BIG FAT CRY BABY
India & Pakistan love dancing with each other.
The two have been dancing this dance ever since they came into being as independent nations. Switch on the news and you’ll know what I am talking about. The headlines scream the usual lines line “Pak backtracks on its word”, “Zardari under pressure”, “Pakistan’s lies exposed in international forum”, etc.
This article is not about who is right or who is wrong. This article is a manifestation of the frustration and exasperation of any intelligent and educated Indian at being led by a team with no will to ever take a stand on any issue.
India in the international scene behaves like a helpless baby. Let me state my case with a few points:
1. Whenever there is a terror attack, India goes on hyper drive to prove that Pakistan was involved.
2. Whenever the US sanctions weapons or aid to Pakistan, India goes ape all over again.
3. Whenever terrorists are caught crossing the border, India goes ballistic.
4. When our PM recently confronted Zardari at a meet about terrorism, the news played it till every viewer puked out of sheer overdose.
5. After the infamous 26/11, Pakistan has brilliantly played ball with every accusation we’ve made and ‘pooh-pooh-ed’ our videos, facts and dossiers with the ease of dusting lint off an old suit.
My list could go on but does it need to?
Here are some thoughts that come to my mind:
1. If India is convinced about Pakistan’s guilt, what are we doing about it (other than pointing fingers)?
2. If our borders are porous, what are we doing about it?
3. How much responsibility do we take for ourselves?
4. Why is our relationship with the US tied with their relationship with Pakistan or anyone? Let the US supply and support whoever they like. Our equation has to be free of this baggage. What stops us from building relations independent of others?
We need to take concrete pro active steps to protect ourselves and anything that we value. The US is a case in point, it is probably the first on every terror groups’ hit list. In a country where guns are freely available, there hasn’t been a single terror attack since 2001. Wow, they must be doing something right!
Besides bawling before the UN, US, SAARC, G8, Common wealth and anyone else who pretends to listen, what really are we doing? Even when the world collapses and death is in the air (for example the recent atrocities on Tamils in Lanka or the attack on Indians in Australia), the toughest line I’ve ever seen us take is when our spokesperson makes a serious poker face and says “India is watching the situation very closely.”
We’ve seen North Korea, Australia, US, Israel, Pakistan, UK, France and so many other nations do what they feel is right regardless of consequences. Once convinced on any issue they all follow it up with action. Does it mean that we believe in nothing? Is it a desperate need for international popularity and a pat on the head saying “good child”? We love to be the big cry baby who keeps complaining but does nothing!
When will we take responsibility for ourselves? Learn some ownership? Let’s stop pointing fingers outside and do something about it instead. Let’s just grow up it really is about time!!
Captain Vinod Nair
17 July, 2009
05 July, 2009
KAMBAKKHT ISHQ
Sylvester Stallone has always been a great source of inspiration to me. He reached out through his movies and spoke to me when I needed it most in my teen age years; he inspired and gave me hope. Riveted and wide eyed, I watched movies like shaped ‘Escape’, ‘Over the top’, the ‘Rocky’ series, the ‘Rambo’ series and many others in my formative years.
To me, Stallone was more than a movie star; he was a beacon of hope. I used to blast ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and work out at intensely at home while watching the awe inspiring training sequence in Rocky 3. Believe it or not, I lost over 20 kgs doing just that. Stallone’s philosophies motivated me no end. The 80’s for me were shaped by Stallone.
After a brief lull, he made a formidable come back with two giant hits ‘Rocky Balboa’ and ‘Rambo 4’. Firmly entrenching himself in his well deserved super star status for yet another decade.
So when the news said that an Indian Hindi film was going to feature Sylvester Stallone along with a few other Hollywood biggies, my delight knew no bounds! The icing on the cake was that the Indian star would be Akshay Kumar, a man whose fitness lifestyle I endorse readily!
Unable to make it for the pre-release trial, I went to the theatre to see the film (I owed that much to my idol Stallone). With much ado, I sank into my seat with my ice cream in hand and waited pregnant with anticipation for the film to start.
At the beginning, I sat wide eyed with raised eyebrows and a huge smile plastered across my face but with each passing frame, my eyebrows dipped a little and my wide eyes began to reduce in size. My smile began to invert. As the film progressed, I covered my battered and distorted face to save my senses from more savage punishment but the film was relentless, it bashed on regardless.
Like a well coordinated terror attack, Kambakkth Ishq attacks mercilessly from all fronts and flanks. The film knows no pity, hesitation, regret or remorse. The smarter ones left the cinema hall while a few of us foolishly braved on. When the savagery of the viewer’s senses was finally over (that is, when the film finally ended), a few of crawled out of the theatre on all fours. The rest had to be carted away before rigor mortis set in.
The time spent watching Kambakkth Ishq wasn’t wasted. It was payback to Stallone for all that he had done for me during my growing years. Today, I can finally look at Stallone in the eye (on the cover of my DVD of Rocky 3) and say “Thanks a million Sylvester for all you’ve given me but we are even now.”
So I, Captain Vinod Nair sign off here feeling relieved of baggage and ready for a good nights’ sleep. Thank you Kambakkth Ishq for helping me repay a debt that has weighed on my shoulders for over two long decades :)
Captain Vinod Nair
To me, Stallone was more than a movie star; he was a beacon of hope. I used to blast ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and work out at intensely at home while watching the awe inspiring training sequence in Rocky 3. Believe it or not, I lost over 20 kgs doing just that. Stallone’s philosophies motivated me no end. The 80’s for me were shaped by Stallone.
After a brief lull, he made a formidable come back with two giant hits ‘Rocky Balboa’ and ‘Rambo 4’. Firmly entrenching himself in his well deserved super star status for yet another decade.
So when the news said that an Indian Hindi film was going to feature Sylvester Stallone along with a few other Hollywood biggies, my delight knew no bounds! The icing on the cake was that the Indian star would be Akshay Kumar, a man whose fitness lifestyle I endorse readily!
Unable to make it for the pre-release trial, I went to the theatre to see the film (I owed that much to my idol Stallone). With much ado, I sank into my seat with my ice cream in hand and waited pregnant with anticipation for the film to start.
At the beginning, I sat wide eyed with raised eyebrows and a huge smile plastered across my face but with each passing frame, my eyebrows dipped a little and my wide eyes began to reduce in size. My smile began to invert. As the film progressed, I covered my battered and distorted face to save my senses from more savage punishment but the film was relentless, it bashed on regardless.
Like a well coordinated terror attack, Kambakkth Ishq attacks mercilessly from all fronts and flanks. The film knows no pity, hesitation, regret or remorse. The smarter ones left the cinema hall while a few of us foolishly braved on. When the savagery of the viewer’s senses was finally over (that is, when the film finally ended), a few of crawled out of the theatre on all fours. The rest had to be carted away before rigor mortis set in.
The time spent watching Kambakkth Ishq wasn’t wasted. It was payback to Stallone for all that he had done for me during my growing years. Today, I can finally look at Stallone in the eye (on the cover of my DVD of Rocky 3) and say “Thanks a million Sylvester for all you’ve given me but we are even now.”
So I, Captain Vinod Nair sign off here feeling relieved of baggage and ready for a good nights’ sleep. Thank you Kambakkth Ishq for helping me repay a debt that has weighed on my shoulders for over two long decades :)
Captain Vinod Nair
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