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CAN WE CHANGE OUR LOOKS? Yes, with nose jobs, breast implants and hair transplants too. With the introduction of the concept of reality television in India eight years ago, with shows like Hospital, Commando and more recently Indian Idol and Fame Gurukul, we could never have ever imagined that the trend would catch on in as big a way as it has. I recaIl one senior programming person, who is today an iconic figure in the media world, telling that reality would never work in India, as Indians had too much reality in their lives. Today, the biggest and most talked about shows across mainstream channels tend to be based on reality entertainment formats. And they’re starting to give soap operas a run for their money. One of the most challenging projects in the reality space we’re now developing is a show based on the international format of Extreme Makeover. In this show, top surgeons and hospitals from across the country come together to help bring people who’ve been pushed to the fringes by serious physical problems, back into the mainstream. The “makeover” is one of the classic tools we’ve used effectively on most of the reality-entertainment formats we’ve worked on in the past. In the context of present-day reality television, this is the process that transforms the popular, small-town boy or girl with a great voice into a youth icon. It’s not difficult to execute-new styling, a designer wardrobe, and new attitude. But already, the simple “superficial” makeover is passé. Increasingly, young men and women are opting to go under the scalpel to change the way they look. Plastic surgery, which till recently was the exclusive domain of the big stars, corporate czars and the ultra-rich, is now well within the reach of the average middle class Indian. It’s fast becoming the mother of all cures for chronic insecurity. An insecurity that’s being fuelled to a large extent by media. Glam magazines and celebrity television, with their excessive dependence on actors, socialites, mode and designers, have succeeded in creating an alternative world that millions young people now aspire to belong to. It’s a world that not only assumes you are rich, it’s also a world where what you wear isn’t as important as where or who you bought it from. A world where a well-dressed, under-nourished, under weight, 20-year-old female undergraduate is more likely to be successful, than a [...]

Violence is very subtle most times; and its massive manifestation, dreaded. Even in this day when she is leading many packs of men a work, calling equal shots at home and generally enjoying liberation, there could still be some violence that leaves her a victim, a silent victim. Well, she has been taught not to speak, she better not, and doesn’t. It’ll bring her shame. Men know, we can brush past way too close to pass off as ‘accidental’, smack her in the rear, tear her, maul her, she won’t say a word. If she speaks, she’s blamed for having fanned the fire (or the desire?), leaving her victimized the second time. In any case, does anybody care how she’s affected? But doesn’t beyond violence and silence, lie a woman’s self-respect? A very vulnerable space of her. But why won’t she talk? Why does she choose suffering over an outpouring of humiliation – on the streets, at work, at home? Sometimes we speak up, most times, we just ignore. That’s how we’ve been brought up. We have been taught to not to speak against sexual violence, for that’ll be our insult. Rather than seeing us as victims, we are told to just shut up. Incidents of sexual harassment of unmarried women mostly go unreported, often under society’s pressures. At work, if the boss tries to take advantage of you, you can’t prove it. After marriage, if the wife is not willing for a physical relationship but is forced, it is in any case sexual harassment. There was this woman victim who spoke up after years of abuse. Her husband would come home drunk and force her into a sexual intercourse. To avoid him, she began sleeping with her three daughters. But the man came down to tearing her clothes in front of his daughters. Helpless, the woman would go to the other room with him. A few women are coming forward for filing complaints. But then there are some who come, but don’t want to pursue the matter. They fear that people will say she was ‘inviting’. “Women working as domestic help at homes often become easy target. A big landlord recently raped his domestic help and to shut her up, gave her a pair of bangles, only to later accuse her of theft. We are fighting the case. But it doesn’t stop at that. We have to fight the [...]

EARLY BIRDS: ….will catch only worms! Gen next thrives on’ all things fast – food & SUVs, rave parties, bold relationships, multiple dating, and virtual connectivity. What drives these youngsters? Career, big money, snappy fame and well, loads of pleasure!  In this race for identity & yes, easy access to any information and any kind of connecting at a mouse click, innocence of the naive years is getting increasingly sacrificed. Ah well, the credit and debit of it – we get discussing. Funds, fun, full-throttle! A BA-II student is all set to shift to Mumbai after her graduation, for greener pastures: "I have to make big, quick bucks as soon as out of college. This city is too small for my dreams. I am planning to take admission in Subhash Ghai’s Whistling Woods Acting School & get started". Her take on ‘compromising’ on principals: "life is a series of compromises that we make to get further than others. To achieve something really big one needs to give in whatever life asks for & I am prepared for all eventualities provided I get my rewards" Similarly, an LLB-I student quips, "our generation has easy access to almost everything right from cars, mobiles, TV, Internet to relationships & that sees many of us ‘exploring’ rather early. After experiencing it all, what is left to be achieved is money & comfort". Analyzing the generation, Meenakshi Tanwar, a practising psychologist says, "Today, the youngsters experience almost everything right from sex, alcohol to parties early in life; earlier these were considered as adult pleasures. So that quenches their inquisitive nature and that is when they start focusing on their careers & money plays an important role in helping them make their decision. So strong is their will to be independent & fund their lifestyle themselves that they are ready to go to any length to achieve their goals and that comes easy to them because after one has experienced everything one is numbed to the experiences & that’s when the “so what” mentality crops up. They seem to know themselves and are rather independent. Says a 1st year student: "Our generation is practical & knows where to compromise & where not to. Talk about the technicalities of making money or career choices & we are all game. Relationships matter to us but I guess the need to live a plush life, being independent & living [...]

Brain Drain – when the trained, talented individuals go and work in countries that partake of their knowledge. Many young individuals mainly from sectors like information technology, biotechnology & bio-informatics move out of India with a view to earn a sound income. Young brains migrate with a thought to pursue higher education. Do you think they will return to India after completing their courses? Not exactly… More than 90% will continue working there. The question arises – who finally pays for the loss to the country? India is not behind any country as the youth here are conscious enough about their future. Youngsters are insanely career-oriented, willing to work hard for long hours and serve their country with their best. We have with us many successful and hard-working candidates in almost every field. For over 30 years, some of our brightest youngsters have migrated to developed countries like the UK, Australia, Canada etc. Many foreign companies have also homed in on some developed cities in India, again a source of development only for these foreign countries. The main cause of Brain Drain can be traced to personal aims – of youngsters to earn money and fame. It’s quite obvious that a company offering us a handsome salary will be preferred. Another problem can be the ‘Problem of Governance’. This is an extremely a sad state of affairs that even at senior levels, low wages ate being paid. An economic advisor with the Finance Ministry is not getting more than Rs 20,000 pm, or so we are told. In addition to this, lack of opportunity, several conflicts on discrimination or corruption lead to the rise of brain drain in India. . Some ambitious youngsters after pursuing higher education from abroad return to India and work for their country. With the cooperation of the government and people, one can establish an enterprise. This can be possible for the one with high skills and knowledge. Entrepreneurship is the best way to develop and achieve success. So, the government should give opportunities to the highly-skilled, extremely intelligent and experienced workers to progress in their own country. Much higher skills are essential in order to build firms and markets that can complete the dream of global economy. The need of the hour is to set a goal to achieve 100% literacy rate as soon as possible. A fresh PhD has a global market and it [...]

DHOLAK: A tradition in danger Before we set out for the Dholki colony at Mauli Jagran in Chandigarh, my companion had warned me as to what to expect. As we approached the colony, narrow winding roads, littered with garbage and populated by malnourished, semi naked children, greeted us. Still, as we took our seats in a small meeting room in the local madarsa and got surrounded by about 30 persons pouring their woes all at once, it came as quite an assault on the senses. More so, because we had never moved out of the municipal area of the City Beautiful.  The men folk here make dholaks of all sizes and shapes and ferry them around to sell them for peanuts. Peanuts, because there are hardly any takers for this traditional folk instrument, which has been losing its appeal to the younger-generation musicians. So they take their products to far-off places like Kulu, Manali or wherever some fair is on. They consider themselves lucky if they are able to sell four or five pieces. Take, for example, Ayaad Ali’s household. With six children and a wife to support, he devotes all his time to his profession. He has the dedication and the knowledge. But what he lacks is the marketing skill. "There are not many takers for dholaks these days. So I carry four or five on my shoulder and take them around. Sometimes, one or two stray offers come from the city based musical instrument shops. Mostly, I sell them in other colonies around the city where parents buy for their children," he says. So, how much does he earn? "We manage to make both ends meet, but there is hardly any saving." Looking at his dingy two-room house and his youngest son prancing around naked, one does not have to probe more on his economic status. The same story goes for more than 50 households in the colony. Theirs is an endless battle for survival. "The skill has been handed down from generation to generation and now this is the only profession we know. Even if we think of diversifying into other musical instruments, we neither have the skill nor the resources," says Mushir, who has been making dholaks for as long as he remembers. Things may just change for the better for them as a voluntary organisation called the United Progressive Muslim Front has decided to take [...]