3 Idiots

Some years back I was browsing through the bookstore Crossword when I noticed a book titled "Five point someone - What not to do at IIT!". I was attracted by the reference to my alma mater and bought it immediately. When I was through with reading the book I somewhat felt disappointed. It didn't make me any happier when I heard that Raju Hirani was going to make a film based on it featuring my favourite actor Aamir Khan.

3 Idiots released close to Christmas. Initially I wasn't in a mood to see it because of my grave doubts. The good reviews and the juntas comments on Aamir Khan's blog however got me curious.

For once I thought a movie managed to beat the book that inspired it. It had lots of witty dialogues, smart situations, and a decent emotional content. I enjoyed 3 Idiots. But I did not love it. Unlike the two Munnabhais and Taare Zameen Par it just did not leave me moved. Perhaps the film was too entertaining. I understand the need for telling a message in an engaging and lighthearted fashion. But everything does not have to be turned into a joke like the struggles which Raju's (Sharman Joshi) family faces in lieu of supporting his engineering degree. This is a story of many a students coming to study at IITs or for that matter at medical schools. For me it is not a laughing matter. The funny means by which the other two idiots Rancho (Aamir Khan) and Farhan (Madhavan) help Raju recover from his suicide attempt takes away from the seriousness of the situation that had lead him to take the drastic step.

Further, I thought that the teaching community had been unjustly represented only through the characters of the Dean (Boman Irani) and other professors who insult and make fun of the three lead characters all the time. There are three cases of suicide in it. The race for coming first and the grueling learning system adopted by the engineering college which are responsible for two of these deaths is never really shown.

Except for Rancho and Farhan no one seems to have pursuits beyond studies. You just have to attend one of the several competitions in the areas of dramatics, music and art or the events in the yearly IIT festivals to know this is not true. Innovative ideas are not exactly squashed either. In IIT Bombay's famous Robotics festival you can see innumerable displays of cutting edge designs developed by students coming from all over India to participate. It is now commonplace even in colleges to invite well established figures to deliver keynote lectures at special occasions to inspire the youth to use their talent.

I do agree when the film says that one must pursue what you are passionate about. Some in audience have wrongly come out thinking that it says don't be a doctor or an engineer. Instead it drives home the point that by all means take up that profession but only as long as your heart is in it and not just because it has been mapped by your parents for you from the time you were born. My point however is that you might not really know after class 12th what you want to be. You might need those years in college in order to discover yourself and your passions. Like it is for Farhan to come to a conclusion that he should afterall pursue photography. Of course he knows it would also require him to work hard and struggle but at least it would be for something he loves.

To give 3 Idiots its due it does tell us an important message which could have got lost in all the frolic and entertainment. In Baba Ranchod Das Chanchad's words don't chase success, chase excellence. If you do the latter then success will automatically follow. But if your goal is simply earning big bucks then at some point you may end up taking a wrong route to it. I loved what Aamir Khan said in an interview I caught on tv. Instead of asking our children how many marks they scored in tests or did they come first or second in exams we should ask them did they help their friends, did they do something nice or did they bring a smile on someone's face during the day. Then automatically the focus will shift from the running madly in a race to becoming well rounded individuals with caring hearts.

Love aaj kal

Having loved Jab We Met, I had been wanting to see its director Imtiaz Ali's next film Love Aaj Kal. My wish was granted only recently. Very simply the movie compares love in today's times (aaj kal) with the way it was in yesteryears through two story lines running in parallel.

Rishi Kapoor's dialogue illustrates this difference very well. He remarks that when he fell in love he started working so that he could unite with his girl while now work has become the reason for couples breaking up, a course which Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone take in the film. Neither believes their relationship would survive the distance brought about by a change in jobs and so in a very normal conversation they decide to part ways amicably minus any tears. They continue to remain "friends". They meet secretly and pay more attention to each other than the new special persons of their respective lives. It has to take Deepika to get married to Rahul Khanna to realize that she is still in love with Saif Ali Khan! However, she shies away from telling him the truth because she finds out that this time he has landed a dream job which will take him elsewhere. So once again the two lovers find themselves separately pining. Many months pass before they finally unite to give the film the traditional happy ending.

One of the reasons Love Aaj Kal doesn't work for me is because the initial love story between the two protagonists is never built up. The magic or chemistry which is responsible for bringing them together is never explored. The dating period is shown in such a fast forward manner that there seems to be no depth in the couple's relationship and it is difficult for me as an audience to understand what is so great about the two that they are still hung up on each other even after splitting up. Moments before getting married to Rahul Khanna, Deepika meets Saif Ali Khan. Yet the two of them refuse to recognize the importance of the moment and do not even then acknowledge that things were never over between them.

The film depicts a rather sorry picture of the present youth which I do not agree with. Indeed today all women are not satisfied with only taking care of home. Men too are becoming increasingly supportive of their girl friends' or wives' career goals. Both are willing to go that extra mile for each other. Unlike the lead pair, they do not simply give up without even trying. I know of couples who have handled such situations well. Not that its easy. It requires a great deal of patience, faith, and love. But they'd rather be together even if from afar than not all. Sadly the film instead depicts its hero-heroine representing our generation, first as so practical in life that they are devoid of any emotion even when breaking up and later on as two confused people who are incapable of deciphering their own feelings.

Another year slips by

2009 is just a few days away from coming to an end. It will go down as the most exciting and exacting year of my life. So much happened.

Summarizing, it was a year of hopes. A year of joys. A year of expectations. A year of hard work. A year of reaping the resulting fruits of labour. A year of making plans. A year of patient waiting. A year of love. A year of newly formed relationships. A year of celebrations. A year of promises. A year of many a discoveries. A year when dreams came true.

Standing at the threshold of 2010, I am wondering what is it going to bring. How will it fare in comparison?

Its elementary

A couple of weeks back I had the good fortune of visiting the MindTree campus in Bangalore. I returned loving its architecture and appreciating the thoughtfulness that must have gone into making it beautiful. Impressed by it all, I began reading its co-founder Subroto Bagchi's authored The High Performance Entrepreneur.

It has an interesting chapter which tells us the nine elements that one should have when setting up a core entrepreneurial team. The truth is we could do with making use of some of these in our personal relationships too. Here is my take.

1. Complementary composition
Just like with building a team, instead of looking for pure compatibility we should go for someone who is able to complement us. A couple need not be exact opposites to attract each other. They should really be able to fill in each others blanks. When and where one is weak, the other should take over.

2. Shared vision

When starting a company the core team should have a shared vision. I had read somewhere that couples who discuss their future plans indeed go a long way. Seeing another rejoice in your success and having them express their support in your endeavours can only increase your happiness by manifold and bring the two closer.

3. Transparency

Apparently even though the initial MindTree team had known each other for years, before starting they actually sat together to openly talk about themselves. The idea was to make members aware of any pitfalls including health problems that could affect the company adversely. Similarly in a relation being honest and truthful can save a lot of unnecessary time and emotions spent.

4. Ability to question each other and take disagreement in stride

It is understandable that during discussions of proposals and strategies everyone in the team is not bound to hold the same views. Occasionally this can lead to arguments and a heated atmosphere. The author says that before stepping out of the conference room the team should sort out their differences and arrive at a consensus. This is a rule which every husband and wife pair should also follow. One shouldn't carry your anger or grudges over to the next day. Let it go even before going to sleep.

5. Personal integrity and mutual trust, and Resilience

You must have faith in the venture you've begun and in the people who are there with you. There will be criticism and questions raised. Things might not seem to be going according to your plans. But you must not give up. Many companies failed to reach the pinnacle when people behind them lost steam. Any and every relationship has to go through its share of downs. But be it in sickness or in health, for richer or for poorer... we should stand by each other.

Status update

This post is to update you on the recent events in my life which have kept me away from blogging.

Going in order of occurence, I completed writing my Ph.D thesis, got printed eight volumes of it with my name embossed in golden letters, and finally submitted the thesis in the university. The submission process thankfully went smoothly. Having accomplished the goal for which I had first joined NCL made me relieved and happy and at the same time also left me feeling empty. The only way to go ahead now is to aim for new and higher targets and walk on untrodden paths.

The other joyous occasion which took place was my wedding. I enjoyed all the celebrations and festivities in which we were joined by our families and friends. Marriage has brought some changes with it. A change from Miss to Mrs. A change of residence. A change of even the city of residence. And most importantly a change in waking up habits. :-p I am learning a lot of things and by that I don't simply mean cooking. What keeps me going when I almost lose it is the loving, caring, and helpful husband I have who on these occasions has more patience than me. :-)