Monsoon’s here and it’s raining happy water.

Another weekend goes by and what a weekend it was. I reckon I have enough alcohol in me to open a distillery. The arrival of monsoon has put everybody in a party mood. That coupled with the fact that three of my friends had their birthdays on June 28 meant three straight drinking sessions. Of course, everyone knew everyone so the common sensical thing to do would have been to combine the three occasions, right. Except it never occurred to anyone. Or if it did, it was quickly snuffed out.

So it began on Friday evening. And went on till six in the morning. At which time we all decided we had to drive down to Khandala. At which point I stepped in and said, how stupid is that? If we’re going to drive, we should going to Chiplun. Or Goa. Khandala over the weekend, especially when the monsoon had just arrived, is full of Bombayites.

But then everybody remembered they had to go to a brunch party later on. So it was time to stumble back home, catch a nap, shower and totter off to the other party. At the other party, since everybody had been partying the night before, people were feeling a little sluggish. Then some bright spark, I’m not sure who and I think it may have been me, suggested doing shots to perk everyone up. So in the middle of the afternoon, falsely lulled into complacency by the near-black skies outside, out came the tequila. After all, it’s not the time of day that matters, right? It’s the quality of light outside.

I don’t remember what happened afterwards but I think at six in the evening I somehow managed to crawl out of the pub and into an auto. I don’t remember coming back home and I think I may have figured out that there was no point in going home for just a half hour and then crawling out again. So I may have directed the auto rickshaw to go on straight to the other venue.  

The last party was on Sunday afternoon and that should have been it. Except, I figured, it was stupid to start nursing a hangover from as early as Sunday evening so I came home and drank some more. After all, lohe ko loha kaatta hai.

As of today, I am officially off alcohol. Like forever. But, wait a minute, what’s that? My phone’s ringing. My sister’s in-laws are here and another party beckons. Ah well, what’s another day in the larger scheme of things?

On the subject of hangover, I also managed to squeeze out the film, The Hangover. It’s about a bunch of guys who wake after a night of hard partying with no memory of what happened the night before. It’s hilarious. Go watch it.

Read Full Post »

The Winter of our Discontent

Day before yesterday, I had a group of friends over for dinner. It was small gathering comprising friends from media and finance. Over drinks, the conversation veered off towards politics, economics and the general condition of the Indian state. And the party, which began on a cheery note, soon turned solemn.

It was alarming to hear such depression in their voices when just eight months ago we were clinking our glasses in good cheer with celebratory cries of, “Here’s to us being a trillion dollar economy.”

One in particular (let’s call him A), a banker, had had depressing meetings with his clients. The fortunate ones among them were revising their targets downwards and the unfortunate ones were being forced to take more drastic measures. Like temporarily shutting down their plants. “I think we should all prepare to lose our jobs,” he said, gulping is drink in one straight draught and gazing longingly out of my sixth floor window. I hastened to shut the window. He had imbibed half a bottle of my finest single malt.

Soon others of his ilk joined him by the window and indulge in the gloom talk. “And we’re not even talking about the BPO sector. Just imagine what happens when they lose their jobs.” “Real Estate is the worst hit. I think some developers are going to hang themselves next year – not the big guys, the smaller ones.” How comforting. “And retail, the marquee name for the India story, most supermarkets and malls have huge outstandings. Their vendors have stopped supplying them.”

The party was starting to resemble a wake. Soon everyone was singing drunken dirges of commodities, equities, inflation, currency and interest rates. The window had been reopened (it had gotten awfully hot with everybody there) and they all joined A in looking speculatively out of the window.

“Media!” I chipped in, desperate for some good cheer. “Media is fine, isn’t it, F? Everyone knows media is depression proof. Karan Johar said so in the papers today.”

The traitorous F, a TV producer, shakes her head. “No man. Most TV channels are in bad shape. They’ve all cut down on hours of original programming and filling in the rest of the slots with repeats and reruns.”

“Oh?” I said, momentarily forgetting my Santa Claus duty. After all this affected me directly.

“Most big ticket movies have stalled or have drastically scaled down their budgets,” P chipped in cheerfully.

Great. And we hadn’t even touched upon politics yet.

Read Full Post »

Holiday Pressure

It’s been an action packed few days. Unfortunately it’s all not all the kind of action one would like. I’m not talking about that, all you perverts out there. I’m talking about writing.

First there’s the endless round of parties. When it gets a bit much and you just want to spend one evening at home, just one quiet evening, your excuses are met with reproving silences. Even the static on the wire seems reproaching. You feel like everyone in the world is accusing you of becoming old. Of turning into one of those dull, stodgy people who must hit the sack by ten or they become crabby. In short, of becoming everything you vowed you’d never become (ah, the recklessness of youth). There’s too much pressure to be happening.

And then there are all the movies you have to see. I let myself be lax and missed out on Wall-e, Wanted and Rock On. Now I suppose Wall-e can be caught on DVD, but Wanted? It’s a sad, irreplaceable loss my friends. So, hung over, you drag yourself to the theatres in the morning. After all the partying you have to save money somewhere. And you craving high carb, exorbitantly priced food to get over your hangover doesn’t help.

While on the subject of movies, I must mention Drona here. I haven’t seen the movie but if all the bitching about it is justified, then I am mystified. Because, you see, Goldie Behl is a friend of mine. So is Joydeep Sarkar. I have worked with them extensively over three shows – Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (Zee), Remix (Star One) and India Calling – and have the highest regard for their storytelling abilities. So I am a little baffled by their failure. I am baffled by the nature of the failure. The only reason I can think of is that the interminable delays the film suffered drained the people of their creativity and enthusiasm.

While also on the subject of movies, I did see Hellboy-II. Of all the releases this week, this seems most worth it. CG, kickass; action, great; the narrative and pace okay, although a little slow in parts.  Not quite the Dark Knight, but entertaining nonetheless.

And now I’ve gotta go. Another party beckons. At this point I can only hope that it gets over at a reasonable time, like, say 1 a.m.?

Read Full Post »