Why does anybody have to be a sex symbol??!!

I am at awe, looking at the huge number of articles doing the rounds on entertainment channels and the entertainment section of the news papers regarding Amrita Rao shedding her 'cute next door girl' look and trying to become all raunchy and hot. Why? Is it so necessary that she or for that matter anybody have to become a sex symbol to survive in bollywood? Lets talk about the greats of the contemporary bollywood times, Kajol, Madhuri, SriDevi, Tabu..where they all sex symbols?? Take the ones who were actually known as such actors, Rekha for example, how many do admire her today? A handful and they only know her for her raunchy looks and sexual assets and acting. Even today when she is called upon for a guest role in a movie or on stage at any event, she has to do something which explicitly depicts sexuality to draw the craze of the audience, but on the other hand if you take kajol, sridevi or madhuri for that, the mere use of their name draws a huge cheer from any crowd.

The latest sensation Katrina was also amazed in an article a few days ago in the TOI, when she was referred to as being sexy. Her quote was, "Sexy me? I'm pretty!". Nobody wants to be known as a sex symbol or as a person who can gain favour by showing skin. But, it has become the latest trend in bollywood, The more skin you show, the more you are recognized, spoken about and more are the offers which come your way and slowly your paycheck starts getting bigger. Looking at it this way, can this be labelled as 'legal public prostitution'? Isn't it just that? Where is the censure board in here? Weren't they appointed specifically for this reason to curb such unruly values and beliefs developing in the entertainment world? For one, I agree that even I enjoy this stuff, but there is a limit to all...too much of anything is too bad and it has taken this form today because of the huge amount of unnecessary hype behind Amrita Rao.

One girl drawing so much attention just because she has shown more skin in her latest flick. This could even be a publicity stunt by the actor itself, but the main thing I am trying to attack here is the belief that unless you are considered a sex symbol, you don't get work and don't get paid in bollywood anymore. People, this is what I have focussed on in my previous articles also. The media and the entertainment world is moulding us into cheaply hypnotised sources of money. We are being drawn into their clutches more and more and they gain manyfold. We need to wake up and question this and try and save ourselves from completely becoming addicted to this, that the censure board, the legal authority which it is also would have no power any longer to prevent this, just because we won't let them to. We are the ultimate power but we are falling victim to an intelligent and cunning system of projection without our knowledge. They are killing us very softly and gently, we won't realize until we are dead.

Champions Trophy - 2009

The ultra-lucrative Champions Trophy 2009 to be held in South Africa in September, just got a whole lot more exciting with the prize money pool bumped up to over US $4 million, an-almost four-fold increase over the 2004 and 2006 editions of the tournament.

The action begins on Tuesday 22 September with hosts South Africa in action against Sri Lanka in a day-night encounter at Centurion Park (the location for the women's world cup final of 2005) and it will end with a day-night final at the same venue on Monday 5 October.

The Groups

Pool A - Australia, India, Pakistan, West Indies
Pool B - South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England

GROUP STAGE

DATE----------TIME (IST) ----VENUE----------MATCH

Tue, Sept 22------6pm----------Centurion---------SA vs SL

Wed, Sept 23-----6pm----------The Wanderers ---Pak vs WI

Thu, Sept 24-----1pm----------Centurion ---------SA vs NZ

Fri, Sept 25------6pm----------The Wanderers ---SL vs Eng

Sat, Sept 26------1pm----------The Wanderers ---WI vs Aus

Sat, Sept 26------6pm----------Centurion ---------Ind vs Pak

Sun, Sept 27------1pm----------The Wanderers ---NZ vs SL

Sun, Sept 27 -----6pm----------Centurion ---------SA vs Eng

Mon, Sept 28-----6pm----------Centurion ---------Aus vs Ind

Tue, Sept 29------6pm----------The Wanderers ---Eng vs NZ

Wed, Sept 30-----1pm----------Centurion----------Aus vs Pak

Wed, Sept 30-----6pm----------The Wanderers----WI vs Ind


FINALS

DATE----------TIME (IST)----VENUE----------MATCH

Fri, Oct 2--------6pm-----------Centurion----------A1 vs B2

Sat, Oct 3--------6pm-----------The Wanderers----B1 vs A2

Mon, Oct 5-------6pm-----------Centurion---------The Final


Local Time: Day Games: 9:30am (1pm - IST), Day-Night Games: 2:30pm (6pm IST)

Andham ki naa johaaru

It is in Telugu...well for the lot who understand it!!

aakasham lo chandrudu enduku
nee andam lo vennela undaga
vinadaaniki sangeetham enduku
nee navvu lo sarigamalu undaga

thene teepi enduku
nee maatallo maduraalu undaga
inkokka devudu enduku
naa hrudayam lo nee gudi undaga

aasvadinchataaniki prakruti enduku
nee thodu lo anthakante haayi undaga
bathakadaaniki vere kaaranam enduku
nee prema lo swargam undaga

Finding yourself..the purpose of life

There are so many things to love in this world, the love of a husband or wife, the love of a girlfriend or boyfriend, there is a material love, there is an obsession which people call love, love of food, love of freedom, love of obscenity, everybody associates love with everything, but why is it that we all finally end up in discernment about our love with just one thing? Why do we get so fixed we don't understand the difference between love and obsession and we start defining our obsession as love? It is no longer what it actually started off to mean. Love is something that is to give us untold happiness, but why do we still stick on to that one thing which is causing us so much pain and still define it as love, why do we categorize it as something you cant let go your entire life. You start feeling crap like my life has no meaning without that one thing. Is this what this world thinks of it? Has every mind in love become so result-oriented you get so obsessed you go to the extent of wanting to destroy it just because you couldn't achieve it?

Well, many of these questions are unanswered, atleast not by me alone. I might no be so experienced in life, but, can't we be rational enough is what I ask myself at every point in life. Life is too long and too beautiful to be stuck on just one thing is what I feel. I agree it takes time for every mind to break out of something, cos, as every great person would say, hopes and dreams are what define mankind and differentiate us from animals and other living creatures and places us apart as the dominant species on this planet. But, can we let our own characteristic ruin us? Dreams are thwarted, but only so that we see new ones. Why doesn't everybody relaize this? That is how our entire species has evolved and are we loosing the base of our evolution as we evolve more?

Love is something which you can say in these simple words as, "Love is something which fills me, defines me and makes me what I am and where I find my ultimate goal of living....finding my purpose". The day one realizes this and starts towards that goal, the word pain would no longer need a meaning in any vocabulary or language. I have embarked on a journey, considering the civilization around me a wilderness, where I am looking for my salvation as a human being, to find my ultimate love and realize my purpose. The day I am proven wrong, I shall come back here and write otherwise. But, it is a dream and it is not wrong to dream. So, is it wrong for me to help others also dream...to find their ultimate purpose in life??

The only laws of nature which are true!!

If anything can go wrong, it will

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the FIRST to go wrong

If anything just cannot go wrong, it will anyway

Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse

If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something

Nature always sides with the hidden flaw

Mother nature is a bitch

Law of Thermodynamics -> Things get worse under pressure

The Philosophy -> Smile . . . tomorrow will be worse

Quantization Revision of these Laws -> Everything goes wrong all at once

The Constant -> Matter will be damaged in direct proportion to its value

The Law of Research -> Enough research will tend to support whatever theory

Rule of Accuracy -> When working toward the solution of a problem, it always helps if you know the answer(Corollary: Provided, of course, that you know there is a problem)

The Ultimate Truth -> No matter how perfect things are made to appear, all the above laws will take effect and screw it up

The crowning glory of the houdini of tennis!!

The second the ball flew off a mis hit from Roddick's racket, the entire world witnessed the greatest tennis player in history jump in joy, filled with ecstasy, cos he knew he had achieved the highest glory every maestro would crave for - being called the greatest at his game and indeed it was an emotionally draining and a grueling battle which made the moment that much more special. After 4 hours and 15 minutes of a deadly fight between two gladiators, the moment arrived with just one moment's lapse of concentration and judgemental error. Federer had proved at this point, that it is all in the heart and the mind. He had not broken Roddick's serve in the entire match until that game, but he did it when it mattered the entire world to him. Roddick had challenged him all through the match, broken him twice and had toiled with him, but at the most important time, the champion showed what it takes to be called the best in the game. He hit Roddick back with everything Roddick had taken him thru the entire match in just one set. He pushed him to the fore, draining him till he finally broke down and gave the fed express one break point and Roger pounced on it. That is all it takes for a champion. One mistake at the edge, and he toppled Roddick over. That is how you define a champion's spirit.

The game's greatest, the cricket maestro and elite personell from the football regime and hollywood and the world over were also present to witness one of the greatest moment's in the history of the sports world. They all knew, it was a day on which even the calamities of nature couldn't stop the rampant force that is Roger Federer. At this point I should pay tribute to an awesome showdown by Roddick, his best match probably for his entire tennis career, who took Federer to the edge and almost toppled him. He had the entire crowd applauding for him, who chanted his name right from their hearts after his defeat also, for his magnanimous stature and forced him to stand up and acknowledge their love for him. His sportive spirit showed in his control of tears and true appreciation of Federer's achievement. He has earned a place in the hearts of millions, including mine which cannot be replaced for a very long time to come.

The crowning glory arrived in the form of the golden trophy, which Federer would treasure for the rest of his life. He held it high for the entire world to witness the greatest honor in any event, 'being called the best' there is. It was official and the world heard the echo of the term - the Fed express , the greatest tennis player in history. It was all but for these words which sealed this truth when the great legend Pete Sampras himself exclaimed, "If there is a greatest player in the history of the game, in my book I would give that honor to Roger Federer alone!!". Truly said, the whole world agree in one great nod of acknowledgment of the genius that is Roger Federer.