The desire...for the star of the morrow.

When people meet to debate audience listens .When stalwarts debate gods listen. Today i had the opportunity to experience such an oratory rhapsody at the telegraph national debate at Netaji indoor. The Telegraph National Debate has long been an iconic event in the city's cultural calender drawing the cream of Bengali intelligentsia to this war of words which has seen participation of some of the major celebs of India- from Big B to Aparna Sen to Pataudi (to name a few!). This year too the star quotient was maintained by Rahul Dravid and Mamata Banerjee who seems to be ubiquitous as the elections draw near. The distinguished panelists divided into two groups of 4, debated on the topic - India will be better run If politicians are left out of the government. rooting for the motion were Suhel Seth, rahul Dravid,  while opposing them were Joy Panda, salman Khurshid, Ram Guha and Mamata banerjee. Suhel seth set the battlefield with his caustic sarcasm and vicious jives pointing out

 Gorur Garir Headlight- at the kolkata comedy carniva l Bengali theatre has long donned the hat of being elitist - the distinction of mass and class long being its associate. There are however exceptions, some exquisitely delightful like Gorur garir Headlight. I had planned for long to watch this one finally managing to attend its 1205th (ya and this is not a typing error!) show today at the kolkata comedy carnival at Madhusudan Mancha. the play dates back to 1971 when it was first staged under the aegis of Saroj Ray , its late director and the man behind this mindless yet masterly caper! Since then the play has been staged continuallt making it the longest running play in the present gamut of bengali theatre. And I must say iot was a pleasant astonishment that I shared witha few others today to witness a packed house for this age old production! Gorur garir Headlight as the name suggests is about incongruity and discrepancy. "Bibbhrat" in bengali would be the most appropr

...watched this film today. A Disney production and a decent effort though nothing overtly excellent about it. A film about golf and the aura of gentleman ship about it, it extends itself in due course to English oppression and the rise/victory of the oppressed. the bollywood attuned audience may easily detect a Lagaan feel in it though this one is definitely less dramatic!! thethen English society finds a decent portrayal. A lovely snatch of conversation, which shows the wry English humour (or sarcasm!) runs thus - Ted Ray: Morning, Harry. Dreadful English weather. Harry Vardon: How'd you sleep? Ted Ray: Like a baby. Woke up every two hours and cried. A watch is recommended though a preliminary knowledge of golf would help a ton. ;-) Happy viewing........ The greatest game ever played

A KLEPTOMANIAC’S CONFESSION It was just another day. I was returning from my office by train as usual. I work in a bank. I am not the branch manager there. I am a sub-staff.   Everyday I return at this time in the evening by the same train. I am a simple common man with a very regular life style. I have my dal-chawal regularly in the morning, go to off ice regularly, have my Tiffin from the same tea-shop regularly…and I steal regularly.    Yes. I am a kleptomaniac.  But…but believe me I don’t steal on my own will. I know you don’t find it plausible but that’s how it is.   My hand, my arm then seems to possess a will of its own. I have tried to strip myself off this but I can’t. You know i have very nice fingers…shapely and tapered.   As a child my mother used to tell me that my fingers indicated that I would grow up to be a learned man. And my grandma used to tell me… But why am I telling all this to you?   I wanted to tell you the incident whi