Wannabe Journalist?

Journalism students find out it takes more than books to be a journalist.




We the B.M.M. journalism class of National College (Bandra) got a rude awakening on our first lecture of Features and Opinion last week. We found that our general knowledge was way below average, not a good sign for a class full of to-be ‘journos’ (as he calls us). We owe that enlightening first lecture to our professor, Mr. R. Sridhar.

After the usual drill of introducing ourselves, he began by sharing some of his experiences in the field. Then he shot questions, on what was happening around the world and what was in the news. Most of us looked shamefully blank, some people murmured, very unsure of what they were saying…others made attempts at giving half correct answers. Basically, we were poorly informed and hence he decided to start from scratch.

So what does a class full of future journalists need to know?
Parts of a newspaper, is what we were introduced to. Most of us had no idea that all the different printed matter in a paper had separate names. Dateline, Mast Head, Headline (Smiles, we knew this one!), strapline, snippets, slug, briefs (the smiles were gone by now) and the list went on.

Then we moved on to the difference between a tabloid and broadsheet, more columns and content in a broadsheet etc. etc. But did you know that a tabloid is exactly half the size of a broadsheet?! We sure as hell didn’t. Now we were beginning to feel stupid. I repeat, beginning.
Half an hour later, he threw a few more questions at us about things like the nuclear deal and who is the editor of which paper, thankfully we got one or two good guesses, although honestly few knew the editor of the Times is Mr. Jaideep Bose.

After a quick nap/coffee break Mr. Sridhar questioned us about what was happening around the city. No surprise that we didn’t know much, “You must read the City pages, not only to be informed but also to be a good citizen, your going to be journalists!” he said to 14 very red faced students.

By now we were not only embarrassed, but also guilty at how we never put our heads in the papers that we wanted to write for. As if this was not enough, Mr. Sridhar brought out the “Mahaquiz”, adding salt to the injury. We couldn’t answer simple general knowledge questions we should have known. Our class is always told that a journalist must get his facts right, but we answered a question about a non existent fort!
The quiz was for one mark and after 15 minutes of looking around sheepishly and trying to answer, we doubted whether any of us would score more than a 0.1.

By the end, we had every intention of picking up the first newspaper we saw and getting down to business. Mr. Sridhar said, “To be a journalist, you need to have a nose for news.” And we were thinking, we need to know what’s in the news before we can come close to having a nose for it.
Kudos to the professor, he succeeded in what he was looking to do. Making us feel so bad about ourselves that we are now making an effort to be more informed.

PHEWNK !

Ticket prices vary from cinema to cinema, for those who value their money; you are definitely not getting your moneys worth, for any varied price, if you’re going for Ram Gopal Varma’s Phoonk.
With a star cast that the audience is not very familiar with and a story line that’s stale, the movie robs the audience of its precious 2 and half hours.

A vague concept of atheism, superstition and dark forces all rolled into one, the movie doesn’t have any concrete direction or concept.
For a scary movie, the first half includes one scary dream sequence that makes the audience laugh. As slow as the first half is, the second half has too much packed into it. With a hasty entrance of a new character ‘Baba Tantric’, a quiet and unexplained exit of another character takes place. The little boy, Raksha’s brother disappears entirely from the film in the second half. The scares and spooks are old and the done before kind, there’s no novelty in the film.

On a positive note, the actors fit their roles fairly well. The main lead, the father (Rajiv) played by Sundeep and the daughter (Raksha) played by Ahsaas Channa have given near natural performances. The loving wife Arti played by Amruta Khanvelkar has done a good job of her role. But sadly the Ganesha murti, the crow and the soft toys lying around the house, have hogged more footage than the actors!
Characters like the Maid and the Driver are not very well defined and have one constant expression of their faces throughout. The villainous couple in the movie are simply strange, and the woman Madhu played by Ashwini Kalsekar is entertaining, to say the least. She is scary in a mysterious way. Over all the acting of the cast was good.

The saving grace of the film would be its music; it is what makes the movie slightly spooky. The sound effects are bang on and the visual effects are also well done. Especially the last action scene, where Rajiv is fighting Madhu, the sequence keeps you glued.
Overall the movie could have been much shorter with better defined characters and most importantly it needed a stronger plot, something a little less clichéd.
‘One More Thought’ productions should think hard before producing another movie like Phoonk.

SOLILOQUO

Allan has just left the diner he works at; he is on his way home with his mind on his mother and what she must be doing.
He is the only earning member in his family of two; his mother depends on him for everything.


ALLAN:
(Disgusted) My God! That Mr. Tomas really makes you work, he squeezes every cent worth out of you. (Strained) I’m so tired and hungry. I hope mums made something nice for supper.
(He reaches the corner of the street.)
Damn! This traffic! I can’t even cross the road properly. Stupid rich people think that they can do whatever they want just because they have fancy cars!
(He sees a very cute girl across the road.) My, she’s cute! And very pretty too, what’s that uniform she’s wearing? Oh my God! It’s the same uniform I wear! She must be new at the diner then. Perfect! I’ll ask her out to coffee tomorrow, I’ll do a longer shift so I can catch up with her, but will she agree? I’ll have to be very smooth, not seem too forward.
It’s worth a try. I have to look decent, should I wear that blue shirt or the green one? The green brings out the colour of my eyes. Yeah I think she’ll like the green, and I will finally get a chance to wear my new shoes, I’d been saving them after all, heavy on my pocket those.
(He stops in the middle of the street.)
Whoa hold on Allan, your running away with yourself!
I can’t take her out if I have no money!
I gave mum last months salary and she paid the bills with the salary before that. I hope she has some saved. I’ll just tell her about this girl and ask her to spare me a few bucks. I’m sure she’ll understand, after all, I give her every cent I make and I haven’t spent money on anything in the last two months.
Two months? My, has it been that long since I did anything fun? I have been working so hard. Mother needs me, I have to work for the two of us. I’m so tired though, I really deserve a break. It’d be nice to take that girl out.
I wonder if mum would like the idea of me dating again, she’s been the only lady in my life since dad left. She is so used to all the attention I give her. I have to be very tactful about telling her about the girl and asking for money.
Oh dear, is that my stomach grumbling? I better walk faster before that monster in my stomach gets the better of me.
(He quickens his pace and heads straight home.)

Over the city

"Why does this ALWAYS happen Trisha?", my very frustrated friend was reflecting my feelings over the phone last night. "What is with the timing?! Just when your in a relationship you get a 1000 people hitting on you! And ironically its the kind you would want to date! Shit!"
I was smiling at this end, I knew exactly how he felt. With a stroke of very bad luck, it happened that I began to crush on somebody, not exactly the perfect time to, but you really you can't help these things...
"I blush like a twelve year old ya!", he continued to whine. I so badly wanted to say 'DITTO' but right now I couldn't burden him with my problems...
I figured, outing my emtions in another way would do it, but I couldn't stop smiling while writing this....



As I sat on a ledge over the city

I realised I was way out of time

But time had stopped, the clock had turned and

all I coulld see were eyes of the deepest earth

I couldn't breathe, it flushed my cheeks and I wanted to let out a sigh

I couldn't move, it would kill the mood

It felt like heaven, I'd died

Then it hit home, and I felt guilt

It should not have been just now

I was falling through space

With no freefall and i knew i would hit a wall

I couldn't care less, it felt like bliss

And I'd felt these feelings before

On a window at 3, he sat by me

He talked and I listened with awe

The lights, the honks, the siren cries

All died in the background with ease

I drowned my ears in a voice like silk

And breath that felt like warm breeze

A foreign sound that met here's ground

The blend just blew me away

It was the first and it's back again

This time around the feelings will stay

betrayed

One forbidden kiss said it all,
She'd longed for it, when she had it all.

It tore him apart,created a wall
the love of his life, he has put her above them all.

The trust gone, the minute she lied,
and silent muffled tears he cried.

Taken aback by the love still there,
He didn't hate her, he wouldnt dare.

Tied down to love and feelings gallore,
He realized that this was much more...

He'd end without her, the need was too strong
He'd have to let it go, she could do no wrong.

Or so he believed and made others see,
that there hadn't been another for thee.

The lie killed him slowly as did she,
had it all and yet she didn't feel free.

Trapped in a trance she had to let go,
Try as she might, to and fro.

Once in love and then out,
She wanted an end, she had no doubt.

She looked up at the pitch black skies,
and knew that the pain would never subside...

One forbidden kiss said it all,
Tore him apart and created a wall.

The trust out th minute she lied,

When you try so hard and you succeed...When you think the whole world should be right at your feet...
When you want your friends to cheer in ceremonious joy, be jovial for you and make you feel high...
When you think that it doesnt matter at all, for you've been with them through thick thin and tall...
Their real sides leap out from nowhere and make you feel small...
There is no happiness, but jealousy plenty...
deep down it gnaws at them, all of the envy...
you watch with tolerance through sheilded eyes, and smile a glassy painful sweetness...
Thats when you want to break down and cry....for the real you fears the world and shy's...
You begin to think could it be worse? you begin to see the light of remorse...
But your only saviour will come..
When you know that there will only be one person who will always truely be happy for you...

You begin to think it couldn't be all that bad...

THANKYOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME...THANKYOU FOR ALWAYS BEING HAPPY FOR ME P.P.