This is a question that I have been grappling with for about a year, but it’s really started to needle me for the past 3-4 weeks. What is the motivation that a woman has to work versus a man?

I asked my friends and family this question and eavesdropped in to some conversations. The answers were interesting.

Why do men work?

The answer is unanimous it’s because they have responsibilities to fulfill and be the main bread-earners for their families. I agree most men need to take on that role, and they usually do so willingly. But is that their motivation??? Ambition, money, power, fame and name, peer and family pressure, social norms, and the desire to create something. All of these factors play a role for men to work. After all, just think about it - if a man doesn’t work or support his family, he’s usually termed a loser. And in many situations, these men turn towards alcohol or drugs and/or aggression and crime to deal (or rather inability to deal) with how the world views them.

And why do women work?

Click here to continue reading ‘So Why Do Women Work?’

When we talk about people changing partners like they are changing clothes, then Bollywood is one place where we actually get to see this in action. For instance, let’s talk about our once a chweety boy and now gaining a reputation of a casanova - Saif Ali Khan.

To me it looks like Saif Miya has moved on from one addition to another, in other words, from being a chain smoker he is now officially a relationship breaker. Obviously, the above also depends on how much faith you have in the Page 3 section. Anyway going by the recent tabloid gossips and (my) inside khabries, Saif who is single is very very ready to mingle and that too not with just any Hindi phillum chick but only the girlfriends of his contemporaries. A pretty tactful way of wiping out the competition, don’t ya think so?

Click here to continue reading ‘“Kabhi Yeh Toh Kabhi Woh”, Saif’s New Funda.’

You know what I hate the most, I hate it when I follow my inner confidence or what’s it called, ya, gut-feeling in spite of others warning me against it and then I fall flat on my face only to hear the four dreadful words “We told you so”.

On the weekend I watched Kaise Kahein, frankly speaking the movie wasn’t very impressive however it did put forth a very critical dilemma. A question that I always thought I had an answer to, only to later realize when actually faced with it, I am as shit as the deer caught in the headlights - where does your loyalty lie, with a relationship (be it family, a friend or a companion) or towards an opportunity that you have been waiting for from a very long time?

If the topic was ever discussed between closed ones or friends - I always sided “Opportunity”, my thinking was simple. if the relationship really mattered to the other party, if I really mattered to him/her then they would realize the importance of my dream and take a step back and thereby let me take one forward. But what I didn’t take into account here was how would I react if I were the ‘other party’ instead?

Click here to continue reading ‘What’s Your Priority, A Relationship Or An Opportunity?’

Okay, I know he hasn’t been arrested as yet but it’s just matter of sometime now.

Sessions Court in Jodhpur which upheld the five-year jail term for actor Salman Khan in the Chinkara poaching case, turning down the actor’s appeal against his sentencing last year. The actor failed to appear for the hearing, saying he missed the flight to Jodhpur from Hyderabad where he is currently shooting.

Salman will now be arrested unless he surrenders before the court himself. [IBN Live]

It’s astonishing isn’t it, the way our thinking works? When Sanjay Dutt was handed with 6 years prison sentence, I felt a little bad but overall was happy with the outcome. As they say, “Justice had prevailed”, though I know there are many who would argue with me on this.

But the thing that bothered me the most since Sanjay Dutt’s punishment was what would become of my favorite Salman Khan. To make things clear, no I am not delusional - I am well aware of the fact that many across the nation are more sympathetic towards Sanjay but not Salman. To the actor’s disadvantage, his past (besides the crimes committed) has a lot to do with it as well - troubled relationships, scandals, (rumored) underworld connection, dadagiri and the likes.

Click here to continue reading ‘Goodbye, My Sallu.’

Teri kushboo ko en sanson mein basa rakha hai,

tere chehre ko en ankhon mein basa rakha hai.

Dor hokar bhi nahi ho dor tum mujhse,

kyunki teri har yaad ko es sine mein dabaa rakha hai.

A 52-year-old cyber cafe owner has been charged with raping his domestic help’s 14-year-old daughter inside his car in Powai on Saturday. Kamat, a resident of Arti Building in Amrit Nagar in Ghatkopar (West), had lured the girl to an isolated place after promising to take her shopping, the police said. [Mumbai Newsline]

To me and you there’s nothing extraordinary about this incident, right? I mean come on, every third day we hear or read of such sickening acts occurring in the back lanes, parking lots, shady motels and many a times within the four walls of a home, in this densely populated city called Mumbai. Hundreds of people from different cities, small towns, villages come here with the hope of survival. Some succeed while many get lost somewhere in the dark nights and sinister streets. It shows no mercy, be it a man or a woman or a bundle of innocence.

Last year around June another such incident had managed to create some drama - regular citizens protested on the streets, Domestic Helpers organized a dandi-march, media sensationalized every minute detail and for once the Law actually seemed to be doing its job. But then again, the age-old problematic habit of short-term memory kicked into action and we just like always moved onto the “new” topic of the day. I am talking about the murder of 10 year old domestic helper, Sonu Nirmal Kumar.

The Gajarias told the police that they had gone to Sion on the fateful day and found Sonu hanging from the ceiling upon their return. The police then registered a case and sent the body to Cooper Hospital for post mortem. The post mortem report revealed that sodomy and rape were the causes of death. [DNA]

Last bit heard, the Gajarias are still out on bail.

Click here to continue reading ‘Abuse of Domestic Help’