditorium as a part of the Delhi Ibsen Theatre Festival which, by the way, was huge.

(Uploading the pictures. The lights look wonderful; I did them :P )

September was also my movie making month. Yes, after two long years of procrastination, we finally made our movie (but that was under compulsion, so doesn't really count). It was about Virginity and Men. I would've uploaded that too but the file is too big.

I haven't done much after that. Our new street play, JASHN, was not well received by the audience. But that was pretty much expected, since we are totally going against the 'norms' of street theatre.

The good part is that HUM PAR HAI AAROP, the street play that I did in my first year was adjudged the Best Directed Play in the Asmita Street Theatre Festival. (Pictures!!)

FRIHET was also selected for Atelier Youth Theatre Week 2010 and we performed it with major modifications in Kamani Auditorium on November 20th. However, the play did not get selected for Old World Theatre Festival :(

College is over in terms of classes. Still have four long months of dissertation and intenship to go, but that should be fun. Lakshya, however, will make sure that I turn up for practice everyday (once I get over this stupid spell of cold and tonsils) and not cry about missing college already.

That is mostly what I have been up to. I felt guilty not writing for so long, and this is actually quite a relief. It was like abandoning my blog, and I'm glad to be back.

P.S. My sister is quite like the epitome of style. She is, at least for me, considering I'm, in her words, 'fashionably challenged'. And she is a lawyer by profession. Now the reason I'm writing this as post-script is because she is very soon going to start her own fashion blog, and though I have nothing to do with style or fashion, I am VERY excited about this. It amusing how she makes all of click pictures of her every single day. But trust me, she is good, really good. :D

hello :)

Hello, because i don't know what else to call it. It's been almost a month since i last blogged. Probably the longest break I have taken. But i had my reasons :)

1. i slipped on the stairs and hurt my spine so badly that i was on bed rest for 10 days! thankfully, i didn't fracture it. been walking around the house lately, and that itself feels like some big achievement.

2. another relationship came to an end. the only consolation is that none (well, almost) of it was my fault. but ya, analyzing it did keep me quite occupied.

3. college theatre meetings keep me busy! we haven't yet started with the academic year but Lakshya (my dramatics society) has already been working for almost a month now.

will post something as soon as i manage to clear my head.

p.s. result out. 71.25% :D :D