Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The story behind the video: Blackouts Zaroori Hain!


Power blackouts these days have become a common phenomenon across the globe and probably signaling the upcoming Armageddon of 2012 or is it really? This video takes an interesting take from the opposite angle on the power blackouts especially in Indian context where load shedding and power cuts are pretty much a daily deal.

We came up with the idea of this video as a part of a class project. In this assignment, we had to make a viral video with the time constraint of keeping it under 4 minutes. After a rigorous brainstorming session we decided to address some social issues by integrating them on a satirical storyline with a frequently encountered problem of power blackouts. The video takes a satirical/comical look at the whole situation and claims that the blackouts might even help in creating lives, making the lives easier and also, saving lives!

The first scene deals with the ever increasing concern of how people have forgotten to indulge in relationships and family life because of the fast paced work life, and increased their dependance on social media websites instead. This scene shows a girl and a boy trapped in an elevator when the power blackout occurs. The blackout has given this couple an opportunity for spending some quality time together. When the power resumes they are seen coming out with a kid, and that too over a ride of only one floor! Wonder how long that blackout lasted??

The second scene deals with the issue of corruption and mocks our bureaucratic system. In view of the plethora of scams being unearthed and brought to notice by the media recently, people are wary of taking bribes openly. However they do not miss any opportunity to do so under the covers. The scene portrays an individual trying to get his work done by an official who is completely unwilling to help him out. This person uses the opportunity of the blackout to bribe the official. We see a complete reversal in the official’s attitude once the power resumes, who is now assuring that the work will surely get done. Wonder if we’ll ever be able to fight this plague from our nation but in this particular case, a desperate common man could get some help, courtesy blackout.

The third scene deals with the issue of suicide among the youth. Academic failure, poor grades, ambitious expectations and cut throat competition are just few of the reasons for rising suicide rates. The scene depicts a depressed student on the brink of committing suicide. The news of not get his dream internship pushed him over the edge. We see him battling with the decision to drink poison. During the blackout he finally gets the courage to drink the poison but since he couldn’t see, he drinks a laxative instead. We see him catching his breath and running towards the toilet at the end! Its funny how sometimes situations such as these make us realize that not being able to reach one’s goals should not be above and beyond one’s precious life.

We have become so used to power cuts in our daily lives that we don’t seem to mind them anymore.  It is amazing how powerful perception is in our lives. How you look at something can make all of the difference in the world. In words of Kahlil Gibran: “The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose”.

With the whole country looking down astonishingly at the biggest ever “power blackout” in human history, we chose to look at it in different light as to how some not so welcome events may provide us with new opportunities. Maybe to explore what we conveniently forget in our daily lives or take for granted. And it makes me wonder if in fact they could be even necessary(or zaroori!) and good for us.

Do check out the video at:



If we can find something positive in the darkest of scenarios then there is still hope and anything is possible!!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Someone..

All our young lives we search for someone to love.. someone who makes us complete.. we choose partners and change partners.. we dance to a song of heartbreak and hope, all the while wondering if somewhere, somehow there is someone perfect who might be searching for us.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Break free..

Hi guys,

We never end up doing, what we had intended, because we never wanted to do it in the first place. We blame the circumstances, peers, friends and even god! It is easier that way. Putting the blame on something/someone gives us the feel good factor that it wasn't entirely our fault.

There are several catalytic factors to get you where you are. One of which is cynical comments of other people. Anything you do/want will be immediately shut down by someone. It could be some one we know or even a complete stranger.

It is easier to believe the wrong than right. For instance, if you happen to see a boy and girl standing and the girl is crying. It would me much easier to believe if someone said that the girl is crying because of the boy's actions, rather than the actual fact, which might be that the boy is consoling that girl.

We use this cynicism to build a wall around us, and we keep adding the bricks until the day we die. This wall suffocates us to a slow and painful death long before we actually die, because we loose faith and the hope for a better tomorrow. We begin setting our limits by what others say to us.
Our fears overpower us and take charge.

Don't beat yourself yet, because even when you've hit rock bottom, there is still hope. Start breaking the wall, make effort to look on the other side. It is a world full of possibilities out there. Go out and make your mark.

Wake up to the fact that you have the right to how your life turns out to be. Take control of your life's steering wheel, and learn to have fun!

Till next time..

Thursday, March 19, 2009

To all the people who I love and care ..

I used to be afraid of so many things... That I'd never grow up. That I'd be trapped in the same place for all eternity. That my dreams would forever be shy of my reach.

It's true what they say. Time plays tricks on you. One day you're dreaming, the next your dream has become your reality.

And now that this 'scared little boy' no longer follows me wherever I go, I miss him. I do. 'Cause there are things I wanna tell him-- to relax, to lighten up, that it is all going to be OK.

I want him to know that meeting people who like you, who understand you, who actually accept you for who you are, will become an increasingly rare occurrence. These people who contributed to who I am, they are with me wherever I go, and as history gets rewritten in small ways with each passing day, my love for them only grows. Because the truth is... it was the best of times.

Mistakes were made, hearts were broken, harsh lessons learned, but all of that has receded into fond memory now.

How does it happen? Why are we so quick to forget the bad and romanticize the good? Maybe it's because we need to believe that the time we spent together actually meant something, that we were there for each other in a time in our lives that defined us all, a time in our lives that we will never forget.

To all the people who I love and care ... thanks for being there for me!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Get away!

Sometimes you just need time to relax and do nothing... This week off was somewhat similar. I took an extra day off... which was pretty hard to get, and went over to a relatives place in Delhi.

In the span of three days.. i did pretty much nothing usual. I lazed around, cooked and read a novel. I was away from home, from work and even from friends. The best part of the three days were it took my mind off everything that is going on. I was in a completely different place and had nothing to worry me. Luckily the people I know did not call or leave a message.

When I returned on the third day I was surprised by myself, I was actually looking forward to getting into my routine, the things that were bothering me a couple of days back had suddenly become exciting and I saw them with a whole new and renewed perspective.

I needed to do nothing for some time now, and this was the perfect opportunity for me. I made the most of it. So if you are feeling all stressed out and uncomfortable get away for a couple of days and come back all charged up!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Finally...

March 05, 2009... goes down in history as the day i finally signed up for a blog.

I've havent been trying hard to start a blog, but I have been looking forward to start one for a couple of years now. What the blog should be about was a decision I couldn't make, so I said to myself today.. lets start with whatever pops up in my and see where it goes.

Let me begin by my introduction..
I am 22, M, single.
I am passionate about computers and love to meet new people.
I like to do gardening and spend hours listening to music.
I am not the guy who will spend hours studying, but I like to fully understand things that interest me. I have completed college in June 08 and had a legendary time... but all good times end and so did college. Now I am working fulltime and really miss hanging out with my college friends.

Funny! aint it? How life takes over things. You get busy... others get busy and suddenly the people who you used to care the most about, hardly know anything about each other. But life goes on... non-stop! It keeps throwing new challenges everyday to keep you busy and at times wonder about what happened to the people who were a part of your life not very long ago!

If you happen to land on this blog, please leave a comment.. anything relevent or irrelevent. It will give me a reason to continue blogging.

So today I've started on a new journey, hoping to meet new people, make friends, learn new things, share whatever I know along the way!