Impact of movies...

Can movies really move the people and society at large to transform itself into an agile formation that can see its right and wrong in clear light? I keep wondering about this question and just when I convince myself that movies at best can be of entertainment value, there are a few noises here and there that make me think other wise.

The involvement of the Rang De Basanti cast and crew in the Narmada andolan, the host of anti reservation protests that are happening across the country - some say inspired again by a recent bollywood movie are more recent examples.

The larger question is will it last or is this the hype of something that recent and active in people's memories. Is this the new age educated middle class that unlike our parents time is more assertive, knows what's good for them, their society and expects the politico's to deliver on the promises.

Well I guess, we need to wait and watch - a year or two down the line things would become clearer.

UPA government goofs up on Kashmir and Pak

It's been over 2 years now and it's becoming increasingly clear to me that this government at the center has goofed up big time on some of the few good initiatives of the previous NDA government.

the policy towards the subcontinental neighbor's is flawed at best and I don't blame ManMohan Singh for that but the "hawkish"(probably also corrupt) Natwar Singh for that. The more one looks into the details of all the stupid things we did in the last 2 years one really feels obliged to believe the heading of a news report on one of the popular channels here - "Global Giant, Local Dwarf".

India can only gain respect when all its neighbor's respect it, when all of the subcontinent has a consistency in behavior - economic, social as well as on the defense front. I wish ManMohan Singh at least takes a cue from the current terrorist attacks in Kashmir and looks at it in new light.