First Option....

Sunita Mishra of New Delhi based magazine First Option ( http://www.firstoptionmag.com/) decided to call me the next best option in her life..... journalistic life that is....(unfortunatly!) Here is the link to the interview.....www.firstoptionmag.com/temp/26.zip

ps: I know, I have been writting too much about my life lately. Trust me, in my life - I am the best thing that is happening at this time. However I promise not to write anything more about myself for the rest of 2007 even if I end up signing Rahul Bose as the main lead for Tarkash.

Peace...

an un-deserved honor ....

A. Parvez is my senior and an excellent poet whom I met at the Premier Doosra Kinara couple of months ago. He had heard about me from common friends but we never met in person until that day. He came and hugged me as if he had known me for some time...

Since then we have met a few times. Recently at a gathering he SHOCKED me by reciting a poem in my honor. I was humbled, speechless and stunned in that order. All I could manged to say to him was that I will respond to this when I am normal.....

Here are a few of his couplets..

Baat Samjhenge Sabhi Dil ki Zaban Kehtaa Hoon
Is Bhari Bheed main Auron Se Juda Hai Shahid

Hansti Aankhon main Chingari bhi Dekhi Main ne
Bas Zara Tez Hawa aur Shola Numa Hai Shahid

Tere Maathe ki Ye Tehreer Padhi hia Main Ne
Laakh Jhutlao Magar Mera Khuda Hai Shahid

and my favorites ones...

Dua Hai Ke Tere Khwabon Pe Pehraa Na Rahe
Maslahat Wakt Ki Tu Odh Ke Sota Na Rahe...

Aye Khuda Dard De is Ko, to De Lazzat Bhi...
Sirf Jazbat ko Geeton Main Purutaa Na Rahe!

I don't think I have done anything at all to fire up a poet's imagination. I want to do good, but we ALL have those intentions and I ain't no special. However, I will say this either I am doing something RIGHT or I am a damn good actor....

God Willing, We will find out!

Allah Calling....my first film!

Allah Calling is my first film which was completed in December 2005. There was a technical issue that prevented me from releasing it. It is a single scene no-cut 3 minute short with a surprise ending.

I am very proud of it - may be more than Doosra Kinara in some ways. It explores the fundamental rights ie life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as guarenteed by the Constitution of the United States of America against terrorism and its aftermath ( all in three minutes!).

It has an old guy as the central character. Rafiqi arranged for the Japanese tourists but we could not find an old man. Last minute everyone looked at me( read an old man!!).....and I ended up playing that role.

My ruthless philosopher "Jadu" Shipman thought that we need to get it out as it is a great film with a powerful message. I might re-shoot it in February along with "a Jihad of my own". The only difference would be to replace me with a real old man who can act. ( There goes my one more chance of acting in a film!).

28 November

Main Paa na sakaa kabhi is Khalish se Chutkara
Woh Mujhe Jeet bhi Sakta tha, Jaane Kiyoon Haraa?
Kisi ki Aankh se Tapka tha, Ab ek Amanat hai
Meri Hatheli pe Rakah hua ye Angaraa...

(Javed Akhtar - Tarkash)

The nature of things to come...

It will not be too long before these services are availed by folks living in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and so on....

Taare Zameen Par...

Main Kabhi Batlata nahi
Par Andhere se Darta hoon main Maa
Yun to main Dikhlata nahi
Teri Parwaha Karta hoon main Maa
Tujhe sab hai Pata - hai na Maa...

Jab bhi kabhi Papa mujhe
jo zor se jhua jhulate hain Maa
Meri Nazar Dhoondhe Tujhe
Souchon Yehi tu aake Thaamegi Maa
Un se main ye kehta nahi
Par main saham jata hoon Maa
Chere Pe Aane Detaa Nahi
Dil hi Dil Ghabrata hoon Maa

Main Kabhi Batlata nahi
Par Andhere se Darta hoon main Maa
Yun to main Dikhlata nahi
Teri Parwaha Karta hoon main Maa

Tujhe sab hai Pata - hai na Maa...
Tujhe Sab hai Pata - hai na Maa..

PS: Advent of Democracy created another widow and another set of Orphans in Iraq yesterday. The father of these kids was a policeman and some criminals killed him along 8 others. This is a common scene in Iraq. However, what is uncommon is the sight of a woman praying right by her husband's corpse when her husband is about to be buried. Islam prohibits women to be near the dead body of anyone at this time. Appearntly, it was a small family and wife had to take up the responsiblity of giving a proper burial to her husband.

Please notice the absence of kafan ( burial shroud) on the dead body and presence of calmness in her demeanor indicating that she is a " Marad -Bacchi ( brave woman)" . If tommorow has to FEAR anything then it should fear this widow and those kids when they grow up.......

May God bless them with peace and guidance and these kids turn out to be Investment Bankers and Venture Capitalist.....

I will not be surprised if they don't....

Honge Kahin to Kargar!

Ye Dil hi tha jo Seh gaya
Woh Baat Aisi Keh Gaya
Kehne ko Phir kiya Reh Gya?
Ashkon ka Dariya Beh Gaya
Jab Keh Ke woh Dilbar Gaya
Tere Liye Main Mar Gaya
Rote Hain Us Ko Raat Bhar
Main Aur Meri Awaargi...

Ab Gham Uthayen kis liye?
Aansoo Bahayen kis liye?
Ye Dil Jalayen Kis Liye?
Yun Jaan Gwayen Kis Liye?
Pesha na ho Jis ka Sitam
Dhoondege koi Aisa Sanam
Honge Kahin to Kargar
Main aur Meri awaargi...


(Javed Akhtar - Tarkash)

(Photo courtsey:longlostphotography.com)

a man's life...

...unfortunately a bunch of us go thru life's motion believing that life is all about " Khao, Khujao and Batti Bujhao" ( eat - drink- and sleep)...

Pardon my french, but this is how apna Manohar describes it in his Bombaiyya language...

a Jihad of my own.....

Doosra Kinara, Festival bound...

Folks,
Doosra Kinara has been accepted by the Atlanta Indo-American Film Festival to be held from November 15 - 18 at Cinfeset of GSU, Emory University and Georgia Tech Theatre.

For more details:

http://www.iafs.us/AIAFF/Web/Forms/frmMovieScreenings07.aspx#5

Doosra Kinara will be shown at 7:00 pm on Friday November 16, 2007, followed by a Q & A session with the Director.

Be there...

ps: I personally would like to see someone give hard times to the director at the Q&A session. That jebroni has been getting it all easy for a long time now...

Picture...

Please ignore this....

I needed a URL of a good looking jebroni for something official. I asked Manohar for his photograph who refused and so did Mullah. I found this dude who ain't that bad looking either. Please ignore this post and bear with me...

Life...

A jebroni from Wall Street heard saying these lines after GOOG dropped $50...

Scarry thought...

Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati hai....

Raat Dhale Jab Tanhayee
Apne Ghar ko Jaati Hai
Jab Door Kahin Koi Shenayi
Wohi Prem Geet Dhoraati hai
Jab Neend Meri In aankhon se
Kosoon Door Chali Jati hai
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai..
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai..

Jab Suraj Ki Kiran mere Takiye se
Subah Jab Sar Apna Uthati hai
Aur Koi Ghadi Mere Kamre ki
Wakt Poore Saat Bajati Hai
Jab Chai Ki Piyali Chan Se Gir
Ek Lamhe Main Bikhar Jati Hai
Jab Car Ki Chabi Itne Sawere
Jaane Kahan Chali Jati Hai.?
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai...

Jab Dheere Dheere Chalti Hawa
Ek Lamhe ko Ruk Jaati Hai
Jab Bel Lata kisi Ped se Lipat kar
Jhuk Jaati Hai, Simat Jati Hai
Jab Bhanwara Ban Main Aata Hai
Aur phir Koi Kali Muskaati Hai
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai

Jab Jaate Suraj Ki kirnen
Kayi Rangon Main Badal Jati Hain
Jab Panchiyon Ki Lambi Kataren
Door Gagan Ud Jati Hain
Jab Din Ki Thakan Meri Ruhon main
Lamha Lamha Ghul Jati Hai
Jab Main Apne "Makan" Aata Hoon
Aur Duniya "Ghar" Ko Jaati Hai
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai


Aise Alam Main Uff Ye Tanhayee
Jab Roop Tera Liye Chali Aati Hai
Wohi hansi, Woh Ithlana, Woh Itrana
Bas Pehron Raat Jagaati Hai...
Main Us ko Bhi Khoob Chataa Hoon
Woh Bhi to Mujhe Bahut Chaati Hai..

Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai..
Tab Yaad Tumhari Aati Hai...

(C)Shahid Sayed, Nov. 4th, 2007@ 1900


(Pic Courtsey: nycaddict.com, myopera.com)

A few good men in America...

Poet and Philosopher Dr. Sir Mhod. Iqbal

I was invited by a literary organization to attend an evening of poetry and philosophy honoring Allama Iqbal in Atlanta recently. I showed up with Sandhya Bhagat hoping to hear some insights from the experts on Iqbal so that I could reduce my " Jahiliyat" to a minimum.

Well, the evening went well. The entire hall was full and had folks from all walks, all colors of life. One experts who flew in from Chicago came up the stage and began talking about Iqbal. About half way thru his speech, he deviated from the topic of the evening and began a tirade against some "other people" on the planet. I started getting restless.

Alvi Saab who were sitting beside Sandhya objected in a civilized manner but the speaker was in full flow and did not stop. And then Mushtaq and another jebroni broke all the protocols of the gatherings and gave their peace of mind to this speaker, finally running him off the stage.

The next item on the agenda was a humours " Political mushaira" which reduced tensions and brought audience back into the game again...I was happy people stood up to the hate speech and gave a befitting reply.

Iqbal's poetry is universal in nature and speaks for the downtrodden of the society irrespective of caste and religious affiliation. If one travels the world over, collects friends from all colors and races and nationalities one tends to think universal by default and Iqbal, who studied in England and Germany was no exception. ( Unless of course you eat, drink and sleep hatred).

Iqbal said:

Mazhab nahi sikhata aapas main bair rakhna
Hindi hain Hum Watan hai Hindustan Hamara!

I can not stand people who divide things, places and people among themselves. These are the people that have confined and copyrighted Ram to the Hindus, Jesus to the Christians, Moses to the Jews and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to the Muslims only. They have even given identities to famous historical places along the same lines. This excludes a lot of us who do not believe in man made boundries of any kind whatsoever as this breeds ignorance and hampers establishing a heart to heart connection between 6 billion of us.

The bombs that are falling in Iraq today have hatred for "other people" written all over them. This has always been the case, but it's about time these stupidities are checked before they result in catastrophes like Holocaust, Hiroshima and Gujrat.....

BTW I went to the organizers after the show to confess that I was among those that misbehaved with the esteemed speaker and ran him off. I apologized for my actions and felt sorry for hurting the feelings of this senior gentleman.

But that night I slept so well....

The guy from Boston...

Mullah found another gem. Check this out.

I apologize for the "F" bombs this guy is going to drop, but if you ignore those and stay on the message - you are in for a f****g shock of your life!

I wonder if the Gates and Buffets of the World would thru in a few million dollars to these guys to come up with this kind of a video for all the countries represented by the UN.

Let some one present the facts to the masses about these so called leaders of the World and let the "informed population" decide who they want their representatives to be?. If they still chose these kinds of criminals, then they deserve to rot in a globally warmed, ubscrouplous, and corrupt to the LAST barrel of the oil world...

We owe it to our future generations folks.....

The Show did go on....

jo aankh hi sa na tapka to phir lahoo kiya hai?

The much anticipated Premiere is history now and its time to move on. However I do want to share a few moments that I found interesting.

I have had this feeling right from the very first take of Doosra Kinara, that while I am making it - someone is un-making it. I could not get a handle on who it was, but I saw things and programs messing up for no apparent reasons.

Well, whoever that was showed up with some conviction 10 days before the Premier threatening me with a law-suite and demanding that I remove a few scenes of a particular actor ...Else courts awaits me! If I were to take out those scenes that would be nothing substantial to show to the audiences. I did my home work and realized that I have not violated any one's rights and that court would agree with me. I chose not to inform anyone on the cast and crew about this development and went about my business as usual.

That person realizing that I am not taking the bait, approached actors and crew with more allegations asking them to join in a combine law-suite. The jebronis on my crew without informing me, hammered this fella left and right reminding him/her abut the stupidity of this outrageous idea.

I was deeply hurt and angry at the Premier thinking that this person is right here in this hall rubbing shoulders with my guests, smiling, congratulating me on a job well done, yet feeling sorry for not being able to stop the Premiere. I tried to look calm and happy but from time to time I would feel sad, the picture above is from one of those moments.

Absence of loyalty in people makes me nervous. My first reaction to such events is deep sorrow and lingering grief. Trust is the most important ingredient in any relationship - everything else is pure accident. You can teach some one things and affairs but you can never teach loyalty - either you have it in your blood or you don't....

Nita, who could sense my condition from a mile asked me to "act" as I have so many guests to take care. This is the only Premiere I am aware of where the Director was asked to "act"! After the Premier and dinner Rafiqi asked me to meet him at the "Package Store" at Scott Blvd. (Package Store = Daru ki dukaan). I thought "chalo director to ban gyaa hoon ab ye Rafiqi kiya daru chalu karwayega?". Thankfully he returned from the store with a pack of Marlboro lights 100s. Rafiqi knows that jab mera dil jalta hai to main cigarette jalata hoon......sometime we jalao it together!

Anyways, the best of the best moments was when someone whom I never met before, and who had excused citing prior commitment showed up. May God bless " ApnaManohar" that he took pictures of most of the guests, that I was able to spot someone who was hiding in the back rows.

As far as the show -stopper is concerned, I think he/she misjudged my love for story telling and the reasons behind telling a good story like Doosra Kinara. I am not in it for bread and butter or name - "us ke liye purkhon ki ...." as Thakur said in Sholay. The first story that I wrote was against dowry system in India. The motivation for it came from a dead woman at a Morgue in JJ Hospital in Bombay.

I was in class X. A relative was studying medicine at JJ Hospital. He was showing me the morgue and how the post- mortem were done and I saw this pretty woman waiting to be opened up to find the cause of death. Silly doctors did not know that the causes of her suicide were not inside her body but outside in society. I have vivid memories of her face and her beautiful eyes that were left open (appearntly after the suicide fearing a police case no one in her family dared to close her eyes!) - staring at the opened door as if waiting for someone to show up........she was my first character, she was my first story!

The last story that I would like to write or the last film that I make will be against some social issue of the day. At least this is what I hope....

This is how it is the film lane....

Premiere through the lens of a Camera...2

From top:
- Rafiqi looking for a good pose....
- Sandhya, Giri and Gandharv...
- My all time supporters Shweta and Shuchi...
- That was Rafiq's idea.....( FYI: the guy in the poster is Rafiqi himself. He was a regular at the gym and I thought let me put his body to some good use!!)
- Nita, smiling as always...
- Apurva, a perfect showman....

Thats all folks - See you at the next Premier....

Premiere through the lens of a Camera...

1: We had a good time and hope to attend the premier for Tarkash soon....(Huma.Z.)

2: You have done great job in the short film Dusra Kinara,Your voice is just awesome,I love it. I am really impressed with your work, I think TARKASH will be a great project to begin with.

May lord give you lots of success in your every project.

Regards

RAJ.

3: Great Job Shahid ! We all enjoyed it very much - Dan Pass and Family.

4: Great effort, best luck - Nilesh Sharma

5: It was good film, at one point I got so emotional... Gaurav B.

6: Congratulation! It is a wonderful film...N @ Emory University

7: Shahid Saheb, Great effort! Please keep me posted of your future projects - Jalal Z.

8: Great Job ! - Pramila C.

9: Great Achievement! Keep up the good work. - Atal M

10: It was a great time. Your effort touched many hearts. Your effort was genuine and so was the reply. You have developed a good team. BEST OF LUCK.

K. Kumar

11: It was an awesome effort given budget and other constraints. You have many talents - just improve on selection of actors, crew and you would go places!
(Jane - Mullah's Brunette date)

12: What film?.....I was too busy enjoying your silky voice to notice anything else. Show me again....! - ( :)...)

Eid and Premiere...

Dear Shahid Ji,

We would like to congratulate you on Premier of your film Doosra Kinara. It is great effort, and a very successful one, is evident from the end product. Seeing the movie today I felt "aap ne hum draskao ki pyas bada di hai".

After seeing the trailer of your TALENT we will eagerly wait for full length feature film from you. Special mention for the dialogues, lyrics and music of Doosra Kinara. They were all super.

Bravo to Mr. Apoorva for providing such a great music ... which I think is integral part of any good movie. Editing was very sleek and so was camerawork and direction.

Though, as always with any good product/movie, there were some area which needs improvement.

Congrats once again to you and your team and looking forward to seeing many more excellent peace of work from your factory.

Always Laughter,
-AD

ps: Its 3 am and I just got home after having the Premier and hanging out with the team in Decatur area. I found this email from AD who attended the event. It made my night. Incidently I had auditioned AD several times but finally gave that role to Ahmad. I am surprised to recieve this email from him - He is a good man with a big heart.....

Nikle Jala ke Apna Ghar...

Hum bhi Kabhi Aabad the
Aise Kahan Barbaad the?
Be-Fikr the Azaad the
Masroor the Dil-Shaad the

Who Chaal Aisi Chal Gyaa
Hum Bujh Gaye Dil Jal Gaya
Nikle Jalaa ke Apna Ghar
Main aur Meri Awaargi….

Phirte hain kab se dar badar
Ab Is Nagar, Ab US Nagar
Ek Doosre ke Humsfar …
Main aur Meri Awaargi….

(Javed Akhtar - Tarkash)

Doosra Kinara To Premier...

Folks,
We are ready to start a new journey of telling stories and informating people. A journey of standing up for the underdog, a journey to bring out nothing but the truth ....a journey to laugh, cry, celebrate the uniqueness and similarity of human race...

Doosra Kinara will have the World Premier here in Atlanta on Saturday October 13, 2007 at White Hall of Emory University...Be there!

http://atlantadunia.com/dunia/default.asp

Someone asked “ aur tum apne rab ki kin kin nematon se inkaar karoge?”……God, I am going to be so nervous on this Eid day...

My First ghazal to a 12 year old kiddo....

Tawalat-e-shabe-gham badhati rahogi?
Mujeh kab talak aazmati rahogi?

Abhi to nahi baad marne ke mere…
Tum Aansoo Hamesha Bahaati Rahogi

Kabhi Gham Banegaa Husul-e-Tabassum
Kahaan Tak Bhala Muskurati Rahogi?

Guzar Jayegi ye Jawaani ki Sarhad…
Baharon ke Tum Geet Gaati Rahogi!

Sajenge Mere baad Palkon Pe Moti
Ye Zehmat Hamesha Uthathi Rahogi

Safeh-e-Hasti se Hum Uth Gaye phir
Naa Aayenge – Wapas Bulati Rahogi!

Hai Shahid Ke Sheron main Darde Zamana
Inhen Tum Sadaa Gungunati Rahogi!
(C) Shahid Sayed

I can explain.

Well, I too was a kiddo and was studying in class VIII at that time. The subject of my ghazal was of my age and was a visitor from a “neighboring” country.

She was cute - very cute with expressive eyes and lambi palken and beautiful hands which were always used to be covered with chudiyan. She was a die-hard fan of Imran Khan. For me, apna "Haryana Hurricane" was a superman as India had made it to the World Cup finals with some amazing cricketing display by Kapil Dev.

I remember my first argument with her was on the very same topic: Who is the greatest? Kapil or Imran. One time during an argument I got so irritated that I tore apart the picture of Imran Khan she was carrying....

Next day we were playing cricket and she was watching it from the neighbor’s house. I asked my friend ke " yaar easy ball dal na".... well, the next ball was easy and I treated it appropriately for a six. The ball landed near her so I went to get it. Upon my return I was given out as we had a rule that whoever hits a six would be out. I did lose my innings but had won her attention and something else....

From then onwards for about a month she became a center of my attention. Before that episode, mother’s face used to be last face I'd see before leaving for school and it would be mom that is the first person I see upon my return. No one noticed how this girl got inserted in between mom and me and how I used to rush back from school hoping to see her. I used to find her at 3:30 - 4:00 pm waiting for me by my neighbor’s door...

Month flew in the air and she was going back. I could not skip school on the day she was leaving. I was returning from school and saw the horse buggy in front of our building my heart sank. I could not go with neighbors to see her off, as there was no room in "ghoda gaadi" for an additional person. I did not get a chance to see her alone for the last time, to say something ....to say good bye...... She saw me and waved. She was looking pale and stressed.......

I walked behind the ghoda gaadi as far as traffic allowed me, then I found a bus station and stood on its railing to get last glimpse of her. The waving of her hands...those hands with Chudiyan, the rainbow colors of which I will never forget...

I wrote this ghazal a few months or weeks after that day. I added a new name behind my name and called it my takhallus (Pen name). I wrote my first ghazal as Shahid Tanveer. An Urdu newspaper published my first ghazal. My school principal posted at our school bulletin board. I remember all the adulation that came with this work of art. In those days saying ghazal was a sign of intelligence, intellect and sharafat.

However, a girl who made me write my first poetry is not even aware of this ghazal - no body in my family knows of its origins. I never met her again. Never heard of again... she became part of my imagination and will remain so.

Soon after that, Life’s 1000 lbs gorilla showed up to fight and I obliged. It’s been so many years now. The fighting has ended in a ceasefire and I think, barring a couple of deep scars I did not do that bad either. Now, I am free to pursue her, to find out more about her, to talk to her one more time. But I think she must be a married woman with grown up kids and a loving hubbby...

I am not even sure if she is still alive or dead. I don’t know whether those suicide bombings campaigns of "right wingers" of her country shredded her body into pieces. I don’t know if she survived the bombing campaigns from F-16s that have been going on recently in that part of the world.

When my friends from the "right side of the aisle" express a desire to "wipe out those terrorists", "nuke them into oblivion" and "kick some Muslim butts", my mind brings back those pictures from the past. I shudder at the possibility of a nuke dropping on her city evaporating her, those beautiful eyes, hands and those rainbow color chudiyan....

My mind shuts off beyond this point......

I hope you survived all the madness in this world and that you are alive today. I wish you a full life and I pray that happiness remains your constant companion Tanveer,---wherever you are…..

BTW I did apologize to her the next day for tearing apart Imran Khan's picture and gave her a 25 paise ki cadbury by saying " sorry haan...galti ho gayee!"....

This is how it is in the life lane...

Tawalat - Length, Shab-e-Gham - Night of sorrow, Husule-Tabassum - result of smiles
Zehmat - inconvenience, Saf-e-Hasti - Life

...and then comes along a woman!

...and just when you feel disheartened with the "state of affairs" in men / women relations, comes along a woman who sets the record straight. Check this story out. Trust me, it is better than Laila-Majnu, Shireen-Farhaad and all other jebronis...

Where are the Writers/Directors from Bombay to tell this great story to the love less world?

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/215323.html

(This story brought to you by our Friend "Indescribe"who has a link in the link bar.Thanks Bud)

Jung ke Faisle...

Jung Ke Faisle Maidan main Kahan Hote hain?
Jab Talak Haafze Baaki hain Alam Baki Hai.....

There are some images from the Iraqi genocide that will haunt me forever. This is one of them. I always used to look back at history and wonder how the hell those folks in the past allowed atrocities on fellow human being to happen? What Germans were doing when Holocaust happened? What were Mongols doing at the time of Chengez Khan's invasion and occupations of foreign lands? Why no one stood up against religious bigots who continued killing innocents in the name of religion? What people of those times were doing?

Now I know........ I am one of them......

ps: What are the chances of this innocent living a "normal" life after this particualr moment? What are the prospect of her becoming a contributing member of the world family? Would she be able to feel pain ever again? Would she know what humanity and love is all about? What was her fault? Why other people's children crying for candy and games whereas she is crying by the corpse of her parents? Would she be able to forget all this and lead a normal and healthy life?

And most importantly would she be able to forgive us, the bystanders for destroying her life before she even understood what it means?

I doubt it as Nida Fazli says "Jab talak Haafze Baaki hain Alam Baki hai....."

(Haafze: Memories, Alam: Flag/Pain)

Abeer - Fragnance of Flower

I wrote about Abeer, an Iraqi teenager who was raped and burned by US soliders six months ago.

Well, that innocent kiddo and her horrible story moved a Hollywood director to make a film and it is called " Redacted". Brian DePalma ( Scarface, The black Dahlia) says he made this film as he believes that only pictures can stop the war. Redacted was shown in Venice film festival last week and it should be out very soon.

Surprisingly Google search is not bringing as many articles as I had hope for, as Brian DePalma is no small fry when it comes to getting media attention to whatever he does. TIME ran a story two days ago but I can not find it now.

"The film's title refers to how, according to De Palma, mainstream American newspapers and television channels are failing to tell the true story of the war by keeping the most graphic images of the conflict away from public opinion.

"When I went out to find the pictures, I said (to the media) give me the pictures you can't publish," he said, adding that because of legal dangers he too had to "edit" the material.

"Everything that is in the movie is based on something I found that actually happened. But once I had put it in the script I would get a note from a lawyer saying you can't use that because it's real and we may get sued," De Palma said.

"So I was forced to fictionalize things that were actually real."

The film, shot in Jordan with a little known cast, ends with a series of photographs of Iraqi civilians killed and their faces blacked out for legal reasons." - AOL article dated 8/31/07

Artistes are considered to be the mirror of any society. Society and its leaders can take any course of action but an artist always chooses the path of truth and justice - otherwise he / she is a bania and does need to be called an artist.

ps: The picture above is NOT from the film but a real one. So those boots that you see are real and so are those tears, the cry and the blood. The question is where is her mother? I suspect she was dead by the time this picture was taken, as every mother would fight tooth and nail with any opposition to get to her daughter in that situation....

This is how it is a in War Zone....

Miss Teen USA 2007

Mullah Luis sent me this link with the following message: Is any president ever going to do something about how stupid this country is becoming?

Q: 1 in every 5 Americans can not locate US on the World map. Why do you think that is?

Check out the answer......



Tommorrow Mullah is going to give a sermon on this issue and would end it by saying " you mark my words man, in a few years this girl is going to be a millionaire!!"

Me think if we had allocated 1/5 of the war budget on education for world's children, we could have developed a human race far superior to anyone that showed up before us .....(and that includes Iraqi children also!)

Disclaimer...

Every time I write this blog, about a half a dozen claimants respond to me saying that I am writing about them etc etc. While it is flattering for a writer to know that readers identify with his thoughts and words, please exercise some caution – as that may not be the case.

I was born and brought in a free country; and now living in an “almost” free society, so if I want to express my feelings to someone they would hear directly from me…

Khulta kiyoon kisi pe mere dil ka maamla ?
Sheron ke Intekhaab ne Ruswaa kiya mujhe - Ghalib

Happy Reading...

Yun Hua....

Tum ye kaise juda ho gaye?

Har taraf, har jagah ho gaye!

Jaane wale gaye hain kahan?

Chaand, suraj, ghata ho gaye!

Be-Wafa to na woh hain na hum

Yun hua.....Bas Judaa ho Gaye !!

---- Nida Fazli

Thakur....

Casual Fridays are really casual at work. Most of the white collar America spends a good amount of time on Friday discussing plans for the weekend. Today “ Front Page News” was our stop for lunch; and we had fun talking about the filmy charaters we used to play as children.

I believe that finding out what games we played or who impressed us most as children, can really help unravel a few layers of our personalities. Most of the team including Mullah had played Superman or Batman or a John Wayne. I was the only one who had no clue of what filmy roles I enacted in my childhood. So I called A, my oldest friend west of Atlantic Ocean and inquired whether we enacted any filmy roles when we were children?

A: Yeah we sure did…
Me: What film was that?
A: Sholay…
Me: Really, Oh man…. and what character I used to play?
A: You used to play Thakur…
Me: What? Thakur… Do you guys realize you wasted some top-notch talent man? Did it not occur to you that I was a Hero material, why didn’t you let me play an Amitabh or Dharm for God's sake?
A: You did play Jay a few times but your role of choice was always Thakur…

Maa says “ Poot ke pair paalne main”….in my case even though paalna was a little filmy, but it sure gives a glimpse of what kind of a child I must have been. I chose to play a handicap Thakiur instead of a Hero who gets girl at the end…….hmmm!

I must have been < 8 years old when Sholay was released (for the mathematician in you, “<” means less then, it could be anywhere between 1 – 8!! Ha!), I wonder what prompted me to pick an old Thakur instead of dashing Veeru? Why did Thakur capture a young impressionable child’s imagination? Was it Sanjeev Kumar’s finest acting or Javed Saab’s dialogues, or I was just an old jebroni even when I was < 8 years old?….

I don’t know…

However, now I know why I always have this insatiable desire to oppose tyranny and injustice wherever I can find them…

“Shaid Khatron se khelne ka shaouk hai mujeh….says Thakur…

Peace….

Paagal...

There are two days that make me seriously emotional for various reasons. One is the Eid Day and the other is August 15. For me the drive back home after praying Eid namaz is always a roller coaster ride. I would like to skip Eid ka kissa but sure can share the other one.

I spend 364 days in a year trying to be a World citizen who does not believe in any man-made borders, walls and numerous instruments of discrimination that have been devised by our enlightened leaders , but August 15 makes me an Indian only.

Instead if rejoicing the liberty and freedom that came as a result of the end of British occupation, I get emotional and reflect on those days of begging, fighting and getting killed for something which was ours to begin with. I think about freedom fighters, their families, their lovers and wives, kids and friends that never made it to the headline news. Every year I promise myself that next year will be better, as I would grow up to be a wiser man in control of my emotions…. Every year I fail…..

This August morning as usual on my way to work I was listening to National Public Radio which aired a small segment on India’s Independence Day celebration. This jebroni from California Public Radio was online talking about Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and “Dama Dam Mast Qalandar”, freedom struggle, sacrifices, partition..…. one thing lead to another and soon I was in the middle of the same feelings which I was trying to avoid.

l reckon too many people sacrificed their lives, love, and days of their youth only to rotten in British jails, so that we can breadth in a free world. We all pay homage to the brand names of freedom struggle, and its cool, but what about those nameless jebronis who participated with whatever they had to offer. One story readily comes to mind.

Those were the days in early 40s when Simon Commission was in Lukhnow and we were protesting his visit. A large demonstration was planned with black banners and flags but authorities broke it and made arrests. The occupiers whisked away the entire Simon delegation to Lukhnow Garrison or Firangi Mahal and stopped folks from proceeding towards “Green Zone” of those days. There is always a Green Zone be it Lal Qila or well the “Green Zone”!

Luckhnowites were frustrated and angry as hundreds of them were arrested. Suddenly this paagal came up with an idea. He told the gatherings that since air is blowing towards Firangi Mahal, we can fly kites with our message on it, do a kite battle and cut it so that the kite falls right where the Englishmen have gathered. His idea was taken up immediately. In a few hours hundreds of kites were flown and landed right before the delegation. History does not tell us who this “confirmed paagal” was. ..But sure he too participated in the freedom struggle with whatever he had to offer….

Those were the days when mahobbaten were put on hold for mother-land, careers were jeopardized so that new generation can have good careers, child bearing was postponed so that we can have children in peace. The women of those days were brave, and used to encourage thier men to give up all luxuries for watan. Blood used to be red in those days.....

It is easy to forget those unsung heroes when GDP is growing at 8.5% per annum, when money is relatively easy and materialism seems to be the mantra. We are living the dreams that those freedom fighters saw, yet we have a long way to go...

I do not know how many times I played this song on my I pod today...

Ishwar Allah tere jahan main Nafrat kiyoon hai?
Jung hai kiyoon?
Tera Dil to Itna bada hai, Insaan ka dil
Tang hai kiyoon?

Qadam Qadam par Sarhad kiyyon hai?
Saari Zameen jab Teri Hai?
Suraj Ke Gird Phere Kart i hai
Phir bhi Kiyoon itni Andheri hai?

Is Duniya ke Daaman par Insaan ke Lahoo ka
Rang hai kiyoon?

Happy Independence Day ....

Dear Imran...

Dost ne poocha Tanhayee tumhen kiyoon itni piyari hai?
Tanha ho kar zindagi basr karne ki kaisi ye taiyyari hai?

Kiyoon tumhen armaan nahi iski bhi koi shakl bane?
Khubsoorat sa dil ho koi is ka, accha sa ek jism bane?
Chudi saje un hathon main, hath bhi mehndi wale hon?
Maathe pe chaand sa teeka, palkon pe kuch khwab saje
Ho Baaliyaan un kaano main jn main tumhara dil lage

Phone rakh kar jab main apni gallery main jaa baitha
Udaasi ne aa ghera mujhe aur dil mera bas doob gyaa
Dekh meri mayusi ko chalti hawaayen ruk si gayeen
Pedon se hi aah nikli, phool bhi kuch khamosh hue
Aasman bhi neeche utra aur dil pe mere chaa sa gyaa
Baitha raha main wahan kab tak, Jane kitna wakt gyaa?

Khushboo si aayee achanak, naam mera kisi ne liya
Dekha to who chai liye darwaaze par ruk si gayee thi
Paas mere who aa baithi aur hath mera yun thaam liya
Chudiyan saje hath the uske, hath bhi mehndi wale the
Chaand laga tha maathe pe, kaan bhi baali wale the
Palkon pe the khwaab saje, khwab bhi mere wale the

Boli, Janu, kiyun tun itna apne dil ko rulate ho ?
Main hoon saath tumhare phir kiyoon jaan jalate ho?
main ne khud ko tum par kitni baar lutayaa hai ?
Kitni raah taki tumhari tab jaa ke tumhen kahin paya hai
Meri chahat , meri ulfat pe kiyoon tum ko naaz nahi hai?
Main hi tumhen chahati hoon ye bhi koi raaz nahi hai.


Kaise kahoon yaaron woh chai liye jo aayee thi ...
Woh mehbooba, Who Jaan meri, to Tanhayee thi!

PS: Dear Imran, thank you for that long phone call. Here is the response. Rest assured atleast this will NOT disappoint. It will also mean the same anytime, everytime, all the time!!!

Cheers...

(C) Shahid Sayed, 8-11-2007, Photo: Andy Wear

Rafiqi Reccommends...

Our In - house MBA, Rafiq Batcha realizing my “jaahiliyat” and a habit of sitting in the dark room like a photographer, watching “negatives” develop, keeps turning on the lights. This time he recommended these bulbs….oops books….

Tim Ferriss’s “The 4 hour work week”, is a must read for tomorrow’s leaders and a treasure for an entrepreneur’s library. It takes “outsourcing” to the extremes in order to save time, make money and live in a borderless World. When a modern day war can be outsourced, why not our personal engagements? It is a revolutionary work. (Unfortunately he does not recommend outsourcing mahobbaten and its paraphernalia…woh kambhakt khud hi karni hogi!!)

Alan Wiesman’s “The World without us” is an imaginative scientific curiosity and it looks at the world when we, all 6.2 billions of us would disappear. He travels all over the globe and makes some interesting observations. For example, he mentions about how the New York subways would flood coz there would be no one to pump the water out, and how the tall buildings would corrode and then fall. Nature will reclaim everything.

I think this book would not do well in Mumbai. Mumbai - wallahs see their version of “The world without us” every monsoon. When monsoon approaches they prepare for another 7/26, another round of flooding, another round of building collapses and another round of walking on the submerged roads in the middle of the night and not getting mugged. If Mr. Wiesman Had spoken to any Mumbaikar before writing this book, he would have dropped the idea, as anyone in Mumbai can tell you that “The World without us” is not that bad after all. Where else can you get a chance to meet people you would not otherwise, to hold their hands while soaking wet, and eat Chicken Biryani, Aloo Gobi and Masala Dosa depending on whether you are in Bhindi Bazar, Shivaji Park or Matunga respectively?..baad main garam chai bhi milti hai...

Seriously speaking, just think about it. ALL of us gone - Forever....nada! What it would be like? On some level, I feel so relieved and content with this thought, coz it would take away all those unscrupulous, greedy, scheming, satanic minds from dear earth. Which means no more aggressions, no more mental violence, no crimes against man and nature, no corruption, no scandals, no lies and manipulation, no rapes and murders. Only Peace…as was envisioned by the Original Author.

But this also means no more heart and its dilemmas. No more sweet bitter memories, no more shared laughers, no more glorified stupidities, no more heart to heart talks, no more kisses on the foreheads and no more hugs without expectations! A world without hearts can be a scary place brother! Hearts are like a safety deposit boxes in a bank where we keep depositing yaaden, wade and everything in between.

I think I have gone off on a tangent, so let me end this one. But before I go, please open the window of the room you are in, take a deep breadth, look outside and imagine…a world without us!

Wouldn’t it be cool?
Oh Yeah….

Peace….

IF...

Phir se.....

For the benefit of those that want to see the trailers again....this time they all are in one place....
Bas?

Barry Husain Obama....

Barrack Hussein Obama, US presidential candidate and a likely vice president in 08, would be celebrating his birthday tomorrow. His page on my space has received many messages addressing him as Mr. President.

I always believed and even wrote on my blog a few months ago, that followers all over the World wait for their leader to show up, and as soon as he arrives, they just follow him. (I must be smart!)

This also proves one more theory, and that is there is only one man and one woman in this World. He / she changes names and titles but when the world has done enough damage to itself he / she occurs.

This 46-year-old jebroni, has excellent qualifications and I wouldn’t be surprised if he delivers. Mullah is a fan of Obama simply coz he is a reader and has authored many books.

I hope Barry Husain Obama is that Leader that the World has been waiting for.

We will find out...