LSD:

Its a world of new cinema. Kaminey, Ishqiya, Love Sex Aur Dhokha and the real India. Love and sex is an integral part of this India. A bolder India. With Big Boss, Indians discovered mass voyeurism. We tuned in every day to watch this game of a bunch of nobodies fight it out, sling mud at each other and have some entertainment that one would generally not do publicly. LSD uses this to pluck out three stories from what could be anyplace in India and gives us a mix of experential and new world cinema.

Except the strange opening, the film works beautifully. Adjusting to the wierd camera angles isnt too much trouble thanks to likes of Bigg Boss and Emotional Atyachaar. The narrative is tight for the three segments and the completely unknown cast adds to the believability. The dialogues are something that one hasn’t heard too often on film. Its the lingo of the aam aadmi. Among the three stories, the one that remains in the mind is the second. Its something that is completely refreshing and relatable. The first one is predictable a la Manohar Kahaniyaan.

Its a good experiment. It remains to be seen how people react to this experiment. For one, the two college girls sitting next to us couldnt figure out for about 25 minutes into the movie why the camera was shaking so much. There you go!

Merry Go Round!

This one is a filthy one. Or rather about one.

One would think that BMC would maintain the premises surrounding their waste management office, and make it an example. But no Sir, they don’t believe in setting examples. Just check out the photos. These either surround this office or are about 100 metres from it. Not only are these nor swept for years, but nothing has been done to prevent encroachment by builders.

I tried to bring this to the notice of the Clean Up team. Here is what I did –

ROUND 1. I wrote to the Additional Commissioner – this mail was answered by someone from United Way, an audit agency. Don’t know whether the Additional Commissioner is even aware of such a mail being written. Nevertheless, I followed up with the agency on mail and phone, which is about 2 weeks now. They have been responsive, but have not been able to find a solution. They gave me numbers of some clean up marshals for the ward.

ROUND 2. I called up the Clean Up Marshals who control this area and fixed a meeting. I met them and they saw the area. Surprisingly, they informed me that they are only empowered to fine, that too when they catch someone and that they will not be able to get the road cleaned! They told me that I need to see the JO in the Solid Waste Management Department.

ROUND 3. I visited the SWM office and met the concerned person, one Mr. Acharekar. Mr. Acharekar had a fantastic observation when questioned why the road was not being maintained. He washed his hands off saying that the road did not even belong to the BMC!!! When I pointed out that BMC had installed street lights here, he said that the road has not been handed over to him by the BMC! Wow man, a BMC officer saying this!!!

Pathetic. Roadblock now. Anyways, I have put in a complaint on the BMC website and wait!!! So much for being a vigilant citizen.