Entire Evening we managed to click just one pic.. And this was it
Abhishek, Bhasin, Ashish Tulsian, Pooja Sareen, Gurleen Kaur Tikku, Gurpreet Singh TIkku

Inc42 Delhi Mixer @ Olive

Every time I meet an Entrepreneur, I get something to take away. Kabhi Zindagi ki Seekh, Kabhi Aage ki Soch aur kabhi acche dost. However kabhi-kabhi you get all of this in a single shot.

27th October was one such evening. It was a Startup Mixer organized by Inc42 which has become a must read, must follow for every Startup in India. The invite was by filling in a form and then waiting to get it approved. I filled in my form and asked my wife Gurleen to do the same, because of her company www.hareepatti.com and its new product Startup Secure.

Sach kahu to I had doubts about my application’s approval. However, Pooja jee and Vaibhav Bhai were very kind and approved it. So Gurleen, Ashish Bhai, Abhishek Bhai and myself left for the Venue on the scheduled date and time. The Venue Olive is an old property and is still one of the best in Delhi. The mixer was on the spacious terrace and as soon as I entered I was greeted with by a server serving  Lamb Tikkas. I thought to myself ‘Uff….. yeh to abhi se khilana shuru ho gaye’. Jhooth nahi bolunga… it was the BEST.  I loved it and best part was that raat ko jab hum 11 baje nikle when the mixer was about to end, tab tak bhi snacks were being served.

Entire Evening we managed to click just one pic.. And this was it Abhishek, Bhasin, Ashish Tulsian, Pooja Sareen, Gurleen Kaur Tikku, Gurpreet Singh TIkku
Entire Evening we managed to click just one pic.. And this was it
Abhishek, Bhasin, Ashish Tulsian, Pooja Sareen, Gurleen Kaur Tikku, Gurpreet Singh TIkku

Anyways, while I was relishing my first kebab, I met many of my friends Fellow Entrepreneurs and its always good to meet them. I quoted some time back that

“It is said that only a women can understand a women. To that, I add that only an Entrepreneur can understand an Entrepreneur”

Kisi se jhappi, kisi se haath milana , kisi ko door se hello aur jisko na jaante ho uske saamne se muskura kar nikal jaana. Bas yehi chalta raha and in between the conversations flew, ideas exchanged, nostalgic memories shared and we all promised to meet soon. I have to say that this was a well-organised event. Good set of people, mast snacks, selected cocktails kept flowing. Main Course waale Chawal Jambalaya were good and the person serving them Mr Dutta who had just joined Olive a month back was a well-informed person.

 

If some participants missed the desserts then they can blame me. I ate all of them, especially the Chocolate Mousse where I used my  finger repeatedly to eat and spared the spoon. By the way, desserts bas 2 mins ke liye gayab the as they were again replaced immediately at the serving table. However, I made a quick exit before I may again get tempted to try a few more.

Jambalaya
Jambalaya

Have to thank the team of INC42 for this amazing Event and who bhi “Free” :-) . This one event would have made life better for many people at INC42 Delhi Mixer.

Shayad one year baad we shall see a Blog or hear someone mentioning how this one night at INC 42 Mixer helped someone with his or her Startup work better. :-)

 

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Start-Up in 1995

Startup Business todayToday everybody knows the meaning of “Start-up” but back in 1995 when I read Business Magazines on a regular basis I used to get confused when I read it once or twice in the whole magazine.

Nevertheless…. I loved the regular article in Business Today that had a special Start-Up page featuring stories of Entrepreneurs.

Today when I fetched that file while working on my project of and for Entrepreneurs…..Many memories came back flashing of cycling to Channa Market in Karol Bagh and buying these mags when I was in class 11th. Reading the Start-up  page first and then the rest of the magazines.. My dreams of getting featured on the cover of Business Today before I turn 30 and many more of them.

Some dreams got fulfilled and some have been postponed to a later date but the memories are intact and I love myself when I see back.

Lost opportunities… Did some work which did not make me happy…. tried to please everyone and in bargain lost myself…. tried to become like others to get accepted. Nothing worked…. but for not one moment did I let my Self confidence dip. Had that happened then probably I would still be in wilderness.

It was my Parents Blessings and confidence in me and my Jhaiji’s Love that did not let me loose hope for even one moment.

Sorry……Just got carried away to a different trajectory and apni aankh mein hi ansoo aa gaye.

Kehna yeh chahta hu ki jab bhi aapko lage ki hope nahi hai…… then see towards people who have made it… People who are doing it inspite of all odds….. People who dont know where the next meal would come from. People who may have lost everything and rebuilding it…… Get Inspired, Start Building, Start Smiling, Start Hoping and Keep Achieving

I know bahut khichrri bana di hai maine…. koi na.. aaj Khichrri hi Kha lo.. Biryani kal sahi :-)

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Me in my RED TURBAN

The Day I talked to my Turban

17 Sep. 2015

Hi Turban,

We have been together for 23 years and have never shared even a word. Probably you would have talked sometime, but I never cared to hear you.

I saw you first on the Day i was born. My Papa took me in his strong arms, and I saw how smartly you were Gracing his head.

I may not have much Knowledge on who you are, what you do but yes, I loved my father and since you were his constant companion I loved you too.

His handsomeness multiplied whenever he wore you. He had limited choices in colours.  He would either have Brown or Maroon Turbans. And somehow I thought that My Dad is boring. Why doesn’t he try different colours?

I turned 12 in 1991 and that’s when my “Dastaar Bandi” happened & you graced my head for the first time.

 

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Moment after official DastarBandi



The Very Same night at the DastarBandi Function.
The Very Same night at the DastarBandi Function.

Initially, it felt tough.

I was wondering how I would ever be comfortable with this uneasiness and weight on my Head. Never knew that Weight was of a Crown which I would fall in love later. :-)

I studied in a Convent school and it was not compulsory to wear the Turban unlike in Sikh Schools where a few of my friends had to wear it daily from class 6th onwards.

I was very comfortable in my Caps that I bought from Gaffar Market. Some said “Lakers” and on some “An Innocent Boy” was embroidered :-)

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In my Laker’s Cap

It was only at Family Functions that I started wearing you and for that too I seeked help from My Cousin, Brother or Papa. You were just so difficult. Sometimes I thought that I shall get my hair shorn just because I would not be able to tie a Turban.

How silly I was!!

 

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Wore a Cap with Formals too. Here in my classroom at National Institute of Sales!

But time passed and I wore you more often. More so because I started working.

It was only in 2001 that I started gracing you everyday after my job at Appu Ghar.  And the colour I wore  mainly was BLACK. Not because I liked it. But I had a well fitted Black trouser and they matched. Only thing I had to worry about while dressing was about Shirt and Tie to wear. That was easy.

Slowly, time passed and I started wearing you in different colours… Some Really Bright and some really Dark.

This continued till an Uncle who is also an Astrologer came to meet Papa for some work.

He casually mentioned that I should not wear Black or Dark Coloured Turban on Thursdays as Brahma occupies the mind on Thursdays and hence dark colour should be avoided that day. I may not believe in Astrology as much but I just asked myself. Why not?
It was that very moment that I decided to shun wearing Dark Colour Turbans all together. I keep taking these kind of on the spurt decisions and have never regretted.

That was the day I said Bye to Navy Blues, Dark Greens and Blacks in my cupboard. I started wearing Sky blues, Reds, White, Cream, Orange etc.

AStage, where all my Turbans matched with my Clothes. Here in Appu Ghar with Hargun
Stage, where all my Turbans matched with my Clothes. Here in Appu Ghar with Hargun

 

Orange Turban matching with the Colour of Text on my Tshirt.
Orange Turban matching with the Colour of Text on my Tshirt.

 

Clothes play a big role in enhancing moods.

Slowly I started realizing that when I wear Red Turban, I looked good and some how had a nice day. When I wore White, the day was dull. When I wore Brown, I felt lazy and day didn’t turn up well. So slowly I started wearing Red almost 4 times a week.

 

2 years Back, I was supposed to meet a friend in some crowded area and I reached before him. I told him my location and waited for him. Even though he was in the complex he was not able to find me. And then finally, I called him and reached where he was standing.

And I confronted him that I gave a specific location and still he not able to find me.

And what he replied set me thinking. He Said “Tikku Paajee, I was searching for Red Turban” and when I saw a white, turban, I thought this can’t be you.

 

This is when I realised that people link me with RedTurban. And after giving it a thought I realized, it feels Good when I’m in Red Turban, It matches all kind of Clothes too.  Then why not just stick to Maroons, Crimsons and Reds. And so I did.

Just a few years back I used to think My Dad is boring as he wore turbans of only 2 colours and I’m now down to just ONE. :-)

Dear Turban, You have been always with me. Made me look good, Made me Feel Confident, Given me an identity. I would to “Thank You” for everything.

It is said that “Amle ke Khaya aur Burre ka kahaa baad mein pata chalta hai”.  I would add ki Pagree ki mahima bhi Kuch samay baad mein samajh aati hai.

You are my friend & much beyond a Religion Complusion.

Thanks, Please keep Gracing me :-)

Me in my RED TURBAN
Me in my RED TURBAN

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Look Around and Everybody is an Entrepreneur-Dahi Bhalle Wala bhi

This is my Second post in the series “Look Around and Everybody is an Entrepreneur!!”

 

The first one was on how the people seeking money in the name of Shanni Maharaj show their Entrepreneurial Skills.

However this one is of a person I know from past 15 years. To know more Read on and Listen along too :-)

 

 

 

“Bhalle Papree lelo-O”

 

This is one those Hauls which I have been listening almost every afternoon for the past 15 years. (Of-course whenever I am at Home)

And I am not alone…… More than 50000 Inhabitants of Rajouri Garden, New Delhi are my companions in this.

 

 

This is the Story of “Vaid Ram Moti Lal” Also known as Lallu to his family.

vaid-Moti-Lal-Cycle-Entrepreneur-Rajouri-garden

As soon as he said… people call me Lallu…. He was also quick to point out that in Delhi Lallu Means a Silly man….. But in his home State Uttar Pradesh Lallu is a “Love Word” which is addressed to kids whom you love, which is derived from Word “Lalla” which is further derived from word “Laadla” which means the Pampered one.

While reading the name, if you thought that VAID means an Ayurvedic Doctor…. Then you are right… he is one…… but somehow Medical practice didn’t work for him.

Like even his passion for Music didn’t pay him anything!!

He hails from Mathura, the Birth Place of Lord Krishna where we used to play Harmonium, Tabla and also sing Bhajans of Lord Krishna and songs of Bulle Shah!!

More on that after some time……

Now how does a Vaid and a Musician Find his place in a Series written about Entrepreneurs.

This is How…..

Lallu jee could not pursue his Profession (Vaid) and Passion (Music) in his hometown and having a family to feed came down to Delhi in search of Employment which could fetch him and his family his daily bread.

Sadly even after 4 months of running around…he was not able to get any job. It was then that his Wife advised that he should start something of his own.

It was one of those days…. That one of the ailing neighbour approached him for some medicine and he made his first money in Delhi. In order to celebrate that earning he made Dahi Bhalla and  Paapri at home for his 2 sons and three daughters and it was relished by all.

 

Noticing this,  his Wife suggested him to make more of them every day and sell them on a cart. Something that he did

Every day he would make some Dahi Bhalla Paapri and sit on a pavement in Jahangir Puri, Delhi to sell them.

Though everyone who tried it relished it, but still his tokri was never completely sold out.

And he then realised that the people who live in this area have low paying capacity and also that this area is less inhabited.

So, with some of his earnings he bought a Cycle and started riding to nearby developed colonies to sell his stuff.

This worked and every day he came back with an Empty tokri and filled Pockets.

It was then decided to make more of these and also go around selling it in different localities on different days.

And this is how he has been able to Earn Respect, Earn money and has been able to give quality education to his children and also marry them off.  All of them are well settled.

Now, he sells his stuff only occasionally in Rajouri Garden and that too because he has a personal Bond with this place and  with many residents over here and this is his way to spread happiness and meet people whom he had been serving for years.

So, after this Entrepreneurial Story we talked about music again and he told me he used to sing and play with Ravinder Jain who later went on to become a famous Music Director and also composed Music for more than 100 movies like Geet Gaata Chal, Chor Machaye Shor and his main claim to fame was being music Director for Indian Epic Serial Ramayan on TV.

 

Ravindra Jain- Vaidjee's one time Co-Singer and now a Famous Music Director
Ravindra Jain- Vaidjee’s one time Co-Singer and now a Famous Music Director

They would Sing Bhajans in Mandirs across Mathura, Aligarh and Vrindavan and had a great time.

And listening to all this, I was not able to resist requesting him to sing a few lines for us. He Obliged not with one but 2 Different songs and the Glow on his face while singing it was Extra ordinary.

Leaving you with 2 short Music Videos of a Minute each.

If you love MUSIC, You shall relish it, If you don’t, then probably will get an idea of it’s Pure form.

And yes, Everybody is an Entrepreneur, In his or her own way.

 

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Keep Smiling, You never know who’s falling in Love with it

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A Pic Clicked by Aarti Bhatia jee when I was smiling for myself and not for camera. The Essence of this Blog :-)

 

I have always said Keep Smiling, you never know who’s falling in Love with it!!

 

And for sure I mean it Literally, But I also mean it in another way.

“It also means, keep doing what you think is Good not because some one is seeing it, but because that’s the right thing to do”

It’s an Instance of August 1994. I was in Class 11th in St. Michael’s School, Delhi and was the Vice Discipline Captain.

The duty of all captains apart from many other things was to Inspect Uniforms and maintain order while School Assembly is ON.

Thanks to my Schooling in  a Hostel, Bishop Cotton School, Simla my uniform was always Neat and Complete.

Here in Delhi we just punish the offending Student by writing a note in his Diary or asking him to stand out of the line while assembly is on. But in Simla, it would have meant the guilty student  being abused by the captain,  walking bare foot all day or even a getting your back smashed by a Hockey Stick.

It was one of those days in August when it rained heavily through the day. Even after the school was over.

Our School bus (Outsourced) didn’t turn up and since my home was only 4 kilometers away I thought to walk rather than wait for bus.

What I didn’t think was that my Shoes shall get wet too.

 

IMG_7862
Pic of Black Shoes lying to Dry after a Rainy Spell in Simla. Clicked a few days ago

Yes, My Shoes were wet and it was more evident when I got ready for school next day and realised my Black oxford shoes were unfit to be worn.

I took out my Sports Shoes, Got an Application from my mother citing the same. And went off to the school.

It was assembly time and I was in the line with other students. That is when I was hauled by my supervisor and she blasted at me. What kind of Captain are you as you are not doing your duty and standing in the line with other students.

 

That is when I pulled out the letter from the monogrammed pocket of my Crisp white shirt and handed over to Ma’am. And Said “Ma’am, I’m not wearing proper School Shoes as my School Shoes got wet yesterday in Rain. Here is the Explanation letter from my Mom” On this she asked, “But why are you standing in Line, is what I am asking” to which I replied, “Ma’am, Since I am myself in not proper Uniform, How can I punish some one else for the same”

At this she smiled and went away.

I forgot this instance completely. But then after one year, while coming home in my Bus No. 2, A student 3 years junior approached me and said “Guru Bhaiya, Today Ma’am mentioned you in class” And I was horrified because only there was hardly any positive reason for which I would be mentioned.

 

I asked him, Why, When, How, What.

And he Said, it was in Moral Science class.

Now that left me more confused. Why So??

He said, “Some time back you were not in Proper uniform and stood in the line and even got a letter from home. Whereas at the same time many of your School Cabinet Colleagues never wore proper uniform on regular basis but never failed to show their authority on other offenders.

But you knew what should be right and did so and this was noticed by Ma’am”

 

And all this was told in a Moral Science Class “Be Sincere to yourself”

 

Couldn’t control my tears and I cried in Bus. For the first time, some one praised me and that too not to me, but to 30 other children.

“Keep Smiling, You never know who would fall in Love with your Smile”  “Be Sincere to yourself”

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4th July- Date when USA lost 3 Presidents & 1 was born

4July

 

4th July. Only some of us may know the relevance of this date in India. And those who know are either people who have some links with USA or probably those who work in American companies and get a Holiday here in India because it’s a holiday in USA on 4th July.

 

It’s a day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the date on which the United States formally separated from Great Britain

 

Some time Last year I was at American Library with my Son, Hargun Singh Tikku.

While he was busy reading his books, I went around searching for some Book that would keep me engaged.

While surfing, I stumbled upon a book which had profiles of various Men who have graced the office of President of America and I Just flipped a few pages.

 

As of now the White House has been graced by 44 Gentleman. Barak Obama being the 44th.

It was a particular date that I saw on all pages in those few seconds, That made me attentive and flip again properly.

The Date was 4th July .

However the Co-incidence that grabbed my Attention was that one of them was born on 4th July and three of them died on 4th July.

And rather 2 of them died on 4th July 1826. Same Date, Same Day, Same year

Strange isn’t it?

Here are the details and the images below it.

Name President
From –To
Date of Birth Date of Death
John Adams 1797-1801 30th October 1735 4th July 1826
Thomas Jefferson 1801-1809 13th April 1743 4th July 1826
James Monroe 1817-1825 28th April 1758 4th July 1831
Calvin Coolidge 1923-1929 4th July  1872 5th January 1933

 

 

1 2 3 5

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Keep Calm and Stop Abusing

 

keep abusing

We Punjabi’s take a great pride in Abusing others. Yes, We may not mean it literally, but Literally speaking it’s gross when we think about the literal meaning of a few of them.

 

Do the people who say it, mean it? Do they think twice when they say the same to their Friends in a Friendly way.  Some times a Father would say the same to his Son, but does he actually want or for even a moment think bad about his Wife/Daughter through her son. The Answer is NO.

 

But then why?

Probably it’s a part of growing up in North India, listening either to someone abusing in family or in markets, Social gatherings etc. is quite common

I’m not sure why but I always detested this!

 

When, I was in class 1st (6 Years) I was packed off to a Hostel, Bishop Cotton School, Simla.

 

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Main Building of my School, Bishop Cotton School, Simla

No, No, I didn’t abuse till then, but yeah was naughty and my Father wanted me to be a BIG Man, A Disciplined Man, a Man of Values, so he sent me to the Best hostel in India.

In a Session we used to stay in Hostel for 9 months (March-Nov) and came back only for 3 months (Dec-Feb)  for Winter Vacations. I didn’t even pick abusing then.

However as soon as I came back for class 5th which was the first soft step of stepping into Senior Dormitory and Senior school I started abusing a bit as the environment changed completely post moving to the senior dorm.

However, Our Dormitory Warden Mrs. Rosalind Barretto was a Sweet lady but Strict as far as abusing was concerned. And if somebody complained of another student abusing then her favourite punishment was to ask the Abusing Student to apologise in writing, and that too by writing 100 times or 500 times.

 

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This Pic of me along with my Sister Sumrita was clicked around 1989, the time I was in Remove C. The same time when I started abusing

 

Once I casually abused a dear friend Deepak Bhalla in jest and he complained to Mrs Barretto.

 

Henceforth, I was summoned in her room & was asked if I had abused Deepak. I nodded my head in Affirmation.

She asked me to write “I shall never abuse again” for 200 times on coming Sunday.

On that Sunday morning when all my friends were playing wearing Home Clothes, here I was in my dorm “Remove-C” writing “I will not abuse again”. By the time I reached 100th line, I got a bit uneasy and wanted to be with my friends outside who were playing and my mind started playing Bluff games.

Thereon, after every 3 lines.. I would miss 3 or 4 serial numbers and then write again. So I finished those 500 lines by writing just 300 times.

We Students think that we are smart but forget our teachers are smarter and Mrs. Barretto got hold of it and asked me to sit in her home and write it again for 500 times. Which I did till 200 times and then started feeling restless and humiliated. Aakhir 10 Saal ka baccha tha.

Mrs  Barretto saw through me and asked me to write 50 more and then I could leave.

What a Relief it was to me and to my Thumb which was looked as it has got dented by pressing the pen for so long.

Yes, I stopped abusing then.

 

When I came back and settled in Delhi I saw every one abusing, from my 4 year old cousin to my 70 Year old grand uncle. They did it with aplomb.

What really turned me off was when I saw my cousins 2-5 years younger using the same language and that too in front of my sister.

This is what I was not able to stand and asked them to stop abusing in front of my Sister atleast.  My Sister was their cousin too. When they did not agree to me I used to walk out of the room and did not play with them.

I was called all sorts of things, from being Dheela to Sissy to Jhalla.

It did hurt, but then what could I do?

As time passed and my schooling finished, the very words I detested started flowing from my tongue too, a Bit hesitatingly, but they did flow. My vocabulary had many, but thankfully my Tongue was restricted to 2 most common ones.

In past years I tried to control it, more so when I was in Home with my family, but kahi kabhi ek do nikal hi jaati thi and I used to really feel bad about it.

Anyways, things did continue and life did go on.

But, a few days back while driving I started talking to myself (I do it often, or shall I say, it happens automatically and there I Talk to the person who knows me the best. Myself)

And I started Deliberating with myself on “Why do I abuse?”

It started from MayaPuri Chowk and by the time I covered 10 Kilometers and Reached Delhi Haat, it had been decided that I shall not abuse thereon.

It’s been 5 Months to that I have not abused and hopefully shall continue for life.

By abusing someone, We are not only Abusing him, but also every Girl, Women and ourselves.

Today on Mother’s Day, I decided to write about it because after Bhen the Next most common Gaali is on Mothers.

I am sharing this Decision of mine with you not that I want you to do the same, but atleast think about it.

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36, Defence Colony – A Perfect Play

36, Defence Colony is not just an Address, It is also the Name of a Play which has now become Big Landmark in Indian Theater Scene.

 

defence colony 1
Written, Directed and also Enacted by Manil Mayank Mishra. Manil is friend and I’m a Fan of His Poetry, his Voice Modulation Skills and Choice of words even when he speaks casually.
And when I got to know that he is the soul behind the Play, I promised myself not to miss it.
So, me And Gurleen Booked the Tickets and were at Akshara Theater well in time on 10th April 2015

As we slipped into small seats, “Heavy Weights” like me started complaining about the seat size, However that lasted for only a few minutes till the play started. Post that we got so engrossed in the play that nothing else than the play mattered or was even thought off.
We got gripped from the very First Scene where an alleged Criminal accepts his wrong doings to the last scene where the Murder Mystery of Mrs. Savitri Dewan gets solved.
In The Play Performances were Great, Storyline Gripping, Flow Flawless & all details very well taken care of.
For Example, Some scenes which were not very core to the story were added so that it looked real like. The relation of Sub Inspector B.P. Jhakkar talking to his wife about “Metthi ke Poranthe & Pudina Chutney” and in scene Social message of “No Smoking” was passed mentioning about a Colleague’s Death and all Police Stations observing No Smoking day.
Let us Talk about each Character separately.

Criminal- Played by Joshua Chin: The Character with minimum Dialogues but made for it with his Super Aggressive Performance. Though his Handcuffs came out inadvertently but he ensured that not many people could see it.

Sub Inspector B.P. Jhakkar– Played by Nitin Mandal: He kept us smiling ear to ear and also added many giggles to the Play. One of the Strong Characters of the play whose Innocence and charm added lots of weight to the Play. His Relation with his wife (Via Phone) was perfectly displayed, as of any other Couple. He reminds me of Raja Babu, Govinda.

3

MP Singhania-Played by Milind Tyagi: Composed, Calm, Strong Voice, Grace is all what was required from the Character and it was delivered flawlessly by Milind. His Dialogue “Hawas aur Kushalta, do alag alag cheezein hai”

Nishtha Dewan-Played by Radha Bhatt: Outstanding performance by all parameters. Her first scene was a real long one with some lengthy dialogues and many mood Swings including being Fearful, Sad, Strong and also lots of crying while remembering her mother. She pulled them awesomely. Even in the scene when she briefs her Husband about ACP’ visit is great as she acts as being on the verge of breakdown. That is exactly what was required knowing her Past and present State of mind.

 

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Mr Samrat Dewan- Played by Akhil Vaid: Strong Body language, Great Voice Modulation, Extreme Panic Swings and the scene where he mockingly pacifies his Wife Nishtha while feeling her back was very strong. Here also detailing was taken care as he calls his wife NISHI, which is a nick name for Nistha. Very Real life like.

Malini Awasthi- Played by Inderpreet Kaur: A Lady who talks less, but her body language says everything. Very Strong Character. Have to mention special care has been taken care of what Costumes each actor would wear. And Malini looks very Real in her Journalistic Salwar Kameez with Loud Makeup and Accessories. One scene of hers that brings smiles is when she asks ACP to not Smoke in front of her as she is trying to quit smoking and may get tempted seeing him smoking . Eventually on her way out she takes out her Pack of MORE Cigarettes and puffs while she exits the stage.inderpreet

Maid- Played by Megha Ahuja: Her Rotating and revolving big Eyes did the magic for her in Initial scenes. And then also her Hands and shivering body in the last scene where she shares a First-Witness account with ACP. For Some actors Awesome is a Small word, She is one of them.

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ACP Prakash Ahalawat-Played by Manil Mayank Mishra: The Character on whom the entire play rests. Barely was there a scene where his presence on stage was not required. He added a style where the ACP keeps using his tongue over his lips. Again detailing wins here. A Strong Thinking Character who does not jumps to conclusions and looks everything from a 360 degree Perspective. Manil has very well casted himself for this role. One would appreciate that being a Director as well as the Lead character is a BIG RISK. And this Risk paid the Rewards.

One more reason for the success of the Play goes to awesome casting. Looked as if each character was written keeping that particular actor in mind.

I hope and wish that 36, Defence Colony is repeated on a regular basis so that it could reach to more and more people so that the Brilliance and Effort of the cast & Crew is optimized to the maximum.

Best Wishes to the TEAM. I’m a Fan for life.

 

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Vinod Mehta-He Changed my OUTLOOK

Today Morning when I woke up, I promised myself to Write & Read a lot today & no Vellapanti.

Yeh nahi pata tha.. After Khushwant Singh jee.. I shall be writing about Mr. Vinod Mehta.

Some Background: A few of my School friends used to say “Guru to IndiaToday magazine chaat jaata hai”.

Probably because there was hardly any India Today which I had not read page to page from 1991 to 1995 Starting Class 6th.

After some time… I started getting bored of it & then OUTLOOK was launched with a whiff of fresh air.

I loved the Language, the lay out, the Delhi Dairy on last page by the Editor Vinod Mehta and surely very refreshing Covers.

Outlook magazine CoversSome of the covers which I liked and preserved (1996-98)

Just heard that Mr. Vinod Mehta, the Man who started Outlook and was it’s Editor too, passed away a few hours back.

I became his fan & read his work and about his Life too.
Before creating Outlook he was the Editor of Soft Porn magazine Debonair and always lived Life on his own terms.

Once when Me and Gurleen were in Select CITYWALK, New Delhi? … I went inside Crossroads (the Book Shop) & his book “Lucknow Boy” was displayed….. I flipped a few pages and started reading it got immersed in no time.

I requested Gurleen to carry on Shopping/Eating with Kids while I read some more pages.

This was the book in which he First time Confessed Publicly that he had a Daughter outside Marriage. Do ghante kab ho gaye pata hi nahi chala. I thought to buy it, but it was for Rs 400 and I was short on money so missed it.

His office was just next to Rajinder da Dhaba in Safdarjung & one evening in the year 2000 when I was there, I saw him standing on the Porch with a Ciggy in hand. I approached said hello, took his Business card. He asked me about what I do.

Those days I was not doing anything worthwhile and said so and then bid him Good Bye.

Uske baad poori raat I kept asking myself, Why I didn’t ask him to give me a Job, Any job!!

Vinod Mehta Sir… Time to read more about you and Learn more from you.

PS: I Love Reading AutoBiographies, One Day I shall write mine :-)

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