It's irresponsible to be pessimistic. Happy New Year!

While anytime of the day or the year is a good time to reflect upon one's accomplishments and failures, gains and losses, joys and sadnesses, weakness and strengths the end of the year is an apt time as the general spirit in the air aided by sort of unbridled optimism, permits, if not encourages, such introspection. An advantage in taking some time out at the end of the year is that you are sitting at home avoiding traffic going toward not so far locales where annual revelry would be in full swing if not already kicked in. You could do this in a hotel or a resort farther away. But these places are usually priced higher inviting only those 'who are keen to shell out the marked up' fares. So, the introspective exercise might turn out to be an expensive affair.

Anyway, as I sit down and write at this odd hour, unable to sleep for some reason ...

I recall how my year began with doing something new this year. I completed the Mumbai Half Marathon. I did that at my own sweet pace, although, the timing was good enough to qualify me for the 2012 round without worry.

The next month or so was spent in a hospital tending to a close one, not knowing that they will not be coming home and the loss would be there to bear through the rest of my life. While this shook me up, I discovered my capacity to deal with fundamental realities of life. I learned that life's moments need to be seized with gusto, lest it is too late. Say your thanks now, to those who deserve it; forgive those who have been unkind to you, for it is not your karma whether they deserve it or not, but you deserve the peace that comes with the forgiving.

I also discovered the value of values; the value of human relationships. When I needed it, help came from unexpected quarters. It did not, also, come from some expected quarters. What a funny world we live in! We are generally blind to our surroundings. On a different plane, we also underestimate ourselves about how people perceive us. Whatever you think you know, there are surprises in store for you.

I traveled to more new places; a first, traveled below the Equator. I experienced the shorter version of the famed African Safari, briefly lived among a couple of oldest cultures, ate their food, traveled in their local transportation and got a glimpse of the emerging Dark Continent.

I spoke with authority at a couple gatherings and symposiums for bankers and other technology buyers. In my quest for being a better manager and to lead better, I learned more about what works and what does not. A strong balance between efficiency and commitment is necessary to be productive as a team. Striking that balance is the key to success. Something I started last year at work, showed results this year, boosting my confidence. A few others fizzled out, only teaching me that some things are beyond my control and I need to let go.

There is something for everyone on Twitter. I become active and discovered new channels to keep myself curious about some aspects of life. So far, I have not been disappointed, except that I am probably getting hooked on to it.

The economy has taken a dive, globally. There is general dissatisfaction about Indian state of affairs.

But at the turn of the year here's what we need to remind ourselves "We live in times where anything is possible. We live in a world of infinite possibilities. It's irresponsible to be pessimistic".  A friend said " I have a feeling 2012 is going to be a good year. Something good is going to happen." Agreed, mon ami!

Welcome 2012! Bring in the goodies and the toughness to deal with the baddies.

Review of The Dirty Picture

"Can it get any worse when even your enemies have stopped abusing you?" , "Movies are about three things entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. And I provide that entertainment." are just a couple of lines among a few other than resound even after you have walked out of the cinema hall. Barring the few good dialogues, Silk's award acceptance speech and a couple of emotional scenes portraying Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan, most of the script runs like a potboiler replete with double entendres. OK, a 'Dirty Picture' is supposed to be like this, but couldn't it have been more?

Sure the directors and producers might deny it, because it's practical sense to do so, but it is no secret that the movie is based on the life of Silk (Read more about her here) an actor, specifically a siren, from the 70s and 80s who took the southern woods i.e. Sandal..., Tolly..., Molly... etc  by storm. The thematic fusion of Bollywood and southern  styles seem appropriate to the basic context of the story - soundtrack, garish costumes, make up, dialogue delivery of movies within the movie, song & dance routine, the lyrics that seem translated from a southern film; exception is the Sufiana Ishq song which serves better as a standalone music video. But the storyline itself fails to impress simply because it does not delve any deeper than just a narration of men in the life of a rebellious actor who got typecasted because she couldn't care less than to just strut her stuff to realise her dream. There are probably several dimensions to the mind and heart of an actor like Silk which could have been dealt with.

The movie, as it boils down, is just about Vidya Balan. She 'lives' seduction and oomph in the core thread of the movie and carries it out elegantly. After seeing her performance, it is difficult to imagine any other current actor who could have taken up the role.There is definitely a lot of boldness in there and in not just the skin-show. Who else could have done justice to this role , I am really thinking now, hmmm...

There was a lot of potential in the way the story could have been written, rather then just skimming over a series of  men and a chain of events. Maybe they realised it and towards the last 20 minutes when they spent some time on the emotional bonding that develops between Silk and her erstwhile nemesis? Knowing it was Vidya Balan donning the role, they could have stretched a bit and introduced a level to the story rather than leaving it at the pulp fiction level.

Watch this movie if you are a Vidya Balan fan. In my case, I wasn't one, i.e. until now. (Disclosure: until now, I have seen only one of her other movies Lage Raho MunnaBhai, but that was not about her.). Also watch it if you are intrigued by the concept behind the movie, a biography of a siren whose mere presence turned a flop into a money spinner for some movies.