Utility Sex

When I heard this two words, coming together for the first time, my reaction to this was, I could not help, but chuckle up. I do remember asking, “what is utility sex ?”, to my boyfriend then. He replied, “...in this process people have sex to make only babies.” If you are really very curious about utility sex, and does it really exist ? I would like to suggest you to read, Sumnima, a novel by B. P. Koirala. This is one of the most talked about novel by the writer, who, in fact was well respected politician. But the incident, which happened in India, gave more food, to my brain for thinking about its end consequences.

Two men, Rajan and Harish became fast friend after their casual meeting. They felt comfortable sharing everything with each other. One day, Harish confinded his biggest problem with Rajan, he could not be a father. In a conservative society like India, infertility is mistakenly also taken as impotent, so the men with this prblem has to go through, the equally double burden, with a serious mental pressure, to deal with this issue; due to the narrow thinking, as well as lack of education in the society.

Very innocently, Ranan suggested, “....why not you choose a man, to whom you can trust, to be the father. I have seen many people doing this, as the couple keep quite in this matter so, no one will know about this.” At first, Harish did not like the idea, but when his eyes fell on Rajan, he changed his mind. He was better looking than him, younger than him and at the same time, he could trust him also. What more, he was the father of three children too, so he instantly offered him to do the job. This offer left Rajan dumbfounded.

Rajan, like Harish, was a small time worker, who lived on daily wage basis, if only; the work is available. Harish offered Rajan a stay over place, at his home at very cheap rate, even to their standard, which he could not say no, as the money was always tight. Harish talked about the arrangement, to his current wife. His first wife had left him, because he was very dispointed about not being able to be a father of a child; so he was abusive and always blaming her for not having children. Harish was very obsessed with having his own children, and she could not give him that. After the separation, his first wife became a mother of three.

Harish wife was not willing to be part of all this compromise, but could not muster a single word of disapproval, to his very dominant husband. Besides she was much younger than him too, at the same time, she to [secretly] wanted a child of her own.

Nobody knows, why some thing works, and why some thing does not, just like Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruz, when they were married, they were a childless couple. They were married for 10 years. They even have adopted two children and raised together. But when they separated and married after that, both of them became the proud parents of their own child.

Back to our own story, these four people were living in one room for all purpose, home of Harish. About six month back Rajans’ 10 years old boy had come to stay with him. When a whole year went by without any result, Rajan announced, he is gong back to his village, Harish was angry with him, and with himself and then with his wife too, for there being no child yet. Even after a years of painful experience of his life. He had let his wife share with one more guy, with only one hope, that one day he will be the father of his own child. But now Rajan was leaving home, to him what he needed seemed less important to him and he choose to walk out of all the mess.

Harish felt cheated, fooled and used for his flaw, he blamed Rajan and his wife also that they were intentionally prolonging the whole process... so that they could only enjoy sex and was not serious about making baby.

The day before Rajan was to leave for his village, Harish killed his friends 10 year old boy. and then ran. When police caught him after two months, all the truth about the killing came to light. He wanted to teach his friend, how painful it is, to cry for your own child.

Although, this [crime] story has very sad and tragic ending. Harish, gives us the very important message with his very own traditional and conservative mind set which lacks proper education; one crucial truth about sex. Sex is very intimate and private affair, which speaks a strong language of love. Otherwise use of it, always end up in downwards derail path. Its very hard to witness; anything that is called utility sex and remain sane at the same time, even though, the whole flaw, lies within.

School Drop Outs’ Angle

If you don’t do good in college, you won’t do any better in life also. This line just hit me as my next blog was almost ready in my head. I am a huge fan of Madhur Bhandarker’s movie. All his movie are worth watching again and again and again and again.... as one of his character in the Page 3, said, “its not important that you tell a story, how you tell it is more important”, and I think he is good at telling the story.

Madhur Bhandarker’s way of portraying women in his movie is, slowing getting me into thinking; but very slowly. Not because he is fast but because I am slow to get it. His first movie Page 3, gave him rave reviews from critics in India for which he even won a national award. This award has got the reputation of being as worthy as Oscar in India. This movie tells a story of a page 3 society from a gossip journalist’s point of view.

But it was his other movie, Fashion, which gave lead character, Priyanka Chopera, her first national award also, for her role in the movie. for me the real story is how men treats woman as mere toy and how woman get carried away with it, not even realizing that it all has his interest in it, to play with you as easily available for his ride. but it is to understand in time can he do it if we [women] let him keep ding this and be a toy of his hand ?

Really ? who holds that power and how long ?

At the end of the movie, how the character played by Priyanka pulls and gather herself, coming out strong and standing tall is so empowering especially when with all the hardship she had been in the short but ambitious of her life as a path to super model. Its a really inspiring to all woman's. Personally, for me its total wastage of time to blaming them and ruining our life; instead we should learn and move on in our life. Not melt down in pressure and this is the best answer to men.

Not a secret now, Fashion is another movie, I keep watching repeatedly, and the details Madhur had paid, while making this movie makes it easy for me to watch it without even getting bored.

Needless to tell you, its clear that I am a huge fan of Madhur Bhandarker’s art of story telling and he seemed to have mastered in the women in lead role of his movie. Did I said, Madhur’s angel ? I became even more of his fan when he admitted in a recent interaction with his grates hater on the small screen that, “ I myself is 6th grade fail person and never ever seen the face of college in my entire life. All I have acquired in my life is self teaching and reading many books. People have come to me and personally praised for my work on ‘Corporate’, I was making a movie which was a way above my reach, college education and career in corporate world.

Oh ! yes you should see the movie ‘Corporate’ again how a beautiful and again ambitious woman, who is well educated and climbed her corporate ladder, ends up in the jail and how she got toyed out by the male dominated world of corporate.

At this moment, I remember one question which I had asked with a wife of my childhood friend in recent encounter, because the guy now has a body of a casino bouncer. She is of small stature and he looks bullying in every angel. “Is he dominating ?” I asked her, and then she replied matter of fact way, “…...yes, of course, but with my permission.” the man wore a grin on his face after hearing it.

Reality show judge

As the reality show is getting its popularity around the continent, two British reality show judges, music mugal Simon Cowel & world famous restaurateur Chef Gordon Ramsay, with their shows like American Idol ( now on X-Factor ) and Hell’s Kitchen, became household name, around the world. As the shows became more famous, viewers started love to hate them for their brutally honest remarks. No wonder, any master chef is my favourite show, but Master Chef USA - 2011 have just begun and chef Ramsay Gordon’s fierce comments is going to chill your bone and thrill your imagination at the same time. But I love both of them.

Even the most confidant participant of the contest, will change their color terribly, once he or she hears their remarks.

Its bit understandable that Chef Ramsay is honest, I mean brutally honest. What makes me wonder is, why he is potty mouthed too and now a days the respective channels, has to bip those words, from the world viewers. I think, this is what scares the contestants most.

Both are equally and brutal honest. Good thing for Simon that he is not potty mouthed like Chef Ramsay. People around the world loved to hate them.

Chef Ramsay does not blink his eyes to pass the comments like this "This looks like a baby vomit." or this looks like the baby shit to me." for the food which was placed in front of him by the contestants and at time does not hesitates to show on the camera to spit what he just put in his mouth.

But the core point is that, brutally honest opinion put those contestant on the world map, unlike the sweet comments passed by their counter parts, which saved the contestant from the discomfort zone in front of the world viewers, but surviving that comments proved to be the win or lose factor for the participants of the shows. It seems that, their brutally honest comments has a lot more power to one win or loose game.

Simon Cowel can predict, whose album will sell and whose not; a lot earlier, than the others could tell, and then he could get them sign on multimillion dollar deal with his record company. Just like that Chef Ramsay, can offer job, to the winners of the show, in his world renowned restaurants. The safe side judges, can not provide any exposer or hlep them rebuild thier career after the show, that's the reason they are soft on those who are not good in their respective work, but can offer soft console.

Their opinion, is not just a layman’s opinion, but; they have been speaking, from their own experience in their respective fields and that's what gave them the confidence to speak their mind, which scared the new comers and we the audience.

Good side of these two are; hard on pretentious and over confident contenstants and soft of those, who has the talent but not the required confidence. These two bring out best in all of them.

Recently, Chef Ramsay asked a contestant, at his new masterchef USA - 2011, “where were you, in all these 10 years ? this show needs a participants like you.”

I Remember Simon Cowel, saying one of his participants [teary] on the X-factor show, “may be, you need this platform to show your talent, but more than that, this show needs you.”

Comedy & Comedians

It was the beginning of 2005 and I used to work in Media House which required me to market television programs to corporate houses, and advertising agencies also.

Jire Khurshani, was one of the program which was with our agency then and my boss was about to dump it down as corporate houses were not ready to buy it, due to low TRP ( Televisions / top rated programs ). So to market it also, I must have to see it regularly [weekly] so I can be convinced first to convince others to buy it. Its already been more than three months on air and in our system, here, to, television program ratings is not so reliable, so we have to wait and watch.

The makers of the programs where producer and director were playing the lead role, were trying to make it hard but they did not know what to do entertain mass public. So they were also on trial and error basis and one of those episodes, which I remember is this particular time is a scene from the Jire Khurshani. It was definitely not their’s but a joke that was already here for so long, and they only performed it on their way.

The scene went like this : A white cloth covered man up to his neck was lying on the floor and a man was crying hard asking for some cash so that he could take the person on the pashupati. Needless to tell you there was a huge crowd gathered to sympathised, but hardly any body threw proper cash, which would have been enough to hire a cab to the Pashupati for that dying man. this went for some time and after that the crowd started thinning and in no time there was almost no one in front of that dying man. so the man wakes up from the floor and walks on the street.. some people who were still on the same lane of streets sees him and question him, “how come you are walking now ? you were about to die ?” “there was not enough money to hire a cab so I have no option but to walk to the Pashupati.” he replied.

This scene or many of such scene in the following months started giving them good TRP and then the programme rose to the unexpected height and followed the Tito Satya, which was enjoying the number one program not only on Nepal Television but all the other channels also. Corporate houses started buying time inbetween the programs for ad placement and we do not have to drop the programme.

Jire Khurshani, has always been my personal favourite and I like it even more, than Tito Satya, which is staying on number one position untill today, even after these many years on the air.

Writer as a Fighter

Recently, in a glitzy and glamours awards show, Javed Akhtar, was awarded ‘life time achievement award’. He went on stage to accept that award; but did it with his kind of acceptance speech, “...if you are thinking, this is a polite way to tell me, that I have worked enough and I should retire, then forget about it.” He said the line, with more stressing it on ‘forget about it’ and then walked out of the stage with his award. Its very uncanny to see such fighting spirit in anyone whether it is common man or a celebrity but he is a writer who used his pen to fight also.

There was a time I used avoid watching Amitabh Bachchan, on the screen, due to his unnecessarily angry image. I still do not choose to watch those movies, as watching him just agitated me more, than it entertained, but it was also the time when his angry young man image got so famous in whole world in India. Amitabh Bachchan, rose to the height of fame from those images. One thing, very few people know is, that it was the story written by Javed-Saleem, which gave him this kind of larger than life name, fame and image.

Why they choose a hero to portray the kind of image, who was always fighting for his right with society. It so happened that when Amitabh Bachchan, was playing angry young man then Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. She had slapped in India, the Indian Emergency period, It was one of the most controversial times in the history of independent India. The then President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergency, under Article 352 of the Constitution of India, effectively bestowing on her the power to rule by decree, suspending elections and civil liberties. Some how, it seemed that she could not have any control over the cinema and suddenly one hero of the nation was voicing one voice, who represented all its country-men. Credit of his fame, is some what goes to the writing of the Salim-Javed also, who wrote it to vent their frustration about the emergency period. But angry young man image lasted longer than the emergency time frame [from 1975 June – 1977 March, totaling a 21-month].

When I was in school I used to admire Mrs. Gandhi so much for representing womans in powerful positions but after learning some inside story like above and many more like that my respect and admiration for her diminished drastically.

Some of the best stories by the writer duo came on seventies, like Shole, which happened in ’75, which is regarded as the milestone of Indian movie industry and Deewar and this famous lines from “Aaj mere paas building hai, gaadi hai, bank balance hai. Tumhare pas kya hai. Kya hai tumhare pas. ……………. Mere pas … Maa Hai.” [Today, I have a house, a car, a bank balance and what do you have.............. I have Mom].

During the following years more movie released; Amitabh Bachchan, as an angry young man. Those cinemas really changed the face of India and at times hammed whole nations thinking patterns also. The point was, what they wanted to say was, Amitabh Bachchan was saying and the Indians loved him more than anything in fact they do worship him.

On the other hand Salim-Javed – iconic writers, whose Zanjeer sent Amitabh Bachchan’s stock Northwards, whose Sholay became a synonym for blistering blockbuster success, who earned more than the superstars, who sold films on their names and got hoardings of their own.

And then they broke up stunningly and suddenly. For 15 years they ruled at the top and one day went abruptly in two different directions.

Although, I am not an Indian; but some of the sea changes, India experienced in the following decades was also because some power house writers like Salim-Javed wrote it and envisioned it well ahead of times in their country and society. Interesting, they needed Amitabh Bachchan, to carry their message to India and who knows its a vice-a-versa.

Who’s fault is it ?

A Twelve year old boy was murdered brutally and bizarre way in the remote part of India. Post mortem report revealed, it was very unusual case than normal murder case. As the team of police started digging the information and reason behind the murder, what came out, may surprise you.

Step-mother : When she was told by her neighbour that her husband was going to marry for the third time because she could not have any children, it got her worry, as she did not wanted to loose her husband, for whatever the reason. It was her second marriage just like her husband, Manohar’s. This couple have raised their only son together, which was from his first marriage. Manohar’s first wife had died immediate after giving birth to her child. Rekha had raised the child without making him feel like he was stepson. Their efforts to have their own child, had ended in so many miscarriage. They could not have any child in more than 10 years of marriage. Six miscarriage during the period only eluded Rekha, wanting for more of her own child from her second husband also. She did not have her child from her first marriage also. At last, police caught the mother of the boy for the murder, when this information was relayed to his father he was shocked.

Father of the boy : He wanted more children from his current wife and when she could not conceive a baby even after several attempt, he thought of marring again for the third time. He had shared this idea with his friend, who talked about it to his wife.

The neighbour lady : Who informed Rekha, about the idea of third marriage by her husband, just to have more children, which she could not gave him. This news shook Rekha inside out, and she wanted do some thing about it. If she had not informed this news to Rekha, she would have gone to see the tantrik; which later ended in boys brutal murder.

Tantrik Shastri : Rekha and her cousin brother went to see, one well known Tantrik, also known as Shastri in the area, to find some solutions to their problem. He sounded so arrogant [it was not confident and blind faith] about his knowledge and power of God, but to me it seemed, that it was his bread and butter winning work, and nothing is miracle about his skill and that extra power, for which he asked some undisclosed amount of money also. He told Rekha and her cousin to kill the boy, in very particular way. He convinced them that, ...the boy will not be dead, only his body will leave the earth but his soul will return back; the same boy will reincarnate in her womb within three months.

Rekha did not wanted to kill anybody, but more than that; she did not wanted to loose her husband. On top of that the tantrik, was cork sure of his act of murdering the child and assured her very confidently. The same boy will be born again, from her womb as her own child. She was very illiterate women of the remote part of India, who believed tantrik blindly and obeyed meekly and followed his order. Height of superstitions.

Cousin of Rekha : Ramesh, who could not see her sister sad and he offered not only consolation to her but his best help possible. They went to visit tantrik, Shastri together to get some result, an easy way out from the trouble. Who at the end killed, the boy as told and described by the tantrik.

The boy was wounded severely in all over his body, mostly above the leg in twelve places, each one, for his age and one behind the neck, which was even more horrible to watch. Chunk of a meat was pulled from it, like, as if an animal pulled it from there. That meat Tantrik said, was a part they have to offer God [?].

Ramesh and Rekha will definitely serve their terms in prison respectively but rest of the people involved in this case will be treated as normal and move on in their life. But do you really think they should get the jail term.

Who’s fault is it, to the murder of that boy ? Should superstition land any one in jail ?

The Dream Sellers & Slum-dog millionaires

Slumdog millionaire is one of my all time favourite movie, it seems, I can have never enough of it, just like the current episodes of the KBC on recent days.

When Danny Boyle, made Slumdog Millionaire, India reacted in such a way; it created huge media buzz, not only in India but the other side of the world; as the makers are from England.

The whole country was angry with the name of this movie and it had created such buzz that the BBC reported, the Mercedes-Benz had pulled back its name as a sponsor of the movie. the gang leader was supposed to be using this car, but the automobile giant did not wanted to be associated with this movie, after the whole buzz, it had created in 2008. Movie was a huge success around the world making 519 million dollar as of December 2010. Did they regretted later after the success of the movie ? They must have, but we are not covering that side of the the story.

Jug Suraiya , a journalist and columnist from India, wrote an editorial in favour of this movie in Times of India. It not only angered the other media but it triggered Big B to write 18 page criticism against his 700 words as against his editorial, citing that the movie had mocked the poverty of India. This is one impact of his editorial, Jug Suraiya will never forget.

When Slum dog millionaire made its debut, in TV across the world, the part where the young Jamal takes the autographs from Mr. Bachchan and a scene slightly earlier than that , had been removed including a question about Mr. Bachchan’s Movie. It’s been edited and removed from the world viewers. If you have not seen the movie in cinema hall prior to the tv release then you are not even going to know, which part had been edited to world viewers [keeping in mind the huge population of Indians around the world].

During my school days, I was never ever a big fan of Mr. Bachchan, even though my best friend of that time was crazy about him. I did became one of his fan, however; when he started hosting KBC in 1999. I was totally in love with his voice and the way he laughed out loud during the show. Though the show was a huge success but it was put on hold for some time later on. Mr. Bachchan was not doing this program, when the movie was being made and released on theatre across the world, including India. After its release it seemed, that they forgave the movie makers for the mocking their poverty. In fact, the movie had never ever mocked the poverty of the Indian[s]. Yes, there is no doubt it had, given us the very inside story of slum dwellers in India, which the Indian film makers could have choose to hide it from the world audience.

In 2010 KBC, Indian version of who wants to be a millionaire ? resumed once again on Sony channel. This year, I have been watching this almost regularly. This time they have been airing the background story of the contestants also, which they had never dine before, especially not prior to the real life version of the plot, oscar winning movie on 2008, slum dog millionaire was released. Now, they give us the video clippings of the contestants, mostly the participants are from the remote parts of the country. If they are not the real slum dog; then they earn very small amount of money to support so many in the family with that much money earned. Or the people who have taken loan which takes years to clear out. Now people are not shying away to come out and admit on the nationals channel that, they are up to the eyeball on debt.

As the day pass by; its amazing to see how a person with their intelligence, is capable of achieving in their life. Its not that all the people who are in debt, could with the game, but most of the people with a burden of loan or financial pressure, proving that, it can be achieved. All one needs to do is come forward, leaving behind the feeling of humiliation, that the whole India will know about their financial condition, if they come here on KBC to face the camera. But then the same decision will also give them, the chance to exhibit the power of intelligence also, and win the huge cash prize in a matter of minutes.

After the release of the movie in 2008, Sushil Kumar, who became first real life slumdog millionaire, wining 50 million on this show. He was a Government computer operator earning IRS. 6,000 [ $145 ] per month and to support the family he used to take tuition class also at his home to meet the demand. At one point of the show he admitted that “...he gets dipressed very fast.” “finding himself in front of Big B as well as winning the show was a dream he was seeing for last eleven years, which came true on October 27, 2011.

After the show Mr Bachchan wrote on his blog, prior to release of the show on television, “the entire place exploded. The family of the contestant ran on to the set in uncontrollable joy and screams and tears of happiness.”

Earlier to slumdog millionaire, people were, very shy of talking about the hardship of their lives on TV screen and perhaps it was the production team also, who did not think, its necessary to revel the dire need of cash, felt by the contestants. Before the movie, it was a game show; people came here to take huge risk and lost too. Now people come their to ease their loan or face the difficulties of money they are facing in their real life. They hardly take risk and take whatever money they make so at times is bit boring also at it loosed the true spirit of sportsmanship, but the story behind the general people is really worth it and at times very moving also.

If you have watched this show, when Sushil Kumar, won the game; just like I have, you should have seen the real excitement and exuberant, in Mr. Big B’s voice and on his face which suffused all over him. He was more happier to see him make it, than the winner himself. Shushil Kumar, himself was bit low on expressing his feelings on Television. Perhaps he was not used to of expressing it that much of happiness and excitement on in his life.

Now, I have a question to ask with Mr. Big B, do you really think, the movie Slumdog Millionaire [or your show KBC], mocked the poverty of Indian[s] ?

Passion v/s Parents

There are so many people, who nag a lot, that they don't get the proper opportunity in their life, because of their family backgrounds. Family background makes such an issue blocking all the possible way in their life. They have no connection or networking to be where they wish to be or say, what they want to achieve in life. Every time you get this idea in your mind I want you to read this story and see how things work in real world.

When, I was saw Dhoom for the first time, I saw a guy, a new comer, doing very significant role. Like millions, it had baffled me and wondered who is he, to get a chance to play in such role, in this mega budget movie ? which became blockbuster later on. It took me some time to get my answer. If he would not have been son of Yesh Chopra, he would not have been acting in that movie. It was Yesh Chopra, the father of Uday Chopra, whose company had made that movie. Yesh Chopra, is not only the man, behind the movie but also a movie mogul in India.

In December 2009 Uday Chopra, wrote Pyar Impossible and also played a lead character in the same movie. Yesh Raj Films, had spent 30 coror to make that movie, when it was released; it covered only 10 coror on box office collection. Oh ! yes, it gave the gossip channels and all comedians of India, a juicy topic for many more weeks to come for blowing that much money on this one particular project.

Its Yesh Raj Films, which gives more opportunities, to new comers in the industry, than others. They are in dream selling business and they earn money selling dreams. Therefore, they cant loose money again and again in this business, even if the one who cost them money; is their own family member. They can hire and fire the unknown actor but not a son who cost them hell.

Give me one name, of a move in which, Uday had played and made it in the box office, me too as clueless as you are. Unless and until an actor plays a character in a movie and makes it in box office or gets the rave review from he critics that person can not be tagged as an actor.

There are so many people, who keep nagging for not being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people, who could help them build their career. Udaya Chopra, is just the right answer to those, who thinks, being in right place and born in right family to make it in big industry, is not every thing. The first rule of the glam world, which apples in any other field of the work, is you should earn your space, your parents may pull some string but on the long run its you who have to survive the rat race.

Those connections may take some people to some where but its ones’ passion, talent, dream and desire what leads your life not the right place, connections and right family. Its a nature of a person which shapes, ones life not how he has been nurtured.

Talents v/s Training

Priyanka, is the natural and spontanious actress and before entering in the acting field she had never ever been to any acting school or classes. She had won the miss India title and then went on to win Miss World. Then just like any other beauties of the Bollywood; she to plunged in the glamour world of Bollywood and then started doing movies without prior knowledge of it. Its been couple of years she enjoys being one of the most versatile actress, of Bollywood as well as one of the highest paid actress also. She is recently signed for her new album with an international company and she endorses about eleven brands of multinationals company.

There was a time when Priyanka Chopera, who is a Bollywood actress, was linked with Herman Babeja. Denying all the speculation about their linkups, that they were dating yet both of them admits, they are good friends and even today they maintains that. Their last work together was, Whats your Rashi, a movie, which did not do, that well in the box office collection.

After the release of Whats your Rashi, its Director, Ashutosh Gwariker, interviewed them on the sets of a gossip channel. Though the interview seemed, it was a promotional gimmick, but the questions and answers were not.

One question particularly pulled my attention when the director asked Priyanka Chopera “how it is to act ?”

On the other hand Herman Babeja, is from the filmy family, as his father is a movie distributor. Herman Babeja, had gone to acting school and then went to study further drama and movie in a famous college in Germany .

Needless to mention here, that Herman could not achieve the kind of success and recognition compared to Priyanka Chopera, who is a spontaneous actor and never been to any such school or college. Besides her parents also are not from movie industry, which is the common practice in Bollywood. Today Bollywood is hugely occupied with 2nd or 3rd generation of the star kids.

In real world, its ones talent, passion and desire in the particular field rather than, what you have learned in college or school or where you come from.

In the long run except for his family member there will be very few people who will remember who Herman Babeja is or was but priyanka Chopera, will surely be remembered longer than her one time boyfriend.

I am not surprised if many of you ask Harman, who Herman Babeja is ?

Dare defy your fortune-teller

Shahrukh Khan is one of the three Khan who ruled Bollywood much longer than the other superstars of bollywood. I can remember clearly readding a movie magazine even when, years have passed by before me from the day I had read it when I was in school. an entertainment journalist had wrote that Shahrukh Khan was very angry with the fortune teller who had doubted  his desire to be as big and famous like Michael Jackson. Shahrukh Khan today is well known for his ability to handle media men. There are times he used to give interview 86 journalists in a day.

When Shahrukh Khan was a rising star and dreaming to make it big in Bollywood; he changed the normal trend of lead character playing the role only positive on the screen. So, he started playing the lead character role by a negative role in his early movies. His early movies Bazigar and Darr created such buzz in the market that over night he was the guy who became the talk of the town. It was his way to make a dent in that Kapoor dominated showbiz world. 

No wonder it was then he never wanted to hear, 'he won't make it', not even from those so called fortune teller who can be found by the dozen in India as he was secretly dreaming of becoming as famous as Michael Jackson.

Today, he is considered Bollywood's answer to Hollywood's Tom Cruise and to his delight , he is living his dream to be as famous as Michael Jackson.

The fortuneteller may not have any answer to his success.

Another who defied fortuneteller is the world conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte of France. I was in the seventh standard when our teacher told us this story trying to shape your young mind for future.

Once a palmist told the curious Bonaparte that, "you will not achieve the desired success in your life". Hearing that, the young Bonaparte who would be world conqueror later in his life demanded to know, "what makes you to say that?"

"The luck line on your palm is not straight enough to indicate your success";  the palmist replied plainly. Then the dreamer, and believer of the saying, 'impossible is not in my dictionary', and the one who always believed and followed blindly his own rule only, briskly pulled out a knife from his pocket and cut straight line on his palm in front of the palmist. Then he told the palmistry with a cold voice, looking straight into his eyes, "now tell me, I will achieve my goal".

Out the classroom, we used to discuss with friends, is that the straight line on his palm or it's his ambition, that made him the world conqueror?

Those who believed in palmistry; used to say that it was the line - even if it was cut by him - on his palm that helped him to achieve what he wanted and those who did not believe in palmistry used to say that it was his sheer determination that led him to his goal but some used to say, it's the combination of both.

As for me, I believe that it is the determination, single-minded determination was the only reason. I admire these two for daring to defy fortune tellers and follow their dreams with all their hearts. They never wanted to see the other part of the truth; what they knew is you have to believe in yourself even though the whole would doubts on you.