मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ

मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ बस अपने अधिकार चाहता हूँ। 
करता हूँ पूर्ण निष्ठा से कर्तव्यों का निर्वाहन, 
बस उसी का सरकार द्वारा प्रतिकार चाहता हूँ।
मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ बस अपने अधिकार चाहता हूँ।। 

करता हूँ ईमानदारी से हर नियम का पालन, 
अदा करता हूँ हर प्रकार का कर, 
इसीलिए संविधान निहित सभी अधिकार चाहता हूँ।
 मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ बस अपने अधिकार चाहता हूँ।।

 मैं धर्म व जाति के भेदभाव रहित समाज चाहता हूँ, 
सदियों के सड़े गले रिवाजों से निजात चाहता हूँ। 
अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रा के शलावे से चिंतित हूँ, 
मैं स्वस्छ बहस का वातावरण चाहता हूँ। 
मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ बस अपने अधिकार चाहता हूँ।। 

यह लोकतन्त्र है या लूटतंत्र, समझ नहीं पाता हूँ, 
जहां हज़ारों करोड़ के कर्ज़दार घूमते विदेशों में, 
पर कुछ हज़ार के क़र्ज़ चुका पाने में असमर्थ  
गरीब किसानों को सल्फास चाटते या सूली पर टंगा पाता हूँ 
मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ बस अपने अधिकार चाहता हूँ।। 

समृद्धता प्रदर्शित करती चौड़ी-चौड़ी सड़कों पर,
भूख से बिलखते बच्चों को देखकर, 
उनका बर्बाद होता बचपन देखकर,
मैं सरकार से पूछना सवाल चाहता हूँ। 
मैं विद्रोही नहीं हूँ बस अपने अधिकार चाहता हूँ।।

- स्वर्ण दीप 

MOVIE REVIEW 

The Gazi Attack – (2017)

Today we are here with review of one of the movies released this week by the name ‘THE GAZI ATTACK (2017)’. This war theme movie is directed by South Indian movie director Sankalp Reddy. The Ghazi Attack is starred  by Rana Daggubati, Kay Kay Menon, Atul Kulkarni & Taapsee Pannu in lead roles. The movie is inspired by true events from the 1971 India-Pakistan war and is an underwater tale of nerves & patriotism of the Indian Naval officials on the Indian Submarine S-21.

PLOT:

Indian Submarine S21, led by Captain Rann Vijay Singh (Kay Kay Menon), Leiutenant Arjun Verma (Rana Daggubati) and Executive Officer Dev Raj (Atul Kulkarni), sent on a recce mission in the Bay of Bengal for checking the Pakistani activity after intelligence input in the Naval Eastern Command.

Rann Vijay is an impulsive captain who is always ready for war and wants to kill the enemy at first sight. Arjun, on the other hand is ordered to maintain peace in the ship and await for orders and as far as Devraj is concerned, he is the peacemaker between the two.

PNS Ghazi and INS Rajput are onto one another, launching torpedoes. The movie shows how S21 after being hit once, not only survived but come out victorious.

ANALYSIS:

This has been a first war film of bollywood which portrays the underwater war in a naval submarine. It does manage to hook to an extent to a story of Indian Navy’s classified mission that has also not find any space in text books itself.

The film’s plot wins in the detailing that has been provided in the procedures followed on a submarine. The second half of the movie is gripping one with close encounters of Indian Submarine S21 and the Pakistani Submarine Ghazi with launching torpedoes.  The funny dialogue of the Pakistani captain is also hilarious when he says, ‘Ye Commander hai ya liftman’ when Indian Submarine shifts up and down, adjusting to the Pakistani shooting range.

Dealing with historic events in Indian cinema is not easy and hence the makers post a huge disclaimer, even mentioning their actors, directors as ‘law abiding citizens of the country’. The first half of the movie is too dramatic, when Singh’s character is shown an over aggressive, who is hell bent to go on war, defying orders when he knows his decision will wage war between two countries which is not declared yet (due to his personal reason). The character of Pakistani captain was not upto mark who is more busy giving threatening looks than orders.

Also, the character of Taapsee Pannu and a child, who are refugees of                East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) landing up on the Indian submarine is slightly unnecessary.

The production design of the film is impressive. The submarine insides with their lofty instruments are well made and give you a complete feel of being a part of Naval ship.

WHAT’S GOOD:

As a war film that too underwater with the interiors of submarine, The Gazi Attack is good enough to watch.

UNINTERESTING:

Kay Kay Menon’s role is slightly over the top and few scratchy dialogues and unnecessary Taapsee Pannu angle.

STAR PERFORMANCES:-

Kay Kay Menon’s role as Rann Vijay Singh is not upto the standards he has already set with the strong characters played by him earlier.

Rana Daggubati does a decent job as a calm Naval officer.

Atul Kulkarni is one of the actor of that zone who can pull off any character. As officer Devraj he is excellent.

Late actor Om Puri is a part of the film and he makes an impact with his limited role too.

Taapsee Pannu doesn’t has much to offer in the film except her shocked expression all through the film.

Rahul Singh as Ghazi’s captain is not that good.

FINAL WORDS:

A good war film underwaters that is new for bollywood audiences with good acting. Moreover, it is interesting enough as an untold story of 1971 war.

My ratings for this movie is 2.5 out of 5 stars.

So keep following the page, good day till the next review

Bogal | R E V I E W S

SHORT STORY

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY??

My name is Jyoti and I am working as a teacher in a small private school in our locality. My husband namely Sanjay, is working as Clerk in the Education Department. Though, he is a Clerk and has every opportunity of indulging in corrupt practices; he is honest and a man of principles. We have two lovely kids namely Aditya and Aisha, who are 18 and 10 years old respectively.

As it is quite hot in the month of May and so was that day. After coming from the School, I finished the household chores and was waiting for Sanjay for evening tea. There was a knock at the door, Aditya opened the door and it was Sanjay.

I offered him a glass of water while he was still standing in the living room. He refused and then I noticed that he is looking upset and disturbed.

“What happened?” I said to him while enquiring.

“Nothing,” he replied coldly.

“Swear on me, you have to tell me what is the problem,” I insisted again.

“The result of Common Entrance Test for Engineering & MBBS Courses has been out today,” he replied.

Glass of water held by me fell on ground and shattered into pieces all around the room like the dreams of Aditya.

Aditya, who was also present there, left the place and ran towards his room with tears on his face. Aditya’s reaction was normal as he had studied day and night to work for his dream to become an Engineer and has also passed 10+2 with 93% marks this year but could not appear in CET examination as his Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC*) is under process with the Revenue Department since last more than two years. Being a middle class family, we couldn’t afford Engineering College fee and the only hope for we people is Govt. Colleges and that too was shattered in view of non availability of PRC.

(*Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) is required to apply for all Govt. jobs offered by Govt. of J&K and also for all the Entrance Tests including J&K Common Entrance Test for Engineering & MBBS)

I was reminded of the time when Sanjay used to visit the Municipal office time and again for issue of Aisha’s Birth Certificate but was not successful as he was not ready to give any bribe to Municipal officials. Eventually, I had to call my brother for the same and he had put some bribe in the pockets of Municipal officials to get the Birth Certificate. Though Sanjay had serious objections that why I allow him to bribe Govt. officials.

“Jyoti, Jyoti, tell me where you have kept my clothes, I am not able to find them,” Sanjay called me from the room and I came out of my thoughts.

“Why are you shouting?” I said to him while going to the room.

“I know you are upset but what can be done?” he responded politely.

On hearing this I lost my temper and said, “It is all because of you and your out of the world principles that has ruined the career of my son. Now, he had to wait for one more year for appearing in the said Entrance Test that only if you would be able to get his PRC till then.”

He replied surprisingly, “you think it’s my fault and not of the officials who have always been putting objections on the file of Aditya’s PRC on one pretext or other for want of bribe.”

“Yes! You are responsible for that and for God sake put your principles of ‘Honest is the best policy’ on stack so that the future of our kids may not be worsened further,” I asked him in displeasure.

“I know that there is corruption in system due to which Aditya has to face problems but how can I promote corruption by giving bribe for my work when I believe that it is a heinous crime which is spoiling the system,” he again responded politely.

“In which world do you live? Honesty, truth etc. are only meant to be taught in the schools to kids and have no value in the real world”, I replied to him.

I continued further, “As you know for any work in any Department, be it Social Welfare, Revenue, PHE, PWD, Education, Health or Municipality etc. without corruption nothing is going to happen. Money is the only force for the movement of the files.”

During this whole argument we didn’t noticed when Aisha entered our room and from when she was listening to us. We were aware about her presence when she while pulling my dupatta said to me curiously, “Mumma, Mumma, tell me one thing.”

“What beta?” I said.

She replied, “Mumma, it means the story ‘Honesty is the Best Policy’ taught by you is a lie?”

“It means all the moral stories you people and the teachers kept teaching & telling us all these years are lies!!!! The real world is as different as you were telling to Papa??”

I had no answer for her!!! Not even has Sanjay. We both were looking towards Sanjay answerless.

But question remain still there. Are the moral stories taught to the kids beneficial for them when in actual the system is so corrupt where honest persons are sidelined and corrupt rule the roost.

                                                                                    - S D Bogal

#MOVIEREVIEW – #JollyLLB-2 – (2017)

Today we are here with review of a much talked out courtroom drama movie JOLLY LLB-2 which satirizes the Indian Legal system due to which a Petition was also filed against this movie in the Bombay High Court for showing the judicial system in a bad shape and as a result, the Committees were formed by the Bombay High Court & the Supreme Court of India to review the movie. JOLLY LLB-2 is a sequel to Jolly LLB(2013) and written & directed by the same Subash Kapoor and has Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi, Saurabh Shukla, Annu Kapoor & Sayani Gupta in lead roles.

PLOT:

Jagdishwar Mishra alias Jolly (Akshay Kumar) is a struggling lawyer who works as an Assistant to a senior Advocate Rizvi of Luckhnow who aspires to be a good lawyer and make his father proud.

After the suicide of Hina (Sayani Gupta) whose husband is killed in a fake encounter, Jolly decides to fight case of Hina. A complicated case that revolves around terrorism, fake encounter & corruption becomes very tough affair for Jolly.

After all odds, will he be able to unearth the truth and bring justice is what is left to see in the movie.

ANALYSIS:

The sequel as expected is a quite fun affair which gets serious at right moments. The movie is made on quite serious issue and for making it neutral, the filmmaker has tried to add humour from time to time especially the funny behaviour of Judge in the courtroom e.g. coming in the courtroom while dancing, his lowering the lamp, putting the five hammers on his table.

Some of the humorous scenes look unnecessary also such as Judge’s (Sourav Shukla) call related to Manish Malhotra’s Lehga or his dancing on the tune of Punjabi song. Dialogues are peculiar and some of them very emotional.

Jolly’s transition from smaller cases to bigger case is missing and his preparation for the case is also missing to some extent and else he is kept busy singing ‘BAANWRA MANN’.

Scene of the Cricket match between Ghoonghat waalis v/s Bhurkaa waalis with the name captioned on their backs such as Ganesh’s bua or Babu’s bahu or Shahid’s Khaala symbolizing the situation of females in our society, touches my heart. Also, Akshay’s cooking food for his wife and son, is also a new thing for bollywood.

Kanpur, Luckhnow city locations and the Courtroom scenes have been beautifully shot and one of the best scene is when Defense Lawyer Mathur and Judge Tripathi sits for dharna in the Courtroom itself.

The climax is slightly overstretched especially Mathur’s emotional drama involving his father and talking about his family and Justice Tripathi’s emotional speech in the end while delivering final verdict. The music is not that good.

WHAT’S GOOD:

Movie’s good dialogues and strong star cast makes movie a treat to watch. Full entertainment with a message for society and no dull moment.

NOT GOOD:

Sometimes, the movie loses its pace.

STAR PERFORMANCES:-

Akshay Kumar as Jolly has performed better than Arshad Warsi in Jolly LLB and filmmakers would be happy with their decision to replace him as Akshay play the role with great perfection.

Saurabh Shukla has played the part of Justice Tripathi with full dedication and is a treat to watch, he is a complete entertainer in the movie.

Annu Kapoor as a Lakhnavi Lawyer Mathur has also does a decent job. Huma Qureshi as an alcoholic and Jolly’s wife has looked good. Sayani Gupta as Hina makes a statement with her few scenes in the movie. Kumud Mishra has perfectly played his negative role in the movie.

FINAL WORDS:

Jolly LLB 2 is full on entertainer with humour and statement. With Saurabh Shukla and Akshay Kumar at their best.

My ratings for this movie is 3.5 out of 5 stars.

So keep following the page, good day till the next review

Bogal | R E V I E W S

SHORT STORY

A HAPPENING SUNDAY

My alarm bell rang at 5:00 in the morning. Even though it was Sunday, I got up and after taking a glass of warm water for myself and my better half. After freshen up, we both laced up our shoes and ready to go for morning walk. Without disturbing our kids and parents & without making any noise, I opened the gate and walking swiftly, we reached the park area for jogging.

We were surprised that most of the members of our locality were present in the park. All the people were collecting the garbage scattered all over the park area and putting it in the Dustbins situated. Sunil, my neighbour called me to accompany him. Feeling amused and surprised we also joined them and by sometime the park was clean as before. Till then Malis reached there and as advised earlier they started planting saplings where the plants were dried down or destroyed.

While returning to home, we were also surprised to see the Municipal officials cleaning up the filth and garbage scattered in and around the common Dustbin and loading the same in their vehicle.

When we reached home, my father told me that the Welfare Committee of our Society has called an emergency meeting at 10:00 a.m. and I have also to be present there. After taking bath and having breakfast quickly, I alongwith my father headed towards meeting venue which was near a Temple situated in our Society. I was again surprised to see such a huge number of people of our locality came for a meeting of common cause. Anyways, Chairman of our Welfare Committee started addressing the gathering.

The Chairman while welcoming the members of the society started speaking. He said: Friends, as you all know that there is no playground for our kids nearby and in this regard we have been meeting since long with our Revenue Minister to allow us in developing a playground on a piece of abandoned State Land near our society. He announced that the Revenue Department has given the approval for the same and also sanctioned some grant for developing the playground in that piece of State land.

The Chairman requested all the society members to be generous and support in developing the playground for our children with cash, kind and physical efforts.  We came back home with the promise to help in every possible aspect for development of playground for our children. I was very happy indeed because I was thinking about developing that State Land into playground for children from last many years and have submitted many request letters individually and through our Welfare Committee to the Revenue authorities but nothing was done.

After returning to home, I helped my son in solving mathematical problems and corrected the mistakes in his home work. After that I was watching news on T.V. and I was again very happy over the news item running on the TV Channel which showed the Govt. officials made a major crackdown on the businessmen selling polythene bags and they also raided the industries manufacturing polythene bags and sealed large quantity of Polythene bags and raw material & moreover cancelled their licenses. Main reason for my happiness was that although there is a complete ban of polythene bags in our State from the last many years still with the help of corrupt Govt. functionaries polythene bags are being used and causing hazards for society.

I was astonished with things happening around me. Everyone was understanding his/her duties and responsibilities without any effort. I came out of my thoughts with the ring of my phone. My friend was calling me to visit his place as he had some urgent work. I had my lunch and left my house to visit my friend.

In the way to the house of my friend, one has to cross the canal which is sometimes choked with polythene bags thrown by public in the canal. But today things were happening differently, as I saw a group of people collecting the polythene bags out of the canal which were thrown by public into the canal stopping the flow of the canal and also polluting it.

After watching all this happening I screamed loudly, it can’t be true, it can’t be true and people around me hold me and asked what happened, and I opened my eyes as my wife while holding me was asking what happened, what happened? Why were you screaming in your sleep?

I woke up and said oh! Was that all my dream? Nothing has changed???.... My dream was still haunting me... but nothing has changed...........

-  SD BOGAL

LOHRI CELEBRATIONS

SHORT STORY

LOHRI CELEBRATIONS

It was 13 January, the day was quite sunny and perfect for sun bathe during winters. Most of the people know that in northern part of the India the day is celebrated as Lohri festival. During the day, children go from door to door singing folk songs. These children are given sweets etc. and occasionally, money. The collections gathered by the children are known as Lohri and consist of til, gachchak, moongphali (peanuts), popcorn etc. Lohri is then distributed at night during the festival. Till, peanuts, popcorn and other food items are also thrown into the bonfire. In houses that recently had a marriage (preferably boy) or childbirth (preferably boy), Lohri celebrations are made with more excitements, Bhangra and the Peanuts, popcorns, gachchak, crystal sugar and fruits etc. are distributed among all the nears and dears.

Coming back on the topic, I alongwith my wife was invited that day for Lohri celebrations by my cousin at his place in view of his son’s birth. His name is Raman, works in some paramilitary force as Havaldar and resides in a village. He is celebrating Lohri with great zeal and happiness because his wife Asha (a housewife) has given birth to a son after the birth of two girls (one 06 years old Aradhana and other 02 years old Ekta) and his wait for a son has finally completed.

My wife was calling from me from kitchen: take your breakfast yourself from kitchen, I have also to get ready or else we will be late to reach there. Then I ate my breakfast, put the utensils in the sink and I changed my clothes and get ready for going to my cousin’s house.

We left our house at about 11:00 a.m. and it was about 1 hour journey from my house. On the way, we stopped at fuel station, refilling petrol in my vehicle. While sitting in the car at the fuel station, I recalled that we forget to buy some gifts for kids so we bought toys for Aradhana, Ekta and newly born baby boy. At around 1:00 p.m. we were at my cousin’s place.

It was celebrations atmosphere there and many of the relatives and family friends were already reached. Raman Bhaiya welcomed us and we congratulated him and Asha Bhabhi and after their son. We had a small chit-chat with them and their daughters and particularly Aradhana and Ekta were very happy on receiving toys and Lohri gifts.

There was a little conversation with Raman Bhaiya and innocent Aradhana to which I was keenly listening. Aradhana while little confused asked her father, ‘Papa, is there any function or party in our home?

Raman Bhaiya: No beta, today we are celebrating Lohri in view of birth of your little bhaiya.

Aradhana: Why we are celeberate Lohri for Bhaiya?

Raman Bhaiya: Beta, this is custom beta, whenever is there any Marriage or child birth, Lohri is celebrated.

Aradhana: Papa, it means when I was born there was also Lohri celebrations.

After hearing this conversation, I was remind of my last visit to Raman Bhaiya an year ago when I had a little chat with him when he was telling me that he was planning for third baby after two girls. 

I said to him: You have already two children, what is the need of third one?

He: I wish to have son, that’s why

Me: In which time you live Bhaiya, girl or boy, how does it matters. Give your daughters love and quality education they will reciprocate more than boys.

He: I love my daughters, but I need son who could take care of us in our old age.

Me: Don’t you think, in such a times of inflation it would be difficult to manage quality education for three children for a middle class person. You note down my one thing that whenever there would a situation of option between girl and boy for giving better opportunity, your girl will have to manage.

He: I will manage, but son is son, you know.....

I came out of my thoughts when Aradhana was continuely saying to her father, Papa tell me, had you celebrated Lohri on my birth? Tell me, please tell me.

Raman Bhaiya was looking at his wife, towards me, but he had no answer and Aradhana was continuing asking the same question.

But the question is still there, when we talk only of equal opportunities for Girls or Boys, still we are not able to come out of ages old mindsets.....

                                                                                           - SD BOGAL

THEIR MORNING

 Short Story 

Their Morning

My younger brother is working with a private company in Delhi and stays with his family there and often visit to home at Jammu when he is free.  He usually comes through train as it is convenient to board the train in the evening in the weekend at reach home early in the morning next day.

That day also he had plan to come home alongwith his wife and daughter. It was January part of the year and cold was very severe that night and I was thinking that it would be very difficult for me to go to railway station early in the morning in such a cold day though I had to go by car. I set alarm on my phone for 6:00 a.m. in the morning so that I could reach station after freshen up at 7:00 a.m; the scheduled time of the train to reach station.

The alarm rang at 6:00 a.m. in the morning and it was very cold and foggy out there and moreover it’s very difficult to come out of cozy quilts in such chilling weather. I lazily snoozed the alarm for 10 minutes for two times and get inside the cozy quilt every time and my wife from inside the quilt kept telling me to get up or else I will be late to reach the station.

After lots of efforts I made my mind and get out of bed at 6:20 a.m. and hurriedly freshened up put on my shoes, cap, jacket etc. started the car. Even the steering wheel was also cold and I turned on the heater of the vehicle and moved towards my destination.

At reach at the Railway Station at around 7:00 a.m. and made a call to my brother to know his whereabouts and as always the train was late. I usually prefer to park my vehicle outside the Railway Station and my brother also knows about the place. As always, I park the vehicle at same place, stayed inside and started listening music as it was very cold and foggy out there.

At roadside, there was a large dumping area for garbage nearby where there was very bad and unbearable smell. While listening to music I accidently looked towards the dumping area and to my shock I noticed three kids of 10-12 years age group roaming there. They were putting on shabby clothes with big plastic bags on their backs.

I swiftly come out of my vehicle walked towards them. They were collecting broken plastic material, metallic containers, glass bottles etc. from the dumping area and putting them into their bags on their backs with full swing with no sign of winter, cold etc. I go nearly them and casually asked them, ‘BETA ITNI SUBAH SUBAH APKO THAND NAHI LAGTI KYA’ and the reply given to by one among them was like this may be, ‘BABU JI THAND HUMEIN NAHIN LAGTI, BAS ISS SAB KO BECH KE KUCH PAISE AA JAYEN TAAKI KUCH KHAANE KO MILE’

I was wordless and shocked and had no reply for these rag picker kids, who are the future of our country, in their tender age in place of carrying school bags on their backs, they are collecting garbage. I was lost in my thoughts then I realized that my phone is ringing. When I checked, it was my brother who was calling from the platform of the railway station to come as he has lots of baggage.

I was returning home from the station with my brother, his wife and my cute little niece but I was still thinking that how much cold I was feeling to come out of my bed and those tender kids were picking up rags in such cold conditions for sake of food and cold is not in their consideration even. Vehicle was moving on and on towards my home and question was still there????     

      -          SD BOGAL