News Breaking

India’s most popular domestic help, goes by the name Hemraj and after the past couple of months, prospective parents may think twice before naming their daughter Arushi. Why is this isolated incident so irrationally popular? Why do most Indians know more of the crores in the Parliament than the Nuclear Deal itself?

The media thrives on sensationalism! So what? As kids we hold the idealistic opinion that the media is a responsible, morally dedicated, justice pursuing and delivering, timeless being. Then, we grow up. And as we taste the sweet joys of demanding democracy, we realize that like everything else in this country, the honourable media too, is governed by the same laws of democracy. And once we make that realization, democracy doesn’t seem so sweet.

If every television channel at 2 pm showcases hilariously evil plotting between daughters and mother in-laws, it is only because, at 2pm, daughters in Indian homes wish to see scheming against their in-laws. If homicide in Noida gets more airtime than the Jaipur blasts, it is because you and I want it to.

The media is responsible. It doesn’t engage in yellow journalism. The media is dedicated. It ticks 24*7. The media pursues justice. Think Jessica Lal. And the media thrives on sensationalism because it is a spokesperson ‘of the people’ and ‘for the people’. So, technically, it commits no vice in presenting the news or ethically dubious entertainment.

A popular track of a Hindi song, ‘hum tum ek kamrey me bandh ho aur chabi kho jai,’ from the blockbuster, Bobby plays as you see a huge lion, amble lazily into a room and sit beside Dear Lioness on a sofa. A loud voice-over goads the lion to pay more attention to his beloved (think lioness). Well, I am watching Aaj Tak, one of the many 24-hour news channels. “Wait! don’t go anywhere”, announces the presenter with all seriousness, “there’s more...you would be amazed”, she assures. If one is amused, it’s because of the crassness and unimaginative presentation of a could be interesting animal clip. I spoke of Aaj Tak. I needn’t speak of India TV or IBN-7 among others. As students of commerce you might say that a rat-race for TRP’s is only realistic and necessary. All I can say to that, is that the sad thing about rat races is that, even if you win, you’re still a rat.

- Abhinav Nayar

Debating The Mall

The following article was my stand for an environmentally conscious debate on "The Mall Culture in India".

The Mall Culture: A Boon

The Wall Street Journal recently headlined India with the caption, “Ready, Set, Go!” That sentiment has been around for quite some time now. ‘India Rising’ is more than a term; it’s a feeling, a vibe and now visible action that we’re quickly getting familiar with.

Things are finally happening. We’re buying vegetables from air-conditioned glass shelves, simultaneously choosing between brands from different continents and will soon have nuclear power. In this drive to development, things go from awe, to attraction, to habit. And the mall culture in India is one of those things that are habits in the metropolitans while still rouse awe in smaller cities.

Now, the mall culture is symbolic of something very significant – a change that could take the world by storm. India had always been a bearish workforce. But the retail boom in the country proves a change in trends. We are doing exactly what America did. We are changing lanes into becoming capitalists – a bullish economy. And emergence of the mall culture facilitates the realization of our greatest strength – our sheer numbers. The spread of the retails boom and mall through out the country, even in Tier 2 and 3 cities supports the idea of India becoming one of the largest markets of consumption. So people we were working for are now taking notice and working for us. Hence there is more investment from abroad and the subsequent growth.

That was pure global economics. Let’s zoom in a little more. Reliance Fresh was almost inaugurated by stones pelted by the hands of the small-scale grocers it had replaced. Similarly multi-storied malls attract the business away from small-scale retailers. So what? It’s better to adapt to change than to be overcome by it. The sector whose business suffered was that which had refused to change. By opposing malls and large-scale operation we are opposing growth and betterment. The provision of more comfort, utility and a pleasant environment for recreation while still winning on prices is the mall culture’s USP.

What would have made an entire market, haphazard in nature and covering kilometers is condensed well into the attractive 20,000 sq. feet of a mall. It supports systematic development, saving of space and land, provides a better atmosphere, lower prices and an outlook of change which wins consumer satisfaction and so every one is happy.

To say that the mall culture is against the environment would be a farce. Malls are usually located in city outskirts, thereby diffusing the load inside the city in terms of traffic, noise, commotion and pandemonium. It converts that atmosphere into one with soothing instrumental music and underground parking. Gurgaon is a perfect example of what the mall culture is capable of. What earlier comprised barren land and a few factories, today is one of the most systematically developed and rich cities in India, thriving on its malls and subsequent land rate.

The mall culture is a boon. I could almost call it economic charity. It is an industry that brings order into cities, dramatically improves the market environment for both buyers and sellers, is one of the best things that happened to India and the common Indian and yet makes money out of it. To term such a phenomenon as a bane on miniscule grounds would be to obstruct natural growth and progress. The mall culture represents a change – and well, change isn’t necessary, but then neither is survival.

An Identity of Espionage : Movie Review

He was the perfect weapon until he became the target. He’s Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), of "The Bourne Identity" - a cracking espionage thriller, devised by the genius of director Doug Liman and producer Pat Crowley, with a surprising choice of lead actors (Matt Damon, Franka Potente) - a gamble that pays off in spades.

On a stormy night, an amnesiac is rescued at sea by the crew of an Italian fishing boat. Nearly dead, carrying nothing but the bullets in his back, a bank account number embedded in his hip and completely without identity or background, he possesses an array of extraordinary talents in fighting, linguistics and self-defense that speaks of a dangerous past. A bank locker in Zurich, biometrically his, reveals a gun, several valid passports, thousands of dollars worth currency and most importantly a name: Jason Bourne, which he adopts in an urgent search to discover who he is and why his life has been given a perilous turn by those he doesn’t recognize.

The film contains pulse pounding action sequences set in extravagant locations in Europe, cutting edge cinematography and acting that blends realism with an explosion-a-minute plot.

Watch Matt Damon show the true meaning of paranoia as he portrays a man who learns that some things may be best forgotten.