Love, life and all that jazz... by Ahmed Faiyaz !!!

            543rd BLOG POST -->>
       

            So, I have completed "Love, Life and all that jazz.." by Ahmed Faiyaz. This is the second time when I took a week to complete a book. Damn to my college and this MCA CET which has come as an obstacle in between. But, I may say that it is wonderful to read good book by taking lot of days rather than completing it in 3-4 hours. At least you remain with those characters and a very good story for many days. :-) This is the debut novel of Ahmed Faiyaz. This is what Ahmed says about himself "I am a management consultant by profession and work for the Health Authority of the Government of Dubai in a Strategic Planning and Execution role. I have in my previous roles worked for Strategy Consulting firms in Dubai and India. I completed my graduation in 2006 from the SIBM. It is there that I first realised that my love for the written world was not limited to reading books. I began my stint with writing and became the editor of a fortnightly business journal for management students called ‘Forthright’. I am also a qualified CA(my biggest battle till date) and began my career with KPMG in Bangalore before I left my job to pursue an MBA degree."

              Coming to the STORY (I am not writing it in my words as the synopsis of the book is itself true, so I am just pasting it here), Tania, an interior decorator in Bombay, is in love with Sameer but finds it difficult to manage her long distance relationship with Sameer ever since he moved to the UK to pursue an MBA degree. After five years of togetherness will their love last or will Tania walk into the willing arms of her business partner, Ankur? Sameer is torn between his ambition to spread his wings and begin his career in the UK and his difficult long distance relationship with Tania whom he is committed to. Does he choose love and family or his career? Or does a life-altering event change his decision? Vikram is fun loving, charming and affluent. While he is looking for meaning in life and what he wants to do, he supports and encourages his girlfriend Naina to achieve her dreams of becoming a successful model. 

            Can they survive the pressure that comes with her growing popularity and the demands of her glamorous career? Or does destiny have something else in store for Vikram? While Tanveer is hardworking and ambitious, he is also terribly insecure of himself and of what life has to offer. He deals with a demanding job and a difficult boss and the pressure of financially supporting his family solely rests on his shoulders. Amidst all the gloom, Tanaz, the daughter of his Parsi landlady is the one ray of sunshine. The two are in love but will Tanveer's conservative family accept a girl who does not belong to the same religion? Will Tanveer make his own decisions in life or will his insecurity and subservience to a traditional outlook alter his life in ways he never imagined? This is the journey of life in a new India where these friends support each other and evolve through their experiences and missteps in Love, Life and all that Jazz...

           Coming to the REVIEW, Ahmed Faiyaz has used a very standard language to convey the story of these various couples. I liked his way of narration. I liked his way of revealing each character and their current problems and also going through their background. He has almost given justice to each and every character of the book. Book is lengthy but it is worth reading. You can't miss a single sentence. He has written the story of these friends from college who have passed out in 2003. And the story goes on till 2008. So, you can understand that the book consists of many aspects of one's journey from being a college pass-out to a matured person in the dominating society and expecting people all around you. 

            The story of the book revolves around all the characters and each of them has different story. You keep relating yourself to every character in some or the other way and you end up crying after every 20-30 pages periodically. Some moments in the book are really touchy and palpable and BEAUTIFUL. The moment when Sameer leaves for London is emotional. The scene where Tanveer tells his Islamic parents about his affair with a Parsi girl, Tanaz is so true and real. The depression of Tanveer after that is perfectly narrated. It touches you. Sameer's return to Mumbai because of a bad news shivers me. When Tanveer and Tanaz tells Tanaz's mother about a good news, her reaction to it again makes you cry. And then, the beautiful moments in this book never ends. They are uncountable. :-) 

            I will recommend all of you to get 2 copies of this book. Keep one with yourself and give the another copy to your loved one. This book is not about Love affairs. It is about many aspects one sees in life. I am in love with this book. Definitely, a 4.25 out of 5 to this book. Go and get it. 

This review is a part of the http://blog.blogadda.com/2011/05/04/indian-bloggers-book-reviews" target="_blank">Book Reviews Program at  http://www.blogadda.com">BlogAdda.com

         Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU

I can manage CORRUPTION !!! But, VIOLENCE???

            542nd BLOG POST -->>

       So, BMC election in Mumbai got over yesterday. The results were out in the first half of Friday. I don't know whether I'm happy or sad- but I would like to tell what newspapers will scream tomorrow- The BJP-Shivsena alliance won the polls. Too many questions and accusations on Shiv-sena was happening in last few weeks and it is incredible to see their win over others. They were continuously compared with MNS and other parties but still they came out as Winner. I don't know what made people to vote in favour of this party, but its good to see something unexpected. I was assuming some other party as the winner. But it's fine. I am neither in profit nor in loss. Because I stay in Navi Mumbai :-) And here Congress is the winner. A party which is quite humble than all the parties in my area. Yes, their MLAs are corrupt. But for me, corruption is not the first thing I would like to throw away from my city. There are other things which bother me more than Corruption.


         I remember my days in Nashik where Raj Thackeray is in full power and substance. He rules Nashik. His ministers and activists are at least 3 out of every 5 Nashik-ians. :-) My VCD/CD shop where I got my favorites movies on rent was the shop of a MNS person. The shop from where I got my mobile recharged every time I was short of balance(I had girlfriend then), was the shop of a MNS activists. The cyber cafe where I sat for 6 hours daily was the shop of a MNS activist. Whenever I used to go and and sit in his Cyber cafe, he would purposely play the VCD of Raj Thackeray's most provocative rally against North Indians. I'm a North-Indian and he used to think that I would react to it. But, I would laugh at him. I would make fun of Raj Thackeray and he used to take it funnily. In few days, we grew a good bond. Once, the head of MNS party of that area was about to visit his cyber cafe to talk on some upcoming programmes related to election and progress of the party in the area. 


          The cyber cafe owner(and my friend)- Prashant asked me to sit with him for a while until that chief comes. We were laughing and giggling on all the vulgar jokes which were going on there. After few minutes, the chief arrived and all started talking to him quite seriously. I was sitting and observing everything. I was little scared of the chief as he looked huge and I was also from North-India. Then, juice was being ordered for him from the juice center adjacent to the shop. When we were having juice, the chief asked my name, I told. Then he asked me where my father works, I told. Then, he asked me where I hail from, he started sipping the juice again, and I said "U.P." and he made a weird face and spitted out the juice which he sipped just a second ago. And after that he said in Marathi which meant "Juice turned sour because of these two words" and started laughing like a devil and all joined him. I had no other option and even I laughed. He asked me why am I laughing when the fun is being made on my native place. I told him that I don't have any attachment towards my native place. I told him about my obsession towards Mumbai, Pune and Nashik and how I grew in these places. He was surprised to see my love for his state. In the end, he hugged me and left the place after sharing few words with Prashant. 


           Then I asked Prashant that why did he made me sit in front of him when he had an idea that he may make fun of me. Prashant said,"I wanted to show him that not every outsider is selfish. There are some because of whom our state is growing." I was surprised. But, in short, this is how North-Indians were made fun of in Nashik. (Some people are always exceptional) Everywhere I went, I had to listen one or two words about my native place. They never talked to me in Hindi because they wanted me to adopt Marathi. It became difficult for me. Some North Indians those were quite egoistic and arrogant, retaliated to them, and then they were thrashed for small things. This made Nashik very violent because of localites. Same happens everywhere where the local party is in power. I always fear of MNS and Shiv-sena whenever I think about elections in my area. I have a fear that if they'll win, these people will become abusive and violent. This will make my living more difficult. So for me, corruption comes after violence. I will always prefer to vote for the party which is engaged in corruption than the one which is engaged in violence. Being corrupt, these people ask for some extra money from me and pass my stuck work to the next level. This benefits me. But, violence is too dangerous. I can never think of prioritizing it before Corruption. So, I am happy that my area has Congress as its king. :-)


           So, this is my take that on what factor would I plan my vote. I will always prefer Corruption over violence. I don't know why people want Congress to go. If other violent parties would come in force, people will have to run for their life. At least, corruption doesn't take lives. :-) Enough Said. :-) 


    Thanks.


 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU

"Dost Toh Aate Jaate Rehte Hain"

            541st BLOG POST -->>

       The last days of my college has begun. There are more 6 weeks to attend and then, all these friends will become a past to me. If I don't return back in this college for MCA, even the campus and all the moments passed out here will become past. The routine in which I am inhabited to, will be changed. As soon as I realize that there is not even 30 days to cherish the moments with my college friends, several memories starts haunting me. The moments of past when I left those people whom I liked and loved so much starts revolving around me. I start feeling nervous. Nervous not for the future but the way I have moved further with life. I am a human being. In the same way, all these people who are human being had emotions just as I had. But, the way I had to leave some of them behind to carry myself ahead was really painful. For them, I was materialistic. For me, I was an ambitious person with a stringent heart. I need to melt myself a little. But I don't because there are still years ahead to live. I'll meet many more people. I'll make some more close friends. Then, I'll have to leave them too for the next target. Again an emotional drama everywhere around and then, again an accusation of being materialistic will have to dealt with. 


          Recently, I saw a Roadies audition where a very pretty girl from Delhi says that Roadies is my childhood dream and I want to make it real for me. I know that I will be left by my friends as Roadies brings out all the bad a person has in himself but still I will continue because "Dost toh aate jaate rehte hain". This last 6 words uttered from her mouth is exactly what I feel about myself and my life. There are so many friends whom I can't even count and name. There are many of them whom I never call but they keep on calling me because they had someone called "Abhilash" who played a big part in their life. For me, even they played a very big part but the problem is that they "played" and they are not "playing". I always try to focus of things which are in the tense of "-ing". The things which are -ed and the things which are about to happen are the things I am least bothered about. Currently, I know that these friends are moving towards my past with each day. For this, I try to be around them as much as I can. I try to make them laugh as much as I can. I share some emotional and personal experiences with them to make them know something about "Bloody Me". I do it because once when they will be left, it will be hard to organize a Re-union and fuck each other's brain in the same manner as we do today. So, its better to spend as much glossy moments as possible today rather than going in the tomorrow and then crying for the incomplete past. 


             I am little selfish( or you can say that I am little more inclined towards) when it comes to selecting People and Life. I select Life. I know it is going to end in some years. But, even these people are going to end one by one. :-) Right? I know it is very hard to think this way. And I am facing a lot of difficulty in writing this on a social platform. But, when it is me, I have no doubts in revealing my original self. One day, either they will die or I'll. Who'll remember me once when I'll die? No One. What they'll remember is the way I lead my life. If it would be a failing end, they will give a bad example of mine for years. If it would be successful, they'll give my instances to many for years and the same will continue. I want to remain Immortal for them. I don't want to end in time-being. It would be good if I'll go where they are going, I'll join where they are joining, it would be good even if I'll stay where they are staying but, will it be nice if I fail after being with them for this short while? Obviously, No. So, its better to concentrate on my life first. And then on these persons who are very close to me. Closeness develops because we allow it to. If we allow ourselves to be stronger while parting the closeness and destroying the magnetic force between us, we can succeed easily. Yes, there will be a big emotional turmoil but anything which is harder is done by crossing the paths of hurdles and obstacles. Right? 


             I hope that I'll meet the best people of my life ahead in my journey towards being immortal for these people. But, I don't expect them to turn around when they see me ever again in my path. I would feel a little pain when I'll see them ignoring me but it will not change me much. It will make me work harder because I'll see my past in a glance and I'll remember all the powerful and firm decisions I took then to reach where I am today. Even when I see myself today and compare it to what I was in 2009, I find a big rise in the graph of my improvement. And this improvement came because I left some close people behind and moved forward. At every step of life, I had to dump the people and go ahead with LIFE. And its beautiful to see the number of steps I walked after calling that re-starting point the End point. From that point which I claimed to be the end, turned out to be the start for me. But for those people, it was the End point because they choose relationship before life. Today, they have friends whom they can call at 2 AM. I don't have any. I don't even need any. I have a life. I have that in which I find myself secure and honored. 


            In few weeks, I'll have to dump some close people again. But to remain immortal in their memory and to be the winner in the race of life and people. I want to run ahead than my life and reach the destination before it reaches there and announces my retirement(death). So, I am just praying God to give me strength to take decisions of leaving these gem-friends of my life and move ahead with life towards new people. Let's see what God has decided for me. Stay Updated with this through my blog. :-) 


          Thanks. And, I want to know your priority- Life or People. Am I the only person who runs for life and not for people or there are many who are "so-called selfish" but they aren't? :-)


 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU