Not so long distance relationship

He stood three places ahead of Aalia in the dinner line at her cousins wedding. She looked him from the corner of her eye, wondering what the big fuss about this US based Gujarati guy was.

He stood straight with a plate and spoon waiting for his turn to come. Though, she generally doesn't stare at guys but he was something different. The black tuxedo matched his personality. “Nimesh -The most handsome guy in the wedding” her girl gang had already tagged him with this adjective. The curiosity to know more about him by these overly make upped girls made her feel more interested in him. "I have to outpace them" she thought. She knew Mr. Nimesh had received more female attention in one night than he had in his entire life. Thus, she decided to ignore him. Ignoring a person who is highly attractive makes them attract towards you.

Two months later they were dating each other. The law of ignorance worked. The magnet in her had attracted him. Months grew in years. Though it was a long distance relationship, they were happy. The reduced ISD rates made them talk for long hours. Also, the booming “Social Media” contributed towards their relationship. Nimesh was born and brought up in the United States. His father, who happened to be a wealthy man had handed over the wine store keys to his shy son at a very early age. Nimesh was in charge of the store. This kept him away from education. The only things he knew was to calculate the money which he earned by selling wines. Aalia, on the other hand completed her education with flying colors. Her family had always been very positive about her career, specially her elder brother. He had big dreams for Aalia. One of his dreams was to see her becoming a journalist. Even she tried hard to fulfill his dream. But destiny had some other plans. An educated girl getting attracted to a not so educated boy- A perfect example of “opposite attracts”. Of course their families dint knew about this blossoming love between them. But hell had to break someday. Aalia's brother who was till now very sweet and caring suddenly turned into a devil. Parents against love marriage are normal, but brother against love marriage was new to her. After a marathon argument she learnt that her brother was not against love marriage but against an uneducated guy. He definitely made sense but it was too late, she had already fallen deeply in love with him. Her brother’s sense now made no sense for her. A huge task was in front of her. Then followed a series of explanation and begging but, all her words were falling in deaf ears. Aalia had managed to convince her parents with her extra tears but her brother was too stubborn. Nimesh’s family was ready to meet Aalia parents. Her brother, who was by now her biggest enemy constantly protested against this US-India parents meeting. He was adamant. He also succeeded in portraying a negative image of Nimesh in front of their parents. All he wanted for Aalia was to have a great career and a satisfying future but he failed to understand that her future was with Nimesh. Since Aalia's parents were under the burden of his salary, they approved almost everything he said. This was making things difficult. The hatred in Aalia towards her brother was increasing day by day. Meanwhile, Nimesh and Aalia had not spoken for over a month now. Reason being, her phone was confiscated. Socializing was stopped. No Facebook, Email. She felt helpless. Days went by; with reference of her brother she joined a local newspaper as an intern. He had succeeded in manipulating Aalia's mind against Nimesh with his extra cheesy words of care. Things grew normal between Aalia and her brother. She was gifted a new phone. Aalia had somewhat started agreeing with her brother thinking of not getting married to an uneducated guy. Career became Aalia's priority. She purposely kept herself busy in order to forget Nimesh and to some extent she was successful. Aalia also kept herself away from the social media stuff because she knew it would again connect her to Nimesh. It had been two years, Aalia's parents had started looking out for a groom, of course the order coming from her brother. She seriously pitied them. Had they taken their own decision, Aalia would have happily married to Nimesh and exploring the wonders of US. Her brother was now shifted to London. A top MNC had offered him fat salary and a good post, though he was greedier for the former. Things seemed to be normal and Aalia had learnt to be fine but again destiny had something else planned for her. Aalia was in office, totally engrossed in an article which had to be published the very next day when her phone beeped. “One message received” It was from an unknown number. Curiosity forced her to leave the article and read the message. It said “Please pass on my message to your brother. "I may not be the best person in the world but I am definitely best for your sister. I may not be the most educated person but I surely understand the importance of education and won’t stop your sister in pursuing her career. I promise to keep your sister happy forever- Nimesh”. By now Aalia's eyes had become wet. Tears were waiting to come out. She replied “Only message for my brother, No message for his sister”. Within few minutes my phone beeped again. This time it appeared with his name. It said “I am annoyed with the girl reading this message. She never trusted me. She never allowed me to explain how I actually felt about her. The waiting tears were finally rolling down through my cheeks ending up on the glass of my phone. There was one more message from him few seconds later which said, “If you don’t feel embarrassed, would you like to marry this uneducated guy who is madly in love with you”. The slow rolling tears had increased its pace. Without anyone's approval Aalia said “Yes”. The only thing that mattered now was Nimesh. No parents and certainly no brother’s approval were required, she was matured enough to take her own decision. They restarted their long lost love all over again. The best part was that Aalia's brother was not here to keep an eye on her. Later on she came to know that he had contacted her best friend and learnt about Aalia. Within three months they decided to marry. She told her parents, this time more confidently and warned them not to disclose it to her brother, who was enjoying his stay in London. They knew, Aalia had made up her mind and was in no mood for anyone's approval.

Two years have passed, Aalia is happily settled down with Nimesh in US. God has blessed them with Krisha- their daughter. She has enrolled for a Nursing Course. Nimesh supports all her decisions. Aalia's brother has broken all relation with her, it hardly affects now. Today when Aalia looks back, she feels, she would have made a biggest blunder with her life if it was not Nimesh. Now she is active on all the social platforms, busy uploading photos of her daughter, Nimesh and herself. 

In Search Of Happiness

 Air ticket to your home town Rs.10,000. Gifts for your family and friends Rs.5,000. Shopping for yourself Rs.6000. Sleeping on your mother’s lap….priceless. There are some things money can’t buy, for everything else there is MASTERCARD. Am not trying to state the benefits of having a credit card or propagating the message of the sophisticated modern plastic money, but the simplest message that sails in this advertisement. Happiness is beyond everything. Now here hides the greatest irony or a mysterious question, what is happiness? And why everyone wants it? 

Going through any dictionary one can find the meaning of this euphoric word. But alas I am not talking about the meaning that man gave to this word, but the emotion attached to it. Every human being has a different approach of being happy and so does every human being seek happiness in different source. Time moves on at its pace and we grow along acquiring knowledge and being more sophisticated. Time seems to shrink into the PCs of our office. Man made money, and money controls man.

Time shows us many catastrophic events, some man made, some natural. All summing up to the tears and sorrow of the rest that remains. Perhaps the Good lord, our creator would not have desired for us to deserve this but what can be done, we get indulged in our selfish acts that the entire world gets condensed in our own self. And then post realization we start our journey seeking our true self and in true sense the hidden meaning of happiness.  Some serve the needy, some seek refuge in the arms of the lord and some just liberates them and live on as life gets on.

Wondering why I wrote this note!!! Simple, now that you have just started your life in the world of Business, your busy (ness) will tend to overrule and suffocate small happiness that usually breathes in the gap of time. The war of survival takes the toll of our smile. But smiling amidst a busy day is not at all difficult. Festive season hovering around and wishes flooding in, take time to enjoy now, always and Forever. Life is beautiful, and so are you in your own way and style. Be original; don’t change for the world, for the world was the one who didn’t even leave gods from being stoned. Cheers to Life!!!! 

Branding yourself “ONLINE”

Today, the bollywood industry is overregistered. With lakhs of actors moving to mumbai to establish their acting career, there is certainly not enough projects to give them all a break. Most of them are finding it difficult to carve their niche in this highly competetive industry. Industry professionals hardly have/get time to meet these actors. Reaching stardom in bollywood is challeging but not impossible.

It is important to set yourself apart from others in order to taste success. For this, the first step is to start thinking yourself as a “BRAND”. Like any company which markets their products, even you as a company should know how to market your products (talents). For that it is necessary to belive in the product (talent) that you're trying to promote. Today, there are various mediums that offers you a platform to showcase your skills and one of them being Social Media sites.

Social Media networking in simple terms is “meeting different people online”. It is a powerful tool to attract lot of attention just by talking about your intrests or by uploading photos and vidoes. For budding actors, the subject of Social Media promotion is extremely important to the success for their acting career. Most of them dont know the potential Social Media has as a branding tool for promoting themselves online. They are also unaware how to use these tools to increase their online visiblity. Today, Social networking sites are the fastest growing self promotional tool, and if any new actor who is not utilizing on its numerous capabilities could be at a loosing end to its other fellow actor who is using these sites. It gives you the liberty and power to take an active role in managing yourself as a brand. You will also enjoy this experience because you are marketing yourself and at the same time connecting with new people. With social media self promotion, you as an actors can promote yourself easily and effectively. The best professional social media websites are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. You can take advantage of these social media platforms by posting your latest photos, videos or writing blog on relevant topics, and connect with industry professionals. In short an you can Connect- Interact- Showcase/ Promote- Express- Share- etc. There are a unlimited ways to help add success to your acting skills through these social media sites.

Using different platforms:

Facebook: Facebook is one of the largest networking sites available. It is necessary to often update your facebook page in order to allow your friends to comeback to you. Use your online account to post what you are doing with your acting career and get your contacts to support you. Post pictures, upload clips etc in order to increase more visiblity.. The more time you dedicate on these sites the more it is beneficial for youcand your career. For example, make your acting video and share it on facebook. Your friends would be able to view your video and if they like they can share it with their friends. Thus, your videos could be shared with majority. Connecting with specific groups like the ones on Facebook, opens you and your work up to more networks. Post your work on the wall of each group to grab attention. This will build your contact base, as you will be communicating directly with like-minded people. Starting a facebook fan page can take you to the next level. Keeping your profile updated wih your recent works and getting a lot of support from your family and friends can attract lots of eyes.

Blogs: The next self promotional activity you can do to enhance your acting career on social sites is to start a Blog to publish your thoughts and opinion on the industry. You can express your views about the acting career and where you as an actor is heading. Try to write a good content in order to attract people towards your blog. Paste your blog URL in your email in your email signature everytime you send an email to industry professionals.


Twitter: Starting a Twitter account will give you the access to follow the people you admire, other actors or people in the same industry. You can also use Twitter to express your views and opinions about the industry. If you manage to create a successful Twitter profile, you can build a solid fan base.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is designed for professional networking unlike facebook or twitter. Remember on LinkedIn, people are specifically looking out for business contacts. So try to make your online resume look more professional, fill in your correct details and keep updating it on a regular basis. Industry professionals keep hunting for actors who are in need of serious work. You never know which casting director views your online resume that could lead you for an audition.
By using the above interactive platforms you can start promoting yourself as an actor who is different form others. These sites will also help people know who you are to build a trust in you your chances increase for being approched by any industry professional for work. Your success entirely depends upon how successfully you interact with the people from your industry and how vast your exposure becomes.
So keep socializing!!
Kunal S. Prasad

Lights, Camera, Action!!!

The influx of actors in bollywood continues to increase at a tremendous pace. Numerous young people, some just in their teens, move to Mumbai, the City of Glittering Dreams, hoping to reach stardom. The cut throat competition allows a very few to actually make it for auditions. In order to get noticed for the next audition, some enroll in acting schools, some join gyms to build their physiques, while others start to flaunt their body. These kinds of preparations lead to further competition.

Imagine you are one of those aspirants waiting for a chance to showcase your skills and prove that you are the next superstar and one fine day you receive a message on your phone “you have been scheduled for an auditions, please check your email” Finally, you’ve been called for an auditions and this project means a lot to you. But there are thousands of budding actors who are similar to you or maybe better than you who have been called for the same audition.

What sets you apart?

Appearing for an audition is like appearing for an exam. You need proper planning and preparation. Being prepared will increase your chances of getting shortlisted. Therefore it is very important to have a proper knowledge and understanding about the media industry.
Well... When you are called for an audition, double check the audition time and location. Remember to reach there on time. Arriving early at the audition place will help you relax. You can also use that extra time to read the script and get prepared. As the saying goes “the first impression is the last impression” Try to look presentable. Upon entering the studio you may find number of other actors waiting anxiously for their chance. It is very normal to have a queasy feeling in your stomach or get nervous but don’t let that feeling affect you. Be confident when you enter the room. This would send a signal to all the actors sitting in that room that you are here for serious business. But don’t get over confident. This may ruin your chances. No matter who is in the room, treat everyone with respect and courtesy. While waiting in the audition room, try to avoid chatting with other people. There are high chances of you loosing focus because of that.

Upon receiving the script, read it thoroughly at least once before you start practicing for a particular scene. Find out everything you can about the character you're going to be playing. This will help you to perform better in front of the camera.

Finally your name is called and you enter the room, ready to face the camera. The thing that matters the most for the casting director is your performance. You have to give it your best shot. So, don't try to accelerate your lines. Calm down and speak at appropriate tempo. Make the director believe that you are the character. You need not show that you are very nervous and can't wait for the audition to be over.

We are human so mistakes are bound to happen. If you lose concentration or cannot perform as per your potential or if you feel like trying again, you can always ask the casting director to be allowed to do it again. Be sure not to draw any attention to your mistakes. This can be seen by the casting director. Remember the only thing that will separate you from others is your Attitude. You need to be professional in order to succeed in this industry. Good looks won’t solve everything. The thing that should go well with them is your talent and your professional attitude.

Last but not least, remember a rejection doesn't mean you're no good, it just means that need more time to prepare. Believing in yourself is the only thing that will drive you to places.

So, all the best!!

AN UNUSUAL STORY OF SHEKHAR, THE CHILD LABOR

5th December 2009. My first semester exams got over and I was all set to party. Before gearing up for the fun, sir had filled our pockets with a couple of projects, which we had to submit after the vacation. I was asked to work on Child Labor. But the feeling of the marathon exam getting done had overpowered by the tension of project completion.
Fifteen days had passed by, half the vacation was over and I had not even bothered to look towards my bag which was sadly sitting in the corner of my study room. 16th December 2009 I called up my friend to get some updates about their projects and to my surprise everybody had already started. At once I opened my dell laptop and Googled about child labor. Number of pages opened in front of me and I was loaded with heaps of information. Within the next two hours my project was done and I was satisfied by the efforts I had put in. I looked outside my window. Since it was winter month, evenings were chilling. The big orange sun had packed up its rays and was set to disappear on the opposite side of my window. I decided to have tea which was near my home. The small tea stall was always packed as he makes excellent masala tea. I placed my order and was waiting for it. A few minutes later someone patted my leg and said “sahib chai”. I looked below and saw a small boy around ten years old standing with the tea in his hand. There was a smile on his face when he spoke and his hands were so tiny that the glass was hardly fitting into it. His loose red shorts were barely visible under an oversized shirt. While having tea my eyes were continuously following him. Every time he interacted with the customer there was a smile on his face. It made me think, how a child can be so happy when he has to work 12 hours a day, while the other children of his age are busy enjoying their childhood. Something inside prompted me to speak to him. I ordered for another tea and he came towards me to serve it. Casually I asked him the reason for his working at the time when he is supposed to be studying. His name was shekhar and our further conversation went something like ,
‘How can I go to school?’
‘Like any other children. Now a day’s schools are providing meals. You don’t have to worry about the food also.’
‘Will they feed my family also?’
‘what do you mean? What your parents do?’
‘I don’t know what my father does. He is missing from past six years. My mother works at construction sites. I have a school going younger brother. My mother don’t get regular job. So I have to work.’
‘How much do you earn?’
‘The shop owner gives me 20 rupee per day a breakfast and a lunch. I earn at least 10 rupee as tips. Even after all the expenses I can take home at least 30 rupees a day.’
I was beginning to take interest in this casual conversation. I don’t know why I felt like helping Shekhar.
‘I know some organization which helps children like you. If you are interested I’ll take you there and they will try to arrange for your education etc. You should be studying and playing at your age. What do you say?’ I asked him.
‘Sahib, I have just started working. I used to secretly beg before that. One day my mother saw me and stripped me of my cloths and made me to stand in front of the house for the whole day. She always tells me that if I ever beg or steel, she will break my legs. If I leave this job, I will not be able to earn. So I don’t want to study.’
I tried persuading him to take up studies but, he was very sure of his stand. I went with him to his home and met his mother. Her stand was not different than that of her son. ‘I would live if he could study. But, our financial status does not allow it. Being the elder son, he has to take the responsibility of the family.’ She concluded.
‘But it is illegal. Child labor is banned in India. Primary education is free and compulsory. You don’t have to spend a paisa on his education. Even his lunch is taken care of.’ I took out my last weapon.
She looked at me for a while and, gave a sarcastic smile.
‘My younger son is studying in a government school Sahib. (I had become big brother for both mother and son.) I know how free it is. It’s difficult for us to support even a first standard student. Please leave now.’
But I was determined.
I again met Shekhar the next day and tried explain him the positive aspects of education. I told him, if you think of studying you will get a better job. He understood the importance of it but was not ready to leave his job. I failed again.
‘I don’t want to work in the tea shop for ever Sahib. Very soon I’ll be opening my own tea shop. I know how to make tea and coffee. I have already started saving some money towards it.’
I looked at him in disbelief. He had a broad smile on his face and, all the stars in his eyes!
Being educated, I had never thought of working for self. I had decided the safe way of doing MBA and working for a MNC on their terms. A ten year old, uneducated boy had thought of working under self terms and, had already laid foundations on his dream!
I just told him to contact me for any kind of help he may require in future.
I had made my project Child Labor which featured issue like children and their rights and, the problems the underprivileged face. But that little child had shown me the other side of it. In every aspect of life he was more superior to me, when compared to my child childhood with his. I could never ever think of taking responsibility at such a small age. He was practical and I was forced to acknowledge his spirit towards life. He had somehow managed to convince me that what he was doing was not bad or illegal.
Both the governments and, the society have failed in creating a likable atmosphere for the (poor) children. But Shekhar’s incident proved to me that the negligence has not hampered their spirit. I decided to make my project on child labor all over again. This time covering the positive as well as negative aspects of it. I went on streets looking out for child labors and then talking to their parents. All families which I visited had one thing in common. ‘Financial support the child is providing to them.’
I’m not supporting child labor of any kind. I just want to highlight the spirit of children even in adverse conditions. I wonder what all these spirited children could achieve if they get a proper initial guidance.
The governments sure have come up with some very good schemes for the children. But have failed in implementing it. First priority should be given to create proper job opportunities for financially lower section of the society. When the parents can financially support their family, the government can compel their children towards schools.
I am done with my project, this time much more happier and satisfied than before. Waiting to get approval from my sir so that I can present it in front of my classmates.
KUNAL PRASAD

Addi

Love- A word that has been an inspiration for all the philosophers and poets, a journey that everyone voyages and everyone’s voyage has a different route, experience and destination. One such voyage is of mine
The first time I met Addi was at our college bus stop. She wasn't ‘love at first sight’ kind of girl but there was something magnetic in her which did attract me. May be it was her innocence, may be it was her smile. Since we were in the same college it was obvious for us to be friends. My friendship with her did not click from the word go. For me she was just another girl in my friend’s list but we used to call each other very frequently. Got to know that she was originally from Delhi and had come to Mumbai at her aunt’s place for studies. Kept on meeting her in college kept on chatting with her on the phone. She was an introvert and used to speak very less. Over the years our friendship grew and I was completely mesmerized by her. She was such a great company to be with. She helped me to identify my strengths, my talents and because of her the spark in me was always remarkable. She was the girl respected, honoured and adored not only by me but by everyone who knew her. She was well organised, well planned and a great implementer. It was indeed a great honour for me to be her friend. I loved everything about her. Couldn’t imagine a single day without her. She was a great friend to be with and one fine day I realised that love had come between our friendship. The following day I went up to her to share my feelings. It took time for her to answer me but luckily the answer was positive.
I was never so dead serious about anything as I was with my relationship with her. It was such a lovely feeling to be in love and that to with a girl of your choice. She had clearly mentioned that she was not going make commitments for the future and I was ok with it. Nobody in the college knew about our relationship except few of our close friends. It was completely her decision to do so and I had to obey her order. I liked the way she dominated me. She always used to remind me of my good old school days, just as my teachers used to scold me to complete my work. I was enjoying every part of my relationship. But life is not always a cradle of joy.
Addi was done with her last year of exams and the time had come to return to her family. I knew this was coming but was afraid of facing it. What really made me tensed was that she was not going to comeback since her family needed her more than me. I couldn’t force her. I clearly remember it was 2nd of June, her last day with me and I wanted to make best use of it. With my hard earned money I bought a gold ring for her. I wanted to make her most memorable day. We went to a coffee shop where I decided to gift her. Since it was Sunday, the whole shop was crowded. I was nervous. As we were about to leave I went down my knees and asked her can I wait for you? Tears started to roll down her cheeks. She did not speak since I had put her in an awkward situation. She had declined my ring. I kept on asking her why but the only answer I got was her tears. The next day I went to the station to drop her. She did not speak a word, neither did I feel comfortable though my silence kept on asking many questions. The train gave its final horn and for the last time I hugged her. I wanted to remain in her arms all my life but it was time to say goodbye. She promised to call me and got into the train. I waited till the train disappeared from my sight. The first few days she did not call me. I tried calling her but her phone was switched off. Day by day I was getting restless. I was dying to speak to her. Days turned into months, months turned into years. Today It’s been three years and I am still waiting only for the fact that I know she loves me, loves me a lot.

A THING CALLED ' LOVE '

My father always used to tell me that if you really need something give away your everything behind it. I never knew that something would be a girl in my college. I first saw her walking with a bunch of girls in the college campus. My eyes caught Riddhima and were not ready to move until she disappeared. I knew this is the girl I wanted to be with. The next day I caught her in front of the whole college and asked her to be my friend. She ignored me. I bent down on my knees in front of the whole college and sang a song for her. She again ignored me. I tried gifting a portrait of hers on Valentine’s Day in front of the whole college. She did not accept it. I went to her classroom and asked the permission of the professor to speak to her. She was not ready to speak. I did all the possible things in front of the whole college to woo her. Being an extrovert these things were easy for me to do. For my every action there was only one reaction from her ‘ignorance’. This made me think hard. I was looking out for some reason but couldn’t find one. I then decided to join her group. Her group was a bunch of sweet girls. They happily accepted me as their friend. I asked them about Riddhima but they themselves were confused by her behavior towards me. She was not ready to speak about me with anybody. She was an introvert and was very reserved by nature. She would talk only what is necessary. I was fallen for her superb attitude. Even though she ignored me I adored her. Don’t know why? Riddhima never had any problems with her friend speaking to me. I bonded well with everyone in her group. I kept on trying but she was not interested. One day Jenny, a group friend told me that she will never ever talk to me. I asked for a reason. She told me that my first impression did not go well with Riddhima. She hated me to extreme for whatever I did with her in front of the whole college. She was not used to this kind of publicity and wanted to be with her selective group of friends. When I heard Jenny telling these things I knew that even before getting her in my life I’d lost her. I thought I had done some very romantic things to impress her but she thought otherwise. I myself had spoiled my image in front of Riddhima. I felt bad and wanted to apologize. I wanted to tell her that everything I did was unintentional and would just happen whenever I used to see her. Everything I did was very immature and was really sorry for my behavior but she was not ready to speak to me. I decided to change my image. I started helping everybody in the group in their class projects. I kept all my close friends aside only to spend time with her group. Her friends were impressed but she wasn’t. Days passed, nothing changed between me and Riddhima. I wanted her very badly. But that seemed impossible. Everyone asked me to stop chasing her because she was not even interested to be my friend leave alone having a relationship. I had tears in my eyes. The girl whom I wanted to give my everything was not ready to talk to me. I couldn’t take this. There wasn’t anything I could do to impress her. Our college life ended. She was on her way and I was on my way. I had tried my best.
One quality I like about myself is that I never give up. Whatever it may be. Today 12 years have passed since my last day of college. Life has changed and so am I but the words said by my father has not changed. They still remain the same. Today I am proud to say that Riddhima is with me. I have finally got her in my life. I proudly call my daughter “Riddhima”. I am happy to get what I wanted.
Love you Riddhima.

KUNAL PRASAD.