To the dear departed, we sympathise. To those alive, we apologise. This is to commemorate the memory of those victims who lost their lives. We are glad it wasn???t us. We, till this date, have undertaken to burden ourselves with the grave responsibility of not to deliver. To ensure we live, to fulfill your death endeavour. It is worse than we thought, but nevertheless, it is the votes we seek not the statistics that are lost.

Show us a reason we should stand up and see a citizen not ours but one that roams free. We try hard to damage, as much as we can, so we can leave the race with ???resigned??? success. Our ???death??? feels guilty it wasn???t us. We fail to explain why we live, while hundreds perish.

To have or not to have is the security we seek, to make peace with un-social elements and let them be. Come join us in our sincere efforts, your deaths are at stake, while we forfeit ours. Our hearts bleed for our survival and what could not be.

We live off the people,
Be-for-e the people,
Against the people.

Sign your death warrants, and please do vote for us.

Sinfully Yours.

The Government.

(Sent by Charulata Somal)
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As you all know, India is the world???s largest democracy. But do we live up to this high title? Are we honest enough to be called a democracy? Is it democracy or a dictatorship we are living in? Let us review our political structure first , and then find out where the problem lies, which prevents us from being proud when it comes to discussing our politics- the ???Indian??? politics.

India adopted the Federal system in 1947, and is therefore a union of 26 states and 6 union territories, which together form the Parliamentary system of Government, governed by the Constitution. The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November, 1949 and it came into force on 26 November, 1950.

The Parliament consists of the President and two Houses- Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and Lok Sabha (House of the People). Members to the Rajya Sabha are elected indirectly. Out of its total population of 245 members, 233 represent states and UTs and other 12 are nominated by the President. The Lok Sabha has a total of 545 members who are elected directly by the people of India and it represents the citizen population.

The President is the Constitutional Head of the State. However, Article 74(1) of the Constitution provides that there shall be a Council of Members headed by the Prime Minister to aid and advice the President, who shall act in accordance with such advice. This Article makes the powers vested in the President of India insignificant and makes him a ???rubber stamp???, while gives all powers to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers.

This Parliamentary form of government in India is different from that in America and England. These countries follow the federal system, where the President, who is the Head of the State, enjoys real powers. In such a system, the scope of conflict or pooling is much lesser than in parliamentary form, although the Senate, as the parliament in USA is called, is approached for final decision on both internal and external policies.

The problem in India arises not because of the type of government, but because of the way it functions. Often, questions of ethics, morals, right or wrong, honest or favored, unlawfulness, crime, punishment and acquittal are highlighted, and automatically subdued under political pressure. Once elected to the Parliament or the State Legislative Assembly, the Minister forgets his responsibilities and duties as a servant of the state; instead, his thirst for money and greed of power never quench. In this whole process, the tax-payer suffers. He neither gets justice, nor an honest account of the hard- earned money paid as tax.

Another source of problem in the Indian democracy arises due to interference and interruption of different departments- the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. These political pressures and favors lead to lawlessness and injustice, only.

Another issue is the inability of meritorious candidates to contest for elections. Parties find a huge source of income in selling their tickets at high prices to undeserving people who who can afford them,. Therefore, those with long records of crimes and offenses find their place in the political system.

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So, on a realistic note, most of the Lok Sabha represents criminals and goons are elected to power by unconstitutional methods of forced voting, illegitimate casting of votes by their own supporters, and voters who have no/little knowledge of the whole system, but vote in accordance to religion or religion or community.

Thus, an analysis of the Indian politics leaves you surprised and shocked: ???How is this system working? It should have collapsed way back!??? It is indeed a wonder how things fall apart in our country, yet the system keeps on working. The general attitude of ???chal jayega??? is very chronic, yet ironic, for India.

For the vision, Vision India-2020, to become reality, the whole system will have to be revised and re-structured. We need to have new leaders. People who have the courage to stand, speak up and pin-point the wrong. We???ll need youth who have the courage to overcome all odds and emerge victor. Former President APJ Abdul Kalam rightly identifies today???s youth with tomorrow???s future. His book ???Vision 2020??? is testimony to the power and capability of today???s youngsters. Let us not undermine our own potential and act audience. Let us take the stage and speak our minds out. For, leaders are not made, they are born. And, I believe that a leader is born inside you the moment you choose the path of right, honesty and welfare.

Shobhit Garg
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Governments world over are fast and realizing that energy security is one of the most pressing concerns of our time. With consumption rates (individual as well as industrial) increasing globally , and with a booming economy and manufacturing sector, India realizes this need even more. With a GDP growth rate pegged at 7.6 % (2007-08, second quarter), energy production has only managed 5 per cent annual growth. India is the second fastest emerging economy, after China, and the 12th largest in the world. But to fuel this growth at a steady sustainable pace, the country needs to generate enough power.

An ever-increasing demand by a rapidly growing population adds to pressures on energy and resources, causing further stress on available sources. Moreover, traditional fuels like petroleum and coal are slowly proving to be unviable. Rising costs, the problem of scarcity of natural resources, coupled with environmental concerns, have forced us to look for alternative and renewable sources of energy; resources that can be exploited on a sustainable basis.

Amongst other such alternatives like solar and wind power, hydro-electric power remains the most viable source of power generation for the country. With a massive untapped potential in the river systems of India, power generated through such plants can possibly meet a major share of indigenous demand. In 2006-07, only 17 per cent (113359 million units) of the total power (662.5 billion units) was generated by hydro-electric power plants. This is far less than the projected potential of 148701 MWs of power, as underlined by the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC). Only 19.9 per cent of this has been harnessed so far.

But is hydro-electricity actually sustainable in the long run? The acute need for power generation is obvious, and as with any kind of production, there are always costs, hidden at times. The question is, how much is the cost, and who is paying it? Are the ones enjoying its fruits, paying back in the same proportion for it as well? Incidentally, dam-making is a very expensive proposition plainly in monetary terms. Most times, current expenditures will only get revenue after a minimum period of five years. It takes even longer for such ventures to turn profitable. There are also cost-overruns, which mean that final expenditure is more than what was initially allocated. Due to long-term returns, such investments became a prerogative of the government or the public sector. In India, the private sector has only very recently started showing interest in dam construction, but on a build-operate-transfer basis.

But there is even a bigger concern in the environmental costs that most large dams (any dam over 30 m in height) incur. Dams do not significantly impact gross or net irrigated area in their own district, because of submergence and degradation of land around the reservoir, but do increase irrigated area downstream by 1.1 per cent. Cultivated area also decreases substantially in the district and marginally in downstream districts, due to loss of land to submergence, canal building, water logging and salination. Large dams are estimated to have flooded around 37,500 square kms of land, a lot of which is very fertile but is now rendered useless.

Moreover, there are a large number of people displaced, especially those living in the catchment area, which gets submerged. These estimates vary from 21 to 40 million, but in the absence of proper records, could even be higher. The inequitable distribution of risks and riches that large dams bring, have thus forced people to look into the actual viability of such projects. For the benefit of the bigger cities and a growing industry, the upstream population, which is mostly rural, is paying. There is also a question of political representation; why are such projects carried on, sometimes even without the required environmental clearances and with such heavy opposition against it? Obviously our cities, even after being a minority, are more strongly represented, than the rural section of our country. But isn???t a democratic system supposed to reflect a majority opinion? Decision-makers do not even consider the range of non-monetised displacement and environmental effects of infrastructure projects.

Besides the Narmada Valley Development Project, the Indian government is already committed to a huge acceleration in dam construction in the country’s northern and north-eastern regions, and in neighboring countries. Most of the planned dams will be located in Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam, Sikkim and Mizoram, as well as in Nepal and Bhutan. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are ready to provide financial support for some of the planned dams.

On an international scenario, the construction of the 22 kms long South Laxmanpur barrage across the Rapti River by India is under dispute. Nepal has alleged a violation by India of international laws. Reports in Nepalese newspapers have claimed a loss of 1000 acres of arable land and displacement of about 200 families. More recently, Pakistan has said that it will seek compensation from India over the shortage of water due to the construction of the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Indus Water Treaty (1960), which regulates the use of the Indus river system by both countries, 55,000 cusecs of water should flow into Pakistan but it had only received 22,200 cusecs.

As it stands now, the negative repercussions of such dams far outweigh the advantages. While power generation and irrigation are the biggest rallying points for the government, the human cost of displacement and the degeneration of the environment cannot simply be measured in monetary terms. It has been argued that the government should concentrate more on middle and small dams, than large dams, which cause far more environmental damage.

Furthermore, even though the dams are useful to control floods, in normal times they tend to dry up the flow of water downstream, leading to various problems, including loss of habitat for various animals surviving along the river. On a long-term perspective, this will only deplete the water table, making the areas that are now fertile, arid. Also, when the capacity of such dams get full, the water released through barrages tend to flood areas downstream. Thus, the risks of such dams are many. One needs to recognize that altering the way of nature is not an easy task, and in the least, it should not be done in haste.

Roudra Bhattacharya
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Debutante director Sandeep Sawant???s Marathi masterpiece ???Shwaas??? was a welcome change for the ailing Marathi movie industry. At the core of the movie is the basic human emotion shared between the grandpa Vichare (Arun Nalavade) and his grandson Parashuram (Ashwin Chitale), and how they come to terms with an inevitable anticlimax in life. The grandson is taken to the city for an eye checkup, where he is diagnosed to suffer from a rare retinal cancer. The boy???s life depends on surgically removing the eyes, thereby nullifying the chance of even transplantation. The movie often takes an unexpected detour and goes beyond the normal regimen, like where Sandeep Sawant bestows the most difficult task to the doctor and the social worker to communicate the news to the child.

The movie evokes a strong feeling of helplessness in containing the viewer???s true feelings, like the scene where the rural patriarch Vichare stands at Dr. Sane???s chamber door ??? tension, worry and panic writ large over his tired eyes and his little grandson waiting restlessly in the hospital room of a big alien city.

The director has in this movie, a foolproof plot to elicit every bit of sympathy from the viewer. The story teller???s vision transcends the immediate sentimentality of the situation and makes the film goers think about life and the bounties it has in offer to the so called lucky souls.

How worthy is every second in life? What makes it special? Is it the way we see things or the way we the utilize time given to live, that makes life fruitful? On an immediate level, on how a seven year old boy is prepared to face the impending blindness.

The film is completely shot out of studio floor and so resolve an age old dilemma in cinema. The hospital and the situations are all in authentic locations. Once in place, the characters automatically appear to be an integral part of the narrative. The people in this intimate epic showcase how real the reality dramas could be if carried forward in a poignant manner with one???s heart and soul set in the same.

The way in which the idyllic scene of the village is juxtaposed with the grim claustrophobic scenes of the city hospital reminds poetic grace of the master film maker Satyajit Ray.

The simple and straight narrative is suffused with spoonfuls of symbolism like the space where sparks fall to ground as grandfather, grandson and the relative stride fearfully in the city and the scene in which the moon is covered by the cloud as all hopes of retaining the boy???s eyesight vanish for the grandfather. Such scenes ignite our minds, which otherwise would have been parched watching death like drama having morose dimensions.

???Shwaas??? is a brave attempt to showcase life and the best it has to offer, and how not to lose strength in adversity. Also a message to the lucky ones to treasure the subtlest of moments that life offers.

???Shwaas??? makes a humble beginning to showcase true Indian cinema to the world???s panorama. Language is never a barrier for a true cinematic experience. I, a non-Marathi got thoroughly engaged, tears brimming and still enjoying and appreciating deep in my heart, what true cinema is, and also happy that good cinema and gripping screenplays aren???t dead as yet.

Regil Krishnan
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Enforced disappearance is a term most of us would associate with perhaps an autocratic regime or an oppressive government. It certainly cannot be conceived to be something likely to happen under a democratic administration. But it would shock the readers if they take a look at the facts and statistics of enforced disappearances that are happening right here in our country. More that 8000 people have gone missing in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989 according to a report by the Srinagar-based Association of the Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP). It is also routinely happening in strife-torn areas like the north-east and states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Orissa.

The people disappearing are not only people suspected of being terrorists but also innocent people killed extra-judicially or people who where kept under detention without any clear reason, or under secrecy. There have been many instances of mass graves being unearthed with nobody having any idea as to the identity of the dead people. The people who commit these crimes do so mainly on state order and so the question of accountability for these deaths and disappearances are never addressed. Lies, cover-ups, lame excuses and propagation of misleading explanations along with manipulation of facts and truth are what normally the relatives and friends of the victims have to hear.

The United Nations General Assembly, on December 21, 2006 unanimously adopted a very important and much required human rights treaty ??? The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. The Disappearances Convention was the result of over 25 years of lobbying by States, NGOs and the families of the disappeared. It was also simultaneously adopted in the Human Rights Council. While in the past, enforced disappearances were dealt with under broader provisions in other human rights treaties; the adoption of this Convention now helped to clearly and plainly identify ???enforced disappearance??? as a self-standing human rights violation. The Convention recognised the right of victims to know the truth regarding the circumstances and reasons of the enforced disappearance, the fate of the disappeared person, the progress and results of the investigation regarding the events that took place, and to obtain reparation for damages caused along with assurances of non-repetition.

But even with international laws in place, our State has failed to implement measures that would lead to curb such state- backed crimes. While official compensation might give the relatives of the victims some relief, it can in no way substitute full investigations and prosecution of suspected perpetrators. For this the governments of the world would have to start considering the issue seriously and bring about a transformation in not only its attitude towards power and authority but also towards rights and liberties that each individual is entitled to have.

Pronoti Baglary

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The Viewspaper aims at giving the youth a platform to voice their opinions. The interns will be given an opportunity to participate in this mutual learning process, where they will be able to hone their writing skills. The interns will be guided through various stages of the internship. They will be issued assignments which will be an amalgamation of various topics that will help them grow as a writer and help them express themselves better.

Each intern will get the opportunity to work as a correspondent with The Viewspaper and get their work published. They will also be given a letter of work experience and a certificate of appreciation after they successfully complete this internship.

The tentative dates for this Internship are from 1^st December 2008 to 1^st January 2009.

The Viewspaper internship brochure and the Application is available for download at the link below. Incase of any queries, feel free to mail us at careers@theviewspaper.net

One of the most well presented and outstanding screenplays I have seen in recent times; Body of Lies (2008) happened to simply leave me marveling at the edge of my seat. The movie is an adaptation of the novel by the same name written by David Ignatius, released in 2007. Ignatius is a columnist for The Washington Post and has written few other novels around the suspense/thriller genre owing to his immense knowledge in foreign affairs. Well, that explains as to why Ridley Scott (Director) and William Monahan (Writer) considered an adaptation- the material was all there??? the real task was Depiction.

And ace it was.

Body of Lies is woven around the post 9/11 scenario, where America is most naturally scavenging for terrorist outfits across the Middle East: and that involves the CIA and its most unnerving attempts at getting its hands on any possible suspect. In the midst of these trying times, are Ed Hoffman (Russel Crowe); CIA veteran, keeping tabs on activities and modules that interest the US Intelligence, with his ground information- spewing operative Roger Ferris (Leonardo Di Caprio). Ferris, as ground in-charge, is risking each day as he storms into cells and hideouts of some of the most suspicious outfits in remote areas, aerially surveilled by Hoffman and his men. Ferris is sent on a mission to Jordan, to track down the most threatening of all terror modules- that of Al Saleem???s. There, Ferris encounters the head of Jordanian General Intelligence Department, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong) who influences his moral and ethical ideas on Ferris. In collaboration, they set out to investigate into the whereabouts of Al Saleem. But deception and double-tricks lie in Ferris??? path. A pawn in the hands of CIA, he is constantly thwarted by his contemporaries??? and strives to expose the workings of Al Saleem by a brilliantly orchestrated plan???

The brilliance of the movie is resonated by Leonardo DiCaprio???s stellar performance. The boy from Titanic has proved himself yet again, after giving remarkable performances in The Departed and Blood Diamond.

The movie demands applause owing to the simple fact that scriptwriting was crisp and plot most astounding- it took a great deal to crack the storyline, as it challenges you to think beyond what is shown. Leo shone through and through??? and was the real show stealer.

Crowe fitted the role with ease, his only role being that of a constant watchdog to DiCaprio???s working. The laptop- and- handsfree dictator was shown to be quite a glutton as opposed to the high level adrenalin rushes that DiCaprio portrayed in Ferris??? skin.

The undercutting storylines ultimately fit into the larger picture as a jigsaw puzzle meant to be left jumbled, and the director skillfully resolved to last minute revelations which inspired the audience to believe in the tagline the movie entails- ???Trust no one, deceive everyone???.

I would rate this movie for the thrill and suspense, of course, as promised by the trailers. But I would recommend it as a Must Watch for all since this happens to be one of Leonardo???s most exceptional performances. He deserves attention- and that is indisputable.

Ankita Kanwar
[Ratings]

In short, the movie is evocative, overwhelming and yet realistic.The directorial debut of Aamir Khan takes shape with the adventures of an 8-year old boy, Ishaan Awasthi. Though people around him are unable to fathom his fascination for the nature, he chooses to dwell in his own world. He has a fetish for painting and possesses an imagination above-par, but he repeatedly struggles with alphabets. His memory fails to support him every time he needs to ‘perform well’ in the school and this results in a cavalcade of letters of complaints, addressed to his parents. To set things right for him, his father, who believes that the idea of a ‘bright future’ dwells on a rigorous routine and hard work, decides to send him to a boarding school. His mother (Tisca Chopra) isn’t fully convinced, but gives in to her husband’s whim with some trepidation. Yohaan Awasthi, who is Ishaan’s brother, is a prodigy and his academic excellence is used as a yardstick for measuring Ishaan’s performance. After the first few anxious days at the boarding school, Ishaan meets Nikhumb Sir- and hence, life takes a turn for the wonder kid.

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The plot is conventional- the story involves typical parents, who see their own extension in their children and hence, desire to fulfil their own aspirations through them. Aamir Khan features just before the intermission and plays the ‘God-sent-peacemaker’ for Ishaan’s family.

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The songs are well-timed and the use of animation beautifully brings out the child’s imagination. The use of light is more or less perfect. The actor placement, especially after Ishaan is sent to the boarding school, successfully brings out the relational effect of the actor with the two dimensional space. Most of the movie seems to be shot with a steady camera and the use of some close shots of Ishaan effectively portrays emotions.

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The portrayal of characters is very realistic. Viewers would not only relate to them, but would be able to find a part of Ishaan in themselves; one which they have outgrown, or deliberately allowed to be overridden.

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Though the movie is able to hold attention to quite an extent, some shots after the intermission could have been done away with. The soundtrack is more or less appropriate, except during a particular sequence of an art competition. The movie could have had a broader focus, one which could have encompassed several students who have interests other than academics, instead of focussing only on children with dyslexia. Though it does touch upon the wider perspective here and there, but the focus essentially remains on children with special needs.

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Throughout the story, an attempt to sensitise the viewers towards differently-able children is evident. The film also poses a big question on the way our education system operates. Even though the ills of it are conspicuous, they are often ignored for pursuing the mad race- one which keeps defining the path, but sets no meaningful end.

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The movie shall persist in the minds of the viewers for a long time. All for its simplicity of expression and its power to overwhelm you. If you haven’t yet seen it, make sure that you soon experience this thought-provoking and evocative masterpiece: Taare Zameen Par.

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Deepali Pavagadhi
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After the debacle of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Karan Johar bounces back with his brilliant Dostana. When I entered the hall, I was wary of what the movie would be like. After all, offbeat topic like homosexuality plus Bollywood is seldom equal to mature treatment. My suspicions were proved to be true, but in a very convoluted way. The movie does not handle the issue of being gay very maturely, but then it makes no pretence of doing so anyway. From the word go the film screams out to its viewers to kindly not take anything literally. I felt all of us were expected to just shut off our brains and take the jokes seriously without analyzing anything that was happening.

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The movie revolves around three characters, Kunal (delectable John Abraham), Sameer (awesome Abhishek Bachchan) and Neha (gorgeous Priyanka Chopra). As has been made obvious already, the three of them shine in their roles. The two men pretend to be gay so that they can get a place to live in. Abraham and Bachchan have a nice onscreen chemistry. After dealing with orthodox mothers, gay bosses and other embarrassments, they have to deal with their own demons. While Neha thinks they are gay, they are both in love with Neha and Neha is in love with her new boss Abhimanyu who reciprocates her love. They must cope with the situation together and what we get is insane slapstick comedy. Believe it or not, Abraham actually acts well here. Priyanka Chopra looks really pretty throughout the film, though it would be great if she wore actual clothes, not bits of cloth all the time. While the plot and the ending of the movie is rather obvious, it is infused with totally unexpected twists and fresh jokes which makes it worth a watch. Funniest is the story of how Sam and Kunal fall in love in the streets of Venice. Do notice John???s jazzy neckpieces. Kirron Kher delights as the melodramatic mother who gets to hear about her son???s official change of sexual preference through mail. Boman Irani has a small role but he does full justice to it. The boss Bobby Deol is as full of expressions as a dead rat, but it is okay because other characters and the script make up for him.

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Shot in beautiful locales, Dostana keeps you glued to the screen throughout. The last bit is typically Karan Johar and could have been trimmed a bit. The movie caters to a younger crowd. It is a movie to watch with friends, rather than family. And for god???s sake, kids below 14 shouldn???t see the movie unless they have a little understanding about homosexuality. My 8 year old cousin asked me with perplexed eyes, ???If they are both boys, how are they kissing?????

??

Karan Johar???s cynical attitude towards love comes out in the movie, and that is what also makes it so refreshingly different. Unlike a few ???comedies??? which came out this year, Dostana is not crass and cheap. Give yourself the luxury of having high expectations. You won???t come out of the hall disappointed.

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Shravya Jain
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Bollywood cinema finally seems to have started thinking beyond love stories, emotional dramas and comedies with poor jokes. This is verified by the release of the movie ?A Wednesday? on September 5, 2008. The movie has taught a lesson and inspired numerous people among the audience. The movie, due to its several qualities, can be tagged as ?smart entertainment?.

The leading roles are played by Naseeruddin Shah, who acted as an anonymous man, and Anupam Kher, the Commissioner of Police of Mumbai. The other major characters are Jimmy Shergill as Arif Khan, an ATS Officer, Deepal Shaw as Naina Roy- a television journalist and Aamir Bashir as Jai Prakash Singh, a police inspector.

The movie begins with a call from Naseeruddin Shah to Prakash Rathod (Anupam Kher). He claimed that he had planted bombs at five different places across the city, all set to go off in some tim,e and he would let him know the location of these subject to the condition that they release four major Pakistani terrorists jailed in different prisons across the state. And that is how this one man takes the whole script into his own hands. This renders the cops helpless, who have no other option but to abide by the instructions of the anonymous caller. The movie proceeds, leaving the audience in utter confusion as to what is happening, till they get a bolt from the blue at the last scene.
The police encounter in the end is shown in a very realistic way. The parallel scene, when Prakash is driving to the under-construction building, while Naseeruddin Shah is packing his lock, stock and barrel is depicted brilliantly.

Anupam Kher, as usual, fits perfectly in the role of the Commissioner of Police. Jimmy Shergill, in the role of a serious and tough ATS officer and Aamir Bashir in the role a police inspector, who is least bothered about his family, at the stake of well-being of his country also deserve applause. But the very man who deserve standing ovation is Naseeruddin Shah. He, in the role of an anonymous man with access to technology and explosives took the movie to greater heights. It can be labeled as one of the best roles that he ever played.

The movie talks about the plight of a common man, i.e. ?aam aadmi?, who lives a life that can invite death at any moment. Because of so many terrorist attacks and bomb blasts, the common man is terrified to go outdoors. But apart from the terrorist issue, the most important point raised by the movie is the power of the common man. It depicts all that can happen in case the common man rises up. He can do anything, just anything which nobody can ever think of. Till datem he is sitting quietly because he has rendered the power to government and political bodies through his votes. But the day he decides to take that very power into his own hands, it will leave others startled.

Certain scenes of the film put a direct question mark on the face of the cops. For example.,calling a student for knowing the location of the caller who speaks about the inadequate techniques available with the police force.
Neeraj Pandey as a debutant director of the film has undoubtedly done a remarkable job. The screenplay and storyline of the film are also his work. Sparse landscape has been used in the movie. The picturization is well above average. The Editor, Shree Narayan Singh, deserves praise. The scene depicting Jimmy Shergill?s fight has been shot well. The camera has been very well focused on Naseeruddin Shah on the terrace of the under-construction building. The movement of the cameras in and around Naseer?s working desk adds curiosity amongst the audience. The background score by Sanjay Chaudhary is stirring.

On the whole, the movie has the capacity to bind the audience. Technically, it is quite correct and logical. It is a racy thriller. One could never prognosticate from the promos that the movie could come out to be a big hit. It is a short drama without songs but has effective dialogues, stellar performances and a good plot. It is a must watch for all.

Shruti Kapoor
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Half a century ago, genetics research showed off its most prominent discovery of all time, right in line after DNA. A new gene that lay hidden in the X chromosome, which, once activated could boost stamina levels to atrociously high ranges, increase the size of the brain to unheard of proportions, and cause the human body to take on unnatural characteristics which in turn would allow it to manipulate objects in one too many ways. Mankind rejoiced, we were on the next stage of evolution. Finally. But the euphoria faded when the catch came up. The gene would only activate when the combination of chromosomes was X and X. Not X and Y. Thus was born one of the first things in human history that stole away the power inherent in males. In the beginning, the activation of the gene in women was encouraged. It would help society, after all. And it could very much be controlled yes.

Yes? No. It wasn?t controlled. The once called Alpha Gene was re-christened the ?pink? gene, and the women who had already tasted the heady scent of power it brought with it helped bring it out in other women. Soon the numbers were too large. They began to take over everywhere. With newfound military, physical and intellectual strength it didn?t take much to topple the ruling sex ? men. Within three decades, women controlled every single arena it was possible for a man to dominate. Men in all places began to band to band together: solidarity to protect their integrity. It had become all the more necessary when the sexual services of males were disposed off as well. The Alpha Gene allowed women to reproduce without using sperm. Halleluiah! Was the general cry. Men weren?t needed anymore. Now they could be given a taste of the medicine of subjugation that they had forced women to drink from the beginning of time.

Lives for men were reduced to the most menial forms of slavery ? begging on the streets, or providing entertainment, which constituted the use of torture and sex. Soon, flimsy reasons were brought up to destroy even those. Men would be shot down for speaking to a woman, for daring to stare at any female passing by.

Tyranny ruled. Male population over the world dwindled to minuscule numbers. The ones that remained became freak shows, remainders of the almost extinct ?male race?.

Now, in the year 2067, I know all of this because my sire gave me our history before being killed himself. I am currently awaiting my turn in the annual competition to limit the number of men on earth. Only 10 men from each generation are allowed to survive. The poor fellow before me died an instantaneous death when he answered one question incorrectly, while all of them looked on with smiling eyes and smiling faces.

—

I was on my last question. If I answered this one correctly, my life span would increase. If not my existence would be wiped from the face of this earth. I was doomed either way.

The last question beeped onto my screen, and the faces surrounding my chamber leaned in closer, studying me, making notes.

?Which is superior in value? The Queen of Spades or the King of Hearts??

Though I could read, the question was read out to supplement my understanding. I couldn?t help but raise my eyebrows. The answer was obvious.

The adjudicator, a pale, blank faced woman, leaned forward to speak into the microphone. She spoke in a voice as hollow as her face,

?If you answer wrongly, the next button you push, will cause you to be??

Pause.

Murmurs.

??disintegrated.?

She completed in a breathy voice, genuine smile et all.

I smiled. Of course I knew the answer. I placed my palm on the button below the Kind of Hearts and pressed, smiling back at the adjudicator?s now shocked face. A collective gasp as my choice of answer flashed out on their screens. I felt my body begin to vaporise.

Freedom at last.

Juhi Mendiratta
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There has been a wide exploration of genres in filmmaking in India; however one genre that seems to be crawling is that of horror films! Please forgive me for saying this, but I think when it comes to horror films, our story writers cannot even make it comic enough to be a spoof on something! At least if the west is not able to scare the audiences with the movies, they are definitely able to crack them up with the spoofs! There are some typical ingredients of an Indian horror film ? actors with large eyes which they can widen and scare the daylights away, a creepy looking maid-servant, a deformed ghost, protagonists living on the thirteenth floor or in a house where the family was previously murdered, a grandmother or some scary actor who jumps in to ‘warn’ you, a back ground score and the latest addition, an innocent child who can see things you cannot!

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Well, the journey started off pretty well in 1949 with Kamaal Amrohi’s Mahal starring Madhubala and Ashok Kumar which was a stepping stone into this area. However, after that we basically had all movies capturing lost spirits (I mean bhatki hui aatma’s) moving about deserted cemeteries in white and carrying a lantern! Of course, there was the 1962 film Bees Saal Baad starring Waheeda Rehman, based on Sherlock Holmes’ Hound of Baskervilles, which saved the day. Two other surprise super hit films were Naagin and Jaani Dushman which are also considered as memorable films. But apart from these, I cannot recall any memorable Hindi horror films.

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Talking about the downfall, about which I have loads to write about; let me start with the re-definition of “spookism” by the Ramsay Brothers who actually defined the B-grade film genre with some pathetic movies, some of which were actually runaway successes. I still wonder why! Okay, well these movies? titles speak volumes for them. Let me share some with you ? Do Gaz Zameen ke Neeche, Purana Mandir, Shaitani Ilaaka, Khooni Saya! Well the situation did not improve even in late eighties when lazy rip-offs from Hollywood were made. We had the classic Exorcist remade as Jaadu Tona! Poltergeist

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