If cricket becomes a religion in India

Yesterday At The Midnight Hour Something Extraordinary Happened Which Rocked The Nation. What India Experienced Yesterday On Streets, Bars, Hotels, Homes, Balconies And Each And Every Place Was Amazing.
There Are So Many Religions In India Which Comprise Of Hundreds Of Festivals. I Have Never Seen Any Festive Celebration Such As Yesterday. People Came Out On The Streets And It Was An Atmosphere Of Unity. Everyone Was Happy, Some Were Dancing, Some Were Shouting, Some Were Cheering Up Hugging Each Other As If We Have Won A War Against An Alien. On The Streets Everyone Belonged To One Religion, Everyone Belonged To One Community And Everyone Was Celebrating One Festival, Cricket. It Was A Moment Of Joy As Christmas, Diwali, Baisakhi And Eid All Celebrated Together.

1983 Was The Year When India Won It's First Ever Cricket World Cup. As I Was Born In The Same Year So I Never Experienced The Celebrations Of Winning A World Cup In A Country Where Cricket Is A Religion. Yesterday, 2nd April 2011 With A Final Six By The Captain Ms Dhoni India Repeated History By Winning The World Cup Again After 28 Years. It Was A Proud Moment For The Cricket Crazy Nation. The Phone Networks Became Jam As Everyone Was Congratulating Each Other Through Sms And Calls. The Streets Were Jammed With Vehicles As People Were Out To Celebrate. And This Was A Situation In Every Part Of The Country.
Cricket Is Just A Reason, But What I Loved About Yesterday's Experience Is That The Nation Comes First.

I Wish If Cricket Becomes A Religion Than There Will Be No More Differences With Each Other. We All Will Live In Unity. But Then We Know The Human Mind. We Will Still Make Our Own Divisions In It Too Like The Bowlers, The Batsmen, The Test Cricketers, The One Dayers, The 2020's And So On. We Humans Are Good In Making Divisions, See How Many Divisions We Have Made Out Of One God.

(c)2011 www.ashwanithakur.com

A short Introduction of Ashwani Thakur Films

Named in Feb. 2011, Ashwani Thakur Films is not new. It’s the name I have given to my passion since 2006. It was in 2006 that I finally realised or you may say discovered my unconscious attachment towards filmmaking. I was always attracted towards the filmmaking process. In fact since the age of 12 I have been writing songs, poems and even stories. I was doing everything linked with filmmaking but was not an expert in anything. A jack of all trade and master of none made me feel like a filmmaker. It was in 2006 that I started producing films and videos with the name Neti Neti Productions (NNP). NNP is a brand name but Ashwani Thakur Films is more personal.

Team:

Ashwani Thakur Films cannot run single headedly. I have a team of few very passionate, fun loving, hardworking and self-motivated individuals who work with me. Aarti Sharma & Rahul Saini are permanent members and apart from them I have Nihar Koya, Shashank Goyal, Shaurya Singh, Ankit Kaushik to name a few.

Our Mission:

Ashwani Thakur Films has decided to make 1 short film every month. This idea came in my mind last year but I thought it was unrealistic and too difficult. But after becoming a YouTube partner and with an interest of standing out from the crowd I took this decision. Apart from minimum 12 short films every year we will also produce at least 1 feature film every year.

Get in touch:

I have found some of the best artists, technicians and even mentors through internet. Therefore, internet is the best way to communicate with us. We are always approachable through our facebook, orkut and twitter pages.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashwanithakurfilms

Orkut: http://www.orkut.co.in/Community?cmm=110383995

Twitter: www.twitter.com/at_films

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to watch all films: www.youtube.com/ashwanithakur

Website: www.ashwanithakurfilms.com

(c)2011 www.ashwanithakurfilms.com

My take on Guzaarish

My take on Guzaarish, the film

Although I watched this film some time ago and didn't feel like sharing my views about it as almost everyone liked it and praised it but I didn't.
Yesterday I was approached by Tehelka Magazine to give my views on few topics for their Master Takes column. So in reply to their questions I had to give my views on Guzaarish as out of the few questions one was as follows:

What is the last film you watched? What did you think of it?

Now obviously Guzaarish was my last watched film and then I had to give my views on it. Well this is my personal view on the topic as a human being, as an audience, as a spiritual person. Not as a filmmaker because as a filmmaker I love Sanjay Leela Bhansali's work and there is too much to learn from him.

My short and to the point (politically correct :) answer for that question was as follows:

I learn a lot watching Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films and this film was special as he was also the music director of this one and his music is as unique as his films. But in my opinion this film is not for everyone. I personally do not believe in the message he portrayed through the film. I believe life is precious and to be alive is the only way we can win. Mercy killing or euthanasia is a difficult topic for a film and it’s not easy to justify it. Therefore my take on the film would be that Mr. Bhansali did his best but I am sure if someone like Raj kumar Hirani or Amir Khan would have made the film, the ending would have been the opposite.

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There were other questions also that I answered but for that its better you read directly in the magazine.

(c)2010 www.ashwanithakur.com

Internet Addiction: side effects of the internet

Internet Addiction: side effects of the internet
Internet was introduced to public in the late 1980’s.
Millions of people all over the world use this technology and thousands of new users join daily. Life never remains the same for anyone who enters the World Wide Web.
People use it for business, sharing of information, communicating with friends, family and for several other benefits.
It not only attracts newcomers but also keeps the old ones attached because it’s cheap, easy to access, a treasure of information & saves a lot of time. Mainly people use the internet for sharing of information, social networking, online games, and for shopping. With so many benefits, it becomes impossible to live without it. Why would someone stand in a queue to buy a travel or movie ticket when it can be ordered online in seconds? It is a lazy man’s way to stay connected to the world lying on bed in pajamas.
Internet has become a new world altogether. It is slowly becoming a database of each and every person, thing, place, art form or subject. Whether it’s a 10 year old student or a 70 year old retired person; everyone has a reason to be online. One thing which is important to understand is that this is a virtual world and should not be given more importance than the real world.
Side effects of improper usage of Internet:
Addiction to anything is not healthy and leads to harmful side effects. Mainly teens get effected by internet as they become prone to over usage of social networking sites apart from emailing and blogging.
Other addictive activities on internet include:
Online Gaming
Online Gambling
Pornography
Trapped in the web one feels a psychological dependence on it. Slowly it becomes a necessity and it becomes difficult to get out of the virtual world.
Online gaming is a hobby for some but can turn into a violent addiction. Online gamers form networks and associations. Recently online gamers organized a cyber funeral when one girl died suddenly after spending consecutive days on the internet in order to kill a Black dragon in the game.
Pornography is another major harm of the internet as it is a growing online business and attracts users of all age groups with no restrictions to minors.
Unlike other addictions and activities, internet leads to isolation. One socializes with others virtually but loses contact with real life. Internet has made the world a smaller place as we can connect with anyone, anywhere in the world but the isolation leads to ignorance of the person right next to us.
Addiction of internet is as harmful as any other type of addiction like drinking or smoking.
“Internet Addiction Disorder”
Internet addiction disorder or IAD was originally proposed in a satirical hoax by Ivan Goldberg. But now it is recognized as a serious illness by some supporters and few companies even claim to cure this through medication and guidance.
However, many others argue that IAD is neither a true addiction nor a specific disorder and should not be classified as a mental disorder.
According to them:
A pathological gambler is a pathological gambler regardless of whether the gambling is done on a computer or face-to-face.
A person with poor impulse control can lose sleep over a suspenseful novel or favorite television show just as easily as he or she can lose sleep over an exciting computer game or the temptation to click on another web link.
A person with a sexual obsession is still a person with a sexual obsession, whether the pornography is viewed on a screen or on paper.
A person who shops obsessively (including during a manic phase) has an obsessive shopping problem whether the purchases are made in person, by mail, by phone, or online.
Although, even if internet addiction is not a disorder but its definitely becoming the easiest way of supporting other mental disorders.
We did a survey with over 1000 regular internet users of different age groups and professions to know the effect of internet on their personal life and whether they feel addicted to it.
80% of users said that they spend more time online than they actually should (and to be honest I fall in this category). Although only 4% felt that they are addicted to it but more than 50% agreed that it has affected their personal life.
Recently a couple divorced because of the husband’s internet addiction problem.
“Solution”
Inappropriate use of internet leads to harmful side effects. Especially in young users as they are unable to set the limits while using this resource. Although there are some software’s available which can help parents restrict their children’s access to only limited sites and also keep a track of their online activities.
Apart from that it’s very important to fix a time for which one should stay online. It has been observed that a lot of internet users end up doing something which they did not intend when they logged on to it. To avoid this one should make a list of things he or she needs to do online and also set a fix time frame before logging in.
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The importance of real people, real activities, real sports and real environment cannot be ignored. Therefore, one has to be free from the web of the virtual world and spend more time in the real life.

(c)2010 www.ashwanithakur.com

How love and faith are measured

How love and faith are measured:
Love and faith are two sides of a single coin. Both are dependent on each other and cannot exist singularly. But neither love nor faith can be measured. No one can give a measurement of love. There is no way designed by any human to calculate it.
But there is one way through which love or faith, both can be proved and even calculated. And the way is not manmade but it’s natural. Natural would mean it happens automatically without planning or by any hidden or known human intensions. And the way is testing.
The only way Love or Faith can be measured is through Testing.
The word testing to a human mind is alarming. But even if it sounds ugly or bad testing is the nature’s way of measuring faith.
This hidden way of measuring love happens in the background like background music in a movie. We can hear the music; it affects us and secretly gives life to the visuals. Similarly! While we talk, walk, listen, work, eat, sleep, meet and greet this great faith tester works in the background. This is how we decide who we love and who we don’t. This is how we understand who loves us and who don’t. This is how we understand the faith levels of others and our own personality.
In fact we cannot even measure our own faith level. And to understand it we have to rely on the one and only faith tester. The faith tester tests us, time and time again and hence we measure our faith level.
The faith or love in God or with a human being or even with a non-living thing like country or a cause can only be rewarded by faith tester. I repeat, Faith tester is not man made as the man made testing’s can never give a true picture. In fact human faith testing is a result of fear, insecurity, ego and ignorance. But the real Faith testing that happens in the background is the only way of rewarding a faithful being. This is the reason people for ages have believed that God tests those who are his best believers. Those wise people understood the importance of Faith testing and they even believed that this test should be respected and not ignored or criticized. It is the way nature works.
Through these natural tests we understand how much we love what we love and how much we believe in what we have faith in.
So watch out, life constantly tests you. And especially for the things that you are strong at. So that you can pass the test and prove yourself. The next time you are tested, don’t get depressed but say thanks and try to pass it.

(c)2010 www.ashwanithakur.com

How to become an actor

So! You want to be an actor?
Great!
Good news for you "You are already an actor"
What?
You think I am joking?
Ok then tell me have you ever made an excuse to anyone?
What kind of excuse?
The kind of excuse you made to your class teacher on being late or to your mother when you came home late or to your father when he scolded you for not reaching up to his expectations.
All our life we have been trying to act in different forms and specially to give excuses like I mentioned above.
So you don't have to be an actor, you are already one.
If you can make someone laugh, you are an actor. Aren’t you acting when you try to make a child laugh or propose a girl?
You like it or not, believe it or not but we are a born actor. We act whenever we are not alone. Some people even act when they are alone but that is an extreme case. But ideally every human being acts in his or her own way. There is nothing bad in it as this is the way we do things, it’s the way we speak, listen, move, converse. In short to act is to do. Acting is not an art; acting is the way we do things. We all act smart, funny and stupid sometimes.
But this article is not to teach you the way human beings act or do things but to tell you how to be an actor. And now, returning back to the original topic of this article “How to become an Actor”. And here I actually mean someone who acts in front of camera or in front of an audience.
This article is for those who are new to the film or theatre industry. Those who have decided that they want to be professional actors but are not sure how to start or where to start.
So what is the easiest way to be an actor in a movie?
Well, if you are a son of a director\producer you can ask him to cast you in his next film.
Or, if your father is a rich businessman you can ask him to use his money\links to help you get a role in a movie.
But I am sure you do not fall in the above two categories. Otherwise why on this planet would you read a blog titled "How to become an actor"? But the good news is that you have a chance like any other person to be an actor and the only thing you need is strong will. Now I don't want to tell success stories here of SRK, Rajnikanth or Arnold Schwarzenegger. You know they did it and proved it’s possible. If you want to read success stories of famous actors you can do a Google search or buy a book. But this article is about you. About how to get you started so that you can write your success story.
What I will tell you here, is how to get started, how to become an actor and the rest depends on your Will, your continued efforts and your luck.
Yes, I mentioned Luck there. But I also believe that Luck favours those who wait for the opportunities. No matter how lucky you are but if you ignore the opportunity, you will lose it.
Ok! Now as promised I will now list the main things you need to start to become an actor:
1. Portfolio - Please get yourself clicked by a professional. Please for your career's sake understand that portfolio means professional photos. I have seen actors sending pictures sitting on their bed, motor cycle and sometimes with their friends (circling their face). So get a professional portfolio. If you don't have money I am sure you have a friend (or friend of friend) who is good in photography and has a camera, ask him to do it for you. Again use Google to search how to make a good portfolio etc. etc. Believe me if you have good Googling skills you can learn a lot.
2. Showreel - Showreel is a group of videos you have acted in. There are hundreds of short filmmakers everywhere wanting to become the next Spielberg. Contact them and act in short films to get your showreel made. Short filmmakers are always in search of free actors who are serious about acting. Just drop them an email, appreciate their films (no matter how pathetic they are) and tell them you would love to act in their next short film and do mention "I will work for free" and I can guarantee you will get a reply. There are few who may pay too, so you never know you may be a lucky one. But remember your aim is to get a free showreel so get it done. Believe me having showreel shows that you are serious about your work and are experienced and you can already call yourself a working actor. Showreel can have short films, ad films, music videos etc.
3. Knowledge - To have knowledge about the career you have chosen is very important. People do years of study to become a professional is any field so you should understand that if you want to be an actor, it’s important that you should have good amount of knowledge about it. Entertainment business is a serious business. Joining an acting school is an option but it is not mandatory. Working in short film will definitely give you a lot of practical experience on how to read the dialogues and face the camera etc. Apart from that watching good film is as important as reading books before exams. Always watch films which involves good actors or films for which actors were awarded.
4. Promote yourself – Visit personally, email or post your portfolio\showreel\CV to Directors, Production Houses, Casting Agencies, websites etc. Start by sending one to my company at netinetiproductions@gmail.com or www.netinetiproductions.com
So! Not much information but this is enough for someone who is planning to start. I will be writing more in future for actors but I just want to say that do not jump to other things but try to follow the above 4 steps and have faith.

All the best, Dear Actor! See you in Theatres...

(C) 2010 www.ashwanithakur.com

Reality Shows: Good, Bad and the Ugly

Reality Shows: Good, Bad and the Ugly
There are the good ones, the bad ones and the Ugly ones. The one that you love to watch, those you ignore and the others you just cannot tolerate. But if there is a Reality Show out there then there is an audience too.
Now a days, every time you switch on your idiot box, the most common things are the reality shows. Some are searching idols for the nation, some are making crorepatis and some are finding talents in the form of music, dance etc. Then there are those 10 odd people locked in a house entertaining others watching from their house.
Few questions that make news and have different views are:
Are these shows scripted?
Are they helping the participants, viewers or organisers?
Are they a challenge for our society?
Are they hurting the moral sentiments of a percentage of the viewers?
etc...

Recently there was news about a suicide of a person who was insulted in a reality show hosted by Rakhi Sawant. Imagine the kind of effect the 30 minutes show had on that poor man. I personally hate the cheap reality shows like Rakhi ka swamwar and Rakhi ka insaaf. No I have no personal enmity with Rakhi Sawant but for some reason the two reality shows I hate the most are related to her. I believe it’s the viewers who should be held responsible for such shows to be aired. You watch it and therefore they exist.
Another latest one is the marriage of Sara and Ali in the reality show "Big Boss". Some say they were already married and were paid a huge amount to get married in the show. Whatever may be the reason but it’s easy to understand that its for publicity and TRP. People fight, live, compete, laugh, cry, suicide and even marry through reality shows now.
I am a fan of a reality show for years now and that's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. A show that has not only entertained India and the world but also helped thousands of participants. And many of its contestants are professional singers now.
Working hard for TRP is good but working out anything for TRP is not.
For Participants its a Challenge, for viewers its entertainment and for the organisers its a Business. And for writers like me it's a reason to blog.
And now that people are getting bored of the old ones people are trying new ideas. Be it good, bad, ugly, moral, immoral or whatever it should be sellable is what the people behind this business want.
I am not a social activist. I am neither against nor in support of any reality show out there. Why should I want to stop a show that a percentage of people love watching? I don't get time to watch a lot of TV but it's true that millions of people in this country waste millions of hours watching reality shows which are useless. But one thing is sure you may hate them or love them but you just can't ignore them.


(c)2010 www.ashwanithakur.com