new york has inspired me to write atleast 2 more scripts…. the city is a wonderful, yet crazy contradiction…on one hand it’s a working person’s dream city…with pace and speed, and professionalism and suits and on the other hand it’s like all everyone talks about is relationships….

” and so he said….” and ” but do you think she’s worth it…” or ” are you sure he likes you…” and ” well i told him to move out…” seem to be the only conversations people seem to be having and it’s amazing…we can all work our work life out perfectly but relationships are hard… and we don’t seem to value them enough….we also don’t seem to think they’re hard or need work….and the one thing this city and the last few days have made me realise that life’s not worth it without relationships and relationships are worth the time we invest….!

relationships with husbands/boy friends/ girl friends /families….all difficult…all interesting…all tough!

to make them work- pick a side and then fight for that side till the end…that’s the only way it’ll work….that’s the only way u’ll work!

relationships can’t be half hearted/ half baked…u have to go out there and put in all you can and make it work…in a marriage, in a friendship and in life…else don’t even try and put the ones u don’t have time to invest in , in an ever growing group of ‘acquaintances’….

if ur calling someone a friend/marrying/ going out with someone….GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT!

COS…..IT’S WORTH IT!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

A PERSONAL WAR- STORIES OF THE MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS

Yesterday, I had one of the most profound moments in the theatre I have ever experienced. The show was nearing its end, and suddenly I stood up, and everyone around me stood, faster than is possible. So I find myself there standing, and I don’t know why. There is a song playing and I look at the actors lined up onstage and the audience members around me and some of them are mouthing what I now realize is the Indian national anthem. Yesterday was Indian Independence Day. Yesterday was also the day that I became a better, more knowledgeable citizen of the world by seeing A Personal War.

A Personal War – Stories of the Mumbai Terror Attacks is playwright-director-actor Divya Palat’s homage to those who died on 26/11—the day the terrorist attacks on India began in November of 2008. Joined by five other exceedingly talented actors, all from Mumbai, Palat educates us about the horrific incident through video projections and by following the lives of six characters leading up to, during, and after the attacks.

One by one, the characters come out to the chair positioned centerstage and introduce themselves, often quite humorously, by way of a monologue. A young lawyer regales us with his story of that time he and his best friend Tim, “or was it Tom?”, well he and “Tim-Tom” got locked in a prison in Dubai and his dad had to bail him out and send him to a maximum security prison…his office. We meet a young mother with dreams of fashion and Bollywood, a love-struck, adorably shy young man who works at a call center, a waiter at the Taj Mahal Hotel, a news reporter, and Palat, as herself, who was out for a jog with her dog.

It is shameful how little I knew about the Mumbai terror attacks. I did not know the terrorists targeted the grandiose Taj Mahal Hotel, the Leopold Restaurant, and Trident Oberoi Hotel. I had not seen the powerful footage of gunmen, and blood and bodies. The video is powerful but does not overpower the stories of these characters, told simply through heartfelt monologues by first-rate actors. The waiter becomes a hero, the lawyer fights for his survival, the news reporter fights with her conscience and her boss over what is ethical and what is required by a news commentator in such a time. Palat does not know what to do other than watch the TV as the city—her city—comes under attack.

So I’m standing at the end of the performance, part of this beautiful community of strangers, and Palat, tears in her eyes, tells us that they have come all the way from Mumbai because they want to prove the we can be the change, that one voice does make a difference. That’s why you need to see this show. Note that all proceeds go to the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s Office.

Pictured: Sanket Mhatre (photo © Neha Nath)

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

first show was house full and there has been much talk on the show…i look at each show as one gone by and stress about the one to come! Maybe that’s just me….but I’d rather not rest on laurels and I prefer to stress about the future…

I could write a play here…! I feel very inspired right now by the drama of the city…

let’s see

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

suicides…many people asked me opinions, comments, thoughts and i suddenly had to form my own opinion of the spate of suicides that seem to have been taking over our papers and our consciousness!in india to go to a psychiatrist / a shrink means u must be mad…and so people avoid them…i mean what will people think? what will prospective in laws think? what will everyone say about him/ her as a person and about you as a family member and so instead of talking things out/ seeking help we encourage people t o bottle it all up till it explodes violently and manifests sometimes tragically in suicide! we need to make a change –speaking to a shrink/psychiatrist/psychologist should not be frowned upon …it should be encouraged! it is difficult for us to form non-biased opinions when we talk to our friends/relatives…so we should encourage them to speak to a third party professional who might give them the non-judgemental listening ear they need….this is what i believe.

abuse! abuse in relationships is something we should take seriously….physical abuse is deplorable…only a coward would hit a woman….a brainless, weak, pathetic excuse of a man would hit a woman because he has no recourse to logic, common sense and decent behavior. people who think that a few whacks here and there or now and then are ok should be whacked themselves and jailed for complete stupidity! an abuser needs psychiatric help and a jail sentence. he needs to realise it’s wrong to hit someone. he needs to realise the full weight of his actions and we in india must NEVER condone hitting…we must in fact set a precedent and help get abused women out of those hell holes! most times the woman has been so abused that she doesn’t have the guts to get out of this pathetic excuse for a relationship….we need to help her/ support her and build up her confidence! i could go on and on….

but today i shan’t…i’m starting to write again and we must have more positive news to talk about…i’m off to new york and with my play ‘A Personal War- Stories of the Mumbai Terror Attacks’ and am v v v excited….and terribly nervous…the next few days has an NCPA Show, bank work and visa and passport work, last minute shopping and lots of packing….. btw we’re already sold out for our premiere ny show! so yay!!!!

hoping to write more frequently…hoping to find more time!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

Centre stage!

so yesterday i was so proud to read that my friend (and yes it makes me even prouder to say that!!!) mr. sivanandan has been appointed director general of police!!!!

a man of incredible integrity and great humility- i am always in awe of him when i do meet him! it is easy to abuse power and position and he is one of the few men who never abuses either. a supporter of my every endeavor, he is always offered me valuable advice and insight. when i have needed help in any way or even lost faith in work that i am pursuing; his words of encouragement make me strive harder!  in a world where appearances are planned and pre-planned, where logo sizes are more important than what a company stands for and where being late is fashionable and being on time, a sign of failure- this is the one man who breaks every rule and commands the respect of a crowd and of a city–because he deserves it!

he just is. there are no trappings, no starry tantrums, no brick walls to break down to get to him– he is available, accountable and it is his assurances that have made us feel safe in the city today! he doesn’t play the blame game and the buck stops with him! direct, to the point and with a no-nonsense approach ; he won over the trust of a city reeling from the worst calamity in years- 26/11! he gave us our city back and i feel safe now!

thank you mr. sivanandan for making the mumbai police easier to approach,web savvy, fitter and safer!

with you as director general…i know our country takes one large step in the right direction!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

And now the time has come….another year has passed me by!

And in this year , I’ve learnt, learnt so much- to accept,  to question why….

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

so yesterday’s blog attracted alot of attention….some people felt we were on the right page….and that infidelity was indeed becoming common…others felt…that it wasn’t such a big deal!

to those who felt it was not a big deal and that men are essentially not monogamous…. to them i ask, that if a family is created on the basis of trust and fidelity and in this unit you create children an a home; don’t you owe it to the institution of marriage…( man-created institution, as it might be) your complete, undivided attention. it’s like you cannot work in 2 competing companies simultaneously…it’s a conflict of interests….to think that urs are the only interests that matter in a relationship is selfish and stupid….if you can’t remain monogamous…why not stay out of a relationship!? i have several male friends who are great fun to hang out with, watch bad films with , cry to and even gossip about….but a physical relationship…is a no-no! that’s the one thing i commit to the one person i’m with….

by saying that you are monogamous…doesn’t cut out other friends in ur life but keep them as friends is my advice because members of the opposite sex can be great friends and help you thru many issues that ur girl-friends can’t….but draw that line. they’ll respect you and you’ll respect you!

and about being completely fulfilled by one person and whether that can happen…if ur still asking..u haven’t found the right person yet!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

1.Infidelity-not that common and

2. Worse still- people accept it!

I have always been brought up to believe that marriages are forever and that if after trying everything it doesn’t work…you divorce and go your separate ways…! Affairs and mistresses were things that rich businessmen in the west succumbed to….or bollywood sometimes! it’s not. It’s way more common than you think! During a conversation with a friend last week , I was told that when she was getting married, eons ago …advice given to her by an older ‘aunty’ was to that affair happen…she should ‘grow up and face the facts!’ recently a newspaper published a ’study’ that cheating spouses ‘lived longer!!!??!!!!’ WHAT!??? what rubbish and what kind of a society have we become to think that something as horrible as breaking the trust of marriage is ‘okay!’ and that we should be grown ups about this!

another friend argued and said but how do we know where our husbands go when on long trips…i mean men were men eventually! that is NOT AN EXCUSE! men must be men….we wouldn’t want them any way else…but men can also be loyal men and faithful men and our knights in shining armor! that’s the type of man i chose as my husband and fidelity is something we both expect….it is not negotiable…it’s not a warranty based relationship! we took an oath to be with each other thru thick and thin like my parents did and there’s did and generations before that and we plan to work our troubles out and not run into the open arms of  any floozie by night that seems like a viable option ‘at the time!’

i always thought that it was the sleazy director who i saw put his sweat filled palm on an actress’ thigh that might be a cheater but to think that people i knew thought it might be ok…was shocking, disastrous and unacceptable.

this is our rule…if you cheat…you are out! same rule for the both of us….and truth be told…I LOVE RULES!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

the pooja was a fun affair with the pujari focussing less on the pooja and more on the gathering family that had come together….! he flashed his 2 gold teeth liberally while his fellow pujari took not one but 3 phone calls in the span of an hour…each phone call lasting no less than 7-8 minutes! pleased at his wide fan base the pujari narrated story after story comparing heaven at one point to a 5 star hotel! how he knew…was not asked lest he break into another story-telling spiel! what i did love however was the energy and joy he spent on each story…not bothering that 4 of the senior family members had already fallen asleep in their chairs thanks to the humid weather and his rhythmic speech pattern! He didn’t care…he kept performing!

3 hours in lunch was served and it was already sunday evening!

lesson to learn-: EAT and then go out! ;-0

lesson to learn-: enjoy  the weekend but don’t stuff it like an over – stuffed suitcase! pack it enough…but leave space for surprising treats!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post

another mark of greatness i think, is to be on time! i have seen this with sachin tendulkar, amitabh bachchan and resul yesterday…you don’t need to keep an audience waiting or be fashionably late because an audience respects those who respect their time!

all in all despite staring an hour late and aditya not understanding a word of malayalam and the vote of thanks speaker being far too liberal with the length of her speech….it was an evening of greatness and inspiration!

 Share now!

Tweet This Post