At the cinema today, I saw the trailer of a movie that made tears well up in my eyes. It wasn’t the footage of the movie that made me feel upset and weepy; it was merely the provocative title, which was Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. All of a sudden, I felt terribly envious of all the lovely freedoms that are available in the western world.
Rupa Gulab
Profile of Rupa
Post date: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - 20:39
I’m beginning to feel really and truly sorry for India’s politicians. Thanks to social media, Indian citizens have been emboldened to say such deplorable things about them in public. The shrill ‘India against Corruption’ team took the anti-neta tirade several notches higher last year, despite the fact that many of the team leaders do not have spotlessly clean records themselves — heck, I’m absolutely certain that some of Team Anna’s holier-than-thou tribe will not go to heaven and play the harp for God when they die.
Post date: Friday, March 30, 2012 - 15:11
I always fall about laughing when dead serious talk of a 'Third Front' emerges. This time I did my hyena imitation to perfection as well, despite the dismal failure of our two national parties in the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections. The grim future outlined by our perennially hysterical TV anchors did not stop my smirks. And, unlike Congress, I didn't even flinch when UPA allies were invited to the swearing-in of the two chief ministers.
Post date: Monday, March 5, 2012 - 15:02
We're all agreed that scams have been hitting UPA-II where it hurts since last year. But Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hit the ruling alliance even harder.
Post date: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 18:06
Going by recent events, 2012 is going to be one heck of a crazy year. I have not consulted a Chinese astrological calendar, but I feel in my gut that for India, this is the Year of the Joker. The Election Commission (EC) kicked it off by arbitrarily deciding that if 2011 was the year of exposures, 2012 would be the year of modest cover-ups. They ordered that all statues of Chief Minister Mayawati and her party symbols (life-sized elephants) be concealed before the UP elections.
Post date: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 - 12:06
I'm not particularly fond of Arvind Kejriwal, but I have to give the devil his due. For starters, he's got everyone in the nation (corrupt people included) talking passionately about how corruption must be eradicated. I think that's absolutely fantastic, even though I do not approve of Kejriwal's flawed Jan Lokpal Bill or his shockingly dictatorial and undemocratic methods.
Kejriwal has other sterling qualities as well that have gone largely unnoticed, so I'd like to draw your attention to them:
Post date: Monday, October 3, 2011 - 14:57
Aha! The BJP has finally decided what cutting-edge strategy they are going to use to win the next general elections: cosmetic surgery and PR services. Taking a cue from TMC party leader Mamata Banerjee, who literally ran for the West Bengal elections on a treadmill to ensure that no unseemly triple chin marred her victory photographs, BJP party president Nitin Gadkari recently signed up for bariatric surgery.
Post date: Thursday, September 1, 2011 - 15:02
I just can’twait for BJP to come back to power again!
Post date: Monday, August 1, 2011 - 13:17
After 26/11 there should not have been another successful terrorist attack in Mumbai. Or anywhere in India, for that matter. Our jittery politicians were more shocked by our outrage than the attacks itself — we were threatening to throw every single pair of shoes we owned at them, including brand new, exorbitantly priced and highly prized Jimmy Choos. Alarmed, they promised us the moon as far as security was concerned and, as usual, they were too lazy to put their ideas into action.
Post date: Monday, July 4, 2011 - 15:03
A couple of months ago I earnestly wrote in this very magazine that I support Anna Hazare’s ‘India Against Corruption’ movement. I take it back, and I have sent them a terse letter withdrawing my support. I’m not fickle by nature, but a rather peculiar man called Baba Ramdev made me see the light. He decided that he wanted to go on a fast against corruption as well, and who can blame him because fasting has become terribly fashionable in India these days.
Post date: Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - 14:36
Well well well. Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee has emerged as the valiant Red Dragon slayer, bringing a humiliating end to 34 years of Left rule, sorry, make that misrule, in West Bengal. This is no mean achievement, so a fanfare of trumpets is in order. Despite the fact that she was possibly the laziest, most callously indifferent Union railway minister ever. And a miserable whiner to boot, vociferously blaming other people for sabotaging her work.
Post date: Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - 16:13
I supported India against Corruption. The cause, not the people behind it.