Lost Love and Fair Skin

An advertisment of Pond's White Beauty face cream is being aired on TV nowadays which shows a guy dumps his gf and 3 years later she comes to know he is a celebrity now and engaged with another celebrity girl. The ex-gf sees an ad of the product which claims to give "a white glow" (read: become fair skinned) and starts thinking...rather decides to buy it. For part 1 of the story watch the video. Now in part 2 the fiancee is shown to be a short tempered girl who cares more about her fingernails than the gifted diamond ring. The ex-gf uses this cream and becomes all fair and glowing and the guy comes to her flower shop (by chance) and can't stop ogling at her. She is still in dilemma whether to tell him that she still loves him.
Now my point is do these Pond's guys intend to show that an ex-bf can be won back by becoming fairer??? If that is so then should a guy who apparently dumped you for your looks be wooed back??? Even if he didn't dump you on basis of looks , still should he be wooed back at all??? that too by becoming fairer n all??? What is with this prejudice against the dark skin in India when we are on the receiving end of racism?? I think the British rule made the Indians fascinated with white skin and we have not got over that yet. All dark or wheatish colored girls are made to think as if they are some misfits and have to apply all sorts of creams or soaps to become fair to get married or an audition or guy or whatever. Infact now guys are also being targetted and urged to become fair to woo girls!!! In arranged marriage being fair is a must criteria for the girl, no matter how the guy looks. Being very fair is a bonus. The qualifications and the nature of the girl are hidden or compromised upon after seeing her shining beauty. In fact I suspect even in an affair the girl may use such creams to keep her guy happy lest he leaves her for some more "greener pastures".
This prejudice and discrimination irks me no end. My elder sister is wheatish colored whereas I'm fair. Since childhood I've listened to many comments on the difference which has made me very annoyed with people who advocate fair color. Even when I was 7 yrs old or so, I gave a piece of my mind to some 70+ old men in my mother's village where we had gone for vacation. They had dared to say "how different Niru's (my mom's name) kids are in color" or words to that effect. I have seen my roommates desperately using these products. For what? for whom? Someone who will judge you and accept/reject you by your looks? So much effort for that? Does being fair give confidence? Helps you win laurels?? No I don't think so. I admit being fair does give an edge due to all the pre-existing prejudices and morons who judge by a person's looks but if you have it in you no one can stop you for getting what you want. Be it clearing a job interview or getting your guy or winning an Oscar. Check out Halle Berry's Oscar acceptance speech.
As for winning back ex-bfs I don't think a jerk like the one shown is that much of a trophy and if it was so easy as made out to be in the ad then there wouldn't be so many heartbreaks in the world. You know the ad says "sometimes life gives you a second chance"....and the second chance is cosmetic product????? what #@#$&%!
Part 3 of the ad is awaited. First time I'm waiting for a sequel in an advertisement and curious to know what will they show ultimately.

P.S. Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless: peacocks and lilies, for instance. ~ John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice

The Final Straw

I suspect that Ms.Ekta Kapoor has finally lost it...gone bonkers...has become raving mad, insane, deranged, unbalanced and sadist. She is planning and in fact has begun shooting of an episode of her popular soap opera Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii based on the sensational Aarushi muder case. The storyline is about a teenager in the serial who is killed by her parents because of her relationship with a boy and they are unwilling to surrender easily. Of course Balaji Telefilms say that they have only been inspired from the real life story. So finally Ekta and her writers (I doubt there is only one writer as the stories are all same with just a change of sequence of events as inferred from input given by my Mom) have run out of ideas to dish up to the viewers and they are resorting to cashing in on such a real life tragedy especially when it has been solved yet. I think all Ekta haters and Indians interested in saving the females of their families should launch a signed petition to close down Balaji Telefilms...."Save Our Moms" campaign. She is literally making hay while the sun shines!! What next? More real life murders and scandals will be incorporated in her various serials?

Much has been written about it so I wont rant much here. Just wanted to express my stand.For Aarushi murder case read hereFor news articles on Ekta's episode read here and hereTo know more about why Ekta is hated read hereP.S. Ok if not petitions then what about supari? It can be done online too!! I'm sorry if I've hurt the feelings of any Ekta Kapoor fan out there.Image credited to mangalorean.com

Confessions of a TV addict - Part 2

My top favorite serials deserve a separate post so I'm writing a Part 2. So now coming to non-Indian serials....the top slot is taken by F.R.I.E.N.D.S...what else!!!! I have watched runs and re-runs and re-re-runs so many times that even my Mom knows which episodes I have already watched and recognizes all the characters. But still they make me laugh as if I'm watching for 1st time. And I miss having such a group of real friends...One video is especially for those who are going to France.




Then I like the serial "Charmed" a lot as I just love fantasy and magic. I watched only few episodes when it was being aired. I never thought I would be able to watch starting from season 1 to final season until now when I discovered all seasons are available on the Internet. And I watched season 8 last episode sneakily on Youtube first to see if it all ends well. It does.

And last but not at all the least....my favorite Chinese/Korean serial which used to aired on the channel HOMETV...back in 1997....I watched the whole series 4 times continuously as Hometv used to re-run a serial just after it used to end. That was the best summer vacation. But sadly it had sad ending, like all Chinese series. The series was called "Blood Stained Intrigue" and I was simply crazy about it.

Confessions of a TV addict - Part 1

I have been addicted to television since I was four years old....actually since the day we bought TV. It is rumored by my elder sister that I used to watch anything Doordarshan ( the national and only channel in India at that time) dished out; like Krishi Darshan, a program for the benefit of farmers where experts solved their problems and suggested better agricultural practices.

As I grew older, my attachment with TV grew. I used to be completely mesmerized with the moving pictures and the characters. It took my family (mostly my sister) a lot of coaxing, cajoling, emotional blackmailing, scolding, and bartering to get me to study and do vacation homework. I would like to point out I was among the toppers of class, and that's why my family was at wit's end as to how to make me study as I got good results with my high level of insincerity.

My first passion was animation and it still remains so. I simply love cartoons and animation movies. And my sister loved to keep nicknames based on the cartoon that was being aired.
In this post I want to share some of the happiest moments of my life when I used to get lost in the world or visual media by the courtesy of Youtube and the uploaders.

Starting with famous cartoon Jungle Book.....which prompted Didi to call me "Mowgli" or "Baghira".... Baghira was my favorite character...strong and silent characters always appealed to me...Jungle Book was such a hit among children of my generation. The old cartoon series were much better than those being aired on Jetix or CN... all Japanese and violent.


Oh I almost forgot the first ever super hit animation series ....He-Man!!! Didi liked Orca, I remember. It was awesome...."I have the power"

There was an afternoon show featuring characters which were vegetables. Their king was brinjal called "Baingan Raja". Sadly no video is available of that show. Didi made a parody of the title song which went like Juug juug jiyo mere baingan raja....raj tumhara sabse pyara.....Then there was one called "Molu". As the name suggests the protagonist was a mole. In fact it was the first series which inspired Didi to start nicknaming me. Again no video available.

Then I was totally in love with Genie from the series "Arabian Nights" featuring Aladdin. It was pure humor mixed with adventure. It was an one hour show where half hour was of Aladdin and other half of Little Mermaid.

Then Disney cartoons at 10.30 am on Sundays won hearts of many young and old in India. Talespin was a favourite of my Dad. And everyone liked the pirate character (I don't remember the name) more than Baloo.





How can I forget "daanu"??? I couldn't find the Hindi version of the opening song.


Then my second passion are fairy tales and fables, especially witty ones like Akbar Birbal, Vikram Betaal etc. Further, as I became wiser, I started liking some real human characters too like our King Khan who was a tv soap actor then. I liked his serial Circus very much...more than Fauji.


My Didi's favorite series was Bharat Ek Khoj.....and I never felt any interest in it. Infact it was a very famous show but sadly I didnt like it.


Doordarshan also telecasted short films and videos in public interest and to celebrate culture and heritage of India and to promote unity in diversity. Those videos are evergreen and remembered by all who are of the Doordarshan generation. I liked them a lot and used to sing along with them. From one of those, I learnt visually the dances of India though I'd studied in geography book. Didi had to bear the outcome of this knowledge as I demonstrated her daily the different dances and made her understand the difference between Yakshagana and Kathakali by pulling her cheeks.




Oh yes then there was a series "Malgudi Days" based on the famous novel. It was fine only till Swami was there.




Then all the girls including me had a crush on Byomkesh Bakshi.....and were sad as he grew older. It was the best Indian detective series.