The CWG Marathon Race

It’s been 5 days since the XIX Commonwealth Games drew to a close and as I write this post, a massive post mortem into the event has started. Much like the aftermath of IPL’s 2010 edition, all the controversies surrounding the event are only going to get murkier in the times to come. On a personal note, with the Games coming to an end, I feel a huge void in my life, a lack of vigour and energy in contrast to the enthusiasm I felt every single morning from July 15, 2009 to October 14, 2010. But when I look back, I cannot help but be proud of my association with the biggest sporting spectacle to be held in India till date. This post is a memoir of my CWG journey which can be compared to a marathon race....

The starting line: Any preconceived notions that a Central Government funded autonomous body like the Organising Committee will be a akin to a North Block sarkaari daftar with Godrej steel almirahs and piles of unattended files were proven wrong as I walked into a swanky world class working environment in the heart of Delhi overlooking the Connaught Place skyline. It was a tremendous feel good factor. The feeling I got as I started my stint with CWG was one of self discovery, a feeling of self worth, independence and empowerment when my first pay cheque was handed over to me.

CWG was a platform for India to showcase its prowess to the world, our chance to change the Sporting culture of our country, a platform where new heroes would emerge, a spectacle where my city - Delhi would unite in spirit and in action to make this event a success. Factors like these led to strong emotional attachment with the project early on. Then they were supportive colleagues to guide me and empower me to be pro-active as we set out on our target to raise revenue through Sponsorships from the public and private sector. The start to this marathon race was like a quick sprint because of all the excitement and immense pride in this project.

In a country where Cricket is the be all and end all of investment in Sports, it was never going to be easy. While pitching to the corporates we used emotional and then rational reasons for associating with this event. Of course, business never runs on emotions but on pragmatism. While all were fascinated, only a few showed serious interest to Sponsor and eventually come onboard. Notwithstanding the high investment levels, by May 2010, we had surpassed the Sponsorship figures of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games which were previously the best Commonwealth Games in terms of revenue raised.

The wearing down: After the initial sprint, with increased responsibilities came testing times, people playing politics, incongruence between sincerity and reward. Behind all the glamour, OC is a quasi-bureaucratic set up. As a youngster, it can be frustrating to see that issues which can be resolved on phone/e-mail need to go through a long approval system. Much of this was un-warranted. To maintain a balance between my professional interests and duties (those that involved red tapism) towards my job was a tough call. Nevertheless, I always enjoyed confidence of my colleagues whom I will name later in this post. And then there was the entire episode of coming to the notice of one helluva boss who wanted to totally OWN me, taking away all my freedom. While a public platform is not the place to get into the nitty gritty of this episode, all I can say is that I felt de-motivated and cringed. I thought of leaving the organisation but somehow just kept going. Now when I look back, I realise that we humans have a natural aversion and dislike to change and like being restricted to our comfort zones. This person gave me some major responsibilities and entrusted me with the account management of the Lead Partner of the Commonwealth Games – Indian Railways which is paying a historical $20million as Sponsorship. So yeah..as the cliché goes – everything happens for a reason - holds true.

The collapse: There comes a time in a marathon when you don’t even have the strength to walk, every bone and muscle in your body pains and you feel like quitting and withdrawing from the race. Just 3 months to the start of the Games, reports of massive corruption and slackness in preparation broke out in the media. Some were rightfully punished while some innocent people were made scapegoats. Some of my colleagues who had become more like family to me were unceremoniously dispensed. Crisis had struck us big time and I had a ring side view to all the pandemonium and the ugliness. This was much above my age....and too much of an unwanted experience from my first job. What was meant to be India’s moment of glory, had turned into India’s shame. People had written us off. Even people close to me became highly cynical, pessimistic, de-motivating and doubted our ability to deliver. I would have quit, had it not been for this very cynicism and negativity which I took as a personal insult and was determined to prove each one of them wrong. Just one visit to You-Tube and watching and relating to SRK’s passionate “Sattar Minute” speech from 'Chak De India was all the boost I needed. For the next 2 months I kept away from the newspapers, the television and every single person who was negative... I shut off negativity from my life.

The Final Dash - With a huge and sudden vacuum of high professionalism and valued experience, my department was the worst hit. An inexperienced team now had to deliver on the promises made to the Sponsors who had committed huge monies to the Games. It was never going to be easy. Thanks to an effective and efficient leader taking charge and streamlining responsibilities – things were not as bad as anticipated. True character is exhibited in the direct of circumstances and it was amazing to see everyone over stretching themselves in an hour of crisis. After the grandest of all Opening Ceremonies, the subsequent 11 days of sporting action across 17 disciplines went off smoothly with an enthralling and emotional Closing Ceremony which drew curtains to the Games. Our sponsors weren’t complaining either..in many areas we over delivered! Due to the free commercial time we gave to Indian Railways, India’s oldest brand came out their first commercial ever. Seeing India win all three medals in Athletics Discuss competition with a crowd of 50,000 people at JLN stadium standing up to the national anthem are moments I will forever cherish.

The Victory - My last post about the Opening Ceremony highlighted the reasons for the greatness and follies of our nation. Today, the International Media is singing praises about the Games and using adjectives like “highly memorable”, "colorful" and “wonderful” and giving a big thumbs up to the Games. As the dissection of the Games start, we should not let it eclipse the achievement of our athletes and the hard work and determination of our young workforce and volunteers who performed against all odds. Future of our nation is indeed in great and safe hands!

Question marks – Will the sports stadias be properly utilised or will it be host for mega weddings? Will we learn professionalism from this event? Will the corrupt be punished? Will our government invest in sports infrastructure at the school level? Will we get greater involvement of corporate sector in Olympic sports? Will the Suhel Seths, Arnab Goswamis and Mani Shankar Aiyars of the world talk less and do more to realise what they believe in? Will we take a chance of hosting the Olympics? Will our media learn to become more responsible and less sensational? And personally from here on, where does the road lead me to? Commonwealth Games have left us with many questions. We can either let dust pile up on this event or use it as a shining example to make the future shine even brighter.

What a journey this has been! Some seniors always stood for optimism, hope and positivity in midst of the chaos. Then the entire Sponsorship gang I met on this journey – Rasesh , Raunak, Amar, Shital, Urvashi, Adity, Suhail , Surya, Rishav among others who have made this memorable. As I said in the beginning – the void will be a big one for us to fill!

Back on a different note.. the CWG Opening Ceremony - 8 Observations.

A lot has been said about the Commonwealth Games in Delhi over the past few months. The cold blooded cynics have been out with their knives or rather should I say pens/cameras/tweets etc, highlighting every little filth about the Commonwealth Games and WANTING the CWG to fail.

BUT..

I write this as a very emotional Delhite and above all a very proud Indian after coming back from Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium which was filled to capacity with 65,000 people. The verdict on the Opening Ceremony is already out there. I have just eight observations which explains why we as a nation succeed / fail on certain matters.

Why India wins:

1. Diversity is our strength - We didn't need Bollywood to show our cultural strength or what India really stands for. Move over Khans and Co., there is more to our nation and its heritage than just you guys. The ceremony had it all - India, the land where Buddhism was founded, our Bapu, Yoga, the unsung heroes - the Army, the symbol of our national integration - Indian Railways and in the finale, the maestro who conquered the mecca of all awards in showbiz last year.

India wins because we can show our Multiculturalism when we want to.

2. Crisis Management - As I made my way out of the stadium with other spectators, I noticed that in order to cross the road, we had to take the collapsed foot over bridge re-built by the army in 6 days flat. There they were, spectators turned into "Khatro Ke Khiladi", thousands of them walking on a structure which collapsed just 10 days ago. But not a single one of them was unwilling to take the leap of faith and cross the bridge.

India wins because we know how to manage crisis.

3. We know our Heroes - Mr. Kalmadi was booed, APJ Abdul Kalam was cheered and so was former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee. It wasn't Mrs. Sonia Gandhi who handed over the baton to Prince Charles. It was sadda haryanvi jatt Sushil Kumar! Also many people have been critical of the way our media has handled the build up to CWG, feeling that the media has taken it too far this time. As they made their way out of the stadium, many were singing - "Jai Ho", saying "India Rocks.. We have proved it today.."

India wins because its people have begun realizing who the real heroes are. We use our discretion and don't buy media's sensationalism every time.

4. We are starting to become an accepting society - It was that moment when the announcer introduced the Pakistani contingent and the crowd roared with an instant applause, many stood up and cheered the Pakis as they marched around the stadium. India will win because we are ready to forget history, work and live together for a better and peaceful tomorrow.

5. We've got passion - 1, 800 strong workforce (average age being not more than 28) and 20,000 Volunteers who are not getting paid a single penny and often being served cold food. Yet, they work and work with a sense of pride and belongingness as if their life rested on making this event successful. India wins because the next generation is on their toes, focused and achieves what it wants to in a professional and sincere manner.

WHY INDIA LOSES?

1. Leadership - In an Opening Ceremony, where is the need for the Head of IOA, the President and the PM to speak? With due respect to Dr. Manmohan Singh's stature and credentials, why can't we have a Head of State delivering a heartfelt speech and not one which some babu sitting in the PMO drafted for him.

India loses because podiums are used not to accept responsibility but to score political points.


2. Jugaad Mentality - Yes, we do it last minute. It stems from our educational system. We are good at crisis management. If we can pull it off despite the constraints, imagine our potential if these chains which have limited our growth are not there in the first place.

India loses cuz we create crisis for ourselves and then waste time solving it.

3. "I, Me & MYself" - After the exit, security guard does his job, locks the gate. A member of parliament comes and yells "How dare you not open the gate? I am an MP. I go before the others". In the Metro, huge crowd standing at Central Secretariat rushes in disregarding those who have to get off first!

India loses, because many of us are too self centric and our actions and indulgences are often at the cost of others.

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All said and done, we as a nation are making a defining shift for the better. The "India Shining" campaign in 2004 was pre-mature. But we're getting there....slowly and steadily, despite all odds.

My Name Is Khan - A bundle and burden of expectations...

My Name Is Khan (2010)

Director: Karan Johar
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol
Release Date: 12th February, 2010

SRK has been the reigning King of Hindi Cinema since the mid-nineties. He has continuously conquered hearts and the box office. SRK’s magnetic and larger than life screen presence and ability to emotionally connect with audiences of all ages is unparalleled. However, the one thing his critics have held against him is that he has always worked with only a few set of people and very rarely gone out of his comfort zone. In the past, SRK has proved his critics wrong as two of his best performances - Mohan Bhargav (Swades) and Kabir Khan (Chak De India), have been roles where he has portrayed characters different from his image.

Playing the character of a Muslim Man suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome is a departure from the usual and yet another chance for SRK to prove his critics wrong. Although it would be a different role, it would not really be a first of its kind attempt. In modern times in Hindi Cinema, Hrithik has successfully played the role of a mentally challenged man in 'Koi Mil Gaya' in 2003. The best performances in my books by actors portraying such characters have been the OSCAR winning performances of Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks in Rainman and Forrest Gump respectively. The bar is already very high and it is going to be very challenging for SRK to make Rizwaan stand out from everything else we have seen in the past. It is the sort of role which either has the potential to be one of the biggest highlights of his career or is a role which he could easily end up hamming.

SRK and Kajol after all those years of sizzling chemistry are back on the big screen with My Name Is Khan. In all probability, the film could be their last film together. It will be interesting to see how their pairing in this film stands out from their past work together.

Candy floss film-maker Karan Johar has gone on record and said that making MNIK has been a spiritual experience for him. His last film ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’, although not universally liked, was a brave film. Just 30 minutes of editing inconsequential scenes like the Black Beast kidnapping saga and Dev's son's football match, would have resulted in a very to the point and hard hitting film. My Name Is Khan, I believe, is going to be a novel attempt by the film maker.

Honestly speaking, the first trailer of My Name Is Khan ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8nACZEsVgs ) was a bit of a letdown. The mother preaching in the starting and Kajol acting hysterically was unwanted. The trailer tried to say too much and should have been crisper. The second International Trailer ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDkARnVxpHQ ) looks very promising. It emphasises that the movie is esentially a love story in the socio-cultural backdrop of a post 9/11 America.

In recent memory, 'New York' and 'Kurbaan' have been based on the plight-of-muslims-in-a-post-9/11-America. While Yash Raj’s ‘New York’ was a decent effort, Dharma Production’ last movie ‘Kurbaan’ was according to me a very shoddy, sensationalistic and an improbable story. If My Name Is Khan is supposed to be one of the best movies coming out of Hindi Cinema, it is imperative that it is backed by a good script. Again, it will be very interesting to see whether the story writer has been able to differentiate and do justice to the story and the theme respectively.

20th Century Fox has reportedly bought the distribution rights for the film for INR 100 crore, which if true, is a record. From a marketing angle, it will be interesting to see the kind of business this movie does. Going by the past record of the SRK-Karan Johar duo, MNIK has every potential to break all box office records for a Hindi Film overseas. Recently, Three Idiots has made INR 315 crores in the first 20 days of its release and become the highest grossing Hindi Film of all time. It will be a very tall order for MNIK to get past those numbers. Brand SRK Vs Brand Aaamir - who will come out on top?

The preview clearly captures why 'My Name Is Khan' is one of the most anticipated movies. All questions will be answered on 12th February. Get your tickets booked in advance!

An Instant Connection!

3 Idiots (2009)
Director: Raj Kumar Hirani
Cast: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R. Madhvan, Boman Irani, Kareena Kapoor

Rating: 3.5/5

If I had predicted 8 years back when I was in Class IX that I would study Commerce for the next 5 years, do an MBA and take up a job in Sports Marketing, many of my peers would have been amused about my slightly off beat path, while the uncles and the aunties would have scorned and said “ Beta science kyu nahi lete, intelligent ho, tum engineer ya doctor bano.” (Thank god my parents are not one of those uncles and aunties and I did what I did and in future will do what I want to do with complete freedom!) Though, now we have people taking up off beat professions and doing well for themselves, the typical middle class view of education has remained unaltered over the years. Education system itself hasn’t changed much – emphasis is still on rote learning; and doing a B.Tech, MBBS or an MBA ensures one a successful career.

It was high time that a movie was made to portray and challenge the values of our education system and who better than Raj Kumar Hirani, the man behind the ‘Jaadu Ki Jhappi’ and ‘Gandhigiri’ to give his idealistic and super entertaining take on this issue.

Three Idiots based in a very stereotypical setting of an Indian engineering college makes a mockery of the education system where engineers don’t graduate but they are manufactured with complete disregard to their raw materials i.e. their talent, passion, mental framework and area of interest.

The biggest plus point of this movie is that it does not preach, it connects and connects like no other! It is through a well knit story with capable actors that the director manages to captivate the audience for over two and a half hours and inject ‘gyaan’ from time to time while not compromising on the entertainment dose. Raj Kumar Hirani knows when to give what dose and in what strength.

The movie is a quintessential bollywood entertainer and the director uses all clichés and ‘creative freedom’ to drive the movie along its runtime. A group of three friends having different background and varied interests, bond and cherish each other for a lifetime like Dil Chahta Hai.

The film does well to show a typical lower middle class setup. Raju Rastogi played by Sharman Joshi has a sick father and an unmarried sister at home and relies on astrology and religion to overcome his dire circumstances. The film has audience in splits when Raju’s domestic life is shown in black and white with melancholic music playing in the background. Farhan Qureshi’s (R. Madhavan) parents on the other hand have sacrificed all luxuries in life so that they could support their son and see him become an engineer.

The protagonist Rancho played by Aamir Khan is a witty guy who thinks out of the box, defies and challenges set patterns and values of education, brings a revolution in his friends' lives, confronts his dogmatic and vindictive college Dean and has a subtle love interest in Pia who turns out to be the Dean’s daughter!

In 1989 he played a college student, hung a guitar on his shoulders and sang “Papa kehte hai bada naam karega....koi engineer ka kaam karega.” It is remarkable that 20 years down the line he can still convincingly portray the character of a 20 something. Aamir has indeed traversed a long way and 3 Idiots establishes his unique indomitable niche in Hindi Cinema. Here’s one actor who has managed a difficult feat – of continuously doing meaningful, yet commercially successful cinema (I have deleted Mela and Ghajini from my memory).

Aamir’s role in three idiots doesn’t really stretch his capabilities as an actor. The role could very well have been portrayed by a Ranbir, a Shahid or an Abhay Deol. But what a superstar like Aamir can do to the character of Rancho, none of these guys can. As Aamir gives gyaan to his two friends and explains them the funda of ‘aall iz well’, you know that he is successfully elevating this movie to a cult status!

Sharman Joshi and R Madhavan playing the other two leads give a subdued yet effective performance and let Aamir drive the show. Kareena is at her bubbly best! But the two performances that really stand out are that of Omi Vaidya who plays Chatur and Boman Irani who plays the college Dean. The movie would not have been even fifty percent as humorous had it not been for the antics of Chatur who pulls off one of the most hilarious five minute speech one can ever hear. Boman Irani is the only character in the movie who I think is irreplaceable. All you can say when you watch Boman is “Hail Sahastrabudhhe”!

The film is well complemented by cinematography, music and choreography. The opening shots which zoom past the Himalayas and the ending scenes shot in the serene and isolated valley of Ladakh are a visual treat. Swananad Giri pens some meaningful lyrics which are backed by good music and renditions by Shantanu Moitra and Sonu Nigam respectively.

Three Idiots, even though crowd pleasing is not above its flaws. Hirani sticks to his tried and tested formula of pitting a Hitler type figure against an idealist hero. There is way too much glycerine used in making this movie! The mawkish sentimentality in some of the scenes is uncalled for. In order to prove the genius in Rancho, the director resorts to an unimpressive gimmick in the end. The “All Iz Well” funda over stays its welcome when it is used as a device to culminate the climax of the movie. Also, there is no denying the fact that 3 Idiots is largely inspired from Chetan Bhagat’s ‘5 Point Someone’ and there is no justification for the filmmakers to not give the credit to the author for the story right in the starting credits.

Notwithstanding its flaws and controversies, 3 Idiots is a good effort which gives the audience what it needs most – entertainment. The film is Hirani’s way of saying – “Indian Film Audience, tussi great ho, tohfa kabool karo.”


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P.S. Writing this review is like coming out of hibernation for me. Many of you have complained about my absence but the new job has made me BUSY in the true sense of the word. I have missed reviewing some major movies like Kurbaan, Paa and Rocket Singh ( My favorite movie from 2009) over the past few months but will try to be regular with my reviews at least for the big movies. The OSCAR season is knocking and it will be great to review the favorites for this year. My next blog entry will be about my expectation from 2010's most anticipated movie - My Name Is Khan.
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