Tasveeren

"Tum Ne Us Ghar Ke Deewaron Pe

Tasveeren Meri Laga Rakhi thin

Jab aap Nahi Hote ....

Tab Yehi Mujh Se Baat Karti Hain

Tum Kahaa Karti Thin

Woh Tasveeren Ab Tumhare Saath Nahi

Ab Tum Kis Se Baat Karti Ho?

Bas Ye Batlaa Do!"

The Retard...

"Please buy whatever u want to buy, as I may not open my shop tomorrow. My son is dead" said the shopkeeper in the Khajurahu main market area.

I was surprised to see his deadpan expression when he said the word " Dead". I asked him what had happened?

"He was first violated and then drowned in a well. He was just 7", was the reply with the same dead pan expressions. I found the whole conversation to be weird, so I bought whatever I wanted to buy and left his shop.

However, I did inquire about this incident at another shop in the market. I was told "yes that it is a true story but that guy is a retard".

I went back to his shop again, this time I knew what to do. I tried to talk him about the tragedy so that he could come out of the shock that apparently he was in. I inquired about his wife and how she was taking it. I tried to convince him that both of them should not feel guilty about this....and a few more words of wisdom on how to move on.

Deadpan expressions remained the same....no matter what I said.

Finaly, I asked him a stupid question.

"Why did you have just one? Why not more kids?"

"I wanted to provide proper education to him and raise him to be a big man...that's why I decided to have just one"

As I left his shop for the last time.....I knew who all were the retards.....

It wasn't him, that's for sure!!

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, Feb 6th at 10 am

Kaanch Ke Tukde - Teaser 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpFl_7Zrd7g&feature=youtu.be

Barfeele Din....

Aur Jab Main Is Ajnabi Shahr Main

Khud Ko Behlaa Behla aKar 

Thak Jataa Hon

Toot Jaataa Hoon

To Phir 

Usi Shahr - e Maazi Ki Jaanib Laut Jataa Hoon

Jahan Aaj Bhi Tum

Baraf Se Dhake Hue Din Main

Mera T-Shirt Pehan Kar

Geele Kapde Sukahe Ke Liye

Gallery Main Aa Jaati Ho

Aur Phir Apni Masoomiyat Par

Khoob Hansti Ho

Mujh Pe Marti Ho!!

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, January 17th, 2015 @ 12:30pm

Mall of Georgia

Yaaron ne jise bhi mahobbat ki nigha se dekha woh Haseen Ho gya aur Adayen Seekh gyaa....LOL

I think women in a long skirt look awesome.... "Dukhiya" did most of the things right.....:)))

 — at Mall of Georgia.

Naya Saal 2015

Saal Naya Hoga, Gham To Wohi Poorane Honge

Tum Se Milne Ke Liye Aur Kitne Zamane Honge?

Dooriyan Badh Jayengi Dekho Hamare Darmiyan

Tum Wahin Hogi, Hum Hi Kahan Na-Jaane Honge?

Kitni Umeed Le Kar Aaya Tha, Kal Raat Rukhsat Hua

Phir Is Dil-e-Mazaar Pe Naye Chiraag Jalaane Honge!

Tum Wahin Hogi, Hum Hi Kahan, Na-Jaane Honge!!

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, January 1st, 2015 @ 11:55 am

Kaanch Ke Tukde - First teaser is out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wR-ASlI648

ye sagar sheeshe, laal-o-guhar

saalim hon to qeemat paate hain

yun tukrde tukrde hon to faqat

chubhte hain, lahoo rulwaate hain - Faiz

Sharab Peena Haram Hai....Lekin...

Sharab Peena Haram Hai......Lekin main ne to.....

Back in the days, on my way back from ATL, I decided to take a Parisian detour and stopped in the city of art and love for a few days.

Paris! Ah Paris......Its a gold mine for an artiste of all hue n colors. Paris is young, Paris is feminine and Paris is beautifully healthy. A few minutes of stroll by the river .....is enough for you to fall in love with it.. There is no other option!

I landed in Mumbai and was trying to catch some sleep when I heard someone calling me out. It was Mirza on his bike. So I went down and he drove me to our usual adda at Nariman Point footpath. I was still sleepy and after a usual talk I wanted to sleep. I made myself comfortable on the bench and slept. Mirza, realizing my jet-leg situation allowed me to rest in peace.

After an hour or so when I woke up, I found Mirza reading a newspaper. He looked up and said

 " Yaar Ek Hafte Pehle  Tum US main the, Kal Shaam Tak Paris Main, Aur ab  Footpath Pe So Rahe Ho!"

"Kiya Farak Padta Hai? Arsh Ho Ya Farsh Neend Aani Chaiyye. Baki Sab Semantics Hai!"

I had something else on my mind to discuss with Mirza, so I told him I want to confess something. He put down the paper and look at quizzically.

" Yaar Mirza, Main Ne Galti Se Paris Main Sharab Khayi Hai!"

Mirza bent down to "smell" me for sharab.

"To Beta Ab Tum Ne Sharab Peena Chalu kar Di?"

" Yaar Main Sharab Nahi Peeta.....Main ne Sharab Khaayi Hai Paris Main"

"Sharab Haram Hai......Tumhen Malom Tha Na?"

"Sharab Peena Haram Hai......Lekin Main Ne To Sharab Khayi Hai!"

"Kaise?"

I told him the whole story about one of the days when I got my "free hugs" outside Amsterdam Church I felt hungry for "more", so I went to eat at the nearest cafe by the river.

I could not read the menu as it was all in French. I signaled a waiter and told him that "No Pork for me".  I chose one good looking dish and and inquired if it was pork. The waiter realizing my concern made sounds of chicken crowing "Kukdu Koo". I said Yes thats what I want!!

Thats exactly what he got me. It was tasty - very tasty and delicious. I enjoyed every bite of it. But soon I started feeling a little "tipsy". My body has zero tolerance for lies and Nasha and a small amount of it is enough to make me feel weird. When I inquired from the waiter about the content of the chicken dish, the waiter pointed his finger at the bottle of Red Wine and told me in something in french. Apparently the chicken that I was served so nicely, was marinated all night in wine and spices and which made it more tasty.

"Mirza, Kiya Hum Logon Ko Mullah Ke Paas Jaa Ke Is Ka Hal Maloom Karna Chaiyye?"

" Yaar, Usually Mullah Murge Ke Khilaf Nahi Bolta, Woh Us Se MarOub Hota Hai. Mullah Tum Se Paris Ki Detail Lega aur Footage Khayega"

"Phir Kiya Karen?"

"Meri Mano To Jab Tum Agli Baar Kisi Jungle Main "Fabe Aiye Aala Rabbe Kuma Tukazzebaan" padh Rahe Ho Tab Tum Apne Allah Miya Se Maafi Maang Lena. Woh Raheem Hai...Maaf Kar Dega!"

Thats what I did next....

Its been a few years but even today Mirza brings up this story and reminds me how I slept on a footpath. Even today I tell him the same thing that in the grand scheme of things it does not matter where you sleep as long as you sleep. I am fortunate to have frnds that are like me only. We are not born to carry weight of unrealistic expectations of others. Why should I eat, sleep and carry my life in a way that suits your immature fancy?

A friend of mine once drove me in his brand new Mercez convertible at the speed of 150 MPH ( 230 KMPH) in Atlanta. In a few months he met me at Ville Parle station and from where we took local to Church Gate in sardine packed compartment.  Both of us did not compain about anything as we had no time .... we were busy cacthing up on each other and laughing away to glory!

Thats what gives me high.....thats my nashaa...

Tumhari Tasveer

Tasveer Nikalwate Waqt

Tumhari Aankhon Main

Jis Shaks Ki 

Tasveer Saaf Nazar Aati Hai

Wohi Shaks

Tumhari Us Tasveer Ko

Jab Tnahiayon Main Dekhta Hai

Tab Woh Khud Bhi

Tasveer Sa Ho Jataa Hai!!

Is Trah Do Tasveeren

Ek Doosre Ko Dekh Rahi Hoti Hain

Guzrta Waqt

Sar Jhuka Kar

Tasveer-e - kham Ho Jataa Hai

Aur

Jab Tum In Lafzon Se Bani 

Is Tasveer Ko Jab Sochogi

Tum Khud Bhi To

Ek Tasveer Hi Ban Jaogi!!

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, October 16th, 2014 @ 1:15am

Its sardines time...

This is the time n place I feel sorry for myself, being stuck like sardines in a local train. No matter where u go there is no escaping this in India. This is what others economists call the "population dividend" - a dividend I can live without.

So here I was pissed off n angry, more concerned about the health my MacBook Pro than myself. And suddenly a guy started singing a sad song:

 " main ne chaand aye sitaron ki tamanna ki thi

mujh ko raaton ki siyahi kuch na Mila!"

I tried to inject some humor in a F&%$# Up situation so I told him " yaar ghar jaa rahe ho office nahi, u shud be singing happy song!"

He came back with " Ghar jaa raha hoon isi liye to sad song gaa raha hoon. Biwi hai ghar main. Aap to experinced honge"

Hillarious!!

Except perhaps I was always happy going home back in the days....

Milo to Khush aur na Milo to...

Agha Jaani Kashmiri, was a legendary writer n actor who wrote some of the memorable films in 40s, 50s, and 60s. Some of them are Anmold Ghadi, Humayun, Amar, Mujhe Jeene Do, Chori Chori and almost all of Joy Mukherjee's films. In fact he was the one who saw Joy, and pressured his father S. Mukherjee to allow him to act....saying he will take care of his diction and teach him acting.

Anyways. this post is not about him. Its about Ashok Kumar. The picture below is from his autobiography called "Seher Hone Tak", published in 1967 or so. He had dedicated his book to many frnds from the Industry and to Pt. Nehru. In this page he is dedicating it to Ashok Kumar with an interesting anecdote. He writes " Ashok Kumar is a 30 year old frnd, and it was he who dragged Ashok Kumar to Anmol Ghadi and Humayun".

Well, this post is about what he writes next. He says "Whenever I run into Ashok Kumar, he hugs me and says yes to everything I say - even though I may not see him again for a long time. Ashok believes in "Milo to Khush aur Na Milo to Aur bhi Zayada Khush".

That line gave me the 'aha' moment after I bought it from a raddi-wala on a footpath of Bhindi Bazar. This book made me and old man even when I was suppose to be a teenager. This book has lived in two different continents with me.....traveled to many cities internationally. It contains many gems, but the one I internalized was "Milo to Khsuh aur Na Milo to Aur bhi Zayada Khsuh"

Just think about it for a second.....

By believing and living with this dictum you are offering freedom to everyone in your circles. No one is be pressured to see you, at the same time no one is stopped from seeing you as well. Happiness is the result whether you meet or not.....

When frnds meet me after a long time or meet me daily or weekly, I thoroughly enjoy them. I go full throttle on my humor and laugh like there is no tomorrow! I seldom complain to anyone ke why you didn't meet or never called. For me, meeting me after many years is not the topic of reverence, what is important is what we are going to do next......

Coz I have set everyone free with by living Ashok Kumar Mantra " Milo to Khush aur na Milo to Aur Bhi Zadya Khush!"

Try it.....it will set you free for life.....

Kahin aap Mujhe

Ye Baaten Jo Dil Ki Chupaane Lage Hain

Kiya Wakai Mujhe Aap Chahne Lage Hain?

Na Tum Se Mahobbat Thi, Na Hai, Aur Hogi

Kehte Waqt Woh Aankhen Churane Lage Hain

Zameen Pe Pair Nahi, Aasman Aankhon Main

Ab Kiya Hua Kiyoon Itna Itraane Lage Hain?

Pehle Khamosh Taka Karta Tha Tanhaiyan Meri

Ab Chaand Hai Khush, Taare Muskaane Lage Hain

Ek Umr Kati Apne Dasht Ke Hisaar Main Shahid

Ab Kahin Jaa Ke Hosh Thikaane Lage Hain

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, October 4th, 2014 @ 2:50am 

Bhupinder Singh

"Shahid ji, how would you like if we get Bhupinder ji to song your ghazal?"
"Which Bhupimder? Dil dhoondta Hai wale?"
"Yes....wohi"

I remember exactly where I was when Apurva ji called. I felt like I transported to the moon a minute.....my first film, my first ghazal going to be sung by a singer I grew up loving.....too good to be true!

Before that for about a few months we were looking for a singer in the Atlanta and neighboring areas. Apurva Ji would audition singers every week and reject them. After we exhausted all the potential singers he auditioned me as well. I was rejected in less than a minute....this is how my career in singing ended....

I was feeling depressed and frustrated and this call from Apurva ji lifted my spirits.

However, on the day of the recording I was away on a business trip to Burnswick, GA.  Sandhya ji, narrated this incident to me:

Bupinder ji, while rehearsing the ghazal realized a word not fitting in well so he mentioned that to her, who told him that "Shahid could not make it....please feel free to make changes as you like".

Bhupinder Ji said " Nahi rehne den.....without writer it would be improper to make changes. I will sing as he has written.."

So he sang my gahzal as is......

This is the material legends are made up of......

Respect!!

Waqt...

Waqt, Guzar Kar Dekho To

Tumhare Chere Ke Naqoosh

Tumhari Aankhon Ke Suroor

Tumhari Zulfon Ki Woh Chaoon

Tumhare Palkon Ke Woh Gaoon

Tumhari Baaton Ke Sehar

Tumhare Lehje Ke Safar

Tumhare Honton Ke Lamas

Tumhari Bahon Ke Sukoon

Ko Kaise Mubham Kar Raha Hai

Pehle Is Ne Sirf Ek Hi Kiya Tha

Dekho Ab Kitne Zulm Kar Raha Hai!

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, September 28th, 2014 @ 12:35am

World IQ going south...

Here is some Good News for people that were afraid of death the other day on my timeline. (Ye zindagi ke mele duniya main kam na honge / afsos hum na honge!)

Look at this IQ chart closely and recall how an ordinary person was when we were young - and how they are now?

Aren't you glad that you will not be around in 2050 to see the idiots running amok everywhere? We are having difficulty making sense of whats happening around us, and how, twenty something good looking kids have become religious bigots, intolerant discriminators and just plain dumb.

What these kids would do when they are the temporary occupants of 16, Pennsylvania Ave,10 Dawning Street and and 7 Race Course Road?

Trust me you are better off dead than dealing with an IQ below 80. So enjoy your time now......death will be a welcome relief....whenever that happens!

Mirza says, The graph is on a higher side due to the stats from "some" western countries, imagine how it will look if it was just India....LOL

Rotiyan....

Un Dino

Tum Rotiyan Pakane Ke Liye 

Jab Aate Aur Paani Ko Mila Diya Karti Thin

Tab Main

Tumhare Sane Hue 

Be-Bas Hathon Ka Fayeda Utha Kar

Tumhen Goondh Diya Karta Tha

Tumhari Cheekhon, Siskiyon Aur Sargoshiyon 

Ke Darmiyan

Dheere Dheere Tapti, Pakti Ye Rotiyan

Jab Chuleh Se Utartin

To Khushi Se Phool Kar Guppa Hua Karti Thin

In Dino 

Rotiyan Main Bazaar Mangwataa Hoon

Shakl Se Be-Zaar, Bagair Kirdaar, Aur Aakar Ki

Kuch Jali, Kati Ye Rotiyan

Mujhe Dekh Bas Ek Swaal Karti Hain

Kiya Ab Hamen Bhi Khaoge?

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, September 13th, 2014 @ 1:50 am

Love Jihad and other stories...

My friend Mirza, now confesses that once he fell in love with a "Brahmin Ki Bitiya" and came close to marrying her. She too liked him and agreed in principle to explore the option....LOL

The story of Mirza falling in love with her is interesting: One night Mirza called up that "Brahmin Ki Bitiya", requesting her to wake him up at 4 am since he had a 5:30 am flight to catch. She called and used these lines in chaste awadhi accent -

"Suniye.....Dekhiye....uthitye.....Sahar Ho gayi.....aap ki flight hai....dekhen please uth jaiye....please suniye..."

Mirza loved it, and fell in love with her. Next thing we know is Mirza offered a quick marriage with only a small condition that she will wake him up every morning, using the same lines she had used that morning.

Grapevine has it that, even Mirza offered to be converted to Hindusim provided he be made a Brahmin...He was told that as of now he is a "Mallachi" and his wish can never be granted.....:))

Sometime later, better sense prevailed and they decided to remain friends!! Mirza says he did not want his marriage to become a politico - religious football. Later Mirza even played cupid and found a Brahmin match for her....however, she refused to consider him.

I think Inter-religious marriage happen coz youngsters don't find match in their own communities. It is scary to marry someone who has different eating habits and prays to a different God.

That Brahmin ki Bitiya could not find a match in her own community and is against dowry system, our Mirza could not find a Muslim girl coz Muslim girls are taught only to cook, clean and bear children regardless of educational qualification ....... their intellect is considered too weak to be developed by their handlers.

These days Mirza and "Brahmin Ki Bitiya" are debating how long they have known each other. Mirza says 10 years whereas she confirms it is just 7 years....to which Mirza asks "why it feels like 10 years?"

Brahmin ki Bitiya has no response to that Question.....LOL

Yazidi......

Are you in any way RESPONSIBLE for this 15 year old kiddo, dropping out of school and picking up the gun to safeguard the honor of her family?

I can hear a resounding NO.......think again!

Are You NOT responsible for increasing the hyper religiosity in your time line on FB, in your house, Mohallah, City, Country and eventually the World. I am talkn' all Gentiles and not so faithfuls, Hindus/Muslim/Christians and Jews.

When the HYPER- RELIGIOSITY or what I call religious temperature Index (RTI) of the World increases so does crimes against people of other faiths and denominations. Your God asked you to be a faithful but not HYPER faithful. He asked you to protect the weak and not even cut down a tree even during a battle.

Then why, in your name this beautiful kiddo has to forgo her teenage years of fun and care free life? Just because she belonged to a certain tribe in Kurdistan...and her tribe's name is Yazidi. Is that it?

What I am noticing is a maniac like obsession with religion on all sides. This single minded religious fervor has taken the word "Tassawuf" and "Ijtihaad" from our lingo. Its all about symbolism now......

Here is a story of not too long ago......

My friend's father in Allahabad area was a trustee of a temple. Once, he was in the temple attending the meeting of the trust when Muzzin called for Namaz. My friend's father excused himself to attend the prayers. But the Hindu trustees asked him to pray right there in the temple complex and HE DID.

Do we have such example of secure faiths in our middle now? Why not? Because we have become less secure about our faith, because we have become hyper -religious, because we are less tolerant now....

And that's why this kiddo is out there under the scorching desert sun......walking with a bottle of water and a gun....while we dream awesome dreams for our daughters.

As far as I am concerned, I would be proud to have such a brave heart as my girl....a girl who can go from holding pen to holding a gun, can only be my daughter and I will not allow anyone to kill her in my name!!

Dasht

Ye Dasht to Apni Zaat Ka Hai
Kaun Ise Ab Kaatega?
Kaun Chunega Gard Se Phool?
Kaun Sitaare Baantegaa?

(C) Shahid Parvez Sayed, August 23rd, 2014

Azaadi Mubarak.....

Azaadi Mubarak!!

As you go about hosting the National Flag tomorrow morning, distributing sweets and appreciating the efforts by the founding fathers in securing the freedom for you, remember the story of a Pagal ie a man man of Lukhnow.

The year was 1928, and Simon Commission was in India to determine the future of India. It had seven members but none of them was an Indian leader, and as result India's political leadership decided to boycott it. Commission went from one town to the next but always met with protesters holding black flags.

When it reached Lucknow and was holding the meetings at the British Residency near Aminabad. British government had made sure that protest are broken up and no one is allowed near Residency.....

Azzadi ke Jiyale were frustarted as they could not voice their opinion openly. They were wondering what to do when a neighborhood pagal, a man with who never made sense and was considered useless suggested that we "fly kites with the message "Simon Commission Go Back" written on it". And that the kites battles should take place resulting in kites falling in the Residency with the message written on it..

Hundreds of kites were flown within hours that day.....It was raining kites in the English Residency.......Englishmen were embarrassed and surprised at the ingenuity of the Indians...

No one cared to pay respect to that Pagal who came up with the idea....a pagal whose name we don't know....a pagal who too wanted freedom just like you and me......a pagal who knew his life would not change regardless of India gains freedom or not....still he did his part in our freedom movement.

A un-named pagal who deserves to be remembered tomorrow.....by all means necessary!!

I am sure you all will.....