हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी......

 Life is full of ups and downs...its a roller-coaster ride.We have the roses with the thorns....etc.We know all this but yet life life goes on and what keeps us going is the hope that somewhere during this lifetime we are going to get what we desire.Each and everyone of us has some aspirations ,some desires that we want to be fulfilled....some are practical and some downright absurd but that does not keep us from hoping and wishing they may come true.

There are so many things we long for or crave.....some may be as simple as a few hours free time or a short nap each day or maybe a world tour or a meeting with our current filmy heart-throb.I am guilty of having quite a few ख्वाहिशें or desires of my own which I hold dear to my heart.My desires are un-ending and once one is fulfilled a couple of new desires promptly take their place.My know-all husband calls me अतृप्त आत्मा or the soul that is never satisfied.I do not find anything wrong in having these desires as long as I am not obsessed with them.These desires give me an aim to keep going and then make me inspired and encouraged to try and achieve them.As long as our desires are not proving to be an obstacle in our life (or that of others)and ,in fact, providing us the momentum to carry on with our lives with added zeal and fervour,I think these desires are desirable.

You may be wondering what all these desires that I have are so let me tell you that I just want to live life to the fullest and do what I love to do.I want to watch movies,travel to more places(here and abroad),have a healthy and happy future for my family,have a diamond ring,buy a new high-end DSLR camera,learn new skills,read more books ,meet Salman Khan ,buy more shoes, bags and clothes , bring a smile on others' faces, have the courage to speak my mind and do what is the right thing to do, eat good food, keep myself fit and healthy, be with people I love and away from people I detest, be better at whatever I do....and the list goes on.I am not ashamed to let you know about my desires as I know that these are not hampering my growth as a person and nor am I obsessive about achieving them.I will definitely work towards fulfilling these but if I don't,its absolutely fine and it won't be the end of the world for me.

I don't think there is anyone out there who does not desire or wish for something in life.Without them life may seem goal-less and like a ship without the oars sailing aimlessly as our desires ,our aspirations give direction to our life.As desires are not only the material things we wish and long for but also include the life we want to achieve,the person we want to grow into.So I would definitely say it is alright to have your very own हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी......as long as you are not obsessive about them.Also remember that all your desires are never going to be fulfilled so be prepared to accept that.

Woman On Top!

Films.....how we love them!
We watch films and forget them.There are ,but a few films that really make a permanent place in our minds and hearts.Who can forget films like Sholay,Maine Pyaar Kiya,Khamoshi,Pyaasa,Quyamat Se QuyamatTak,Saagar,Ek Duje Ke Liye,Khilona and Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge?

But all said and done, there are only a few women-oriented films that touch your heart-strings and make you really sit up and take notice.Earlier a Rekha could carry a film on her  shoulders like she did in the films Khoobsoorat and Khoon bhari Maang and lately Sridevi made a great comeback with English -Vinglish.So it was a pleasant surprise to watch the movie Queen on International Women's Day(What an apt day to watch this great film with the girl gang!)

Frankly speaking,I have never ever liked Kangana Ranaut but this time when I saw the trailers of her film Queen I decided to watch it as her acting seemed effortless and the clips viewed heightened my curiosity about the movie.The movie did not disappoint at all.I loved Kangana's character and the way she grows as a person through the movie.All the other character actors in the movie are natural ,specially Lisa Hayden.There is so much this movie teaches you without being preachy or monotonous. Kangana lived her role and was it really a pleasant surprise for me to know that she can act!The other foreign male lead was really a looker!The film made me crave for paani puri too!(Watch the movie to know why)There are quite a few fun moments (like the lizard scene) and some scenes that made us realize that we must not be judgemental of others with regard to their sexual orientation ,work,status or dressing.It was nice to see the female protagonist leave the hero high and dry and walk away with her head held high and a smile playing on her lips.The movie Queen took us through the journey of Rani and her growth from an unassuming girl into a confident girl ,ready to accept challenges and having immense belief on herself.There is a Rani in all of us and we too need to come out of our shell and do away with our fears and apprehensions.We need to have more confidence in ourselves and remember never ever to lose our self-respect.This movie was like a breath of fresh air and it made me leave the cinema hall with a smile on my face.

Another movie that touched a chord was the movie Highway.The movie was stupendous!A simple tale told in a different manner. Alia Bhatt was really a surprise package in the film.The film touched upon child abuse in the most unconventional way. Randeep Hooda was awesome as the dacoit who kidnaps the rich Alia. Throughout the movie he smiles only once and does complete justice to the role he plays.After the soft and mushy Student of the Year it was unbelievable to see Alia carry this role well.There were a few scenes that left me teary-eyed.I really loved the locations chosen and it really made me wish I could visit these beautiful locations and even have a ride atop the roof of a bus moving along the winding roads!Hats off to the Director of the film Imtiaz Ali for giving us such a gem of a movie.Such a simple movie with such a poignant message.We always assume that our little ones are safe and secure in their homes amongst their family and relatives but it is here that the threat of abuse can leave scars for life.

Both the movies had melodious songs which were a welcome change from the Lungi dance , Blue hai paani-paani and Char bottle vodka type songs that are being churned out every week.I must say I really loved the way Alia moved to the western beats and even her rendition of the song was superb..Both the movies were different from each other but the common factor was that the female lead in the movie carried the film on her shoulders and made the viewing all the more worthwhile as here the female lead was not just a show-piece, she was a woman of substance.Wish to see many more such women -oriented films  and see the changing trend in films.More power to women!!!Way to Go Womania!!!

I Feel the Feel You Feel.....

Facebook has many fans and I am one of them.It allows me to connect virtually even when I cannot do that in real time.It gives me an insight about what is happening around me....in the lives of my friends,cousins and colleagues.What keeps them happy,what bugs them,where they went ,what they did,what they ate???......it's all there for all to see. Selfies are also a rage but I for one am terrible at that though I wish I had the knack of clicking great self pictures,but I guess it is an art at which I am hopeless.I must confess,I am a photo-uploading monster.I keep on uploading photos of my trips,get-togethers,exhibitions I attend  and even the food I eat!!!

Another thing that interests me is the status updates of friends where they post shayaris,love couplets,words of wisdom,motivational quotes,Santa-Banta jokes,husband-wife jokes and what-have-you.What catches my interest and what appeals to me I re-post or copy-paste as my status update.Just recently I read some interesting lines on my friends status.I loved them as they aptly described my emotional state at that period.So what do I do next?Of course,I just copy-pasted the lines and put it up as my status.What a foot in the mouth moment it was!!!As soon as I did that I got a message from my friend requesting me to give credit for her writing.I was amazed and embarrassed to the core as I really never thought that she could have written those lines.....I assumed they were just some random lines written by some one and she had just posted it, just as I had.I felt like a fool for not giving her credit as I always make it a point to give due credit to my photographer friends who click photos at the many photo walks I attend.How shameful!I immediately assured her that I would rectify my mistake and within seconds I credited her for her wonderful lines.I sincerely apologised for my folly and told her that I never imagined that she had penned those lines herself.I appreciated her work and was glad that the issue was sorted.

What amazed me was that she had penned down some feelings that were so true to how I felt.The same emotions,the same yearning,the same everything that I felt.And she had told me that those lines were very personal.....wow!She was feeling exactly like how I was and vice-versa!!!I felt that those lines were written by me!It made me realize that we are not alone and there are so many of us out there who have the same feelings,emotions...a common thread runs through us that binds us...silently,unknowingly.Many a times we fail to realize that and think that whatever we suffer no one knows and understands....but someone ,somewhere is feeling the same pain,facing the same or similar challenge.Similarly ,even when we are ecstatic with joy and unfettered happiness there are some out there who are feeling the same emotional high.

Amazing....life is really amazing.

There is someone or so many out there who can feel the feel you feel.....

Life never ceases to surprise us,challenge us,motivate us,delight us and intrigue us.Wonder why we cannot live together as one unit without the upheavals and clashes even when we know that each one of us has similar emotions.Why can't that common thread of emotions and feeling bring us closer?

Finally,what we all crave for is happiness,love and understanding from those who are near and dear to us.Yet,we are all still searching.....yearning for that happiness,love and understanding that eludes us.

The search continues......