There are movies which I remember because of an actor's talent; some linger for the dialogues or the songs; and some remain etched in my memory because it is made on some touching incident. Rarely, have I seen a movie that stands on itself. Where the actors do not maketh the movie; but the movie would have been just as wonderful, irrespective of who would have enacted those characters. Rarely, have I seen a movie, that has a telling moral, and delivers it with such perfection. Rarely, have I seen a movie, that makes people want to 'do good'. Rarely, have I seen a movie so pure. Rarely... Munna Bhai... Lage Raho...

And then there are movies that have sent a chill through my spine... Made me gag and puke at the same time... Movies that are named as comedies, but turn out to be scarier than the worst horror-flicks... Movies, that keep your eyes riveted to the screen, for you are in disbelief that something like this can happen... Movies that need to be commended and saluted... For almost making me have second thoughts about marriage... Salaam Namaste...

Heroes... Some have one.. Some are one.. But most fail miserably trying to be one..

Its been 10220 days since I set foot on this planet, ( for the math ignorant, if you divide that value by 365 it means you will get a positive value of 28. It also means that today is my birthday... ) and I have had my share of heroes.. Heroes whom I have looked up to... Heroes who have lived life as I would have wanted to live... Some real... Some fictious... Most have risen and fallen in my eyes as I have grown... But two of them hold forte like a shining beacon...

India is a cricket-crazy country. It makes Gods of some, and villians of others... Rarely does it make a hero. Maybe 'cos heroes can't be made. They become. HE did not burst into the arena as a lad with extraordinary capabilities and talent... HE neither had the graceful touch of an artist nor the power of a battering ram... All HE had was an awareness of his strengths and his weaknesses. He focussed on his strengths, till his weaknesses meant no more... HE focussed.. and focussed.. and focussed.. HE rose in stature... HE rose, to become one of the most accomplished and dependable batsman of this era. I admire him not for what HE has acheived, but for what HE is.. HE is my hero..
HE is Rahul Dravid... The WALL...

Criminals break a cold sweat when HIS name is uttered... HIS name is spoken in hushes in the higher circles. HE is feared.. But HE has no fear... HE is not from an alien planet... Neither does HE posess unnatural powers... HE is completely human... One who has risen above others with sheer grit and character... Rage drives HIM. Fear is HIS weapon. As a kid, HE watched his parents being shot by a mugger. HE pledged to rid his city of the vermins. HE leads the life of a billionaire as an alter-ego. HE has the power to buy and do anything in the world. It needs exemplary character to do what HE does.. to be what HE is.. to make people fear to do bad... He does not do good for mankind. HE only fights crime... and HE does it for HIMSELF... To quell the rage burning in HIM... Doing good is only an outcome... HE has earned my respect as a hero..
HE is Bruce Wayne... The BATMAN...

Its been over 5 years since I came down to Bangalore... (geez.. Makes me suddenly realise how old I am..) Since then, Bangalore has been everything to me, and given me everything... well... almost everything... It has made me feel at home... It has given me new friends... And wonderful places to go aound... It has given me food for thought and eyes...

What it possibly could not give me is what I really want... Possibly what no other place in the world could ever give me... A sense of belonging... that only my home can give me... That my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins give me... I miss those days of yore... When we would all sit together for dinner... And I would debate and discuss with my uncles about life, karma, moksha, and the girl-next-door... I miss my mother's haath-ka-khaana... my grandma's tales of ancient times... my aunts' shopping sprees... the playfulness of my cousins...

I miss those days of gayful abandon....

ma... I'm coming home...

I have always refrained from asking favours of others.. My ego had always come in the way... However, now, I grind my esteem to the ground, and ask you all of one... When I am with you, please do not ever allow me to enter a book-store... More for your sake than mine... Your sake 'cos you might just get bored out of your skull while I hang around oblivious of you or the time.... My sake 'cos you would be helping me from thinning my wallet... I have been an avid reader ever since my childhood; though nowadays the time I put in has waned, but a reader nonetheless.. I remember the days when my parents would bring home comic books for us... And I was yet to enter the literate world... I would strain to understand what the story was... I had my eyes to see the pictures, and my li'l brain to conjure up imaginative stories... Looking back.. I think that was it... That was my motivation... My motivation to learn the written language... I toddled with Batman, Superman, Phantom, and Bahadur... Schooled with The Famous Five, The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators and Sherlock Holmes... Colleged with the likes of Ayn Rand, Jeffrey Archer and Robert Ludlum.... and now.. Now I indulge myself in anything literary... whenever I find the time...

Believe me folks.. A book is indeed, a man's best friend...

He fidgets in his seat, and snakes his body down the chair. I smile at him. He hasn't changed one bit.. Has he?? Arms spread across the chairs around him, legs wide apart, and so oblivious of the people around, he looks the epitome of laziness.. My eyes move to the business card in my hand... Somehow, I can't seem to picture this pal'o'mine as what his card depicts...

I involuntarily go down memory lane... Its been almost 3 years... We had many things in common.. Colleagues we were, both from a similar engineering background, joined at the same time, and... at that point of time... were also struggling with our careers. We both were ear-marked as performers in our budding days.. However, this was where the similarity ended.. Our methods were entirely different.... He used to carry himself with lazy panache growing with leaps and bounds... so characteristic of him.. while I took the laid-back approach.. Taking what came my way...

Time rolled... He quit and joined a similar organization... I quit and joined a sotware firm.. Time rolled... and we kept in touch.. occasionally.. a lunch... A cricket match... Time rolled.. till today... we meet again...

My eyes move towards his card again... The smile doesn't seem to leave my lips...

'CEO...'

"Life has been good... We have expanded from 13 to 70. I am relocating to a new office... and would you believe it??? there hasn't been any attrition in the last 6 months... What more could I ask for?? Except for... maybe for 2 more hours in a day..."

He hasn't changed one bit... not one bit... A believer and self-motivator as always...

Or has he?? I look at those eyes... The fire is there... so is that mischievous glint... hidden behind a mask of tiredness... but there nonetheless...

Life has taken its toll... But that had always been a choice... A personal choice he was willing to live with....

Would I have been able to make that choice??? To put myself on the line??? To make all those sacrifices???

Would I????? Maybe...

Maybe not.. I would have in all probability taken the laid-back approach... I am lazier than my friend...

This, I am sure folks... You all will concur...