Myself

My journey has just begun, and I am on a quest,

Wandering eagerly in search for the “Treasure Chest”,

Chest of knowledge, happiness & peace of mind,

And this I will seek if I leave my worries behind.

Seek and you will find it, but the time must be right,

But patience is what I lack and instant is what I like.

Taking a risk is what I dread, I am too lazy to take a plunge,

For pessimist is what I am and negative I have become.

Pessimist probably because my confidence is too low,

But swear I’ll do anything for it to build and grow.

Fear, insecurity in me they reside,

But just with a little confidence these feelings I hide.

I hide because I am reserved and I don’t like to share,

But I pour my heart out to the people who truly care.

Special bonds I love to make and nurture them so they grow,

Through my abundant love and caring gestures, my feelings I show.

Expressive is what I am, I have been that way for a while,

With my appreciation for others I bring too many smiles.

Submissive is how he made me and so easily I let go,

But now people who take me for granted will be kindly lead to the door.

Lies is something I can never speak, Truth I cannot hide,

With my wit and sense of humour, trust me it will be a joyride.

Friends I like to keep not just for outward show,

And if you ever become my pal, we have a long way to go.

Now when overshadowed by trouble, life gets out of gear,

I am gonna get into action, and not shed a single tear,

My Strength I will strengthen, weakness I will weaken,

Its time for revolution because my soul has ‘AWAKEN’.

                                                                                                              Date: 20^th September, 2007

                                                                                                 ASHWINI JOSHI

“Blame it on Yashraj” – written and directed by Bharat Dabholkar

Blame it on Mr. Dabholkar for without him we would not have laughed till our jaws ached. The play is a satire on how weddings these days have traversed from a ceremony of few hours to few days, from a simple marriage hall to destinations far and wide, from a few simple rituals to many, from just a pocketful  of expenses to expenses which make a hole in your pocket. The plot is similar to the english movie "Father of the bride" with the glamour and extravagant wedding concept imbibed from Yashraj movies. 

The plot revolves around a Punjabi man - Mr. Tondon who behaves like a hitler but appears to be henpecked. One dialogue which the man says "I wear the pants in the house, but my wife decides which ones." is one such evidence. He is married to a sweet bengali lady Shoma. They have begetted two kids. Their daughter Rumjhum who is "Papa's favorite", has returned from the USA after pursuing higher studies and the man of her life. Their son Yudi who is caught in the web of applications and social media platforms, that he seems to forget there is real life outside. As his father says “Yudi has only 15 friends in his real life and 51,000 on facebook ".

Mr. Tondon also the narrator, takes us back to the scene in his life which he equates to a bomb blast. The day when Rumjhum makes a confession that the guy she wants to marry is a Muslim. This scene is full of laugh out loud humor and funny drama shaama in the true bollywood style. Mr. Tondon not completely in favor of the marriage, decides to meet the boy and his folks. Aman and his parents seem to be descendants of some emperor, living in the lap of luxury, staying in a mansion where servants outnumber the people staying in the house. And how can one not mention another member in their family “Puchki”, and no don’t go by the name its not a Golden retriever or a Chihuahua, it is a Rottweiler.

As the main agenda of the meeting unfolds “Wedding Planning”, Mr. Tondon finds himself in a whirlwind of expenses.  What makes it a mighty affair? The best wedding planner, high end hotels, clothes by the best couture, food spread that is a global fusion and to add the Yashraj quotient dhamakedar dance performances.  Mr. Tondon makes  funny attempts to reduce the expenses, but they are inevitable. After, all it’s the first wedding in the family, even if he has to mortgage his property, but the wedding must happen the Yashraj way. 

  

It was thoroughly one of the funniest weddings I have attended ,as the tag line of the play suggests. A complete laugh riot with fresh humour that keeps you guffawing from the start to end. 

These are my personal views on the play, the views are not meant to hurt anyone.