StressBuster 1: Forget, and Live!

          As I sat there in the auto, on the long ride back home from the mall, I couldn’t help but begin to ponder about how much I’ve changed. I came to India 2 and a half years ago, filled with so much hope and enthusiasm to come back to my country after several years! I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but I knew a positive attitude would be the best way to go. Unfortunately, the amount of stress I have undergone because of difficult circumstances and people in this new environment, has been unimaginable. I complain a lot more, I cry a lot, and I wish to get out of here as soon as possible. Yes, it’s true that I over think and overanalyze the smallest things, but that’s just how I am (though I’m trying to get better at that). But as I sat there in that auto in deep introspection, I compelled myself to look at things from the same perspective as I had, when I first came here.

            I began noticing the same things I once used to be amused by, such as the cobbler fixing shoes on the sidewalks, the nonsensical signboards, or the expert way the ‘autowala’ maneuvered through traffic. Witnessing these same, bizarre spectacles can become uninteresting. I realized I had gotten sick of it. But, still I made myself observe these same things I was bemused by once upon a time.

            The simple way, in which two girls linked arms, and hurriedly skipped through the traffic, caught my eye. There was so much commotion going on, yet these two girls seemed to be in no stress whatsoever. A woman, dressed in a plain salwar suit, abruptly brushed aside the sweat droplets on her forehead, and waved down an auto. Vendors called out from stalls carrying the summer coolers: watermelon, sugarcane juice, sweet lime juice, and coconut water. I smiled, remembering how excited I was when I first landed in Chennai, in the blazing heat, to take a refreshing sip out of a coconut.                         The auto then made a sharp U-turn, hitting the always bustling streets of T-Nagar. I braced myself for the chaotic activities, but found myself laughing, and strangely enjoying the craziness I witnessed. A massive horde of people stumbled up the stairs of Saravana Stores, carrying large shopping bags. Colorful rows of kurtis, pajamas, and scarves lined the streets. Despite the madness, people still seemed to be enjoying themselves laughing, chatting away with friends, holding onto their loved ones, as they moved through the chaos.

            I laugh and smile now, nostalgic of how I felt when I first came to India. Somehow, over the past two years, I have gotten a bit lost in this chaos. Difficult situations, people, and negative experiences overall have got me down. There are times where I have begun to have regrets of our decision of coming back to India. I have felt like everything was wrong, and that I just do not belong here at all.

            Today, I come to a realization that at the end of the day, I am an Indian, and I need to accept the fact that this is my country. I need to do a 360 on the attitude, and begin looking at things with a new perspective. There are two ways of going about this: either I sit there and cry, or I pick myself back up and make things right. Because, life is short, and there is no point looking back on what has already happened. If it’s one thing this crazy country has taught me is to go with the flow. Now that I am finishing up college, new adventures, people, experiences await me. I invite them all with open arms, ready to take on the challenges. I know there will be times that I’ll still feel low, but life isn’t over. Sometimes, you just have to let that spontaneity in you burst out and say, “Hey I live once. So let me just enjoy this crazy life!”

            Also, playing that ‘Happy’ song by Pharrell Williams, and watching those cute remakes really gets me smiling. “Because I’m HAPPYYYYYYY….!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IbTSG14LzM)

East Or West, Comedy Is The Best! (Ellen vs. Kapil)

            Comedy is something, which can only come naturally. A punch-line here, a quaint facial expression there, and bam! The two superstars of comedy, who have climbed to the pinnacle of their success come from opposite parts of the world. From the west, Ellen DeGeneres holds the title of the ‘funniest woman in America,’ transitioning from a live comedienne to a talk show host. She has been in the business for over 15 years now, and is currently filming the 11^th season of her hit talk show, ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’ Matching up to her, is Indian comic superstar, Kapil Sharma, who has won millions of hearts in India and abroad by launching his very own show, ‘Comedy Nights With Kapil.’ Although poles apart culturally, both shows draw some very interesting parallels that will make you continue laughing your hearts out.

            Although both shows have managed to grab the highest TRP ratings primarily through the wit and charm of the host and the content, they differ greatly in their structures and timing. The Ellen Show airs as a daytime talk show, everyday at 3pm for just one hour. It is short, crisp, and pretty straightforward following the general talk show, and ‘interview’ format. Commercial breaks are also timed every 15-20 minutes, resulting in about 3-4 breaks. CNWK serves to be a bit different. Airing only on Saturday and Sunday nights, the show lasts anywhere from an hour and a half, sometimes extending beyond. Unlike a typical talk show format, CNWK incorporates creative elements, such as a skit, followed by celebrity interviews, audience interactions, sprinkled along with goofy dances and crazy characters.

            Because CNWK tends to focus more on the comedic angle (thus the name), there are fictional elements to it. Perhaps what keeps the Indian audience primarily entertained is the craziness throughout the show. The show opens with Kapil’s monologue, followed by a few audience interactions. Depending upon the celebrity guest, it may cut straight into a flashy Bollywood dance number, or a musical flourish welcoming the celebrity guest. Other times, it cuts straight to a skit of his overly animated Punjabi ‘family,’ or as he likes to refer to them as ‘lunatics.’ The craziness is evident through the flamboyant characters and bizarre storylines.

            Then comes the setting. Set place in a grand 2-story house, ‘Bittu’ (Kapil’s character’s name) invites guests into a lavish living room for his magazine’s interview. A fake road lies directly in front of the living room, inviting lone passer-byes to join in on the fun. There is also a cardboard cut out of a goat resting by the petite kitchen to the right. A live band continues to provide a comic effect throughout the show.

            The Ellen Show is much less elaborate in the costuming, characters, and setting, mainly because it is a talk show. The calming California palm trees are laid out as a backdrop against the red, velvet sofas for Ellen’s guests. The audience is seated slanting upwards directly across Ellen. There are a few flat screens arranged throughout the set. Similar to the Kapil Show, Ellen begins with a monologue, welcomed by a loud, cheering audience.  After some punches and laughs from the audience, she dances through the audience, with the DJ blasting the hottest tunes to the max. Highlighting her motto, ‘Laugh, Dance, Ellen,’ Ellen makes sure to do it all. There is a bit more interaction with the DJ, and then the show flows into interviews. The unique element of her show is that Ellen invites both celebrity and non-celebrity guests, adding a sense of realism along with the glamour. From talented child prodigies, to beauticians, to military families, Ellen seeks to make everyone happy.

            Both shows succeed in making their audiences happy. Perhaps that is the biggest similarity between the two shows and the way they’re carried out by their hosts. A generous person at heart, Ellen proves it by helping others out. Whether it’s through giveaways, fun games, contests, and prizes, Ellen seeks to reach out to her audience and give. Aside from her comedy, Ellen has many different segments in her show such as ‘Cash for Kindness,’ in which she sends her staff members to display acts of kindness and affection to everyday citizens.

            Kapil succeeds in bringing the same joy to his audiences in a different manner. More appropriate for the Indian context, Kapil has lively audience interactions, in which he gently teases his audience members, getting them to laugh along. He allows fans to interact with their favorite celebrity guests, by dancing, singing along, hugging, or simply asking a question. The compliments and expressions of enjoyment prove Kapil’s ability to make people happy. Both shows have personalities whose laughter is contagious for all. For Ellen, it’s her DJ, and for Kapil, it’s legendary cricket personality, Navjod Sidhu, who he affectionately refers to as ‘PaJi,’

            There is not a hint of similarity in the physical appeal of Ellen and Kapil. But what makes them both click is their wit, charm, and humor attracting millions all over the globe. Ellen signing off with her usual ‘Be kind to one another,’ and Kapil’s signature ‘Keep laughing and watching CNWK’ strike a common chord in the audience’s minds. Despite continents apart, both countries, India and the US, have brilliant treasures in the field of entertainment, who will hopefully continue to spread joy and love throughout the world.

I Speak On ‘Cheating’

           It’s that time of the week again, exams. Ugh. I swear writing exams every single month is a headache in itself, and then forcing yourself to sit in those hot, stuffy rooms for 3 hours, gives a greater reason to complain. As I sat there on those rock hard seats, trying my best to concentrate, it started up again…the ‘pssts’ and ‘eh macha’ sprinkled throughout the excited whispers. I was done with my exam by then, and I’m sitting there listening to the boy behind me, discussing answers as candidly, as talking about the weather, with his next-door neighbor. As I sat there processing what was going on, I began formulating what I’m going to write about cheating in my next blog. So here it is…

            I understand if you don’t study, or don’t feel like it. Honestly, I don’t either, especially with the dry and repetitive structure of the Indian education system. It’ll bore anyone to tears! But that doesn’t mean you take the short way out. I touched upon this in my first blog, how I feel everyone here is ready to slide by, without actually doing the work. This is what I notice when it comes to exams at my college. It’s like students literally come for these exams just to chill for 3 hours, and giggle their way through the answer sheets. While, the rest of us (or should I say bare minimum of us) work our $&%^# off to elaborate on answers!

            The worst part is the teachers and the way they handle the situations. A light pat on the shoulders, accompanied with the slight drone of the student’s name is apparently enough to get them to stop, until they start up again in two minutes. This is the way a student gets reprimanded. My old schools, you try stuff like this, they catch you, you’re thrown out of the institution within seconds. CONSEQUENCES! Has no one ever heard of that in this place?! Rather than reprimanding students’ actions, the teachers overlook it, pretending to be focused on something else. Even worse, the female teachers will smile and shyly turn away, when male students give em that ‘hey, I’m just fooling around, miss’ look. Oh my god.

            So here’s what I say. The base of sleaze, bribery and corruption in our country, according to me, lies in the education system. If our students are not stopped now, you really think things are going to get better? No one’s asking you to become the saintly Mother Teresa, but for once, just be honest! Is it really that much to ask? In a country so rooted in tradition and culture, we have not instilled the basic morals and values within our young ones. We are the future, they say. What I say is you’re just a walking hypocrite if you blame the corrupt politicians for the fallbacks of our country, if you’re sitting there in class, rapidly copying away answers.

            The whispering boy behind me, who I know pretty well, wants to become an IAS officer. O___o This position is the pinnacle of prestige and repute in the civil services category in India. You are representing the nation, and its people, who will rely on you for the growth of the nation. There is nothing more honorable (so it’s considered) than getting selected as an IAS officer. And I’m sitting there thinking, this guy’s gonna be an IAS officer?

            Please, just for once, try just doing your best. Dishonesty is not the way to go. 

        

I decided to jot all this down on the first day of exams, hoping that after reading this, you may change your mind, and keep your eyes on your own paper, perhaps :P