20 Reasons why Sholay cannot be made again

There are many attempts by numerous producers and directors to make a movie as big and as eternal as Sholay within the landscape of Indian cinema’s panorama; but none have even come near to making a movie close to Sholay’s magic. No doubt Indian cinema has made good movies, great movies, classics movies and cult movies. No doubt that Indian cinema has seen better directors than Ramesh Sipply who directed Sholay, and Indian cinema has given us many versatile and talented actors and actresses better than the star cast of Sholay. Not to say that the budget today is a constraint – it is not; nor there is a lack of production values and technical capabilities in making internationally competitive movies. Everything is better today – experience, expertise, technology, budget, professionalism, reach, audience aptitude – but since the release of Sholay in 1975, none of the better acquired competency has delivered a movie like Sholay. NONE!

What are the reasons? What could be the reasons for such a phenomenon? I attempted to list them down.

Prerequisite of person working as Human Rights Activists

My hypothesis is and will remain: “Everyone working in Human Rights sector is and would be (at least) a good human being.[1]”

I have build my assumptions around this with a very positive frame of mind, that most humans are nurtured by their parents to grow up as good human being, especially when dealing with others- its notations are – do not hurt anyone by thought, word and/or action. These are the basic values all good parents teach their children apart from giving ample amount of love.

Genealogy of RAPE - Looking into the causes and cures of violent rapes

In India is there any commonality between pisspitting[i] and molestation/rape? Strangely ‘YES’; more than ninety percent of both these ‘cheap’ acts are done by boys/men. Is it logical to say that in India where men are spitting less, incidence of rapes are less? It may not be so worthwhile a hypothesis to investigate. The argumentative correlation I am trying to draw looks too far-fetched but it highlights the basic flaw in upbringing of boys growing into men in Indian society. Are we telling the boys/men – ‘Do NOT spit on road’, and ‘Do NOT touch a girl inappropriately without her consent’. The parents, teachers, elders, leaders and societal role models have failed on both fronts in teaching basic good human traits and civic sense to a large section of Indian men, since their young age and more so in their youth.

Why do men rape? Simply said – for men - it is to deal with one’s own acquired nature. The common conclusions are that it could be expression of individual power over other human being, act of physical violence as a gratifying source to vent out piped-in anger (Of what?).

Pedagogy of Liberation: Dialogues on Transforming Education- Ira Shor and Paulo Freire

I had gone to an adventive American couple’s newly rented house as part of infare. With my interest in books, I asked them to suggest me a good book to read from their excellent collection that was on display. After a brief pause came a seaming reply “Pedagogy of Liberation” with a cursory smile saying: ‘You will like it!’

Returning home, I read the book sincerely for the first 30-40 pages and I read about 15-20 important questions from the remainder chapters of the book. During my next visit when I returned back the book, prompt came the question: “How was it?” I replied honestly, “Okay! It’s a 1987 book and the world has moved ahead since then.” A short conversation took place between us on the book, followed by their looks and body language that sort of told me – “What does he think of himself by commenting on Paulo Freire and Ira Shor’s book?” “He really would not have understood the book!”

I reflected on their non-verbal communications and thought that it may be a good idea to write a brief review of the book I read.

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Abu-al-Mughith al-Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj

I think this article is one that could change anyone’s perception about life, love and God.

It is about a true historical character and events I have compiled from various sources I would like you to know about one sufi saint. I love the saint very much, because his character can influence anyone’s life very deeply.

There have been many mystics, and there will be many mystics, but I don't think anybody will have the same taste as Al-Hillaj Mansoor. He was rare in every sense.

Emotional Intelligence - Ideal mind's search of mystery

Though new in the field of psychology, Emotional Intelligence is a topic two decades too late to write about. It was major discussion in the mid-nineties. Today, this article is an attempt to improve our understanding of the subject.

Let us understand the prevailing concepts around emotion and intelligence before we join these two words – emotional intelligence

Emotion simply means strong feeling. Etymology describes its origin to - Greek word amyno (push away), Lithunian mauti (push on), Sanskrit kama-muta (move by love), Latin movere (move), Vulgar Latin exmovere (move by love), Old French esmovoir (to excite), French emotion (emotion). The year 1579 AD saw a first recorded definition of emotion – a physical, moving, stirring, agitation.

Sustainability - Matching Aptitude with the pace of Science and Technology

Within the framework of modern thoughts, the concept of sustainability is quite recent. Introduced around mid twentieth century[1]; emerging out of the fashionable environmental cause that “hippies” took up from the fall-out of laws addressing industrial pollution. Even without the ‘word’ sustainable used by major world rural population, they practiced a living in the most ‘so called’ sustainable way. That sustainable life style still prevails in many parts of the world that is not yet touched by the industrialization wave. It encompassed individual, family and community lifestyles to maintain a natural balance with their immediate surrounding.