Where I am from where I was

It has been a while my wings were clipped. I believed in people I should have believed in and have suffered. Losing my freedom this time around feels like losing my virginity- can't have it back. It's choking.

But I am writing this post for the positive things that have happened to me in the last few years and the one that stands out the most is financial independence. Yes, I never thought it would matter so much, but somehow it does. It has given me the power to say "no" and decide what I want and don't want rather than what I can afford and can't afford.

Another thing that has happened to me is my ability to look into the future. I was someone who used to live by the moment and I assure you I miss that side of mine. Now whatever I do, I think about the days that haven't come yet.
   

I'm still looking for a place I can call home and accept from the bottom of my heart. I thought it was Bangalore but as it turns our my relationship with the city didn't really work out and we parted on a sweet note.

Next stop is for me to find out what I really want to do in the long term and where I really want to stay. My house is Kolkata will always be there for me to lodge but still don't consider it home. Is it something I should consciously feel or should it come naturally?

Kolkata needs to change

After staying in Bangalore for a year I have learnt one thing- it's the people who make up a place. Kolkata is well known for the warmth and hospitality but surely lacks the enthusiasm to get up and do something. And worst, it has a tendency to mock and make fun of those who attempt to make a change. Let us not go into the huge political or infrastructural side of Kolkata which is already screwed up- lets talk about something as light as movies. Bengali movies are still stuck at saas-bahu melodramatic love stories. People who attempt to break the mould are not accepted. The most famous example? Satyajit Ray was a big flop in his times. Oscar nominated movies in Kolkata ran for only 3-4 days in empty halls! So is it that bengalis are brainless? I don't think so- calcuttans for sure are scared of change, scared to get out of their cosy comfort- don't you find a stoppage for every improvement and I am not only talking about the zillions of bandhs Kolkata has seen.

The Kannada movie industry has evolved tremendously! I don't understand the language and maybe that is why it is so important for me to say here that the cinematography speaks for itself. The basics like screenplay, camera, cinematography- they are all so perfect these days. My kannadiga friends tell me it was not like this 10 years back. How did it evolve so much? The answer my friend gave me was simple, "The public doesn't want monotonous stuff. We wanted change, so Sandalwood changed." So, the public decides the taste! What's with Kolkata? Why cant a movie be without "good" and "bad"? Why cant characters be grey as in real life? Why do people who make realistic movies cannot make a commercially viable good film like "Mungaaru Male" or "Gaalipaata"? I am sure they are made- but they never get recognised.

We have just one Bengali radio station in Kolkata that also plays sad Bengali remakes of popular English songs! Otherwise, we are still stuck at Rabindrasangeet- why do we need to be stuck at something excellent? Why cant we aim at achieving more? Every Bangalore radio station plays Kannada songs except Radio One (only Hindi) and Radio Indigo (only English). Trust me when I say, non-Kannadigas like me tune into radio stations and listen to kannada songs!

Kolkatans, think about it, aren't we already late to get up and change? Cant we change the herd mentality? Cant we live without only doctors and engineers? There are fields that need good people- and we have them, but we are (as usual) wasting them- thanks to our ever enthusiastic parents.

"Between parents and passion if anything needs to win, it should be passion"- Chetan Bhagat.

Lets change the fate of Kolkata!