Post it

Image courtesy, Wikipedia

Just today morning, I was thinking about how litte people wrote letters any more or sent telegrams or even went to the Post Office. I had even heard that the Indian Post had improved their courier service (Speed Post) to match all private courier operators.

As I was wondering why the Indian Post didn’t do better in efficiency, I came across a brief in a today’s Economic Times:

Govt withdraws Indian Postal Act amendment
NEW DELHI: The government has withdrawn a proposed amendment to the Indian Postal Act that included making courier companies charge a hefty premium over post Speed Post rates from customers, thereby costing them business, a top government official said on Thursday. The department of posts (DoP) will redraft the Bill and send it for the cabinet’s consideration, said DoP secretary Radhika Doraiswamy at a function here on Thursday.

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That’s when I realised why the Indian Postal Department was never going to do well, financially. This department also follows what nearly every one else in this country does:  “Let me stop progress of other competitors and by that virtue I will do better. Who care about being efficient and doing my job well?”

And as nasty thoughts crept in, I remembered all those instances where parcels were brought opened and/or empty, letters and greetings never reached on time and the staff considered it their duty to be rude to you.

And to bring a smile back, check out P. L Deshpande’s  ‘Majhe Postatil Jeevan‘ (in marathi).

Marathi manoos not here!

Though time and time again I (at least) am told not to be judgemental, I wonder if avowing not to judge someone is a judgement of sorts only?

But that’s just a thought.

In the last few months, my mother has upped the ante (so to speak) and brings ‘boys’ in all possible types for me ‘meet.’ I usually don’t get through the first meeting itself. The thing is, I am Maharashtrian and, a lot of the men I meet have terrible ‘ghati‘ (can’t think of any other appropriate word) accent. And I can’t get past that. I can’t think when I hear someone being something they are not.

English is not a mandatory language when you speak to me. Especially if you are not comfortable. I would be more at ease if you weren’t saying “probaaaably, viable ulternatives, taste (test) products, phurst and saycond places, vice-ay-varsha…etc etc etc

Now, at my work place, there is a gentlemen who is doing business developement for a important part of our company. And this is exactly how he speaks to clients and potential clients and vendors .

The worst part? He actually has substantial stuff to say.

We’ve had a guest this past week

One wonders…

It’s a strange paradox.. old friends seem to be moving on, finding new things that interest them… while, on the other hand, these old ones are being replaced with new friends, who you wonder how you missed the first time around.

Could it mean that nobody really matters in life and lessons learnt are more tangible?

Or that I am unable to sustain friendships?

A weekend of surreal movies

I often get a lot of flack for my choice of movies which leads to resultant arguments. I can’t always walk away from those arguments.

In the recent past it has been for movies like Tashan and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom which have caused massive arguments.. anyway.

This last weekend I took the Friday off  and spent the next three days watching movies I hadn’t seen in many, many years. I miss my neighbourhood video walla and wish Pallika Bazaar was closer:

Inaam Dus Hazaar: This is an all-time favourite and a copy of Hitchcock’s North By Northwest. I remember being extremely intrigued with the famous twist in this movie and had, unfortunately, seen the hindi movie first. Nothing to beat Cary Grant in the original with the famous ‘swoop‘ scene.

Neeyat: I would often mix this movie up with another Shashi Kapoor film Fakira but seeing this one again… an editor gets killed squeezed between floors.. absolutely delicious. And three men in love with the same woman. I enjoyed it thoroughly.. for the nth time.

Ghar Ho To Aisa: There were a lot of movies in this ‘Aisa’ series.. Biwi, Bhai, etc etc. This is a particular favourite and funnily it was shown thrice over the weekend. Must have been an Anil Kapoor favourite too. It’s basically about dowry and bad mother-in-laws and emancipating women. With the 80s favourite Meenakshi Sheshadri, I think I can even hum the songs along. I know!

Laatsaab: A whodunit of sorts, I caught this late at night. On a channel called ‘Zee Action’. Neat songs (very peppy and Bhappida-like) and a girl (Neelam) who romances boy (Jackie Shroff) from beyond the grave. A. K Hangal plays a very strange villain. Hmmm.

Chasme Baddoor: This, of course, needs no justification. Or explanation. Like any from its time — Katha and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. There is another am yet to see in a while.. Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jaye.. very unlike comedy-cum-romance.

Kaash: Even looked like a Mahesh Bhatt film and explored some aspects of marriages and rearing children well but as was the case with all films there, production value was quite bad. Nice songs and even better chemistry between Jackie and Dimple.

Another long weekend coming up on the 26th. Are you listening you channel programmers?

He also writes about interesting Hindi films.