Ayushmann Khurrana and the redefinition of masculinity

Ayushmann Khurrana’s filmography has been lauded by many to be the social commentary meets comedy style of cinema that has rarely been seen before. But, a closer look reveals something deeper and smarter at play. Ayushmann Khurrana is redefining what it means to be a man.

It is a thing he started showing signs of in Sharat Katariya’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha as Prem Tiwari, the man who had objectified requirement of his wife to not be fat.

But the first real attempt at it was, of course, R.S. Prasanna’s Shubh Mangal Saavdhan as Mudit Sharma, a man dealing with erectile dysfunction. The question that underlined the story was Mudit’s questioning of himself as a man unable to perform in bed and therefore, how much of a man is he? The parallel question was with Khurrana, being a mainstream Indian film ka ‘hero’ playing a man with erectile dysfunction would weaken his on-screen masculine image.

Badhaai Ho saw the Indian Man accept his mother and father having sexual desires at older ages. To come to terms with the fact that they can indulge in sexual intercourse was the real struggle for Khurrana’s Nakul.

Dream Girl took it a notch higher, with showing the man being okay playing a female to feed himself. The question of masculinity being weakened by playing a female did not show up in the narrative as much, but by then, Khurrana had trained his audience to start thinking that way.

Bala took a new jump, with hair and therefore, the “looks” requirement of a man being dismantled, with him being as much of a man without hair as with hair.

As he sets to fire the screens as Kartik Singh in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan as a man who loves another man (and later with Gulabo Sitabo being about day-to-day struggles, which can be reserved for a later article), Ayushmann has successfully questioned the Indian Man’s desires, removed his sexual abilities, made him accept his parents having sex, made him be a woman, accept himself without physical traits and looks of a masculine man and made him fall in love with other men.

And through all this, he has looked as “manly” as can be.

Apology Letter to Muslims

From
Hindu Boy
New Delhi
India
Date: Should’ve been years before this

To
The Muslims of India

Subject: Apology Letter

This letter is to apologize to all Muslims of India on behalf of the others, the members of the “Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community”. You know what this one is about. Of course, you do. It’s the CAA-NRC jodi, a mirror of a similar jodi in the higher-ups.

Quite frankly, I must say, you’re more citizen than us in one way. Most of you chose to be a part of India when you had the option of being in a State that has your religion as the State’s religion. For years, you have had to prove your loyalty and go through a test of your allegiance. Your anti-government statements are foolishly replied with asking you to go to the State you rejected. Some of you were and still are treated as second-class citizens. Twitter is a hell-hole for you (and increasingly for members of my community who support you).

But, please remember, that for every Hindu Rashtra sympathizer, there is a secular sympathizer (which, from being a word in the Preamble, has become a curse word for some). For every so-called Bhakt, there is a so-called Liberal (or Liberandu, if you’re deep into Twitter). For every Sadhvi Pragya, there is a Kanhaiya Kumar. For every Arnab Goswami, there is a Ravish Kumar. For every ‘Lakshman Pandey’, to your ‘Aslam Khan’, there are many ‘Sukhi Ram’, ‘Sonia’, ‘Karan Singhania’ and ‘DJ’ (Rang De Basanti), who are standing for you today.

I’m not endorsing violence, which is something some ‘Lakshman Pandey’ automatically attaches to every ‘Aslam Khan’, but not to other ‘Lakshman Pandey’s. I’m endorsing protest. Protest, because the current administration seems to have forgotten that in December 1973, in Gujarat, students at the LD Engineering College in Ahmedabad began raising their voices over campus grievances, like canteen charges. The police used force against them, which backfired: Protests blew up on other campuses, and spread into the city through early 1974, leading to state-wide strikes, arson and looting, all targeting the state government. Student protestors attacked the vehicles and property of Congress (I) legislators and corporators to frighten them into resigning. Ahmedabad was close to anarchy before the army marched in. What it created was a new General Secretary of the Lok Sangharsh Samiti in Gujarat in 1975, Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi.

Take care. Merry Crisis and a Happy New Fear.

Regards
****** ******

Zoya Akhtar and the Glass Ceiling

Zoya Akhtar, one of the finest directors in contemporary Indian cinema, has used this tool in more than one of her films, but to depict the same thing and with a director of her calibre, assuming this is a coincidence is too naive.

The first time she used it, was in Luck By Chance. In a scene where Zafar Khan (Hrithik Roshan) is baffled with dealing with his dates and his promises to the RR Productions, an exasperated Khan, on seeing these kids recognize him, closes his car window. Now, while he is revealed to have a ‘human’ side (as against the stereotype of big stars), he plays with them and makes them smile, but there is a glass between them. One, that separates the air-conditioned cushioned car and the scorching heat of the streets. One, that separates success and money, from lack of resources and opportunity. One, that separates the rich, from the poor.

The same ‘glass’ pops up in Gully Boy. In a scene where Murad (Ranveer Singh) is the driver of an upper-class family, he sees the posh lifestyles and while he is a witness to it all in a breathing space, they are still very far from being a part of it and very different, because between them, is a glass ceiling, one which Murad cannot cross under the structural limitations of this society.

As Javed Akhtar wrote for the same movie:
कहने को हम पास है पर
कितनी दूरी है
ये भी कैसी मज़बूरी है
…

मै भी यहीं हूँ
तुम भी यहीं हो

पर सच ये है
मैं हूं कहीं
तुम और कहीं हो

Freebie? Feminism? Vote Bank? or just plain dumb?

I watched the Press Conference in which CM Kejriwal announced free public transport for women in Delhi. Basically, that women commuters would not have to pay for using Public Transport, be it DTC Buses or the Delhi Metro. And I thought a lot about it, and quite frankly, it fails to make any sense.

Now, I must make it clear that I’ve been an outspoken supporter of the education reforms of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Mohalla Clinics that they have successfully revolutionized. But, well, let’s talk. One of those rare occasions where I don’t agree with the Aam Aadmi Party.

Kejriwal introduced the idea with a preamble about the issue of women safety in Delhi, which is indisputable. To curb the same, he added the CCTV provision updates and additions, which is great. Then, he went on to announce this freebie scheme and that it would help women safety by bringing in more women to use the public transport, which he explained as a problem due to the price hike.

So, wait, what is the problem that caused women to use public transport less (which in itself a fact that has no statistical backing offered)? Was it crimes or was it the price hike? This confusion seemed too obvious on the CM’s face.

SO, let’s delve deeper into this. Seatbelts everybody.

• Assumptions:

The move makes wild assumptions.

1. It assumes that more women using public transport will somehow reduce crimes. Well, in some cases, more women will be more crimes.

As a matter of fact, 94% Pickpockets in Delhi Metro are Women.

2. They removed the charge assuming that either crimes occur only against women or that sexual harassments are the only crimes that occur in public transports. It still does not reason out why a man should have to pay and a woman has the choice not to, when it doesn’t even help the crime situation at all.

3. It assumes that a man cannot be a victim to these crimes. While it is indisputable that women are more vulnerable to such crimes, such a gender specific move clearly proves the mental gender bias for the other gender in this case, i.e., the men.

4. Atishi, on a Facebook Post, answering FAQs, stated that “men may also need financial assistance“, but then goes on to post that “men have the option of taking two wheelers to work or using ride sharing apps without concern for their safety“. The assumption here is that men are absolutely safe in such rides and women are not. While the latter is true, the former is an assumption and the solution provided does nothing to help the latter.

5. The Government is assuming that this will not be misused by upper class women.

6. And no, don’t think of me as a chauvinist. I am all for equality. Absolutely. 100%. But, this move is a slap on the face of feminism. It assumes that one gender, as a whole, is incapable or weaker, financially to pay for public transport and the other is not.

No move towards gender equality can go to a stretch of trying to tilt the scales towards the oppressed gender and not aim for eventual equality. In very simple words, this is a “freebie“. Not something new. The idea came from Reservations, AAP successfully used it for electricity and water subsidy for a Vidhan Sabha win, to which I have no such major complaints at the moment. Just that, it is very obviously pointing towards 2020 and the Vidhan Sabha elections.

• Tax Burden:

CM Kejriwal announced that roughly Rs. 700 Crores will be required for this scheme. He and Atishi (via a Facebook Post) tried justifying this by saying that the DMRC will not face the burden as the Delhi Government will pay for this. There again, it does absolutely nothing to deal with the fact that Rs. 700 Crore of Delhi population’s tax money will be going down the drain. There will be a considerable revenue loss for the Delhi Government and that is the last thing Delhi needs, especially if it happens for no fruitful reason other than a political gimmick.

• Timing

Another fascination. Timing. Why now? 6 Months to go for elections? The question I’m asking was also pitched to CM Kejriwal in the same Press Conference, to which he replied, “ache kaamo ka koi shubh mahurat nahi hota”. The Congress Party failed to project the NYAY scheme as a successful solution to the dull market situation under the BJP Government and the AAP has failed to take a lesson.

In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 54% women in Delhi voted for the BJP, 22% for AAP and 22% for the Congress Party, which shows they don’t particularly have a stronghold in a gender specific way.

Where it is common practice for elected government to charge up right before the elections, the AAP is forgetting that the average male voter is easy to piss off and this can backfire, as not only the males, but many females are offended.

It’s the same issue that I have with the woman reserved seat in the general coach of the Delhi Metro, apart from a reserved coach. While the reserved coach makes sense, a woman is written next to a disabled person or an old-aged person in people who have a preferential right on these reservation seats in the general coach, with the latter two being signs of weakness, is the former being projected as one, or being believed to be foolish enough to fall for the trap of freebies?

The idea is right, the demographic targeted is wrong, because its basis is wrong. Instead of all women, make it all poor. Because the last time we supported a move just because it’s a great idea, we ended up with Demonetization. And we all know how that ship hit the iceberg harder than Titanic..

Edit: Replying to Karuna Nundy ma’am’s explanation of the issue. She, according to me, has 2 major loopholes in her line of argumentation.

1. In regards to this helping women in jobs, while it is true that it “may” increase women in the work force, but this Rs. 700 Crore could’ve then be used directly in subsidizing or as a refund for working women using Metro the same way GST Refunds function. That would’ve ensured that the benefit only goes to those women who are actually using it for an essential right of livelihood.

2. She raised the issue of a woman’s right to leisure, that this move is right because of the woman’s right to leisure, which I don’t recall being gender specific. She says that she just “wants to see more women in public spaces” and not “lying on the ground in Lodhi Garden”. She wants the Delhi Government to spend Rs. 700 Crore of our money to see more women in public spaces. I’ll leave it to you to try to find logic in this line of argumentation, because I have failed.

Bunch of Thoughts

Don’t tell me this CBSE syllabus change is not politically motivated. Oh please. This happens because a certain section of the society hails the current government’s autocratic and anti-democratic actions again and again.

I have seen educated people who inspired me to read the writings of the past, meet me after years and tell me she wants a Ram Mandir and a Hindu Rashtra.

I’ve seen smartest seniors of mine talk about surgical strike as the greatest thing a PM could have done. Think of the layers of wrongness in these mentalities.

Not everything is supposed to be replied with whataboutery. Not everything can be allowed because no one talked against it 10 years ago? Why? Because society changes. When something is understood as wrong, one cannot allow it simply because it was allowed before.

If names of places are being changed with a religious intention, it is not democratic.

If people are asking votes in terms of religion, it is not democratic.

If people are using governmental resources to campaign for themselves, it is not democratic.

If people are being jailed for speaking against the government in the name of Sedition, it is not democratic.

If questioning the government’s decision makes the government question your nationality, it is not democratic.

If the media questions the opposition for their actions 5, 10 or 40+ years ago and not the current government, it is not democratic.

And India, is. The day India becomes a Hindu Rashtra, it won’t be India anymore. And when a political party tells you to your face, point blank that their agenda is such undemocratic demands, do you allow them because you are at the receiving end of the benefits? There are no benefits in this. There is no benefit from war. There is no benefit of discrimination. It’s a cycle, of oppression, causing retaliation, which is used to justify further oppression.

Media has never been this bad. It’s not even a matter of question that dignity in Media is a lost cause at this point. People watch news and hear facts that suit their prejudiced bias, because they like to add and conform more towards what they believe is the truth. The truth is not true enough anymore. For every fact, there is an alternative fact. For every demand, there is an equal and opposite demand. The problem is, Media is used to tell people what they should be demanding. The priorities of India are written by journalists and distributed every night at 9.

To people who feel there is no option, look carefully, there always is. We are not a Presidential Form of Government, that we need that one face for which we vote. We don’t vote directly for our head of the government. We vote for our constituency.

Democracy wasn’t gifted to us. It is what created India, and thus, needs to be preserved, because unlike Gods, who couldn’t possibly need our protection, this is man-made. This is what we chose to be. This is India.

And if you feel that for the “betterment of the nation” (a phrase I’ve seen thrown around so often these past 5 years to justify non-sensical un-calculated decisions), we don’t need democracy, don’t worry, I won’t send you to Pakistan, because guess what, you might just find it there.

Don’t let Hindustan become Jingostan.

100 Operational Airports in India

According to the Civil Aviation’s official annual report 2017-18 (Chapter 4,5,6 Part 1) published on 5 September 2018, there are 129 airports under AAI with 23 international airports, 78 domestic airports, 8 customs airports and 20 civil enclaves at defence airfields.

Of 129 airports, 101 airports –including civil enclaves – are operational and 28 are non-operational, according to government replies (here and here) to the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) on 19 July 2018 and 8 August 2018.

According to 2017-18 data released by DGCA, as on 31 March 2018, there were 110 operational airports in the country.

The data, sourced from Airports Authority of India (AAI), till 31 March 2018, showed that there are 26 international airports, 8 customs airports and 74 domestic airports which are operational.

If we were to add only the international and domestic airports, there were already 100 operational airports till March 2018, which would make the Pakyong airport the 101st operational airport. However, there is a possibility that one airport might have become non-operational between March and September.

As per the data, there were a total of 28 non-operational airports in the country till 31 March, 2018.

During the inauguration on 24 September, PM Modi also said that the country had only 65 airports till 2014 and the BJP government built 35 airports in four years.

However, the 2013-14 annual report by the Civil Aviation, published on 29 May 2015 says that AAI owned and maintained 125 airports, of which 68 were operational.

5 Most UNDERRATED Hindi Films

Sometimes, the Hindi Film Industry produces 3 hour packages of boredom, coupled with overrated “heroes”, masquerading as “actors”. On the opposite side, it sometimes produces gems that go unappreciated. Here is my attempt to bring to light 5 such films that you’d want to watch this coming weekend. So, go on, binge ’em all.

5. Dil Dhadakne Do (2015)

Dil Dhadakne Do is a 2015 Indian comedy-drama film directed by Zoya Akhtar, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar. The film features an ensemble cast of Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma and Farhan Akhtar, with a voice-over performance by Aamir Khan as the family dog Pluto, the narrator of the film. The supporting cast also includes Rahul Bose, Zarina Wahab, Vikrant Massey, Ridhima Sud, Pawan Chopra, Parmeet Sethi, Dolly Mattdo and Manoj Pahwa. The film tells the story of the Mehras, a dysfunctional Punjabi family who invite their family and friends on a cruise trip to celebrate the parents’ 30th wedding anniversary.

The brilliance of the film lied in its realism of how Indian families function on an underlying system of patriarchy and the over-controlling aspect of parenthood. How stress runs down from a family business to the dad, to the mom, then to the children henceforth. It also showcased Anil Kapoor at his absolute best and an effortless Ranveer doing what he does best – entertain. The only reason this is the last on this list is because it wasn’t panned as badly. Yet, for the master-class that it is, it should be remembered as one of the finest film of the past 5 years.

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4. 36 China Town (2006)

36 China Town is a 2006 Indian comedy murder mystery film directed by Abbas-Mustan and produced by Subhash Ghai. The film stars an ensemble cast of Akshaye Khanna, Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Vivek Shauq, Isha Koppikar, Upen Patel (in his film debut), Paresh Rawal, Payal Rohatgi, Johnny Lever and Tanaaz Currim, while Priyanka Chopra and Tanushree Dutta make special appearances. The film follows the investigation of a police officer trying to find the killer of a wealthy casino owner, Sonia Chang.

While, I’ll admit that the film is slightly ridiculous at the comical bits, but I’ve never seen a comic-thriller like this in India before. The thrill of a murder mystery, sprinkled with laughs made it a must watch deal. How it is not as popular, is beyond me. The very first time I saw the film, I was left dumbfounded. Re-watch of the same wasn’t boring either.

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3. Luck by Chance (2009)

Luck by Chance is a 2009 Indian drama film written and directed by Zoya Akhtar. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, it stars Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma in the lead roles. Rishi Kapoor, Alyy Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Juhi Chawla, Hrithik Roshan, Isha Sharvani, and Sanjay Kapoor feature in the supporting roles. Guest stars and industry folk starring as themselves included Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, Ranbir Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Akshaye Khanna, John Abraham, Rani Mukherjee, and Aamir Khan in seamless cameos.

The film is about the journey of an actor who arrives in Mumbai to become a movie star. How he finds himself riding his fortune to becoming one, while struggling to sustain his relationships, forms the story.

The film was released on 30 January 2009, supported by positive reviews from critics, but was a box office disappointment. While being Zoya Akhtar’s first, the film is an exceptional dive into the world of Bollywood or as they themselves like to call it “The Hindi Film Industry”. The film, containing the biggest names of actors from the industry, is an attempt to take a jibe at the industry itself. A must watch for anyone who is a movie-goer and especially the tabloid followers and Koffee with Karan fans.

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2. Nautanki Saala! (2013)

Nautanki Saala! is an Indian romantic comedy-drama film directed by Rohan Sippy, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Kunaal Roy Kapur along with Pooja Salvi, Evelyn Sharma and Gaelyn Mendonca.

Why it takes up the #2 position is because it is a master-piece of cinema blending lines into theatre. The right dose of slapstick, innuendoes and just Kunaal Roy Kapur at his best. Excellent storyline of the legend Ramayana, blending itself into modern times, where the on-stage Raavan, while trying to be the off-stage Ram, ends up taking his on-stage persona to his off-stage messed up life. The lines of theatre and life blended each other, in comical situations that will make you laugh-out loud.

Not everyone’s cup of tea. But for all the “draamebaaz” folks out there, this is a must-watch.

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1. Rocket Singh – Salesman Of The Year (2009)

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year is a 2009 Indian comedy-drama film directed by Shimit Amin and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner and released in 2009, starring Ranbir Kapoor.

While the film rocked solid with the critics, the box office did not reciprocate the same love and the film ultimately stalled. While the film did make ₹33 Crores on a ₹16 Crore-Budget, that is nearly what the film deserved. A masterpiece of the sales, marketing and business-based MNC culture in India, it takes a deep look into how stressing this culture is for a person who is not corrupt and with the ways of business.

The film, much like the highly acclaimed TVF Pitchers, leaves you wanting to start your own start-up. However, there would have been no TVF Pitchers without this film. Also, this is the best Ranbir performance (including Rockstar and Raajneeti).

 

Dear Di-I don’t care -_-

I’ve realised that I lack the skill of making friends. It feels more like a social pressure than a need from within. I’ve lost the will to socialize or to make friends. I’ve seen that ultimately, the reason why people “have fun” is to broadcast it to the world to show how awesome and amazing their lives are.

I’m not one to blame anyone, but I’ve noticed that even if I crave the comfort of friendship, I let it simply pass by when I witness even a hint of it or worse, be repelled by it.

I’ve seen how hard it becomes to be a part of any social group for me, simply because I feel that I’d be spending too much time with them, and not with others, which made me realise this inherent need for me to please people.

But, the self-obsessed me tells me that it is actually the other way round. I do a lot of stuff to garner appreciation to boost my self-confidence. But yes, more than anything, I know I am self obsessed. The problem is, I’ve not been able to understand that as my demon. The fact that I don’t want children or a wife is nothing but an extension of my self obsession, thinking that I’d have to share what I earn, be it economy, respect or hatred, with them. Yes, I’m very possessive of my hatred too. I’ve simply fallen in love with the idea of hate, so much so, that my alter ego is confused of its own personality. I love the idea that people abuse me in their minds, talk negatively about me to others and hell, plain and simple, hate to see my not-so-pretty fat face at all, even if it’s not really true. But, well, that’s not the case, is it? Some will be hating me while going through this. Trust me, I’ve hated people and boy, I’ve hated the hell out of a few.

At many instances over my life, I’ve resorted to showing that I am extremely self confident to the point of being over confident, when in fact, I doubt my self, my abilities and my talent every single second. The very fact that I say I have talent of any sorts sounds very questionable.

This is because talent has become something that wasn’t supposed to be tangible, but now is. There is no point of having a talent if you can’t earn from it. A skill without a job is like any human without oxygen.

But that sentence itself tells me that us humans are very self obsessed even as a species. Where one could have thought of oxygen for all biotic organisms, we think of ourselves alone. We share this collective quality and thus, this is what made us the fittest to let us not only survive, but thrive. Greed is not greed, if your need is unlimited.

The seven figure 9-to-5, the rooftop, the four wheeler, the lady support and two heirs. That’s all that matters anymore to everyone. All your energy goes into simply achieving the love of your life or the money that will get that and other things adjacent to it. This organized structure, that we call “maturity” is the greatest evil in our lives.

Maturity has taken away freedom and replaced it with shame. It has taken away boundlessness and set new limits. The fun thing about it all, is the age. The age of 18 is supposed to be when one becomes an adult, and as I was running around governmental offices trying to prove that I am a citizen of this country, I felt no difference from the 17 year old me at all. None whatsoever. Except the fact that now, I felt a little free with my choices. Not choice of life, but simpler and smaller choices. Those are really the ones that matter.

I live in a single room that has a view of the main street. From there, I always spot this one person who has a big white beard and acts extremely erratic all the time. He has no one around him ever and he is always seen around this area only. Once, hearing him sing, I realised he is from Punjab, or belonged to that descent. I mean no one could nail “Gur naal ishq mitha” lyrics that drunk with that ease unless they really understood what it meant. Well, it didn’t take much time for me to realize why he used to roam around in this area only. The two beer shops here that provide cheap desi daaru for minimal prices, but enough to be the only thing that comes out of that day’s income, even replacing food at times. I relate to him a lot at times. I can see that as a possible future, being all alone, loner, wandering the streets of Delhi with not a single care in the world.

I’ve always thought about this one huge fear of mine, and that is my wedding. Not because of the cliche responsibility crap, but because it is probably the only social event where, by cultural necessity, I will have to invite every person I know. The fear is pretty simple; no one will ever turn up. Worse; that includes my soon-to-be. I’ll be sitting on the bride-groom chair, looking at the waitors that will be standing with snacks and placards naming the dishes but no one to serve. A live pasta station with a ready chef, but no children around to order. It is still, my greatest fear and probably the biggest reason I will never marry. I get that you’d be thinking of the bride and her kinship, but well, it’s my nightmare and it runs on simple pessimism, much like my life.

 

 

April 28, 2017

​Born 1999, age is One and Seven. I’ll make your life hell, to make mine, a heaven.

-Devesh Kapoor

Why #UninstallSnapchat is a blessing in disguise?

Well, #UninstallSnapchat is trending.

I support #UninstallSnapchat.

Yes. I do.

But, not because of the fiasco.

The reason is rather simple.

It is a stupid, time eating app that disables you to actually enjoy the moment and makes you take out your phone and record the moment for the world to see, not leaving anything exclusive for you.

From “Oho, snap ley isski” to “kuch karte hai yaar, snap daal lengey”, we have started doing things for the sake of a putting a story on this app for the world to see how crazy and happening your life is and how you did something worthwhile today.

I see that people like telling the world what they are doing. Perfectly fine. We all like doing that. That’s what social media is all about. But, where do we draw the line between social media as a part of our life and social media being our life?

I am also a Facebook user. I love sharing my thoughts there. Even a few things happening in my life, sure.

But when we shift our thoughts to “doing something” for the sake of putting it on Snapchat, are we really enjoying the moment?

When was the last time you did something fun and NOT put in on Snapchat?

Instead of enjoying the moment, we try to capture it for the world. Anything happens, the first thing people do it pluck their phones out, and record.

Your eyes and your brain store your experiences like no one can. Those few seconds of immense joy belong to you. Only you. That no one knows of. That no one can even imagine. Those few moments of your day that no one other than you can understand.

Seeing your baby smile for the first time, proposing to the love of your life, enjoying the mystique around the sunset, enjoying late night moments of चाय and बिस्कुट with your friend, your first experience in a flight. So many more.

Such experiences which have a happiness attached to them that no one will ever understand better than you. Such experiences are meant to be enjoyed by you.

Why is it that people of the previous generation remember so many life incidents so vividly? They had no phones, no cameras, no recorders nothing. All they had, was themselves. 

Feeling the joy of the moment, taking it all in from all your senses, you eyes, your nose, your skin, you entire body and soul, all devoted to that moment of accelerated feelings. They never forget, because flashbacks can never be replaced.

What fun is it to be in a stadium and record and see from the screen you are recording? What was the point of paying and going to the stadium anyway? People sitting at home also see it the same way you do then.

I get capturing your photograph for the memory of it. That’s sensible. But making a video for what you did each day and it vanishing in 24 hours is the most horrifying testimony to the fact that time passes every day, every hour, every minute, every goddamn second.

And all we do, is Snapchat.

And hey, it is not our generation only. People from the previous ones are also catching up, some addicted to this more than we could ever be.

So ask yourselves this one question.

Is it all worth it?

Well, the way I see it. #UninstallSnapchat is a blessing in disguise.

Also, when people use that awful dog filter, they don’t look cute. They don’t look nice. They look pathetic. Both boys and girls. It doesn’t matter who you are, but if you think getting a dog filter photograph clicked makes you look cute, you couldn’t be more wrong. You really, really, REALLY look awful. 

Even dogs are ashamed of people now.