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...

I love.....

I love women ....that love other women!

Saw this graffiti on a north bound fright train...hmmm

Ghida Fakhri needs your input....

Ghida Fakhri, Washington DC based news anchor for Aljazeera English News, and as per Mullah Luis, a "Front Page News" herself posted a video on you tube seeking input to improve programs on the channel. Here she is requesting input, and below are few of the actual responses. Hilarious!!

And they say Hollywood / Bollywood are starving for some comedy writers. A couple of guys do give the impression as if they are in Fallujah, Iraq. They are very much here, just don't know it....

The first dude in glasses is a boxer....he is cool...
Enjoy...

Dil Dhadakne ka Sabab Yaad Aaya..

During my last visit to India, I experienced a "Philosophically -Romantic" moment. That moment came, tried to grab my attention and after receiving a well deserved attention - went away. As usual I found some humor in it.

Later that day I met a friend and asked him ke " Aakhri baar tera dil kab dhadka tha?" His response generated a good laugh but also made me realize that this issue needs further investigation. I made some phone calls to some well settled, happily married friends and explained what I meant by " Dil Kab dhadka?" and here are some of the responses:

1: Friend A, Married for 9 years - two kids, Businessman.
He thought about it for a L O N G time and then said " Yaar sach bataoon to yaad nahi."

2: Friend B, Married for 8 years - one child, job
He was nostalgic " Shaadi ke Shuru shuru main yaar"

3: Friend C, Married for 8 years, two kids, Real Estate
He took a deep breadth " Jaane de ...tu bhi kaise kasie swaal karta hai?"

I hope you all are with me on this. I did not call some other friends knowing the status of their marriage, as I did not want to hurt them. But this was a disturbing thread that I discovered in these supposedly happily married couples. These were the every day jebronis that one comes across in campuses all over the world. These were the happy go lucky guys who used to bunk classes, hang out with girl friends, spend time in the canteen, sit in the back rows and perform the plays that I used to write back then.

What is going on in here folks? What happened to that love and romance that brought them closer in the first place?

I was expecting their responses along the following lines.

- " Jab biwi apna favorite song gununati hue mere seene pe apna sar rakh deti hai na - tab" ( Mullah says he would rather see his heart stop on this one!)

- Jab barishon ke kisi Sunday - mere liye bhajiye pakate wakt apna hath jala leti hai phir bhi apna dard bhool kar ye poochti hai ke bhajiye tasty hain – tab”.

- Jab woh kisi public place main apna dupatta utar kar mere gale main kisi mahobbat ki malaa ki trah daal deti hai - tab"

May be I am missing something here. May be 10 years of marriage and a couple of kids, work and societal pressure and responsibilities do this to you. May be men and women have always been incompatible creatures. May be men - women relation is always based on emotions and emotions come with high and low tides. May be romance is a gimmick played by NATURE to get a boy and a girl get hooked up for the production of babies. May be WE all got it wrong, and may be this is how it has been, and this is how it will be!

The question remains how in the world these couples are going to spend next thirty years together?

I don’t know --- neither do they, I suspect!

This is how it is in un-romantic lane…

Mullah, Google, and a Mule...

Mullah Luis has been insisting that I buy Google stocks for some time now. Today, he came back with the most convincing argument. He said Google has adopted a policy of making a new employee sign a bond saying " He / She will not act like jerk while working for Google". Now as you can imagine that got my attention.

Dictionaries define jerk as "a dull stupid fatuous person", but in day-to-day life, we tend to associate this it with arrogant, Holier then thou, stupid person. Now, I have found a real reason to invest my hardly earned money in some technology stocks. I see a great potential in Google for changing the way we live, play and do business.

Google is a pioneer in new management practices with strong fundamentals and where every one has a floating office space. There is no ego building activity associated with " my office, my desk and my room with that blonde's view". They all share their office space with one another. Google also provides first-class dining facilities, gyms, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, carwashes, dry cleaning, commuting buses—just about anything a hardworking engineer might want.

My point here is not to talk about the fringe benefits that come with working for Google but that one principle of making sure " no one acts like a jerk". Imagine if this practice is adopted all over the world; in every major state capitol, every legislature, university, Madarssa, convent, Vidyalya and any other place we assemble in groups.

Imagine powerful world leaders not acting like jerks to weaker nations, big corporations not acting like jerks to mom and pop stores, and restaurant chains not acting like jerks to that Rs 200/day earning Vada-Paav vendor in Mumbai.

A few months back, I was giving a sermon to a bunch of 20 year olds in Mumbai, (that is because folks of my age do not pay attention to me anymore!!!) and this jebroni started working furiously on his cell phone. By the time I finished he came back saying " Shahid bhai, you are right I just Googled it and your information is correct". Fortunately it was one of those rare occasions when I was speaking the truth - (Warna Apna to ye hisab hai ke jhoot bolna seekha nahi, aur sach bolna ataa nahi!)

Google ushered the World in web 2.0 and right now working on web 3.0. I do not know what shape and form web 3.0 would be, but imagine a political meeting somewhere in India where a hate mongering, venom spitting politician is using false information and twisting facts to arouse hatred among communities. Imagine emotions running high and the crowd getting ready to attack the other community with the intent to kill them, rape their women, and destroy their livelihoods. Just then, Imagine, just then a jebroni getting up to say "Sir, I just Googled the facts that you have quoted, and it seems like you are a F**** liar"....

Imagine....

Mullah also said that" A decent man must have a few acres of land, shares of Google and a mule!"

Let me start with the mule first...

A daughter is a daughter....

A senior jebroni once said " A son is a son - TILL he gets a wife, but a daughter is a daughter her ENTIRE life!"

Fellow traveller and excellente journalist, Indescribe provided the proof and I am going to let him do the talking. Here is the link to his blog...

http://indscribe.blogspot.com/

Re- Read it from the point of view of that Brahmin couple people. You just saw some Gods in action down in Chennai....and please do not blame me if, you, at the end of this article discover a lump in your throat!

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

Pic Courtsey: trivialmatters.blogspot.com

Ek Zara sa...

I have received some cool messages in response to my " Raat abhi bhi baki hai " nazam. Folks, were inquisitive ke "kaun chod ke gyaa mujh jaise Hero ko, aur koi mujhe chod bhi kaise sakta hai?". ( Mera to swaal hai koi mujhe kiyoon nahi chod sakta? - Aisi kiya khas baat hai mujh main?)

I want to put the matter to rest. This blog is not a running commentary of my life. My life is not so interesting yet to be broadcast live on the blog. If each of my posts were an aankho dekha haal then it would be evident from last three post ke:

1- Some one left me
2- I fell in love
3- some one broke my heart again...

Itni speed to B-Grade ki Malyalam picture main possible hai.....C grade ki apni life main nahi!!

Well, seriously speaking the truth is, as a writer, you absorb things and you incubate them for sometime. Those emotions of yours and others show up from time to time in speeches and writings. I do not have to experience good-bye to write the pain and agony of it.

I do not have to be in Kargil and Iraq to write how terrible wars could be, and what happens when a fighter jet with 5000 pounds of payloads flies over your neighbourhood. When your kids wake up crying and when your blood boils and you feel so helpless. Your wife breaks down, fearing if the smart bomb comes crashing on her garden of heaven, there will be nothing left of them to bury in the morning. Democracy provides level playing fields for everyone - even in death!

I write for those emotions folks - I have been writing them for thousands of years and will continue to write them under new pen names.

That is the difference between a jebroni and a good writer - I am just trying to promote myself from a jebroni to a writer. - that's all!

BTW I would be surprised if that nazam " Raat Abhi bhi baki hai" does not show up in my next film...

I wish I had directed this Gem...

King Vijay Anand at his best in this romantic-comedy called " Tere Ghar ke Saamne"- (1963)

Shot at the real Qutub Minaar and Mehboob Studio Mumbai, this song is one of my favorite ones. Apart from great shairi and music ( Hasrat and S.D.) this songs shows the genius of Vijay Anand in song picturisation. This song is a sheer work of poetry done with lights and camera.

The 6 minute long scene along with this song, had Dev and Nutan wearing the same dress and were shown to be at the same location. This is one of those rare songs where diector chose LOVE as the only prop.

When they walk up the stairs of Qutub Minar, Nutan was shown to be struggling with the decision wether to trust this man with her life. When she comes down the same stairs, she feels liberated, free, happy because a decision has been made- she is in love! Notice how she raises her both hands in the air as wind blows in - she seems to be declaring something to the World. No other actress could have deleivered those expressions better then Nutan.

When a girl / woman raises her hands like that she knows that she just entered a new phase, a 7th heaven in her life. I wish that every girl gets a chance to raise her hands like that atleast 1 time and maximum of 2.5 times in her life!!

You can't get better then this......the song not only shows romance but the cultural ethose, the purity of emotions, the trust......I can go on and on.....

Ps: The guy who shows up in the middle of the song wearing glasses is Vijay Anand himself….

This is how it is in the Creative-Fulfillment Lane...

Raat Abhi Bhi Baaki Hai....

Ye Raaten to ab khoob katengei
Tumhen mil kar main ne socha tha
Un Roshan, Roshan Aankhon main
Jab Suraj sa Kuch Dekha tha...

Jungle, Bayaban, Sunsaan the Saare
Maidaano main bhi Tanhayee Thi
Nadiyan Chup Chup Behti thin aur
Manzil Apni Abhi Nahi Aayee thi ?

Phir bhi Hum-Tum Chal to Rahe the
Un Lambi Ghaneri Palkon ke Peeche
Khwaab Mere Kuch Pal to Rahe the..

Khwaab bhi Kaise Kaise the Woh?
Aanken, Maatha, Naak aur Palken
Bas Hum-Tum Jaise Jasie the Woh

Roshan Cheraa Jo Mujh pe Gyaa tha
Aankhen bhi to Bilkul Meri hi thin
Maathe ki woh Chand Lakeeren
Sach Sach kaho kiya mujh si na thin?
Haan Yun hi Tumhen Khush Karne ko
Bas Muskaan Tumhari Maangi thin..

Par Hum-Tum Shaid Bhool Gaye the
Ke Jungle main Kuch Naag bhi hain
Roti hain Mahobatten jinhen sun kar
Jeevan main Kuch Aise Raag Bhi hain..



Jana Tum To Jaa Bhi Chuki Ho
Par Raat Abhi Bhi Baaki Hai...
Lamha Lamha Hum ne Bune jo
Woh Khwaab Abhi Bhi Baaki Hain

Woh Raat Abhi Bhi Baakai hai...

Folks: This Nazam just descended a few hours ago. No need to get emotional about it. Well, the story is, when I returned from work I found that a teacup, which I had forgotten to throw in the sink, was lying by my computer, so were the socks, and that junk mail from yesterday. No one had arranged all these things to their proper places.... Bas khodpi kharab ho gayee...aur ye phir nazam hogayi.

Ulti seedhi jaisi bhi hai, I am sharing an un-edited version with you’ll. This goes to prove how much I trust the readers of my blog....

Peace...Raat abhi bhi Baaki hai......

Ps: Kash ke who saale Moze, who chai ka cup apni jagah pe hote to ye sab to nahi likhna padta …...(not that I regret writting whatever showed up in my heart...)

(C) 2007 - Shahid Sayed

Apna Manohar is back....

I was waiting at the airport to pick up Manohar and saw him coming out from the South Terminal at the Atlanta Airport. He has such an expressive face and eyes, that you can see from miles the trauma and struggles that he is going through.

Me: Daant main dard hai?

Manohar gave no resonse. He was looking tired and hurt.

Me: Batwaa Chori ho gaya flight main?

Me: News thi, kisi Desi ne chalti flight se UDI maarne ki koshish ki….tum to nahi ….

Manohar: Sahid Bhai aap har cheez ka mazak kiyoon udate hain?

Me: Gaur se dekho meri jaan – Har cheez apna mazak uda rahi hai….nahi?

Manohar: Ab kiya aap kavita karnege?
Me: Baap log ke lafde main apne se kavita nahi hoti – Haan tumhari mashook ke bare main kcuh arz karoon?

He was a disheartened man. Somewhere in between the state of broken, and broken- again. I had convinced him to go back and repair relations with his father. I thought this is the time he needs some un-conditional love, which can only come from parents. Sesnitive folks can tolerate any catastrophe except the one that involves emotions. I thought this time it is going to work out between them, and he will return to pack up his stuff for good - Appeartnly his Dad had other plans.

I fail to understand why people in India are not expressive? What is wrong in expresing your feelings for the one you love? A friend of mine was experiencing some natural strains in a married life. I suggested – requested - pleaded – forced – blackmailed him to take flowers to his wife of 10 years, express your feelings for her and enjoy what Jeff calls “ magical moments”.

Abhi tak nahi le gaye ab kiya le jaoon? was the response.

I tried his wife too, with the same results! (FYI, I tried his wife too = I asked her to take flowers to her hubby. God, You Perverts!)

What’s going on folks? Granted love can never be at the mercy of words to be experienced, but we are living in a fast paced, goal oriented, stressed out world, agar thoda bol doge to kiya pagaar kam ho jayegi?

We do not realize by doing this we are setting an example for our kids, nieces and nephews to follow for the rest of their lives. I never saw my parents, brothers, friends express their love the way in needs to be expressed. Human beings are wired to receive messages using all four senses i.e. eyes, ears, nose and touch. Are we letting these four sensor do the talking?

A Caucasian friend of mine who is married a Mallu from Kerala professes his love for his wife of 7 years whenever she calls, and she calls at least 15 times a day. Do the math. Assuming he says those three words to her 20 times a day, the total comes down to 7280 times a year. (Assuming that they stay married for 40 years the grand total comes to 219,000 times.) I doubt if any Keralites married to any other Jebroni from India hears those three words 7000 times in her life time?

Coming back to apna Manohar, I did not know what to do with him? Apna yaar hai kuch to karna hi tha. The problme is my cowardice or ”Buz-Dili” has not allowed me to find some adda, where I could take a broken hearted friend for repair. You know the kind you see in films for “ gham galat karne ke liye”, and there are plenty of those in this country. Instead, I offered him a Bookstore, Mandir, Masjid and Church as an alternative to hang around for a while till he feels good.

Finally, We settled for a Gurudwara kiyon ke wahan langar hota hai, aur kuch na kcuh khaane ko mil hi jataa hai.!!!

Sicko....and Michale Moore

No, Michael Moore is not a Sicko. He is a filmmaker with balls who has guts to make films on subject that profit-oriented filmmakers do not touch with a 20 feet pole. He has been using his camera to start debate on various issues from Gun Control to Unneccesary Wars and Profiteering, in order to bring changes in the US and the World.

Sicko is the name of the latest documentary that he made about the broken health care system in America.

One of the victims of this health care system lost both his fingers and the hospital gave him two options. Re-attach the middle finger for $60,000 or do the ring finger for $12,000. Being a hopeless romantic, that guy chose the ring finger for the bargain price of 12 grand. The top of his middle finger now enjoys its new home in an Oregon landfill.

Even with proper insurance so many benefits are denied like this woman who was taken to the hospital in an ambulance after a head-on car collision. The insurance did not pay for the ride.

I experienced this broken system first hand when I was diagnosed with a Hernia in 2005 and Doc recommend a minor outpatient surgery. That was the first time I was going to be cut so I was doing some heavy research in hernia forums. I came across many folks who had the same problem but were living with pain, as they could not afford a $7000 - $10,000 surgery cost. My heart went out to them, as I knew the severity of the pain. Surgery cost me $7500 out of which I paid about $700. (It would have cost me $2 in Nair Hospital in Bombay or about $200 in a private hospital.)

These days I am seeing a Dentist and even though I have an excellent insurance coverage. The Dentist did my exam and gave me a menu with prices tags to extend my chewing life. The total is $2200 with insurance coverage. Today, I can fly to India for $1200, be with my family n other jebronis, and get the same treatment done for $75 with a private Doc or for 5 Rupees in a Government run hospital.

I have been missing Indian health care system. These are the times when I develop respect and admiration even for the tainted politicians of India, for keeping health care the way it has been.

I think a man / woman should consider him a success if he/she has the ability, irrespective of dollars in his pocket, to lay on the beach and watch the sun go down and who on his / her death bed says “ man I did my part, I tried to justify my birth...thank you all for your support”. To me that is a well-spent life.

India is blessed to have a good numbers of Social Activist like Ananat Patwardhan, Mahesh Bhatt, Javed Anand, Teesta Stelvad, Shabana Azmi, Arundahti Roy and many others. These people are going to be so in much peace and sukoon at the time of their deaths, as they would have done their parts in this world.

No matter what religion these jebronis belong to, the administration up there (if it rewards human goodness) will have a hard time denying them a permanent abode in heaven....

We shall see….

Doosra Kinara - New trailer...

Someone had shown a great interest in the ghazal, so here it is...



Hope ya'll like it. Enjoy..

ps: Itne paison main itna hi milega...

It takes a call...

Last night I was at the Blockbusters when I received a call from an unknown number in India. I was surprised, as my folks in India are not known for their communication skills. It was a girl's voice, sweet and silky.

Caller: May I speak with Shahid Sayed please?
Me: Speaking, go ahead....
Caller: DADDY!! , main A*** bol rahi hoon. Kaise hain aap?
Me: What a surprise...Beta tum?

She kept talking, mostly inquiring about me. I was responding to her, but my mind was engaged in re-living that night of 1995 when she along with her parents were brought to me by a friend. They wanted me to help their only child with a favor. I was very disturbed and upset because of a death in the family. We were devastated at that untimely loss and this was the second day after the burial.

I had decided to excuse myself, as I was not in my senses to do anything. However, I met them as a courtesy to my friend. And there she was.... five year old kiddo with twinkles in her eyes and a nervous smile on her face. I shook hands with her father, bent down to greet her, looked into her eyes and then something in me took over...I agreed to their request.

From the very next morning I became her Daddy. I remember spending few hours with her in some place, which was full of other dads and moms. I remember getting stressed thinking what if this does not work out? This masoom’s life, or a part of her life depends on how well I perform in the next one hour. Her life or part of her life depends on MY ACTIONS... God, help me please as I do not want to let her down...

It worked just fine...we succeeded.

I could not keep in touch with her family, as I would have preferred. So, here she was after 12 years...

A: Daddy, aap yahan aa jayen.....mat rahe akele wahan...
Me: Beta hum to aaye the Bombay, and I wanted to stay as well...KISI NE ROKA HI NAHI..
A: Ab aap aayen main aap ko rokungi....
Me: Kal tumhari shaadi kar denge to tum apne ghar chali jaogi....
A: Mjhe apna career banana hai, nahi jaoongi aap ko chod kar, aap aa jaiye please..

This is life is all about I reckon. Full of surprises. I had no clue back in 1995, that a few hours of my investment would grow up to be a sensitive little girl who would not want to see her Daddy alone...

Meri Sweet Bacchi...!

Father's Day ...

It was 2:30 in the morning when Manohar Parsad Yadav called me from his home town in Bihar.

Manohar: Sahid Bhai so rahen hain kiya?
Me: Nahi Bhaiyya, tumhare phone ka intezaar kar ra rahe the - Kiya hua?.....
Manohar: Kaa karen hum bada confoose hoon Sahid bhai..Pita Ji se milne ayaa hoon. kiya baat karoon samajh nahi aa raha hai. Aap kuch bataiye...aap to writer hain.
Me:Bhaiyya main raat ke 2:30 writer nahi hota hoon, neend ka maara hua hota hoon.
Manohar: Please kuch acchi baat batayen.....
Me: Keh dena ke main ne Bush ko vote nahi diya tha...
Manohar: Ye kiya baat hui?
MeL Ok - Keh dena ke agar ek inspector swaal kareagaa to ek mujrim jwaab dega - Ek baap swaal kargea tabhi ek beta jwaab degaa.
Manohar: kuch suna sa lagta hai....
Me: Accha bol de ke Anarkarli qaid kar li gayee aur main dekhta rahaa...

Manohar: Sahid bhai ye sab to filmon ke dialogues hain?
Me:Bhaiya itni raat ko original dialogues Peer Shakespeer bhi nahi laya hoga....isi se kaam chalao...kal subah likh doonga.
Manohar: Aap haamre Pita ji ko nahi jaante hain Sahid bhai...
Me: Manohar, Duniya main ek hi baap hai.....ek hi maa hai.......aur ek dost hai...

On this day when the world has just finished celebrating Father's day I am witnessing the lack of communciation between two people that must be talking to each other on hourly basis. However, I must confess that I do not have much experience of communicating with my father either.

I remember his "dehshat" and anger was so well known that when he used to walk in the house everyone from mom to small kids used to look for cover. Invariably, I used to find myself in the middle of a patang (kite) match. I was so scared of him that I used to freeze and as a result jebronis who do not know how to spell kite, used to kato my kankawaa (patang)...

I have grown up now and have a 100% success rate in kite flying. Not that I have learned to cope with an angry father and ladao patang at the same time, but I have completely stopped flying kites!!

Coming back to father-son duel - I think it is really sad that in 21st century we have not been able to bridge the "emotional gaps" in relationships. We have coolest means of communication but we have stopped expressing to each other. During my last trip to Mumbai, I observed that Mumbaiakrs are so short on expression. If I have to write a small list of dialogues that I heard during a month of stay it would be:

1- 2 Virar ke ticket dena?
2: In Kameeno se kaho kam se kam shave to kiya karen...junglee bane ghumte hain.
3: Allah / Bhagwan ke naam pe kcuh khaane ko de do
4: Main tere ko miss call kiya tha na !
5: Aur sab theek hai US main?
6: Apun to Bachele main bhi reh gele hain..
7: Bush ko kitne saal baki hain?

I live on words and humor. For me being not able to connect to any human being be black, white, brown, male, female, young or old is an insult. I tried to come up with something humorous and new that I could suggest to Manohar but failed. I don’t know why I could not fill that "emotional gap" which my friend Manohar was experiencing that Saturday afternoon in Madhuban, Bihar.

This is how it is on father's day!

Main aur Meri Awaargi...

Phirte hain kab se Dar Badar, ab is Nagar ab US nagar
Ek doosre ke Humsafar, main aur meri Awaargi...

Na Ashna har reh guzar, na meheban sab ki nazar
Jayen to ab jayen kidhar, main aur meri Awargi?

Ek din mili ek meh jabin, tan bhi hasin jaan bhi hasin
Dil ne khaa hum se wahin, khwabon ki hai manzil yahin
Phir yu hua woh Kho Gayi, to mujh ko Zidd si ho gayee
Layenge us ko dhoondh kar main aur meri awaargi ....

Phirte hain kab se dar badar, ab is nagar ab us nagar..

(Javed Akhtar - Tarkash)

Final Posters......

Making of Doosra Kinara...

Well, as expected we too decided to be come up with making of Doosra Kinara. In this video:

You can expect to see Ghazal composition by Apurva Shrivastava and Bhupinder Ji recording that ghazal, (someone in Bangalore and N.J would be too happy to hear it). In addition our jebroni writer discusses the philosophical side of Doosra Kinara (as if he knows it!)

Etc etc…

It is 9 minute long so be on your best behavior and have some patience. It will be rewarded. Sweet!

ps: Folks, If you notice, I have deleted the opening paragraph. Mullah Luis offered me a different take on it. And you know if you do not agree with Mullah life can be real tough. Apun ko wiase bhi shahr main rehnaa hai...

And the Oscar goes to....

Good People!

What you are about to see is very special - very personal. What you are about to see is straight from the heart - my heart!

While you are watching it, I want you to think of those people who made this film a possibility.

I want you to think of my music director Apurva Shrivastava, who worked day and night to compose the music. I want you to think of his wife Nita, who let him work with me even till wee hours of their wedding anniversary night.... I want you to think of Sandeep Savla, the sound engineer who supported us in our efforts.

I want you to think of Kristi Hutchinson who did an excellent job of playing Amber Anderson and Vikas who did his best as Sameer Azaad. I want you to think of three school going kids Rohan, Rabia and Pranjal who are born and raised here, but did a good job acting in pretty much a foreign language film! I want you to think of Ahamd Khwaja, Anurag Misraraj and Anurag Gaur, GiriMohan Coneti, Sandhya Bhagat, Gandharv, Mullah Luis, Jeff Shipman and Rafiq Batcha....It would require another post to enumerate thier contributions.

I want you to think of those friends that want to remain anonymous, and have requested me not to thank them publicly (yes, Mam these kinds of folks still exists!). I respect thier wishes.

Most importantly I want you to think of YOURSELF, your dreams and your ambitions. I want you to think of your Doosra Kinara, to see if the search of that unknown destination is depriving you of things that matter most in life. I want you to think of your self-inflicted blind spots that are stopping you from re-connecting to your self, your past, from listening to your heart -where your first love lives....

....And finally I want you to think of the writer/director, who made this film with the hope that it will help new generation of dreamers, in realizing that when they fly away they leave behind a loving father who wants them to stay, a mother who does not know what to say, and friends who are proud and yet sad at the same time. This writer thinks that if he can help one teenageer in realizing what is important in life, "to apun ka pasie wasool ho jayega!" (you can never take Mumbai out of someone!). It is a naive thinking but the world sure can afford a few jebronis like him!

Enjoy!

Ps: Rafiqi emailed me yesterday, reminding me of a quality that He "thinks" I have: Determination, he said. (I do not know what else they teach at Gozuieta Business School, coz he was very up-to-date on me!). Well, this one is for that Determination...!