Serendipity

It was the summer of 1996. A handsome young man,dressed in immaculate whites,stepped out on to the hallowed greens of Lord's and promptly made an indelible statement for greatness. I was in school,beginning to discover my love for the game,eagerly devouring all newspaper reports and TV clips; those were the days when cable television was still a rarity, Doordarshan ruled the roost and watching cricket on TV hadn't become a tedious affair where the actual action on the field is superseded by a plethora of inane advertisements. The young man in question had made his debut on the back of a highly successful first-class career. He was, perhaps, not considered a 'prodigy' who becomes an overnight sensation, but, instead, went meticulously through the grind, to stake his claim for the India cap. That moment finally arrived in June '96. Thus began a journey which was silently spectacular, one which reminded viewers that cricket was indeed a gentleman's game, one whi

One of my favourite movies in recent times is ‘The Holiday’ , delectable , fres h and charming .   However, it might have remained just a slightly more sophisticated ‘rom-com’, a few notches above the regular breed had it not been for one of the most unique subplots ever. The heart warming friendship between Iris and Arthur . This little play is treated with such tenderness and finesse that the end result on screen borders on the lyrical.   The conversations between Iris and Arthur are simple yet thought-provoking. And it g ave me a wonderful chance to delve into one of my obsessions - the g olden age of Hollywood. Sample the fol lowing conversation be tween I ris and Arth ur , it's as if my thoughts echo in her questio n to the ageing scriptwr iter, a throwback to Hollywood's glory years . Iris asks - "So was Hollywood really as great back then as I imagine?", Art hur replies with a twinkle in his eyes - " It was better . " And along with Iris, I

It's been three-and-a-half months since I came back from Stockholm, and I have been pining for it ever since. Of all the things that I missed, traveling was the numero uno.  That palpable sense of excitement of arranging the trip, finalizing all the little details, finally setting out on the journey, the sense of complete amazement, that rush of seeing new places and meeting new people...I could go on and on. I finally decided that it's time to stop looking back and feeling sad at those bygone days. There's probably a time and place for everything in life, so that it all fits into the big puzzle. Yes, I will always miss those beautiful days of traveling and exploration, but I wouldn't be actually cherishing those wonderful experiences if thinking about them only brought sadness and triggered a sense of 'Oh! If only I was there'. The traveling shouldn't come to a stop. Yes, I might not be able to explore the wonders of Europe now, but I can travel to new pl

It is Friendship Day today! Or as I would like to say out loud -   Happy 'Chandler-Monica-Ross-Rachel-J oey-Phoebe' Day y'all !                                            Can anyone better define the essence of friendship than this beautiful and charming sextet? Watching them on tv, I bet, we have all felt like an invisible 7th member lazing on that comfy couch at Central Perk!                           Within our own intimate circle of friends, we have tried to identify characteristics reminiscent of the adorable six. Personally speaking I would love to be an amalgamation of Chandler's inimitable ready wit and crackling sense of humour; and Phoebe's disarming frankness and quirky nature. 1994-2004. Only a finite time span for the show's tv run. But even after a decade on, it is  irreplaceable , holding a very special place in our hearts. Indelible footprints. Lingering memories. For me there is no better remedy after a depressing day, tha