E : Entertain / Engage / Enrich during Lockdown #AtoZChallenge2020

In current times, it is very natural for us to feel anxious or scared. It is easy to get into a dark zone when things are so gloomy. In fact on the third night after this lockdown was executed, I was so anxious that I couldn't sleep that night. My mind was largely blank, but I couldn't sleep. I have had this feeling before - the anxiety, the palpitations. Classic symptoms of that youthful love, when she had gone away from your life. When you feel, that your world is going to end. Only this time, it feels more tangible and more real. 

After that night, my mind eased a bit. It is not that I feel things have improved outside. But one has to make peace with this new normal. In today's post I am going to talk about three E's that have kept me in good spirits since that night, despite reading about doomsday scenarios daily. Hope some of these things help you too. 

E : Entertain

Do something daily to keep yourself entertained. I have been avoiding dark films or web series that I normally like a lot. Music is something which always lifts my spirits. Especially Punjabi songs. So I watch all peppy songs of Diljit Dosanjh, Sunanda Sharma, Ammy Virk and Sharry Mann, on repeat mode, for some time daily. And their music videos are fun too. But my current favorite is this song by Bilal Saeed and Momina Mustehsan titled Baari (Window). The lyrics are beautiful, almost profound. And their silken voices so soothing. The video is very earthy too, that reminds me of my home town. Watch the video below. The song actually kicks in after a minute or so in the video. Do write in comments to tell me what are you doing to keep yourself entertained. 

E : Engage

Work from Home can be stressful for a person like me who can't switch off easily. At the same time for others it could be a temptation to do away with their disciplined routines. Both problems have to be dealt through engagement. Ensure you meaningfully engage with your work and your colleagues even in these times. So keep your working hours as if you are in office. Also replicate water cooler breaks you take in office. Every day I do a non-work related call with one of my colleagues. It helps me feel sane. Also engage with your friends / family more than usual. I am video calling my parents more times than earlier. They make me feel, as if everything is normal. 

I also took up this blogging challenge, so that in my free time, I am more worried about putting the daily post up, than worrying about the uncontrollable things. I would love to know your methods to keep yourself engaged. Tell me in the comments section. 

E : Enrich

Enrich your body! Enrich your soul! One should follow this maxim even in usual times. But in these times I feel it is even more important. But don't stress if you are not learning a new skill, or doing meditation. If something stresses you, then most probably it will not enrich you.  Ensure you eat healthy food and walk / exercise if possible. I am walking frequently for some time on my building's roof top. I also continue to read as usual for about 30 minutes a day. My current read is Jaya - An Illustrated Retelling of The Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik. It is a good time to read about mythology. About Karma. About miracles. It is not a taxing read and at the same time it is not fluff. 

I wish everyone good times ahead. Entertaining, Engaging and Enriching times too. 

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Lock-down Blues. I intend to write and talk about how I deal with it, what it inspires me to read or watch or any aspect of it which fascinates me. You can read the theme reveal post here. 

Previous Challenges : Letter E

2017: Engineering

2018: Education Kills

2019: End Credits in Hindi Films / Bollywood

R : Remixes in Hindi Films / Bollywood #AtoZChallenge 2019

In 2018, a movie called Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety released. The film was a commercial success. The soundtrack of the film was also super-hit. I personally liked a lot of songs in it because of their foot-tapping music. The music album of the film had 8 songs. And 4 out of them were remixes or recreated versions of hit songs from the past. I think remixes work when they are an improvement over the past work. I think they also work when really old songs are presented with a new sound. That makes these remixes relevant today. Like "Dil Chori" from the movie is a really good recreation, especially for party playlists. 

And as it happens with anything successful in Bollywood, there is a mad rush to remix songs. Herd mentality dictates. In March 2019, a movie called Luka Chuppi (Hide and Seek) released. The film is a commercial success. The same can't be claimed about the film's music though. Its music album has 5 songs. And hold your breath! Not even one song out of these 5 is an original composition. All 5 are remixes. In fact Wikipedia calls it a remix album. While I like some of the original songs which have been recreated for this film, I didn't like the versions in the film. The reasons were simple. The recreations were not improved versions of older songs. And some of the songs recreated were very recent, so bringing in a new sound is not that easy. So I share with you the video of the original song which I like a lot but the recreated version of the film really spoils it for me. Khaab is a Punjabi song by Akhil, which was remixed as Duniya in the movie.

While I believe that remixes should be done only when the situation in the film requires them, but if they must be done, I would prefer them to be done in a way that it enhances my auditory experience. But the trend of remixes is any day better than the trend of plagiarizing that plagued Bollywood once. It was so bad at one point of time, that Anu Malik plagiarized the original song Macarena twice. Listen to Dil Le Le Lena from the movie Auzaar and Dil Maka Dina from the film Dhaal. The compulsion to recreate a successful song led to really bad lyrics in both. I will prefer an official remix any day over this.

Which one is your favorite remix? Which according to you was the worst case of plagiarism in Hindi Film music?

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Hindi Film Industry / Bollywood cliches. You can read the theme reveal post here.

2017 Challenge Post from Letter R: Robbed - My experiences with money. Click here to read.

2018 Challenge Post from Letter R: Recycle Bin - A post about memories one would like to delete. Click here to read.

Songs of Life

I watched a film called "Meri Pyaari Bindu" last month. It is a rom-com and a badly made one. But there was a concept in the film, which stayed back in my mind. The lead couple has a playlist of certain songs which define their relationship. These are not necessarily good songs, or even their favorites. But songs that trigger memories. I had written about instances or memories that define strong relationships in this post. I felt like revisiting the theme, but from the perspective of songs.

So here is a list of songs (not in a chronological order) and the memories they bring alive even today. They are not necessarily great songs. But definitely associated with strong memories. 

Kullu & Manali Trips

Summer vacations were always fun. I used to love even the holidays' homework that came along with them. Making charts and scrapbooks was more a pain for my mother, rather than for me. I remember this particular stretch of three years, when my father took us all to Kullu & Manali for few days. Yes! same holiday destination, every year for three years. Of course, each time the group we went along with, was different. And each time we discovered something new. 

On one of these trips, I listened to the songs of film Mohra on loop in our car. And sang along loudly as well. The songs were risqué and had double meaning lyrics. But at that time, I didn't understand all that. Whenever I listen to these songs even today, the memories of those Kullu Manali trips, come gushing back. So here is the most played song of the album and most probably your favorite too, if you have grown up in that decade. Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast!!!

Cable TV

Do you remember the days, when you had to wait for Wednesdays or Sundays to watch your favorite film songs on Doordarshan? Rangoli and Chitrahaar must be getting all the TV ratings in those days. With advent of cable TV, all that changed for ever. Songs were now available on tap. There were umpteen countdown shows. And one song ruled the charts for many many months, in nascent years of cable TV. This song was part of a film (Hum Aapke Hain Kaun) that brought families back to cinema halls. So while this song has several associations for me, the strongest one is 24 X 7 TV channels. Go ahead and listen to Didi Tera Devar Deewana...

Antakshari

Antakshari is a game played in Indian subcontinent. The word itself is concatenation of two Hindi words - Ant (End) and Akshar (Letter). It is a game where people / teams have to sing songs starting with last letter of the song or verse sung by previous person / team. I am sure you have several memories of those school trips, college excursions, parties, family functions etc. where you played this game. Some people like me, sing really cheesy songs like "Bharo Maang Meri Bharo"or "Ki Ki Ki Mohabbat Ki Ki" which people remember for their sheer stupidity. But this one Antakshari changed the way Antakshari was played for ever. The moment some one sings the song "Aaja Aayi Baahar, " inadvertently you would guess the next set of songs till you reach "Kaate Nahi Kat te yeh din yeh raat". Watch this Antakshari to know why 😼 from the film 'Maine Pyar Kiya'.

My break-up song

It is the song associated with one of the saddest phases of my life. My girlfriend at that time, left India for ever, to settle in a cooler country. I was so much in love with her, that I listened to sad songs whole day long, and kept thinking about her. I didn't want to get distracted. I wanted to wallow in the pain caused by this heart break and her memories. And then this song came along (Mitran di Chatri By Babbu Maan). The lyrics felt so apt at that point of time. The song literally talked about a girl going abroad. Irony. Listen to my heartbreak song. In hindsight, it sounds funny. And I found love again. Many times over. 

Wife & Me

We were seeing each other for a year, before we got married. And I still clearly remember the first film we watched together - 'Welcome.' It was December of 2007. It is one of the funniest films we have seen together. It was an exciting date. We laughed a lot that day. And there was this one particular song in the film which my wife took a fancy to. I am not sure what she liked in it, the video, or the lyrics, or the fact that my wife is as tall as me. She looks even taller when she wears heels. The song alluded to the height of the girl. There is a sense of mischief in the song. So every time, I listen to this song, I think of my wife and that first film we watched together. 

There are several other songs and several related memories. Do you have a playlist too?