YSM Third Edition by Youths Stop

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Editor

Kirti Nerkar

Deputy Editor Tiasa Das

Content Editor

C. Prasanna Venkatesh

Copy Editor

Roshni Devi R.

Design Editor Tiasa Das

Graphic Designer Saloni Nath

Fashion Consultant Priyanka Birole

Marketing Head Esha Singh

Marketing Team

Sanjeevani Gorde Sathyanand Sabbani

Publisher

Kirti Nerkar

Printer

Jayant Printery

Cover Photo

Sujith Sarang Printed, published, edited and owned by Kirti A. Nerkar, Printed at Jayant Printery, 352/54, Girgaon Road, Murlidhar Temple Compound, Near Thakurdwar P.O. Mumbai- 400002 and published from 386/E, 33, Tara Building, New Badam Wadi, V.P. Road, Mumbai - 400004

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Editor’s Note

Kirti Nerkar EDITOR

It is so difficult to understand our government. Sometimes I feel that they are just like our parents.Very conveniently they make us feel like kids and mature enough at same time. According to our government we are legally old enough to drive, get married and vote at the age of eighteen, but you cannot drink before the age twenty five. Seriously? You can get married and run a family, you can drive on roads, you can vote and decide who is the perfect candidate to handle your country but you cannot drink? Mumbai is the city that never sleeps. Lately, Mumbai's nightlife has come under the scanner. After a tiring week at work, you cannot go out to discos, clubs or pubs. The government thinks it is wrong. Recently, a politician said that young girls in India should not own a cell phone. Are these the issues that our politicians consider important? Celebrities party away every weekend but no one raids their venues. The cell phone has become more of a necessity than a luxury. If we weren’t any smarter, we would have accused the government of trying to harass the common man! Frankly, the youth aren’t free enough to go ahead and experiment with their careers. Everyone asks us to go and try out different things but when we really opt for one, we get to hear things like, “Why take a risk? Why do you think we will help? Who is backing you?” But when did our dreams become answerable to others? Youth’s Stop did the same thing.Youth’s Stop is the proud holder of an RNI today. And we plan to meet you every month rather than catch up with you four times a year. When we started our magazine, our team members were very keen on having a different take on the cover. They wanted youth on the cover. Why should celebrities rule the cover page? But again, RULES. But this time Youth’s Stop decided to give rules a back seat. We won’t be having any cover story this time, nor a celebrity to piggyback it. And you have the result. Youth’s Stop promises you that we will never let our youth down. We may not have big names to back us up but we have made a small place in this big market. We have got an amazing response rules for your own, break some rules for good and follow some for your country’s good. So far. Be with us, share the love and we will stay with you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS PERSONALITY 5 Showbiz Is Not For Everybody POLITICS 10 Dangerous Times 13 The Poor Are Not Forgotten In India

FASHION 16 Suit Up! 20 Fashion Quickies 22 From E-Commerce To E-

Fashionista

ENTERTAINMENT 24 Crazy, Stupid, Love 26 We Are Not Just Fans TELEVISION 28 A Whodunnit With The CID

Team

34 Fight! Cry! Dance! You’re on Reality TV!

FOOD 38 Finger Food

“Showbiz Is Not For Everybody”

TECHNOLOGY 40 The Gaming Indian LITERATURE 42 We All Lead Thrilling Lives

YSM in conversation with author and film critic Anupama Chopra on films, Hollywood stars and how there’s more to reviewing films than criticizing them…

HEALTH 46 Doctor, Help! Is My Rash An

STD?

SPORTS 48 Selection Policy Matters TRAVEL 50 Playground Of The Rich And

Famous

BLOGGER'S PARK 54 Tipping Point ROSHNI SAYS 56 Dance, Because The Governmen Tells You To

LOVE & LIFE 36 Virtually Yours…

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

PERSONALITY How is it to be Anupama Chopra for one day? Anupama Chopra: I think it’s really good fun. I have a job that I love which is very exciting. I love the movies. I love watching movies. I love talking about movies. I love meeting people who make movies. There is no downside to this except sometimes, very rarely, the films are just soul sappingly bad. They’re not even so bad that it’s good, they’re just those averagely bad movies that make you question your whole existence so those are the only low spots in the day but other than that I think it’s very good to be me. How do you enjoy and juggle all these roles?

I would never call an actor as Vinod Chopra’s wife and say, ‘I need access.’

AC: Juggling film critic, journalist, Bollywood author, anchor is not such a hard thing because all of these things feed into each other. These are not very separate or divided. What is harder is to juggle being a mom. It is the hardest juggle that any woman does. This whole balance of career and family is a tough one.You’re always struggling and you always think that you’ve done at least one thing badly. But as the great editor Tina Brown told me, “There are some days where you’ll be a good mother and some days when you’ll be a good professional and you’re just going have to live with it.” Your mother Mrs. Kamna Chandra, brother Vikram Chandra and sister Tanuja Chandra are all writers. Tell us how you share this passion with each other. AC: My brother Vikram Chandra is my first reader for all the books that I’ve ever done. He’s always the first one to critique, watch and give me suggestions. With my

mother and my sister, we are always talking about movies and what was good and what was bad. And these days there are many films where we don’t get to see previews on a Thursday so my mom and I go to the theatre on Friday morning and we have some fun. We enjoy it together. We saw ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ together and had a great time. She said, “Hey, Bhagwan.” (laughs) It was really good fun. Everyone does have a period of ups and downs. Professionally, you have raised the bar of film journalism to a different level in India. What was your expectation when you started in 1993? How has reviewing films changed since then? AC: I wanted to do things that interested me. It was not like I had some long term plan that I’m going to change the way film journalism is done or anything like that. For me, I loved movies. I loved the Hindi film industry but I didn’t have any grand plans or a role for myself as a game changer. I was very lucky that I joined a platform like India Today which was extremely well regarded and had a huge amount of credibility. My editor, Mr. Aroon Purie, gave me the freedom to do what I wanted, instead of focusing on star lives or the more personal stuff. I could actually look at trends in cinema. I could look at what things had changed. I could look at the money. I did many articles looking at how the monies had changed and looking at it as a business. Looking at it as an art. Looking at it as a craft rather than star lives. I did do a lot of star profiles but again the model for those, though I didn’t quite reach that level of excellence, was the Esquire profiles or the New Yorker profiles. It is a totally different brief from India Today where you barely YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

got three pages to do anything journey of book writing. Once another one but I really need a but the idea was to really give an I had written the first one and subject that grabs me, something insight into the person and into the it became so successful. I won a that really I can sink my teeth into craft. I’m always grateful to India National Award for it and it was and stay with it for a year because Today and Mr. Purie for letting me such a wonderful stretching of my that’s how long it takes to write run with it. How has reviewing skills because writing books is very books. changed since then? I think film hard. It’s very lonely. It is the race of Being a film producers wife, journalism has changed a lot is it easy to be a successful I’ve interviewed Angelina Jolie since then. There are some film journalist? four times maybe but there is no way she could pick me excellent writers who are out in a line-up of journalists. It is a very different vibe. It AC: I don’t think there’s now film journalists which was not the case back then is hard to say that they have less nakhras or they are less any connection. I have because film journalism was problematic. never made a connection considered the absolute between being a producer’s dregs.You did film journalism when the long distance runner.You have wife and being a film journalist. you couldn’t do anything else so I to just keep going at it with the My job and what I do is separate think a lot of things have changed discipline that writing an article or from my personal life and I try since then. even doing a show doesn’t really not to let one seep into the other require because you do them and because they are two separate You are a very successful author in they are not easier but they are things. I would never call an actor the film genre. Three of your books different. I think book writing is a as Vinod Chopra’s wife and say, ‘I have won awards, recognition muscle that really stretches you so need access.’ I’m sure it helps and and are widely read in film institute it was wonderful to actually write I’m sure there are places where it circles. What’s the inspiration behind the books and once I’d written the doesn’t help. (laughs) But basically this? ‘Sholay’ book, I was very interested. these are two different aspects It was also a time in my life when of my life and I like to keep them AC: I didn’t ever think I would I wanted to be more at home and separate. write. I never thought of myself not doing a job outside because my as an author, a book author but children were very young. So books ‘The Front Row’ is widely watched Mr. Ramesh Sippy’s children, interview show, both on TV and suited me perfectly. I would wake Rohan, Sheena and Sona were up at 5:30 in the morning and write the web. What do you consider the very interested in doing a book to reason for its success? and send them to school and write commemorate the 25th anniversary some more so it was a perfect fit AC: Honestly, I’m happy to hear of ‘Sholay’ and so they invited me for me then and I’ve really enjoyed it’s successful.I don’t really know and really started me off on this doing them. I would love to do

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

why my show is successful. I hope it’s successful. I don’t know that it is but thank you for saying that it is. I think the best thing is that all of us, the whole team and truly there is an army behind me, I’m just the face of it. But it’s not really my talent that’s keeping this thing afloat. All of us, every single person who’s working on the show is really passionate about the movies, about the show so I don’t think it is a job for anybody. You seem to have a different aura with every actor you interview… AC: (Laughs) I don’t know why the aura is different. Well, it is a different person so it is a different vibe completely. The way I interview Mr. Amitabh Bachchan would never be the same way that I talk to Shah Rukh Khan because I know Shah Rukh. I have greater comfort zone with Shah Rukh because I’ve known him for so long and done so many interviews with him. It is easier banter than it would be with Mr. Bachchan for whom I have a huge amount of respect and it’s not flippant or a vacuous conversation. Not that you can have a vacuous conversation with Shah Rukh but you can have more fun in the sense 8

that he’s willing to go with the flow and be self-deprecating which Mr. Bachchan is also in many ways except it is a slightly more serious conversation. Each star brings a different aura and it also depends on their mood if you get them on a bad day then it is no good. Is interviewing Hollywood celebrities any different from those of their Bollywood counterparts? AC: The actual process through which we interview Hollywood celebrities is very different from Indian celebrities. With Indian celebrities even the biggest, Mr. Bachchan, Shah Rukh, Aamir, Salman, we get a lot of time. My interviews run into half an hour with a star. The only Hollywood star that I’ve gotten half an hour with is Angelina Jolie and that’s because I was doing an interview for the New York Times. When we go out there to do interviews as Star World or for Indian outlets, we get maximum ten minutes. And that’s very rarely. I got ten minutes with Will Smith recently but more often it is about five minutes. What you’re doing is getting there, putting your questions forward, getting your answers and getting out so the

process is very different. It’s also a little mechanical. They don’t know you, you don’t know them. They are not going to remember your name. I’ve interviewed Angelina Jolie four times maybe but there is no way she could pick me out in a line-up of journalists. It is a very different vibe. It is hard to say that they have less nakhras or they are less problematic. The thing is the whole studio machinery works very efficiently so we’re very rarely late when we’re doing Hollywood stars. That’s a constant issue with Bollywood stars because nobody here ever comes on time so I’m very used to waiting and very patient with it. I don’t have a problem. But Hollywood stars, at least from my experience with interviewing Angelina Jolie in Pune for ‘A Mighty Heart’ was how down to earth she was and willing to talk. There weren’t 50 people serving her. The way they talk about their craft and how seriously they take their business is fairly astounding. I did a 20 minute interview with Steven Soderbergh (directorproducer of the famous Hollywood ‘Ocean’s’ series) a couple of years ago which was also fabulous and interesting to get into the mind of a YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

director that amazing. Do you have any ideas to write or script a movie? AC: No, I don't. I don’t think I have either the talent or the courage to ever script or write a movie. It takes a very special kind of person to do that and I’m not it. After receiving the Harrington Award for Magazine Journalism you said, "Film journalism was untouchable at the time. Everybody was ashamed and nobody wanted to admit that I worked for Movie.” How do you think the youth of today take this field? Any suggestions to them? AC: Today, many young people want to get into film journalism. I think it’s a completely new and changed world and my advice to them would be to first learn the basics of journalism because all journalism stands on the same foundation which is research, facts, getting into it and making sure that you are as YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

knowledgeable on the subject as the people you are interviewing. If not as knowledgeable then at least as knowledgeable as you can be. I don’t think that just because it is cinema, you can dismiss it as entertainment journalism and be sloppy. That is terrible.You can’t be sloppy with facts, with your work, with your research so every kind of journalism stems from the same thing. For anybody who does want to get into film journalism, it is very important to learn the craft. I went to Northwestern University because I really wanted to do film journalism but I said, I need to know the craft first, to know what are the basics before I get into this and that’s what you have to do. If you specifically want to be a film critic, then I think it’s very important to watch as many movies as you possibly can. So keep watching, keep reading the great critics like Roger Ebert, Anthony Lane, Richard Corliss and A.O. Scott of New York Times and Pauline Kael, look at their work and grow from that.

Who are your inspirations in this field? AC: The critics that I really love reading are Anthony Lane, A.O. Scott, Manohla Dargis and Roger Ebert. These are people who know their cinema. When they speak about a film, they come from such a body of knowledge. They come from such a body of reference that it’s astounding. I feel like a dwarf which I am (laughs) in front of people who are as learned, as knowledgeable and as expert in their fields as these people are. Pauline Kael, you read her writing, a lot of it, I can’t even understand because it’s so intellectual. Her approach to films is so specific, authentic, personalized and so passionate more than anything else. There’s such a grand passion that they bring to their work. I can never be them but I can hope to emulate them.

POLITICS Illustration Credit : S.Suresh Kumar

angerous Times. These are dangerous political times to live in. I’m pretty sure the GoI is after satirists because I started writing satire for this awesome magazine. In order to safeguard myself, I let it be known that this piece was written by the creative force given to me by an outstanding spectacle most call “God” or some call “Nature”. Please hold them responsible and leave my Editor alone, as all she is responsible for is signing the cheques. After all, satire is harmful speech, but rhetoric against basic constitutional guarantees is a domain called politics. Hey, you can block my twitter account - @javeeth - because that makes me more famous.

Dangerous Times

Education systems thrive on questioning.You question your teacher when you have a doubt or when you want a clarification. However, in a particular eastern state, questioning gets you free rotis and stale dal 3 times a day. Oh yeah, but behind bars.You are barred from asking questions to (Di)2. The CM is answerable not to her people or the Constitution, but funnily enough, only to the good netizens of Facebook. If only FB could answer “What’s on your mind?” of this particular prolific profile. In other news, toothpaste manufacturer Colgate has pulled out advertisements from the media for the next 27 days due to free coverage of the latest scam that sounds like Colgate. Apparently, the CAG also brings this under the loss to the exchequer category and a senior minister has been quoted saying, “Waah! So many people brush their teeth in India. We are now planning to bring out a ‘Teeth in Tongue Awaaz Yojna’ that will have a 23.8% scam allocation inherently built in

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

POLITICS to avoid work to the CAG and the media.” Well, looks the Ministry of Scams is finally working things out.

I think we can all agree now that the one office in India where we can earn by not attending is the Office of the Members of Parliament.

I think we can all agree now that the one office in India where we can earn by not attending is the Office of the Members of Parliament. It’s a dream job; if only they had come for placements to colleges, I’m sure I would have got placed back then. If the interviewer had asked: “Give us one good reason as to why you should work for us?” I could have shown them my attendance sheet that had amazing single digit percentages consistently. Not joking now, but the parliament doesn’t have a “Loss of Pay” rule! Oh, and I totally forgot Anna & Team. Wait, he has dissolved his team now! Damn. All the lovely fodder satirists and political commentators had is now going to remain a sweet memory. We now have Babaji for company though. No, I’m not complaining, but then the person who can send an exact estimate of the number of times he winks per minute should be our candidate to errrr… count the black money in this country. So, we have a new President and the same Vice-President. The latter probably is a fact many didn’t know. And the former was a matter-offact vote. The new President now will be renaming the Presidential Palace as “Roshtropoti Bhovan” and the location as “Roisina Hill”. Delhites heaved a sigh of relief when they found that the syllables in Delhi were to the satisfaction of His Excellency. Anyway Sir, you deserved this break and now have set a new precedent for the credentials to enter this palace – long service to a political party.

Meanwhile, our loving neighbour Pakistan seems to be taking the Opposition’s call for the Prime Minister’s resignation quite seriously and have summoned him to court. Our Opposition supremos are secretly delighted that something is happening somewhere because of their shouting and screaming in the Parliament. This epiphany has dawned on them and they are now taking special offers for bringing down PMs in various parts of the world. After all, we all know who India’s true PM is. The average age of Twitter just grew a tad. India’s young octogenarian ex-CM of Tamil Nadu is now on Twitter. Tweety bird apparently is excited because a little bird told it that some freebies might be in the offing. We are not complaining as long as, keeping in mind the techsavvy audience here, he offers us all a Macbook Pro each. In return, we shall retweet him. By all counts that’s how the Twitteratti votes.

THE POOR ARE NOT

FORGOTTEN IN INDIA

The next edition of this column shall have some fabulous “Motamaal”. Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav will provide us the fodder. To end with news that whipped up news channels into a frenzy and sent a certain Mr. Goswami into shock was an event the national channel has the sole rights to transmit. It occurred on August 15. Alas, our Prime Minister spoke. About The Writer: JAVEETH AHAMED. The columnist is a satirist and is also an MP – Member of Procrastination - India. For comments please reach him at javeeth@gmail.com and on Twitter - @javeeth

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

It’s fashionable to be angry and curse the government. But the government does have a number of schemes to benefit the lower class in India (at least on paper). Abdul Chowdhary gives a brief overview of these schemes

any of us reading this magazine will form part of the Indian middle class. Many of us were born in either cities or towns and have parents who are mainly salaried professionals (such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, business executives) or petty traders (such as shopkeepers, businessmen or traders in the stock markets). Our life therefore has a certain pattern: we tend to go to English speaking schools, seek a career mainly in the private sector and rely upon the market to fulfil our needs of life.

being fined for driving without a license we apply for a driver's license. To seek a transfer from a University to another we stand in long lines for migration certificates. To travel to another country we apply for a passport. The benefits we do receive are largely indirect: through the creation of more jobs by the government by encouraging private investment, through the control of inflation and provisions in the budget that regulate the prices of various goods and services. In none of these cases however does the middle class receive any direct benefits from the government.

Interaction with the government comes up with it either as a policing force or a regulatory body. To avoid

The middle class therefore has a disdain for 'politics' and views the government as corrupt and inefficient.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

POLITICS However, this view depends upon which class of society one is in. In this article therefore we will see that although the middle class does not receive much (and it can be argued that daily survival is not a matter of

concern for it anyway), the government does indeed do a great deal for various other sections in society. We will therefore examine a series of schemes from across India, across governments and see the impact they have had.

STATE SCHEMES STATES BIHAR

Scheme Name:

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

National Programme Of Mid-Day Meals In Schools NAGALAND

Year of Launch:

2006

Initiatives at the State level date back to 1925, but became a Central Scheme from 1995

Launched by Govt:

UPA – I and the Left

Indian National Congress

Beneficiaries:

Rural households whose adult members volunteer to work. 1/3 stipulated workforce to be women.

Children attending Classes I-VIII in government, local body, government-aided and National Child Labour Project Schools. EGCs/alternate and innovative education centres including madarsas/ maqtabs supported under the SSA across the country are also covered under this programme.

Scheme Objectives:

Enhancing purchasing power of the rural workforce and therefore helping in poverty alleviation. Works done through NREGA intended to strengthen infrastructure (laying roads, digging canals), manage natural resources (deforestation and soil erosion prevention) and promote sustainable development.

Chhattisgarh

Tamil Nadu

Providing cooked food to school-going children.

Maharashtra

Goa

Benefits/Brief Statistics:

The MGNREGA has successfully raised the bargaining power of agricultural labour, resulting in higher agricultural wages and reduction in distress migration. 48% - The women workforce of the NREGA 3.80 crore - Households provided employment under the programme. Average household assumed to have 5 members (2 parents, 2 children, one elderly person/third child) Rs. 120 - Average daily wage as of November 2011

10.46 crore - Children benefitted under the programme during 2010-11

Gujarat

INITIATIVE RIGHT TO PUBLIC SERVICES ACT Allows citizens to apply for government services such as certification, registration, tax returns, etc. online. Also penalises inefficient and corrupt government services by fining them. Nagaland Bee Keeping and Honey Mission A modernisation project for the apiculture sector in Nagaland, this mission focuses on providing tools and skill upgradation for beekeepers, value addition for bee products, creating demand-driven linkages with national and international markets and encouraging scientific beekeeping practices. Chhattisgarh Public Distribution System (Control) Order A series of intensive e-governance reforms which included online procurement and payments to farmers, information to cardholders through SMS, automated allocation through monitoring systems and public ownership of ration shops turned around the functioning of the PDS and made it much more inclusive and efficient. Special Component Plan (SCP) for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare The SCP is an annual budget for the development of TN’s SC and tribal population. For 2012, money has been allocated for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships, infrastructure upgradation in Adi Dravidar hostels and the ever-popular free laptop schemes. Jeevandai Aarogya Yojana Implemented since October ‘97, the scheme provides financial assistance of upto Rs. 1.5 lakhs to BPL sections of society in getting medical services for ailments relating to the heart, kidney, brain and spinal cord. Kanyadaan Getting daughters “married off” is a pressing concern for many families, especially poor ones. This scheme gives Rs. 25,000 assistance to families whose annual income is below Rs.1 lakh for getting upto two daughters married. Krushi Mahotsav This annual ‘Agricultural Festival’ is a means to transmit scientific knowledge on agricultural practices to the masses. ‘Krushi Raths’ carrying multi- disciplinary teams of horticulturists, agriculturalists and scientists cover the entire state, visiting every village.

These were some of the initiatives undertaken by various governments to bring about a change in the lives of its citizens. A final word would be that although the perception that the government is corrupt and inefficient is true to a large extent, it is also true that many sections of society have and continue to greatly YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

benefit from the government's initiatives. And since the government is ultimately (at least in theory) the people's will made concrete, these initiatives can be seen as of the public itself.

FASHION

Suit Up! Model Chetan Hansraj is wearing a beige blazer accompanied by monotone chocolate brown trousers. It has been teamed with a crisp white shirt, further accessorized by spritzer checked bow tie.

Men dressed in chic suits are sure to get second glances. The panache of a dapper suit cannot be beaten by any other clothing. So men, Suit Up with the exclusive Van Heusen's X-Lifestyle range of suits which are here to add some ĂŠlan to your wardrobe. Time to be suave and sway. Model Namit Khanna is wearing a nude grey doublebreasted suit having self checks accompanied by a pair of brown trousers. It has been teamed with a brown and white checked shirt, accessorized by a brown polka dotted bow tie and brown checked pocket square. The mint green socks add the zing, put together with leather brown monk strap shoes.

Model Alex O Niel is wearing a jade grey doublebreasted suit accompanied by similar coloured trouser. It has been teamed with a classic red, blue and white checked shirt and accessorised with a checked bow tie, a pocket scarf in a similar combination and basic brown formal leather shoes. 16

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

fASHION Model Roddy Mairh is wearing a nude double-breasted suit accompanied by similar coloured trouser. It has been teamed with pastel coloured checked shirt from the same colour family having solid brown cuffs and collar. Further, a checked bow tie, brown pocket scarf, tan brogues and contrasting marine blue socks complete the look.

Model Sid Rawal is wearing a buckskin double-breasted blazer with a ranch brown trouser. It has been teamed with a checked shirt, with a checked bow tie and chocolate brown pocket square. Plum socks and brown loafers simply help to seal the deal.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

FASHION

Fashion Quickies

What is Fashion to you?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever-changing. It is the style that suits your personality.

Favourite Designer

Rajesh Pratap Singh and Tom Ford

YSM GETS YOU TIPS FROM MEN WHO ARE ALWAYS PLAY IT COOL. TAKE OUT YOUR NOTEPAD GENTLEMEN, BECAUSE WHEN THESE MEN SPEAK ABOUT FASHION YOU OUGHT TO LISTEN AND FOLLOW. AFTER ALL FASHION RUNS IN THEIR BLOOD.

Fashion Icon Cary Grant

What do you like to wear when you are travelling?

I do believe in dressing up for travelling but I carry a pair of pyjamas that I can change into.

5 musts that men should have in their wardrobes?

Crisp white button down shirt, black suit, Pair of dark jeans, sun glasses.

What is Fashion to you?

Favourite footwear

Comfort. Whatever I am comfortable in.

Armani

What is fashion to you?

Favourite Designer

Everything that is trendy. It keeps changing.

Narendra Kumar and Zara for ready-to-wear

Favourite Party wear

Dark suit, well-fitted shirt and Nicely polished shoes.

Favourite Designer

Fashion Icon

Sabyasachi and Rohit Bal

Salman Khan

What do you like to wear when you are travelling? Pyajamas, t-shirt and chappals.

5 musts that men should have in their wardrobes?

A well-fitted suit, pair of jeans, formal shoes, nice belts And a white shirt.

Fashion Disaster according to you?

Wearing a tacky suit.

Fashion Icon

Jackie Shroff, Saif Ali Khan and Lenny Kravitz

What does Rahul Khanna wear when he is in absolutely no-fashion mood?

What do you like to wear when you are travelling?

A bathrobe

Nice comfy cotton clothing.

Favourite footwear

5 musts that men should have in their wardrobes?

Loafers

Your Fetish

A simple pair of jeans, crisp white shirt, pair of moccasin shoes, watch and pair of shades.

Earrings

Favourite Party wear

Favourite footwear

Depending on the occasion, a suit or pair of Jeans and t-shirt

Running shoes and anything that is Colourful suede or leathers.

Fashion Disaster according to you?

Favourite Party wear

Slight shimmery skinny short pants/trousers with a Loose shirt thrown on and moccasin suedes.

Wearing anything that makes you uncomfortable.

What does Shawar Ali wear when he is in absolutely no-fashion mood? Just a pair of shorts.

Fashion Disaster Over dressing

What does Kushal Punjabi wear when he is in absolutely No-fashion mood? 20

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Shorts and a loose kurta.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

FASHION

FROM

COMMERCE to

fashionista

THANKS TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS, THE GROWTH OF ONLINE SHOPPING HAS BEEN UNPRECEDENTED AND RAPID. WE SPEND OUR TIME BROWSING OPTIONS AND OFFERS FROM VARIOUS E-COMMERCE SITES. ONLINE FASHION RETAIL SITES ARE HERE TO STAY, SAYS FASHION ANALYST PUJA KALE...

returned to work on a typical Monday morning, happy to see a courier guy with a parcel waiting to be signed by me. My shoes from Myntra instantly disappeared my Monday blues. That is what shopping online has done to me! One of the main segments of E-Commerce today without doubt is Apparel & Fashion. Previously if a fashion-savvy girl wanted to purchase an item say a dress from Zara, which previously was not there in India. She would ideally wait for a trip abroad to a location that had a Zara store or try to order via catalogue (still not literally applicable in case of our country like India). Our e-commerce websites has made shopping more convenient for all fashion lovers just at the go of a click. World is said to have grown much smaller with Globalization. E-commerce websites definitely make me feel that way! Just 5 years back, it was comparatively challenging for E-commerce start-ups and online retailers to generate traffic. As such even to have the customer check their website, but that is not the case anymore. Also the technology, required for the same was expensive, 22

specialized, and quite immature. As years passed we have seen millions join Facebook, a massive boom in technology start ups building, and a drastic reduction in the cost of implementing these solutions. Thus the process to generate significant audiences and thereby acquire new customers is much easier now. Brands have embraced the web & social media with voracious enthusiasm. The digital world and e-commerce is growing in a very fast-track, and the Fashion industry is getting advantage of it with very good results for selling online. E-commerce websites are using networking websites such as Twitter and Pinterest apart from Facebook to promote their site and online presence. Fashion is one of the main external manifestations of who we are as individuals and serves as the impetus for visual feedback to observer about our personalities. We humans are inherently social animals and have a powerful desire to be accepted by the in crowd and belongingness – thereby, choosing what we wear is a direct reflection of who we are as an individual (or at least how one would want to be perceived).

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

When I say I really understand the importance of having an ASOS and Myntra.com made available for me - I literally do. Imagine a girl living in a place like Bhubaneshwar for instance. She is a girl in her 20s, someone just like us, grown up watching shows like Sex and the City and Gossip Girls who believes that trendy and stylish are the words best left to describe television stars and celebrities. She has the desire to dress similarly and even resources backed by willingness to buy, but fashionable merchandise aren’t readily available, due to their location or lack of store access. In a city like Mumbai or Delhi we still have quite some flagship stores such as Vero Moda, Mango, Esprit and so on which sort my daily fashion quotient. But then we also have international brands like Marni, Blugirl, Miu Miu which are yet to enter our Indian markets, but are easily available on net-aporter. I know I would not give up shopping from the retail stores, but I would also shop online and yet go for a cheap bargain if available in YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

a flea market for that matter. As a fashionista, all these different modes of shopping are very well satisfying my different needs at different price points fairly justified to me. Buying apparel online also sort of represents a systemic behavioural change from the old way of doing things i.e. purchasing clothes from an actual physical retail store. We try clothes prior to purchasing and we received immediate satisfaction by walking out with the product purchased. We can actually forego those long queues outside trial rooms as fashion websites, say Zovi for instance, allows one to see how a garment would look on him/her with the feature zovi-eye’. E-commerce allows you to check out, compare, review thousands of products on internet and crack the most competitive deals, which you might not get in offline shopping. Moreover, it enables you to shop 24X7 through easy payment modes, which could be via credit card, debit card or simply with cash on delivery system, the

most desirable of all. Most of these sites also have delivery charges which are as good as negligible. Shopping is convenient as most of the e-commerce websites are segregated on the basis of gender, age, brands, clothing categories and even others popular categories such as sale and new arrivals. Some also have further categorical separation such as ballerinas, boots, wedges, stilettos and so on under footwear for instance. Further simplified by finding product on the basis of colours, price range is also an option for search you wish to view in the category. A product can be viewed from different angles, as a flat image or on a model or on a catwalk in case of some websites. What better, some sites even suggest combinations how a certain top or a shirt could be teamed with that perfect trouser for instance and the accessories to go with the same. Looks which are in vogue are shared in the form of indirect trend notes, helping even a non-fashionista to shop - depending on the current trend. Simple clear size charts with measurements and conversion for different countries are given to help shop, with instructions also shared as to how to take measurements. Today there are e-commerce websites just focussing on niche too, such as a website each on just footwear or beachwear or shirts. It just keeps getting better. Even a person like me, who feels technologically handicapped and is yet not ready to operate an internet banking account shops online with ease. The only side effect of e-commerce culture is that it turns you into a shopaholic, proud to be one!

ENTERTAINMENT

Crazy, Stupid, Love BY KIRTI NERKAR

them and spending the rest of their lives together, as they say, happily ever after. That is how I look at love. Yash Chopra, the man who gave Indian cinema the best love stories ever, the man who gave India a style of romance, who made us realize that falling in love is the most beautiful feeling.

Mera vishwaas hain ki bhagwaan ne dilon ke rishtey pehle se hi jod rakhe hai, bas unka milna hum pe chhodh diya hain...

Dekha ek khwaab toh yeh silsiley hue, durr tak nigaahon mein hain gul khiley hue... A tall, handsome man sings the most romantic song with a beautiful lady draped in a chiffon sari in Switzerland. Clearly it is a song from a Yash Chopra film. The man gave India different dreamy definition of love.Yash Chopra’s romantic films always had one thing in common: passionate love. All the actresses were beautiful. The situations around them played the role of the villain. There was a visible madness in their love, this is how I feel a love be. Insane. And that is why I’ve always dreamed of my love story of being a Yash Chopra one. The first meeting, looking into their eyes, the realization of love, defying everything that separates 24

had shown the celebration of the Valentine’s Day. In the movie they tell you that if there is a full moon on Valentine’s Day, the person who is made for you will cross your path. And I believed it so much that I still wait for the full moon Valentine’s Day. I don’t know if it was/is true or not but it found a place in my heart. When you are in

Main aur meri tanhayi, aksar yeh baatein kiya karte hain Faith is another name of love. If you can trust the person, if you can put your faith in him/her that means he/ she is a part of you.You can cheat anyone else but you cannot cheat yourself.Yash Chopra’s ‘Silsila’ was a very rare love story which had love, passion, sacrifice and romance. A beautiful couple romancing in Switzerland. No wonder that I really want to visit Switzerland once with my love! The movie had a beautiful ambience along with mesmerizing shayaris.

There was depth in each and every shayari. The pain of losing someone was visible. The shayaris had a different magic. Who doesn’t face pain in their life? In love you get an equal share of love and pain. And the shayaris in Yash Chopra films helped me survive that pain. Even I tried making few but failed. Love is just not about being serious and shayaris; love is about madness. Love is about dancing in your

One of his films, ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’

love or in a search of one, all you need is faith.

Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayaal aata hai ke zindagi tere zulfon ki naram chhaon mein guzarne paati, Toh shaadaab ho bhi sakti thi, Yeh ranjho gham ki syaahi jo dil pe chhayi hain, Teri nazar ki suaahon mein kho bhi sakti thi. Magar yeh ho na saka...

Faith reminds me of another Yash Chopra film, ‘Silsila’. The movie ended with the line, “Love is faith and faith is forever”.

Teri aankhon ki namkeen mastiyaan, Teri hasi ki beparwaah gustakhiyaan, Teri zulfon ki lehraati angadaayiyaan, Nahi bhulunga main, Jab tak hain jaan. dreams, under the rains, wearing chiffon white saris. The kind of unbridled crazy love you see in his ‘Chandni’.

Rang bhare baadal se, Tere naino ke kaajal se, Maine iss dil pe likh diya tera naam... Chandni

Main aur meri tanhayi, aksar yeh baatein karte hain, Tum hoti toh kaisa hota, tum hoti toh yeh kehti, tum woh kehti Tum iss baat pe hairaan hoti, tum uss baat pe kitna hasti, Tum hoti toh aisa hota, tum hoti toh waisa hota, YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Yeh lamhe, yeh pal hum, barson yaad rakhenge, Yeh mausam chale gaye toh hum fariyaad karenge. Loving someone is not always winning him. Sometimes letting go of him is also love.Yash Chopra was a person who always got the pulse of the audience right. The love he showed us was not always about being practical. The madness was important too. Call it filmy or call it crazy. Or call it Yash Chopra love.

When there is a mention of shayaris, how one can forget the most romantic Yash Chopra love story, ‘Kabhi Kabhie’.

Plato’s ‘The Symposium’ tells us that we are all condemned to spend our lives searching for out perfect halves. Maybe it’s Yash Chopra or maybe it’s philosophy, but I really look for signs when I’m in a relationship. It sounds crazy, but I believe it.

comes in a helicopter and throws red rose petals on her just to show her his love. This was one of the best romantic scenes ever. Going out of his way, fighting with his family and fate, and then winning her heart.Yash Chopra’s love was just that, blind, passionate love. ‘Lamhe’ showed the love story of a man and girl of half his age.

How a man can love a girl so much? I have heard many girls wonder the same, but I always believed that a man could love a girl like this. And why not, I have always seen a man wooing his ladylove in any possible way in Yash’s films. Rishi Kapoor YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

We Are Not Just Fans Entertainment can mean a lot of things, but in India it’s mainly ‘Show biz’ and ‘Cricket’. That is why, irrespective of caste and creed in this secular country, Rajnikanth and Sachin Tendulkar attain a qasi-divine status just short of having an official religion declared in their names.

ndians are emotional people, and this includes their worship for their “stars”. We observe every detail, stick to each mannerism, wear yellow if he/she wears yellow and even try to imitate these “inspirations”. All around the world, actors and singers have their dazzling fan following, but it’s only in India that they have temples built to worship them, passionate letters written in blood, fans immolating themselves in grief when their idol passes away... We even vote stars into political power, giving them more power over our lives than they might deserve. There will be crowds outside theatres well past midnight when there's a premiere on, just to catch a glimpse of their star.You might call them wastrels or jobless people, but you couldn’t be further away from the truth. These people have real jobs and real families but their lives are so intertwined with films that even a glimpse of their star is enough for them.

Hollywood has stalkers and prying paparazzi who force the stars to be surrounded by security guards. But even television stars in India can get mobbed by their fans and sometimes can’t even shop or dine like a normal person. But the fans aren’t always up to silly things like begging for an autograph or hoping to take a picture with the celebrity to upload on Facebook. Fans sometimes work constructively towards helping their favourite stars by taking inspiration from them, although in an indirect way: • A Salman Khan fan from Mumbai stopped spending money unnecessarily in hotels and shopping sprees but has opted to donate the money to helping an NGO, just like her favourite star.

instead of brooding away on his lost love. He also hit the gym to work on his physique like his hero. • A Pawan Kalyan Fan from Vijaywada donates blood regularly in the name of the hero. • A hardcore Mamooty fan from Kerala says he took inspiration from his hero and learnt to keep his calm. He said decided to do so after watching Mamooty’s changed avatar on screen. Even with positive acts like these, there are the ones who end up making a fool of themselves by • Trying to breaking into the star’s home on their birthdays • Following every tweets of the star and desperately asking for retweets • Creating pages on social websites and spreading malicious reports through it •

Altercations and fist-fights with

other star’s fans, which ends up in many of them getting hospitalized

politicians thanks to their ever supporting fan base.

While this may sound a bit of a stretch to today’s multiplex audiences you’ll need to rewind a bit to know the full picture. In the late 90s, fan associations had an important social role. They played significant part that was never written, documented or highlighted in public.

But being a fan, being indirect reasons for the rise of stars, we are not just mere fans. We share the social responsibility with the fans like Salman Khan’s Being Human and Suriya Sivakumar’s Agaram Foundation. The core team of these organizations are fans of the actors, fans who have their own life to live. For them, being a part of the initiative is like watching a movie of their star. They are the ones who buy T-shirts, watches and other merchandise which their star endorses just because it associates them with the star and makes them believe that they are working for that cause.

Kamal Haasan and Chiranjeevi’s fan associations are famous for their blood donation drives. These drives donate blood to various blood banks for free and even for patients in need of it. On star birthdays, they organize distribution of food, books and stationary, typewriters, sewing machines etc. Some stars would also celebrate festivals with their fans and fund medical operations for needy people. In India, stars get a lot of support from their fans. Two states have had their top stars has their chief ministers and many actors become

We give our best when they see our stars do the same. But if we feel cheated, we will take them off the pedestal. Because we are not just fans, we make or break the stardom.

• A Suriya fan decided to pull himself together after his break-up

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

TELEVISION

It’s a hot and dusty day at the studio. The crew is at their hospitable best to us while we wait for the shoot to get done. While the CID team wraps up their shoot, we decide imaginary titles for the interview: Kissa CID Ke Interview Ka, CID Ki Interrogation,

A Whodunnit with

Yahan Gadbad Hai Isliye Daya Darwaza Tod Do…

The CID Team

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Finally we meet the team: Shivaji Satam who plays ACP Pradyuman becomes our favourite instantly when we notice his orange tie with printed dinosaurs and trees. Aditya Srivastava a.k.a. Senior Inspector Abhijeet is more like his no-nonsense onscreen avatar and he makes us wonder whether the character turned into the person or was it the other way around? Dayanand Shetty, or Senior Inspector Daya as we know him, made our editors turn on their girlish charm.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

TELEVISION How does it feel to be part of a show that has been running successfully for 15 years? Shivaji Satam: It is a very great feeling. I feel so proud to be associated with this show which has been so popular for 15 years. Aditya Srivastava: I feel I am lucky, I am blessed. And we are still enjoying it with the same passion with started out with. Caravan chal raha hai… Dayanand Shetty: I feel blessed. If you look at the current scenario of television, the shows don’t run consistently with good TRPs for so long. All thanks to the audiences and especially the kids. Irrespective of your other acting assignments, CID has given you a special identity. How do people respond when they meet you in public? SS: I have been playing ACP Pradyuman for 15 years so they start relating to me as ACP Pradyuman and not Shivaji Satam though they know that I am just an actor. Even today when I see Sean Connery I end up referring to him as James Bond. That’s how powerful the character of ACP has become in people’s minds. AS: CID has reached that stage where not only anywhere in India but also in abroad we are recognized as CID actors. They address me as Abhijit and I don’t mind it. DS: We are shooting all the time. We don’t get to socialize much. But, whenever we do, we get lot of appreciation and it’s amazing to see the kind of faith the audiences have developed in our characters. 30

been given a certain framework in our behaviour pattern and we cannot, and will not, go beyond it. So when a scene is constructed everything is well balanced out by the writers and the director. AS: Everybody here knows there character. We follow the hierarchy. This is the first time I have been asked this and it never crossed my mind. In any project there is always the question of how much space each character gets on screen. How is this balanced in your program? SS: A format has been set right from the beginning by Mr. B.P. Singh. He is the Father of CID. He has also been the director, cameraman and screenplay writer. There is a hierarchy, where ACP leads the team and his immediate right and

left hand are Daya and Abhijeet, and then the rest follow. Every character was given particular characteristics during character sketching. For example, ACP is very grim and sombre. He is blunt to the point of being rude. Daya is more about muscle power, breaking doors using is strength and anger. Abhijeet is again very serious and angry because of his past. So all of us have YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

DS: It’s all about the hierarchy. We all have our own roles to play and we have our own place; it is that well balanced. Were there any fights and tense moments in this journey? Be it shoot or within the team itself? SS: Touchwood! We have been extremely lucky that till date there has never been any ego hassles YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

amongst us. We have developed mutual respect and understanding towards each other over the period of time. We enjoy taking care of each other as we end up spending more time together than our families. We know each other’s life in and out. AS: Never. DS: No. Never. It is another USP of CID a team that has been harmoniously together for so long. What kind of shows do you consider competition? Are there any shows you look up to (Indian or others)? SS: I personally don’t look up to any of the shows as competition. CID has become a good solid format with the sort of quality that has been maintained. The main thing

that I always feel proud of about is that unlike other shows we do not go overboard and take the liberty of showing crime in its most graphic form as we focus more on the investigating part of the crime. Coming to international shows, then they have their own culture and influences and a different audience to cater to. AS: CID has only one competition and that is CID. DS: In terms of budget, we cannot compare at all with the international shows. An artist’s remuneration there is the budget for our entire month’s shoot. How did you go about shooting the record breaking single shot episode – ‘The Inheritance’? SS: It was shot at Lonavala in a 31

TELEVISION we rehearsed with the technical team for 6 days and on the eighth day we shot the actual episode in the first take. It was an effort of all the 160-180 people who were there during the shoot that made it possible. AS: It was a fulfilling experience. Initially it was suppose to be just 90 minutes which later turned into 111 minutes. It was a dream woven by Mr. Singh and we are glad that we were a part of it. DS: Initially there was a bit of reluctance as to how we would manage to do it. We still get goose bumps thinking about it as it was quite an impossible task and no one had tried to do it in television before. What are your plans for the future? SS: Yes. A whole new CID series is going to start in Bengali. This is the channel’s initiative, just the way they have CSI: New York, CSI: Miami. It will have the same format with different actors. AS: It is a very big show. New cops are always welcome. We used to air only on Fridays, and now we are on Saturday and Sunday too.You never know what we have in store for the audiences.

hotel. We went there a week before (the shoot) and had 6 days of pure rehearsals, marking out the movement because it was four stories to tell, it was half complete, 4 corridors and two stories to be shot underground in the under construction part of the hotel so there was no light. So before we all went their Mr. Singh designed the entire episode along with Late. Mr. 32

Rajan Kothari, the great cameraman, who designed the lighting and Mr. Nitin Rao the main cameraman. We had a 98 page script, so it was more like a play. And we did all the markings in 3 days, on the first day we did 38 pages, 28 pages on the next day and the rest on the third day. Once you get that momentum the work starts to fall in place. So

Earlier CID was very similar to the proper detective story: very Sherlock-esque where the detectives catch a clue that misses the common man’s eye and was more about the team’s deduction abilities. Now-a-days it’s more of lab tests and other gimmicks. Have you completely given up on the “detective” style? And why? SS: Previously the investigations used to be fact-free, cut and dry. But then YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

you need to change the packaging from time-to-time these days. Plus the percentage of children watching the show has increased; they are the major chunk of our audience. They used to play chor-police and now they play CID-CID. So it’s nice to stimulate the curiosity of the viewers with things happening in the laboratory. The changes have to be made according to the demands and changing times. AS: There has to be growth in the show in terms of presentation, story-telling, look and feel. We don’t want to repeat ourselves; we have to deliver something new. Sometimes the episode is personal/emotional; sometimes it is whodunnit and sometimes how to crack the case. So the change is deliberate. DS: Even in reality, the crimes that happen are mostly investigated/ solved over the mobile phones. Tracking the last calls made, that’s where the investigation begins. Fifteen years ago this wasn’t the case. We didn’t have these gadgets; no latest forensic theories existed then. According to the time we had to change. Indeed, the stories back then were amazing, had tight content, very less scope of loop holes and loose ends. The best and most comical feedback you have received. SS: Oh, there are umpteen numbers of stories! I used to work with the Central Bank of India and I got a job there because I was a Marathi Theatre actor as well as I was working with CID. A robbery occurred in my bank at Central Bank of India, Worli, where a retired school teacher was looted of his money of around Rs. 10,000 or YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

20,000 by 3 young lads where two escaped and the one who had held a knife to the old man’s throat was caught while he was trying to escape. After the entire fiasco, when the police came from the Worli Police Station, the old man was there and so was I. The old man was crying, then he saw me and said, “Saheb tumhi kahi tari kara. Police vel laavtil bharpur. tumhi jhatkyat pakdaal choranna,” (Sir, please do something. This police will waste a lot of time whereas you will solve the case in a moment.) Then the police in-charge Mr. Sudhir Jadhav said sarcastically, “Ho! Ho! Satam saheb tumche paise denaar aahet aanun.” (Yes! Mr. Satam is going to get your money back.) Lata Didi (Lata Mangeshkar) had invited the team for dinner and had gifted us watches and Cartier wallets. She expressed how much she loved the show. Then children would come to me and hug me around the knees. What more can you ask for? AS: People have given us lots of love and appreciation over the period of time. That is the best experience throughout. DS: Usually the parents come up to us and tell us stories about their children and how much they love CID. Like a lady came up and said that her kid once got locked in the bathroom and then he started to cry and kept saying, “Daya ko bulao. Darwaza tudwao” (Call Daya. Make him break the door.). Then how their kids keep spraying perfumes on the walls of their home or terraces looking for blood stains. It’s funny!

Favourite Dialogue SS: Kuchh toh gadbad hai! AS: None. DS: Nothing as such. Most Memorable Shoot/Scene SS: The 111 single shot episode. AS: CID 111 DS: CID 111, Behrupiyaa. Most Memorable Mystery/Case SS: The case where I kill my own son and later I cry like a father. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. AS: I can’t pinpoint one. I start a new case and forget the old one. DS: Behrupiyaa. Your take on the CID jokes SS: I love them. I have saved a quite a lot of them. It’s sort of a left handed compliment. AS: We enjoy them. DS: CID has become a way of life. Like the jokes on Rajinikanth, but he is still the superstar. We feel blessed that we have jokes on us. People keep circulating them, we receive them too. We are in their minds and we enjoy it. Will Abhijit ever ask Dr. Tarika out on a date? AS: He will if the writers, producers and director want to. Where does Daya get his superpowers of breaking every door that he comes across? DS: There are no super powers involved. It is just the faith of the audiences in Daya.

TELEVISION

Fight! Cry! Dance! You’re on Reality TV!

is a good way to make money.

reality TV.

By Esha Singh

Reality TV can be defined by the manner in which it is shot. Whether the show is shot in an indoor or outdoor setting, shoots in front of a live studio where the audience can take part, or hidden surveillance. Reality TV heavily relies on the camera to do the story telling.

ou’re home on the couch in front of your new LED screen with a few hours to kill. You start channel surfing and come across a show with people performing dreadful and life risking stunts to win money. One channel after the other, you see guys trying to woo a girl they wouldn’t even give a damn about if it wasn’t for the fame, celebrities roaming around a jungle which make you think that a living in a prison would be more luxurious. Now you’re asking yourself where did all the fiction, melodramatic shows go (Err… maybe you didn’t notice, they’re pretty much the same).

Reality TV shows are from amateur talent competitions to hidden camera stunt shows to dating shows to documentary style series. There are talent extravaganzas and just about any kind of competition you can think of (and a few that you probably can’t). Indian Idol was the first ever reality show in India and now there are more than a dozen reality shows on prime time slots on major networks and cable channels. On any given night you can watch, ‘Dance India Dance’, ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, ‘Roadies’ just to name a few.

Just when did reality TV get to be so popular? How do people come up with this stuff? And how real are these shows any ways?

Superstars bestow their grace on the small screen through a cameo on a dancing talent hunt show or weeping over some participant’s performance, Rakhi Sawant chooses a groom for herself, Akshay Kumar oversees models performing thrilling stunts, all reverberate the growing mania of

Despite their lucrativeness and popularity, many analysts find current reality TV shows ethically and morally reprehensible. Early reality TV series were good-humoured and harmless, they believe, but shows like ‘Survivor’ and its contemporaries are not. Participants can be hurt physically performing various stunts or humiliated and emotionally abused when they fail to win. Further, reality TV shows often glorify superficial characteristics such as physical beauty and thus set a poor example for teenagers, with whom the shows are especially popular. According to network statistics, 12-17 year-olds say that three of their four favourite shows are reality TV shows. Reality shows work more for the audience than for the participants. The judges of these shows become more popular than the contestants. Therefore, they work in resurrecting careers of the “forgotten” celebrities. The judges gain more fame and fortune overnight than any other person on the show. Bagging a reality show is bound to get them to hike their prices.

Reality TV is essentially unscripted programming that doesn’t employ actors or focuses on real events or situations. They’re often run by a host or a narration to tell the story. Unlike scripted shows like daily shops, dramas and newscasts, reality TV does not rely on writers and actors, and much of the show is run by producers and the creative team. Because of this, it can be very affordable and

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

The idea of what is real and what is constructed is frequently called into question. A place where this question is asked, but never really conclusively answered, is on television. Reality television shows are extremely popular, whether these stories are constructed or not, is very difficult to tell. Most reality shows follow a similar story line to that of regular television dramas. Do the people featured in these shows encounter such dramatic situations everyday, or is it really just a constructed version of reality to keep viewers interested? If reality is never ending, how do these shows ever come to an end? What is it about these shows that are categorized as "reality television" that makes them any different than a prime time drama? YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Shows like ‘Big Boss’, ‘Emotional Atyachar’, ‘Splitsvilla’, ‘Love Lockup’ etc. are examples of our growing lust for intrusion in private lives of people, and for that matter, even voyeurism. The grand success of ‘Emotional Atyachar’s had shown that we bite our nails sitting glued to our television sets, seeing people cheating on their partners with hot models. With the ‘Swayamvar’ series, the institution of marriage has become farce. Shows like ‘Splitsvilla’, ‘Dare To Date’ have ridiculed love by turning it into a lucrative business and an easy mode through which a handful of fame-crazy youngsters get overnight fame for a few months. Many youth-targeted reality shows have contestants using appalling lingo to abuse one another, and even abuse one another physically. Most of these faces are forgotten by the end of a season and get replaced with newer ones coming in the next season. Scripted jokes, crying for no reason, sensational twists, over-whelming emotions and actions have become an integral part of our reality shows. In the name of gaining higher TRPs, most situations are created to spike up something or lead to something that will squeeze out content and if the situation presents itself its is capitalized on. If a normal contestant (non-celebrity) starts talking about his/her poor background the anchor will capitalize on it by asking him/ her by asking questions to get the emotional moment out. And hopefully make them cry (TRP just went two points higher). Not all the reality shows are rigged but they most certainly are tampered a bit. Despite this being a well known fact people still love to watch them. The entertainers are going to give you what you want after all it’s a money making business. Entertainment ke liye kuch bhi karega!

LOVE & LIFE

Virtually Yours…

BY HAEM ROY

The conversations flowed so easily, she was surprised. Generally, she was a shy person, but with him, it was as if she was the chattiest thing on the planet. He listened to her, always knew the right questions, always respected her privacy and never asked anything too personal. She liked that. His name was Avneesh. He worked at an IT firm in Bangalore, and his passion was books, and art. She was an amateur art curator herself, and when she told him that, he was really excited. He flooded her with questions about art, about the various artists, art movements and what not. She smiled at his enthusiasm, almost like a teacher smiles at an over-excited pupil. Finally, tired of constantly checking her Twitter account, she shared her chat id with him. “Just chat, no phone numbers”, she told him.

The phone blinked. Reyna plunged at it. She knew what it was. Another DM on her Twitter account, from him. Just the thought of it excited her. She had been chatting with him on Twitter for days now, and she enjoyed the conversations. It started with a simple reply to her nonsensical tweet, and spiralled into a conversation. A couple of days later, she found a DM from him. “It would be nice to put a name to the conversation.” She smiled. He was smart, but not over-smart. He wasn’t trying to ‘make fraandsheep’ with her, like the faceless creeps on Facebook. She shared her name, just her first name. She was not stupid to share anything more so soon.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

They would chat every day after work, and if either of them was too busy to talk on any day, the other would feel restless. He knew when her mood was not right, or when work had drained her, she knew when he was excited, when he was angry at his boss and so on. Once in a while, they would talk about the past. Neither had a dark or agonising past, yet, both were very cautious. After all, talking about the past meant letting someone into your life, into your experiences and that was serious business. She would mention her past boyfriends in passing, he would talk about his temperamental mother and witty father once in a while. He got himself an Android phone. That was it. Now they were constantly talking, giggling, exchanging events and more on chat. She would click pictures of funny sights on her commute and send it to him. He saw Mumbai through her eyes, or rather, her phone. Since he had never been to the city, every picture she sent him piqued his interest. Mumbai had so little greenery, he thought. Bangalore was like a forest compared to it. But it YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

also had so many characters. She sent him a picture of a local train, packed to the brim. There were so many people willing to risk their life for that commute. He didn’t know whether he would be able to do that, if ever the moment arrived. For now, he liked the pictures of the sea side that she sent. The sea was nice, he liked that. He wouldn’t mind living close to the sea in the city. She wasn’t much of a reader. Her problem was that she could never finish a book. As a child too, picture books were her favourite. The words never appealed to her. But he insisted that she must read. He mailed her a list of must-reads, and recommended the first book that she should pick up. She did, and to her own surprise, she finished it and loved it too. He gloated a bit when she told him that. “What did I tell you? :) Now read the other books too.” “Yes Yes I will.” “You just never had anyone tell you the right books. I am there now. Leave it all to me.” “I sure am glad you are there.” She realised she actually meant it. She had begun to really depend on him. Her day was incomplete without a conversation with him. He made her smile even when she was depressed. He could calm her down with just a silly comment. And to think, she had never actually even spoken to him! He was just some guy she had met on ‘the internet’. What would her friends say to that? “He has to be a creep. Stay away.” “How can you share so many details with someone just like that? Have you lost it?” She could imagine their voices in her head. But they had never chatted with him. She had. And only she knew how he made her feel. He wasn’t creepy, she told herself. He was so caring, and sweet. He had never tried to get

her phone number, never even asked. Wasn’t that a sign? She ‘ping’ed him. Let’s meet, she said. Try and come to Mumbai some day. It would be nice to talk face to face. We get along so well, I am sure we will enjoy each other’s company, she thought. And maybe, just maybe, who knows, we may fall in love. She shook herself. She was thinking far too ahead. But she did know she would love to meet him. A month later, he told her that he was going to take a few days off work, and come to Mumbai. She was elated. Finally they would meet. She shared her number, but told him, let us not talk till we meet. He agreed. They didn’t even share pictures. She thought that the surprise element would be fun. She told him about the various places in the city where she could take him. She would show him around and make him experience the city. An open air bus, a local train, a walk on Marine Drive, street food… there was so much. He was arriving by train and would be staying with a friend. She said they could meet on the second day, after he’d rested. They fixed a place – a coffee shop in Bandra. On the day, she took a whole hour to get dressed. She wanted to look nice. Reaching just a few minutes early, she picked up a coffee and waited. He was late. Suddenly, she got an SMS. “Sorry, something really urgent came up and had to fly back home. Cannot meet. Maybe another time.” She was dejected. But still, she just hoped all was ok. Little did she know that he had arrived, taken one look at her and left. His virtual world expectations, did not meet her physical world looks. And just like that, the real world lost the game.

FOOD

TOMATO BRUSCHETTA Ingredients 8 tomatoes, diced

Finger Food THE PARTY SEASON IS ON. YSM BRINGS YOU THREE EXTREMELY EASY-TO-MAKE FINGER FOOD TO GET A HOUSE PARTY STARTED. HOPE YOU HAVE THE FIRST ISSUE AT HAND... SO THAT YOU ARE SORTED WITH THE RECIPES FOR COCKTAILS AND MOCKTAILS.

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic, minced

TZATZIKI AND PITA

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

Dip:

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped dill

1 loaf French bread, toasted and sliced

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preparation In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Serve on toasted bread slices.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Pita chips:

TZATZIKI AND PITA

DEEP FRIED PRAWNS

Preparation

Ingredients

Beat eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in another medium bowl. Dredge shrimp in flour mixture. Dip shrimp into eggs and coat both sides with panko, pressing panko onto shrimp.

3 large eggs

1 12-oz. package pita bread

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 lb. jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, leaving tails on

Preparation Make dip: Stir together all ingredients; chill. Make chips: Preheat oven to 375째F. Cut each pita in half, then cut each half into three wedges. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs Vegetable oil

Pour enough oil into a large, heavy pot to reach depth of 2 inches and heat oil to 350째F. Add shrimp to hot oil and fry until cooked through. Remove and drain shrimp on paper towels. Arrange shrimp on platter. DEEP FRIED PRAWNS

Divide pita between two baking sheets. Bake, rotating pans midway through cooking, until light brown and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.

TOMATO BRUSCHETTA 38

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

TECHNOLOGY

The Gaming Indian

“Oh I am not a gamer I just like playing some games on my phone!” If this sentence has escaped your mouth I would like to inform you, You Sir are a gamer! Some years ago gaming meant playing games on TVs, PCs and consoles. Today the scenario has completely changed.Your everyday device has become the basic console.You don’t have to buy a PlayStation to compete in tiny games with your friends. The console is your mobile phone and unlike older consoles you are directly connected to ‘Social Network’. We witnessed the boom in TVs (in the 90s it was all about the size of the TV) followed by DVD/VCDs (basically all types of digital storage space. RIP floppy disk) then by cameras (the megapixel craze) and now it’s the age of the games! This is the era of gaming where awesome graphics, smooth programming and varied controls have captured the heart and mind of the thousands that get addicted every day. “The genre of games may vary between the ages and masses but they still are part of the gaming craze,” quipped Sudhir Shingne, Game Designer and Lead Tester at VfoundX digital Pvt Ltd.

From school children to their parents, everybody seems to be part of the gaming obsession. “I love playing games,” said Neetu Kukreja, “especially the cute ones on the Android Market. They give me a thrill and help pass time.” Her daughter and two Sons are now in college and well into their youth.

Hot Games

Are you past the angry bird fever and want to try something more? Here is a list of games that can keep you entertained for those long boring hours:

1. SUBWAY SURFERS(iOS): 9/10 When was the last time you got so addicted to a game that you passed on dinner or ignored your girlfriend/ boyfriend? If you are ok with being the perfect modern zombie, download Subway Surfers, the free iPad/ iPhone game and DASH as fast as you can! With great 3D cartoony graphics and smooth controls, this game is sure to have you hooked in no time. The game shows a punk spray painting in a train yard and being spotted by the guard. He must then run as fast as he can while dogging obstacles to avoid being caught.

2. CUT THE ROPE (iOS/ANDROID/ ONLINE): 9/10

The best game I have seen in ages. All you have to do is feed the adorable monster OM NOM the piece of candy. The candy is usually hanging somewhere on a rope which must be cut tactically so that OM NOM doesn’t go hungry. A well made physics puzzle game with amazing level design and wonderful graphics. The obstacles are creative and actually make the player think for a change. Outside the box thinking, with practical solutions makes this game a personal favourite of mine.

If comedy, funny and light entertainment is what you like; make sure to play Bouncy Mouse. These cute graphics and amazing sounds will have you smiling in no time. This is one of my personal favourites and possibly one of the few games that fills my angry birds void.

A cracker of a physics puzzle game from the house of Disney. This game has been developed to take your solution solving ability to the next level. The objective of the game is to reach the bath water to the alligator that lives underground and on way you must collect 3 ducks so as to proceed to the next level. A fun game which can entertain all ages.

WHAT’S NOT HOT GAMES

Here is what the industry experts predict will be a major part of the future.

How would you illustrate the average Indian gamer? You can’t! The India gamer is everybody. From a sari clad women to a man in formals, everyone has at least asked their friends once- “What games are in your mobile?”

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

4. WHERE’S MY WATER? (iOS/ ANDROID): 7/10

WHAT’S MAKING ROUNDS IN THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY? TABLETS? NO, THEY ARE OLD NEWS.

Almost every Indian was a loyal Nokia fan, and the only reason they considered changing to other brands was because of the App Stores! Don’t believe me? Just have a look at what people are doing on their mobile phones the next time you are travelling.You will be surprised to see how many of them are gaming on their mobiles.

So can we draw the conclusion that the next generation Indians are gamers? Yes I would certainly say so while desperately praying… Dear God, please don’t let them break my high scores…

3. BOUNCY MOUSE:(iOS/ANDROID): 7/10

ABOUT THE WRITER:

Ria Kudukar Owner & CEO, VfoundX Digital Private Limited YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

5. SKATER BOY (iOS/ANDROID): 6/10

A two finger ‘platform high scoring game’ that needs you to concentrate your energies on skating and avoiding obstacles strewn across the course. This is the kind of game to compete with friends in. Good stunts and difficulty factors. A must have game for the boring time spent during travelling.

1. ANGRY BIRDS 2. UNLOCK ME hese are Old 3. DOODLE JUMP games you should 4. TEMPLE RUN now have finished playing by now. So 5. NIN JUMP

if you haven’t, well wake up!

SONY SMART WATCH! When I saw this product for the first time, I went through the same feeling that I had when I laid my eyes on the first iPod. Pure bliss! There were angels singing in my ears. This amazing device comes from the house of Sony. The smart watch is connected to your Android phone and is like a mini reader. From Twitter and Facebook notifications to messages and even music, this touch device takes remote computing to the next level.At 36 mm x 36 mm, with a thickness of 8 mm and a weight of 15.5 g main unit and 26 g watchband it has an Operating range of 10 m. A must have right now. I applaud the guys who thought of this innovative device which makes me feel a bit like Ritchie Rich. Now I no longer need to fear of losing my phone due to carelessness, it can go in my purse while I stay connected with my watch. For a $110 pinch, its worth 10 times over. 41

LITERATURE

“We All Lead

Thrilling Lives” You are debuting as a writer with ‘31’. How are you feeling now? It’s a mixed bag of emotions. At one end is a sense of elation to see the book out on the stands after so much hard work having gone into it. On the other end is a sense of restlessness as the book picks up momentum and I continue receiving encouraging views and feedback on the book. This has also given me a better perspective and an urgency to publish my next book titled ‘60’.

How does a stiff banking and finance man turn to write a corporate thriller? And does he have insider hints of the industry? YSM talks to Upendra Namburi, author of ‘31’…

Any reason for choosing the genre of Corporate Thriller? I had set out to write a story that readers would be able to connect with and reflect upon. The plot and storyline evolved into a thriller format. The rationale for a corporate setting? Well, we spend half our lives in either commuting to work or being at work. It quite often defines who we are and how we grow in our lives. It was only apt that a book be written that encompasses so much of our lives. Was your own experience in the corporate sector helped you more with the story?

I often wonder if Ravi should have been more of a ‘hero’ and this has been the debate with many readers. But when I reflect on where this story commenced and the ethos, I am quite happy with the storyline and the characters as they have evolved in the book. I would have possibly liked to have written more about his wife Savitha, but then I also needed to keep the book crisp and compact. Your favourite books and writers? I have a very wide span of reading across fiction and nonfiction. I was motivated to take up writing when I read ‘English August’ by Upamanyu Chatterjee and went through a phase with Ayn Rand, Nietzsche and Sartre. James Gleick and Irving Stone are two authors who I believe have an extraordinary sense of writing and their ability to captivate the readers with the wide variety of people and subjects they cover in their books has been remarkable. So how big you are planning to focus on writing career?

It has been a long standing dream for several years now. I have always been passionate about writing, both fiction and nonfiction, and have been both blogging and contributing columns for several years now.

Having worked with leading organizations for several years now, I do understand the finer nuances and challenges of corporate life. It does help in evolving the storyline and in portraying a canvas for the characters to live and evolve in. The story and characters are pure fiction, but every author weaves his personal perspectives into the sub plots and storyline.

How did the whole book evolve? When did you think that the thoughts in your head were finally good enough to be put together as a whole book?

Some reviewers have claimed that your book tries to be the Heroine of literature i.e. trying to inject every possible scenario into it.Your views?

I was looking for a subject that was contemporary in its setting and that touched upon aspects of both personal and professional lives. The trigger for the story commenced with a call from a friend who was seeking a job, and this was a time when there were several businesses restructuring and down sizing. And that’s when the journey on ‘31’ commenced.

We are all quite enamoured with stories and tales of ‘heroes’ in several manifestations. Be it generals, corporate leaders, saints and revolutionaries. We quite often forget that each and every one of us leads rather challenging and complex lives with several obstacles along the way. For the protagonist Ravi and his wife, those 31 days test each and every aspect of their personality and they are your ‘working couple next door’

Have you decided about your next novel?

They are in a constant struggle in the rat race, with the office politics, personal goals and ambitions. ‘31’ is in the format of fiction, but it quite easily have been the real story of millions of working professionals across the world who go into work to make a living, support their families and build a nest egg for their retirement.

The attempt is to capture the reality of contemporary urban lifestyles and how numbers are interwoven into every aspect of our lives. Timelines, deadlines, flights, trains, meetings, business plans, schedules, the stock market, the grocery budget…the list goes on.

Was it your childhood dream to write or was this a pure accident?

As ‘31’ traces the story of Ravi, a regional head in a bank and his wife Savitha, an IT professional over 31 days in the month of March, there were several aspects of life of a working couple that resonated with a very large number of people. As I commenced tracing the storyline, the characters and sub plots, it became quite clear that this in fact was a story of relevance to a very large audience. How did you find the publisher? Was it easy?

Finding a publisher is one aspect of this journey. However, tying the knot with the right publisher for the genre and style of writing is the tricky part. With Westland, there was a team that was very progressive and had been doing some exemplary work with Indian authors across a wide range of subjects.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Any hindsight on what you would have changed in the book? YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Writing is a passion. It is an interest that I would like to evolve and nurture. I do not view it as a career and would like to stay true to it. I don’t understand the concept of ‘big’. It is always relative, but there is one thing that I have surely learned to appreciate more in this process. Life is about family and friends and all my books would be dedicated to the spirit and zest for life that the represent and embody.

‘31’ is the first in the Numbers Triumvirate that I would be writing. The subsequent books are titled ‘60’ and ‘8’, which would both be modern urban contemporary thrillers, touching upon love, passions, life and manias in different settings with time remaining a key dimension. The storylines and writing style would be rather unique in the Indian context and would attempt to challenge norms as we know them.

Numbers and time are all around us. The clock is always ticking. We all lead thrilling lives! The trick lies in surviving through them! 43

LITERATURE

Excerpt: 07:22 I called up Karan. ‘Get ready. I’m picking you up in 20 minutes!’ ‘What? What happened, boss?’ ‘Get ready!’ I hung up. As I approached the main door, my mom walked towards me; a silver platter laden with a lit lamp, a prasadam of yoghurt and sugar and a host of other holy stuff. ‘Amma … I’m in a hurry.’ Her reply was succinct. ‘Shut up!’ Possibly not the most holy of utterances, but had the desired impact. I bowed in silent obeisance. She swung the plate with the lamp around my face and applied a speck of vermillion to my forehead, to get rid of evil spirits haunting my life. A similar ritual was performed in medieval times when warriors went out to battle or when lambs were put to slaughter! She was on the right course, in either case, but I had yet to decide which one I was. Price Rs 250/Imprint Westland ISBN 978-93-81626-75-7

07:59 @ Office

“Witty, crisp, realistic, intelligent, engaging and compelling enough to read cover-to-cover in one go.” Ashwin Sanghi

I picked up Karan as I sped into office. The traffic hadn’t picked up yet and so I managed to make it in record time. I parked at an awkward angle in my rush, blocking two slots and raced up the stairs, not even waiting for the lift, with an alarmed Karan following on my heels.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

‘Karan, log into the Core Banking System (CBS) and extract these account details!’ I handed a piece of paper with details of three accounts. The CBS was Imperial’s main database in which all customer banking records and transaction details were stored. I opened my room and booted my laptop. As I waited for the screen to light up, I searched for my cupboard keys in the desk drawer but couldn’t find them. Damn! I was getting too dependent on Radhika! ‘Karan …’ I shouted. He came running. ‘Get the cupboard opened ASAP!’ The Internal Audit team would be in by 10, I needed to rush. Karan ran out and returned quickly, dropping the piece of paper I had handed over to him earlier on my table. He had scribbled the names of the account holders against the numbers. I read them aloud. 1043576548 : Mayur Agarwal 1043576952 : Srinath Ramnathan 1043578557 : Natwar Kamal Karan returned with a member of the admin staff and the cupboard was opened. I handed the paper to Karan and asked him to log in from my laptop and show me the details. I shut the door and searched for the compliance file in my cupboard. It was on the second shelf from the top in the front. I opened the file and found the documents I was looking for. The KYC (Know Your Customer) deviation requests for the three accounts. They all had my signature on them! Shit! YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

The KYC deviation requests were taken in exceptional cases where a VIP customer was unable to furnish all the KYC norms, with the express understanding that they would be completed within 24 hours of account opening. Checks and balances were put in place to ensure the account could not be used till the formalities were completed. But somehow these accounts seemed to have slipped through. ‘Karan, what’s the transaction activity on these accounts?’ ‘Fishy, sir, very fishy. All accounts were opened on 25 February. Seventy thousand dollars transferred into the first account in February and one more for $20,000 came in on Monday. But these have been transferred into … guess?’ ‘ …the other two?’ ‘Yup, and all three accounts are now cleaned out. Got just a few rupees in them now. Minimum balance, right?’ ‘What’s in the file, sir?’ ‘The KYC deviation requests …’ ‘Sir, I remember these cases. They came from Chennai, with a note indicating they were some important business clients moving to Bangalore and needed the accounts opened urgently!’ ‘Who is the bank officer in Bangalore?’ ‘The system is showing opening dates, but I am not able to track the officer’s name here. Will need to check the actual application form to figure that one. Let me call up someone in Operations.’ ‘No, Karan, hang on. Any other way to crack this one?’ ‘Can call up Mumbai. I know the Operations Manager. He’s family.

He should be able to retrieve the scanned copy.’ ‘Get to it!’ I settled on the chair. The clock read 08:07. I picked up the bottle of water and gulped down over half its contents. I still felt parched. The heartbeat was gaining speed. Karan returned at 08:14. ‘This is crazy. No bank officer names on the application forms. Only your signature! No clue how the accounts got opened? They just passed through all the checks.You do know what this means, right?’ ‘I think they call it money laundering, Karan … and KYC breach!’ ‘This is bad, sir!’ ‘I know, Karan. Damn it, I know!’ So far, I had an untarnished career. No scandals or reconciliation issues. No whiff of underhand dealings. This was alien territory. It wasn’t a good place to be, especially not now.

31 is published by Westland Ltd.

HEALTH

Doctor, Help! Is my Rash an STD? ABOUT THE WRITER: Dr. Rajan T.D. MD, DVD, DNB

Specialist in Skin & Sex Transmitted Diseases Email: rajan.td@gmail.com

uring the adolescent years, boys and girls observe changes occurring in the physical appearance. They also experience some strange feelings in their body, particularly in the genital areas. The brain, influenced by the effect of sex hormones, makes the young person aware of the changes in his or her body and there develops a natural interest in knowing about the opposite sex. The nipples, breasts and the clitoris develop in women which develop greater sensitivity as compared to other parts of the body. Likewise, the penis in the young man starts getting engorged during certain situations or with specific thoughts. Young women start feeling wetness in their vagina during states of sexual arousal. During such a situation, it is only natural for the youth to stimulate these areas of the body and experience the excitement. Once the child is out school and enters the big, wide world on their own, they get an opportunity to mingle freely with members of the opposite sex. While the majority of youth retain control over their sexual habits, some others explore opportunities to fulfil their desires along with their boyfriends or girlfriends. Still others seek ‘professionals’ who supply sexual pleasure at a price.

CULTURAL UPHEAVAL Until the middle of the 20th century, practising sex before marriage or outside marriage used to be taboo in most developing countries of the world. Today things have changed, even in conservative nations like India. People try to satisfy their sexual urges through fleeting sexual encounters.

The integration of new media, confluence of cultures and gradual fall of barriers have encouraged people to be more unreserved about sex. Gay sex is also permitted by many countries across the globe. In India, the courts have ruled in favour of gay behaviour as an altered form of sexual expression rather than a deviation.

COMMON COMPLAINTS Sexually active young men and women have some common complaints like burning and discharge from the urinary or vaginal passage, redness on the penis, small itchy eruptions on the private parts or the pubic region etc. Others complain of ulcers or wounds on the genitals. Tiny eruptions which bleed on touch are also occasional complaints. Sometimes, the patient may complain of itching all over the body or it may be restricted to the thighs and groin areas. Eruptions may also occur on the lips, mouth, tongue etc. due to oral sex practices. Fatigue, weakness, weight loss etc. are also observed by high-strung men/women due to anxiety and guilt following intercourse.

ANXIETY

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STD

Redness with discharge from the genitals accompanied by itching Profuse oozing of pus from the urinary opening or outside it Cheese-like white discharge Foul smelling discharge with bubbles, particularly in women Ulcer or a raw wound on the penis or the vulva or any genital area Tiny cluster of blisters Painless, tiny bulges or eruptions Cauliflower-like outgrowth One or more lumps in the groin which are painful and skin appearing red Multiple painless lumps in the groin

Young men and women often visit sexologists to find out if they have a sexually transmitted disease (STD) soon after a sexual encounter. For every one who indulges in high-risk sexual behaviour, the number one cause of anxiety is the fear of getting HIV. Herpes is another infection which brings hordes of anxious young men to the doctor. People become more observant of their genitals after an extramarital sexual encounter and minor alterations which were hitherto unseen become a source of stress.

READY RECKONER Although STDs can occur without any specific signs in the early days following sexual contact, a common list of symptoms and signs is listed in Table 1. The complaints may appear either within 24 hours after the exposure to infection or it could take up to three months. Minor irritation YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

by friction will appear shortly and disappear without any treatment. Overuse of antiseptic lotions and creams may cause irritation if it is rubbed vigorously on the delicate genital skin. The list should only be taken as a guideline and is not meant to avoid a professional consultation with a sexologist or venereologist. STDs like HIV and syphilis can exist in the absence of any of these signs and symptoms.

WHAT TO DO? In case any of the symptoms are noticed, there is no need to panic. Firstly, remember that the condition may just be a minor allergic reaction and not necessarily an STD. Secondly, it is wiser to consult a physician and get proper attention rather than get misguided by search on the internet or some ‘friendly’ advice. Lastly, and most importantly, avoid making the same mistake again! Many people are in a state of panic for several months after that transitory moment of fun.

PREVENTION Avoiding sexual intercourse with someone whose background is not well known is the safest option to prevent a sexually transmitted disease. If that is not likely, choose the next option: use a condom, right at the beginning of sex. Once intercourse is over, check that the condom has not slipped off or got torn. Wash yourself thoroughly after the act. Over the next week, examine the genitals, lips, mouth or anal region for any symptoms. If anything is found, take medical opinion. If the family doctor is not clear about the symptoms, consult a specialist. Do not rely on quacks who will frighten you and cheat you into taking a long treatment which is expensive. Relying on the internet is not a smart idea as the information given may be too general and not necessarily applicable to you. The author has come across many people who get depressed after reading articles on the web which are not applicable to their condition. By the time the patient understands that there is no disease, a lot of money has been spent and they have spent sleepless nights with thoughts of ending their life. For those who cannot visit private clinics or doctors, the skin and STD department of most government hospitals have doctors who provide free treatment. Charitable hospitals in the locality can be sought for getting tests done at a lower cost than at private pathology laboratories. Finally, the most important aspect of STD prevention is empowering oneself with accurate knowledge.

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Patch on the face: Why treatment is slow? The skin consists of different types of cells. Some of these cells in the deeper layers produce the fleshy part of the skin known as dermis whereas the superficial cells produce the tough, outer protective sheath or epidermis. Scattered amongst these cells are numerous specialised cells which have very specific functions. like producing the colour of the skin, identifying invading germs or chemicals and mounting an attack against the invader. Skin gets its colour from cells known as melanocytes which produce and distribute the pigment, melanin. While we know many of the microscopic processes occurring in the human body, medical researchers are as yet baffled by the activity of the melanocytes. Even in the 21st century scientists are grappling with the exact sequence of events taking place in the skin while human colour is produced. That is the reason why skin specialists are yet unable to provide clear answers to questions on disorders of skin colour. Why do certain injuries heal with a black mark whereas others leave a white patch? Why does someone suffer from leucoderma (white patches) all of a sudden? Why do dark circles increase in some people even with treatment? Why does pigmentation on the face come back after treatment is completed? There are no clear answers to these questions. That is the reason when dermatologists treat patients of brown pigmentation on the cheeks of middle aged women they are unable to say whether the effect of the treatment will last for ever. Likewise, they are unsure whether the entire white patch in leucoderma will regain normal colour in a given time frame. Therefore, when you visit your dermatologist for a grey, brown, black or white patch on the skin, please try to understand how little he actually knows! Believe the doctor and give him sufficient time so that he can help you get rid of the worrisome patch. Till then, let us all pray to God to help us find the cure, pronto!

SPORTS before being dropped.

Selection Policy Matters BY C. PRASANNA VENKATESH

A wise man once said that madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Indian cricket is in one of its most interesting periods. Our record is pretty decent after becoming the ODI World champions; except that we have slipped down in the Test Series’ rankings. Two nagging issues are the future replacements of the Fab Four in the Test team and the inconsistency of the fast bowlers in the team. Talent was never a problem in our country, with wide, well-arranged, age-level leagues and tournaments teams. Every major city has a school team and every district is represented by zonal colleges, universities, cricket clubs, State Ranji teams etc. Talented players picked and nourished during these stages, supported by BCCI funding for their training and other facilities, are expected to push themselves. Not only must they give 48

This also shows us how the Selection Committee never shaped the team according to the strength of the players and balancing between the three versions of the game. To replace Dravid and Laxman in Test matches, they could have developed Pujara and Badrinath for the role, and could have focused Shikhar Dhawan and Tiwary as ODI prospects, allowing them to experience the international level. But that never happened.

Faster and Goner

their optimum performance, it also means to handle pressure, nerves and adulation, while putting yourself at the mercy of the selection committee till you break in to the team. Virat Kohli is the finest example of this. On the field he shows his exemplary brilliance of how to build an innings, off the ground he has phased his career in to a near perfect cycle, from winning the Under-19 Cricket World Cup as a captain, to cementing his place in the T20 and ODI team with an average more than 50 for his 90 innings is an astonishing number for a 23 year old. We can say that he has outdone his predecessors Dhoni and Yuvraj in the art of breaking into the first team smoothly. And now as Vice Captain, he’s nothing short of the perfect role model. Two curious cases here are Cheteshwar Pujara and Manoj Tiwary. Both are exceptionally good players caught up in the transition of the team. They have done well whenever called upon but their roles and future in the team is yet to be sorted out. Dig further and we have Ajinkya Rahane waiting for his break, Murali Vijay, Badrinath, Parthiv Patel, Shikar Dhawan waiting for another round of opportunities. Of all these players, it seems most harsh for Badrinath, a domestic run machine, who never got a clean run of the games YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

bowler in the current season, we won’t be surprised if “Bhajji” comes with a bang to cement his place. But in the long run, Ojha and Rahul Sharma should be given more games, than making them fight for a place with temporary spinners aka Piyush Chawla. The selectors dare not repeat Murali Karthik situation. Having said that, we I’m not blaming the selection committee. We won the World Cup and became the No. 1 Test team for some months. The new team under Mr.Sandeep Patil consists of young and vibrant players. But the issue is when the focus is on short term

VARUN AARON ISHANT SHARMA BALAJI Irfan Pathan Munaf Patel SreesantH Praveen Kumar

In and out the team, not sure what about his future role. Expected to come back after the surgery and support Zaheer. Selected for the recent T20 squad after 4 years. Definitely not the bowler he used to be. One of high rated bowler, but not sure of his place in the squad. More than his bowling, his antics plays a huge spoilsport. A regular in the ODI team, but not included after his injury break.

Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun

Selected regularly last year, nowhere in the scene this year.

Jaydev Unadkat R P Singh Ashok Dinda

Youngster, IPL regular.His name does the rounds in the selection committee. A few years ago, no one would have imagined that his career would be lost like this. After brilliant IPL performances, he was selected for recent tournaments.

For years, Zaheer Khan has spearheaded the bowling of the Indian team, supported by Ashish Nehra (present if not injured). Over the last four years, only Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel have performed consistently (we do have the talented Ishant Sharma who is very dangerous on his day). An inconsistent selection policy, with loads of players selected without assurance of longer time in the squad, and also without a clear idea of their role never helps the performances of the fast bowlers. This would not be the case had the selection committee supported them. Manpreet Gony, Pankaj Singh, Ashok Dinda, Pradeep Sangwan, Dhawal Kulkarni, Shami Ahmed, Parvinder Awana are other youngsters who can be developed for the future. Alike in spin, we never can understand why Piyush Chawla is selected ahead of the under used Pragyan Ojha. With Ravichandran Ashwinas the main spin YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

problems and the long term issues are blown. Trying Badrinath at age of 29 didn’t give him enough time as his age was playing against him. In the end, those seasons would have been a perfect breeding time for Tiwary or Pujara. This was also an unclear exercise that came as a big blow to the confidence of one senior and successful domestic cricketer. Hope we don’t expect everyone to be a Robin Singh. We can take a lesson from the Aussies when they struggled to replace Shane Warne, Damien Martyn or Mathew Hayden. They never could, but the time they lost played a huge role is disturbing the team dynamics, so Selection Policy Matters. And when they decide, they should be strong enough to stick to their decisions. Testing times ahead, but hope we don't repeat our mistakes.

Reach the writer @cpvenkatesh

TRAVEL

The City Of Monaco, Azure Coast

PLAYGROUND of

The Rich And Famous How much cash do you need to stand out in a place filled with flashy cars, jazzy shopping stores, expensive gambling and mammoth yachts? Richa Sharma finds out in Monaco…

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

f you want posh here it is: Monaco- the place of the rich and famous. To start with, the hilly region of Monaco is situated on the French Mediterranean coast. Well known for its glamorous parties, luxurious yachts and the tax-free benefits, this tiny country is only 4 Sq. Km, literally as small as London's Hyde Park.Yet, every corner and every vantage point offers you big surprises. Turn east and you can see France, the shining Italian Rivera in front of your eyes. It's a place for a lazy stroll, outdoor snacks and some cold French beer. It is definitely the one of the most glamorous, star studded and richest places on Earth. The place is crawling with millionaires. There are almost 2000 millionaires and around 50 billionaires in Monaco with a population of 36,000. So how do the crème de la crème spend their time and money? Just how many zeros do you need in your bank balance to live this lifestyle? As a resident said, "Everybody here believes in money like a religion."

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

If you are a rich bib, have money to spend and taxes to avoid, Monaco is the place for you. Their logic is, why give the government so much (in taxes) when you can splash it around on expensive cars, have a jacuzzi in your yacht and own a helicopters? Smack in the centre of the Monaco is the famous high-end Monte Carlo. Build in the 1800s the legendary Monte Carlo Casino and the classy Hôtel de Paris are places worth visiting. It is said 'Anything that money buys, Monaco delivers it very well,' whether it's a 5 star hotel, restaurant or party places. With Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Jaguars, Bugattis strolling around, how much cash do you really need to stand out of the crowd? While talking about yachts, size really does matter. As I stare up at the yachts, the first one is about 55m, the next goes to 70m, then 100m and it keeps on increasing. Isn't something this big is called a ship? But 51

The Prince's Palace Monaco

no, it is a yacht worth around £ 250. The newspapers in Monaco are swarmed with reports about who bought what, where they partied and the entertainment life of the oldies. This clearly says, there's simply no crime in Monaco. There are hundreds of security cameras all around the country in every street. The roads looked as clean as your house floor. With Versace, Gucci, Channel, Jimmy Choo showrooms all around you, who wouldn't want to show off? Delving into the history of the country, you find that the country was on its knees, one of the poorest places in Europe once upon a time. The construction of the Monte Carlo Casino is 1863 was the saviour of the country. Within a few years it was generating so much money that 52

it could help eradicate income tax from the country. Gambling is a daily affair with bets starting from€500 straight up. The least I have played in the UK was £2. Another beautiful monument to see is the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in which Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly were married. A must visit is the grand Prince's Palace of Monaco. The beaches of Monaco are also known for their picture perfect view of the golden sand and crystal clear waters. Party time in Monaco is awesome; stay up and you will find rock stars, racing drivers, Hollywood stars or a chance to rub shoulders with one of the millionaires who party hard spending £1000 a bottle of champagne or vodka. Monaco certainly fits in the bill as the

party playground for rich playboy millionaires. It’s full of temptations for life in the fast lane. Monaco's roads are the most glamorous motor ways in the world. The Monaco Grand Prix, started in 1929, instantly captured the world’s imagination and is considered as one of the most prestigious Formula One automobile racing in the world (and also the best marketing attraction for Monaco). So what have I learnt about Monaco? It's very clean, there’s no litter anywhere. The sun always shines. There's very little crime to speak of and very private. But let's face it, the main reason that most of the people live here is to avoid paying taxes. So it’s not for people like you and me who can’t afford not to pay taxes. YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

BLOGGER'S PARK Stingy City has a culture that tips 5% and Generous City has a culture that tips 20%, the menu prices and waiter salaries in the two cities must adjust themselves so that diners pay out approximately the same amount to the restaurant and the waiters take home around the same amount in both cities.

Tipping Point

As I have taken care to mention, all this is the first order perspective. What about when we look more closely? This is where things get a little more interesting. Suppose that you have a culture where tipping up to 20% is customary, but any tip in the range of 0 to 20 is acceptable, depending on how much you think you can afford, and how much you liked the service. What will happen then?

RAVIKIRAN RAO

am rather amused to hear opinions that argue that tipping to waiters is an act of generosity, and a barometer for how we treat those less fortunate than we are.

From a first order economic perspective, tipping shouldn’t matter. What you are willing to pay at the restaurant table depends on the economics of dining, and what the restaurateur pays his staff depends on the vagaries of the labour market. An economist would point out that a tip comes out of your pocket as much as the rest of the bill does, and if you are in a society where a 15% or 20% tip is customary, you will factor that into your dining decisions. In other words, when deciding whether to eat out or not, or when deciding whether to eat at a particular place or not, you should mentally translate an expected bill of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,200 ( assuming a 20% tip) and decide on that basis. Likewise, when a waiter’s salary is negotiated, the tips that he can expect must surely be taken into account. How can it not be? A restaurateur will certainly tell a candidate for the post of waiter: “Look, your official salary is X, but you can expect tips of Y per month, so your take home is actually X+Y.”

Blog Address: http://www.ravikiran.com 54

So, at first glance, it must seem that the custom of tipping should make no difference. If there were to exist two cities that were identical in all respects except that YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

First, from the perspective of economics, this increases flexibility, which is a good thing. One of the biggest problems that economies face is that wages and prices are rigid. Actually, it is worse than that – wages are rigid downwards (i.e. it is difficult to reduce wages) while prices aren’t very rigid, but to the extent that they are, they are rigid upwards – i.e. it is difficult to raise prices. This makes it difficult for economies to get out of a downturn, because you can’t reduce people’s salaries when faced with reducing profits. So you hold on to employees, and when you can’t do that, you lay them off (or if labour laws make it difficult to do even that, you struggle for a bit and close down the company) If you have a way to reduce people’s salaries (or, more precisely, link it to how your business is doing) then it is great for your business and for the larger economy (and for your workers). This is exactly what tipping achieves, especially if you have the culture that I just described, but actually even if you don’t, because what you earn as tips also depend on how many people show up at your restaurant, which also depends on how the economy is doing. Also, tipping is a great way to do what business owners dream of doing – charging different people different prices based on their willingness and ability to pay. How do you charge 1,200 per dinner from the patron who is willing to pay that much without turning away the patron who is willing to pay only 1,000? Or if you set 1,000 as the price, how do you ensure that you extract the additional 200 rupees from the chap who is willing to pay higher as well? Tipping is a great way to YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

do that, provided it is truly flexible. Another second order effect that we must consider is the result of “anchoring” or “sticker shock”. The first order economist will assume that for the rational diner, there is no difference between seeing Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,000 on the menu card, if he does not have to tip 20% on the former but has to on the latter. We know that this is not true. The human mind may get anchored to the number 1,000 and reduce their estimate of the expense involved (and may be less unhappy about paying the additional Rs. 200 because no matter how strong the social norm is and how little choice he has in the matter, he perceives the tip as voluntary and an act of generosity that he feels good about.) In other words, a society where a generous tip is the norm may, ceteris paribus, end up paying more at the restaurant’s table. (But this, as we have seen, does not necessarily translate to better pay for the waiters) Actually, if you think of it, other than the voluntary and generosity part, the service charge that Indian restaurants have taken to charging must do as good a job of reducing sticker shock. In a nutshell, tipping increases the variability and uncertainty in the waiter’s take home pay. It also puts power in the hands of the diner to reward or punish waiters day in and day out for “performance”. Given that the labour movement has always fought against uncertainty in pay and against being judged for performance, I find it funny that tipping is portrayed as an action that improves the situation of waiters. On the other hand, as I have explained, variable pay and variable pricing does make life better for restaurant owners and waiters, though not in the way you probably think. But all this assumes that tipping is truly voluntary and variable. But the way the custom has evolved in the United States, it is a major social faux pas not to tip in the 15-20% range. Attitudes have evolved to a point of such rigidity that you are told that if you can’t tip that much, you shouldn’t be eating at that restaurant at all. Under the circumstances, it is not even a measure of how well you treat those lower down the social order. Given the social pressure in favour of tipping, how do you know if the tipper who tips 20% is a believer in egalitarianism or just someone clued into social norms? In such circumstances, the custom of tipping does no good to society other than serve as an instrument of snobbery and act as a trap for those unaware of social mores. 55

ROSHNI SAYS

DANCE, Because The Government Tells You So

T ROSHNI DEVI

he National Anthem had just begun to play when he entered the theatre. It was dark and he was balancing his drink and popcorn in both hands. Confused, he hobbled up to the stairs and tried to find his way up the stairs. He seemed worried because of the darkness and tried to hurry up and find his seat as the anthem played in the background. I could see everyone’s head in the theatre turn to the man and follow him up the stairs. He finally found his seat and tried to rush his way into the row. The

woman on the first seat grabbed his arm and shoved him aside. “Stand for the national anthem!” she hissed in his ear. Taken aback, he stood with his back to the screen and waited for something to happen. As soon as those 52 seconds were over almost everyone looked at the man and tch-tched. The woman kept hissing in his ear as he looked more bewildered than ever. The man next to her sheepishly leaned over and said, “Actually, he’s hard of hearing. That’s why he didn’t wait. He probably didn’t even hear the anthem being played.” Of all the things that struck me in this whole charade was the importance we give to the theatricals of patriotism. Of the “rules” we take for granted and the severity with which we wish to impose them on everyone around us. YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Kripya Baith Jaiye (Please Sit Down) First of all, there’s no “rule” that states that one must stand for the national anthem. In 2005 an Indore court ruled, "It is the moral duty of a person to stand in the attention position when the national anthem is played. But if they do not do so, then, prima facie, it is not a crime under the 1971 Act." YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Bottomline: Even if it’s “Bigg Boss ka aadesh”, you don’t have to stand for the anthem. It’s a moral duty, like speaking the truth, obeying your elders, putting the toilet seat down etc.

The Colonial Hangover We’ve sung the national anthem all through school and probably the only place we come across it after that is in theatres. Why are we made to feel patriotic when you want to

see Aishwarya’s on-screen smooch or John Abraham’s butt? It all started in 1745 when a sycophant of the British Prince Charles Stuart played ‘God Save The King’ after a play since the prince had won a battle. Soon the fad caught up and people started playing the national anthem after shows in theatres. During the Quit India movement, Indians would walk out of the theatre during the British national anthem as a symbol 57

ROSHNI'S SAYS

COVER COMPETITION

...India does not have an official national sport (sorry hockey, cricket). Even Mahatma Gandhi was never declared as Father of the Nation.

in India.

No National Game, of defiance. After independence, we simply switched from ‘God Save The Queen’ to ‘Jana Gana Mana’. But this soon died away until 2003. Since the National Youth Congress wasn’t happy with the extent of monarchy in their party and the country, they campaigned for the national anthem to be played in all theatres in Maharashtra, and Voila!

It’s Not A Holiday Until, It’s A National Holiday An RTI application by a 7th standard student recently revealed that Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti are not officially our national festivals. And it gets better, there’s nothing official declaring them as national holidays either. Independence Day and Republic Day are not dry days in all states of the country. Every state has a different list of dry days and it’s not mandatory to become a teetotaller on these days if you are 58

No Father Of The Nation More RTI applications now tell us that India does not have an official national sport (sorry hockey, cricket). Even Mahatma Gandhi was never declared as Father of the Nation. But don’t panic, the dolphin is technically our national aquatic animal; the government has thankfully issued notifications regarding that matter. But where is all this going? Should we abandon our moral duties and descend into a world of anarchy and chaos by choosing to ignore everything that doesn’t have a punishment/fine? Should we run into a frenzy and start filing applications to declare Gandhi as the Father Of the Nation, chicken tikka as the national food, mosquito as the national insect? If you think there’s something special about you being born here or having a passport that says “India”, I’m fine with it. But keep it to yourself. It’s when you impose

baseless rules on people that the situation turns ugly. Ask yourself: if playing the national anthem in theatres is supposed to magically induce patriotism, why not in malls? Or in trains after every station? Is patriotism necessary only for those who might get corrupted by moving images? Shouldn’t it be played before every session of the Parliament, since seems to be the place worst hit by the patriotismdrought? Then there’s the hullabaloo around alcohol and the country. It’s legitimate to earn a living by making or selling alcohol, but not so on Independence or Republic Day. We hail a game as our national sport just because our textbooks said so. No where do we pause and ask, why?

When we came out with YSM, we were determined to do something different with it. To make it by and for the youth. Then we thought, why should the cover have only celebrities? Or a big story? Why not give others an opportunity to showcase their talent with our magazine? So we announced a competition with the theme 'Colours' for the cover of our magazine. People overwhelmed us with photos from their phones, SLRs, digicams... We would have loved to share them all with you, but we are forced to pick the best. So here is the winner!

“Because the government/textbook said so,” is how we function. Like cattle.

Sujith Sarang, a gold medalist from FTIT, Chennai, is passionate towards visuals and frames and has also made it his profession.

We need a little restraint in taking things on face value. If we questioned the vedas and the British, we certainly can question our government now. It may sound farcical to bother about something as convenient as a national holiday, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg in the list of things we take for granted because it has been said so. Standing for the national anthem is okay. Forcing someone else to do so is not. Drinking alcohol when you want to is fine. Telling anyone else when or how they can do it is not. You are not a cog in a machine.You don’t turn where the wheels tell you to.You don’t refuse to budge when the one next to you turns the other way.You are not a cog in a machine.You are the bloody machine. YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

Sujith Sarang's photograph reminded us of the many things associated with colour in a fair: the noise, the rise and fall of fun-filled screams, the unbeatable rush of the moment... So Sujith Sarang, this one's for the hues of memory that you gave us! YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

What Does The Devil Wear? YSM-ALAYKUM! We present to you Youth Stop’s third and last issue…. of 2012. What did you think?! No, we won’t give up yet. In fact, we are proud to present to you an improved YSM. It’s sleek and slim. Since everything these days is getting slimmer and tinier, we didn’t want to get left behind in the competition. What an eventful year 2012 has been for us. A passing statement made by two friends during their college days, sitting on the 2nd bench of the 2nd row, about how we should start a youth magazine became a reality. YSM came into existence and our struggle to sustain continues. A lot of sacrifices, disappointed loved ones, strangling our social life to death, piling on the sleep bank balance and, most importantly, a solid rhino-skin have made it possible (still working on the last bit). This is the minimum that one must have in order to breathe life into what one believes in. Alright! Let’s start a magazine. I wish it was as easy as it sounds. Our struggle to get a name was one of the hardest. We had sent 6 applications and 54 names over a period of around 9 months… yes, 9 painful months. We were rooting for Youth Adda. Does,“Oh! I never get what I want,”sound familiar? Let’s just say that it felt that the line was made for us. After heaps of paperwork and endless trip to shrines and innovative ways of bribing the Almighty of almost every religion, we finally got it.Youth’s Stop Magazine. So our “passing statement” and “random idea” had a name now. 60

Tiasa Das DEPUTY EDITOR So we thought that the hard part was over and it was time to get rolling! Yes, we are naïve! We would often day dream of being Meryl Streep from ‘Devils Wear Prada’ minus the skyscraper heels and the trendy coats (trials of being in Mumbai). But then reality bit us: we were doing everything and anything, from gathering content to calling for ads to being spot-woman at the shoots to writing to waiting in the car for hours for a meeting and even pleading to get things done. The hardest part was controlling our temper and smiling at all tough situations. Soon, I started to have two conversations simultaneously, one that I spoke out and one what was yelling in my mind. It made me realize how easy it was to shoot whatever came to my mind at my parents and friends without second thoughts. Sometimes to the point of being an absolute jerk! Hah! Amanda Presley! But it all seems worth it now. When a reader from Nagpur sent us a custom made key chain of the organisation he runs. When people in the same industry would keep our spirits up with words like, “Have patience you will get there”, “It’s a brave move and brave moves are never easy.” Sounds corny? But we all need some corny at some point. The best is when people introduce us with thoughtful details like “Editor/ Deputy Editor of Youth’s Stop”, “owns a magazine called Youth’s Stop”, “from Youth’s Stop”…, oh! It’s music to our ears. This gives us a sense of knowing that we’ve achieved something. That’s all folks! See you next year if we survive the Apocalypse 2012! Till then, happy celebrations! YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012

YOUTH'S STOP NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2012