The day I stopped updating my profile!!

I worked on many assignments related to Facebook, the secret behind its success, the psychological changes that it is bringing about in the users, their relationships and thinking and what not. I assumed that I totally understand the implications of this social networking site and would be vigilant in this regard. But, all these learnings did not deprive me from falling for its magic. I think the instant gratification from the numbers of likes, comments and praises that followed my posts pushed me to add more and more of my mind’s products to the profile. They gained the attention of my friends in a jiffy and every post was an overnight hit. Some of them encouraged me to write on this movie or express some psychological state or feeling or stick some photos of my recent outing. What more do I ask for, as I savor the affection, warmth, sweetness and laurels from the people including those who are close to me, those whom I have never spoken to even when I met them in person and also those whom I have never seen at all!!! They appreciated my extraordinary talent and abilities and I realize now, Praise has disturbed my wisdom as well as attention. It is such a magnet!! These were my early days. 

These were followed by a period when I got more of likes and very limited comments, on whatever I post; then came the days when everything got routine and the dose of instant gratification decreased. I pondered over what might be the possible reason, then I thought I was boring the users on my friends' list and people are ignoring me. But, I never stopped expressing myself on the platform every now and then. Though everything seemed to be going on fine superficially, it took me time to realize that all is not well!! 

I wrote to express myself and share my happiness, gloom and every mood with my friends.  I narrated about events which were necessarily not mine, not real and not relevant to my present. When the site asked me, 'what is on your mind?', I responded honestly. I thought it would be a medium through which I could keep me and my kids closer to people who are closely related to us, but stay thousands of miles away. I attempted to close the distance with my posts, but it never goes the way we want it to!! 

Slowly, queries poured down to my husband whether we were fine? Our relationship is going on well? We went somewhere? He scolded me? Am I ill? It even went to the extent of people asking me not to write much about the kids, because they are clever and negative attention might bring over some bad omen onto them!! But, I need to say, my husband took everything into his stride and never interfered with my flow on Facebook. He just told me about the questions. I ignored them at first, then I was enraged, finally I cooled down and gave it detailed thought. People are reading between lines, they are gathering information from my posts, rather than appreciating them as a piece of good work. They are using the site as a source of my personal data and whereabouts. 

The story arrived at climax when one of my NRI relatives arranged for a family get-together during his recent visit to India. He could instantly connect and communicate with my kids, knew most of their interests, including that, Chhota Bheem and Ben 10 are their favorite cartoons; my posts being the source of his details. I was happy as my objective of being active on Facebook has paid off. This gentleman comes to me and remarks that my posts keep him updated on every happening and in the same tone, I revert with, 'You don't update much and I know nothing about your daughter!!'. He says, 'If I update too, we'll have nothing to talk when we meet personally' and just walked away. He never spoke anything to me, beyond these lines. I am completely taken aback by this!! My mind went numb!! Did he do this for the sake of conversation? Or is it the way he thinks about me?? Do others think the same way?? I got the answer to my pondering. It was an eye opener. Am I perceived that way??? My heart cried in pain!! Do they take me to be a social butterfly flying all over Facebook, showing off my life and its details and craving for people's attention??!! If they have a life and it is a secret, don't I do? That’s it!! I took an oath not to post anything whatsoever on Facebook! People never take anything at face value even on Facebook and we are not ready for social media, as yet. If I have to express myself and hone my writing skills, I’ll select a different and more passive platform.

Anthaku Mundu Aa Tarvata

Mohan Krishna Indraganti needs to be applauded for taking up the issue that ‘Shuddh Desi Romance’ failed to explain. The writer and director have put in a lot of thought into the movie. While I totally ruled out the idea of living-in and the confusion that youth is going through depicted in SDR (which only talked about live-in as an opportunity to flirt and get physical with the partner, at the first given chance and the fear is more about staying loyal to the partner……youth is not all about that), I understand their plight which is clearly justified by ‘Anthaku Mundu Aa Tarvata’. The concerns and chaos in the minds of the present generation are true and real.

The day-to-day differences between parents staged by the drawing room of every middle-class household, which puzzles the kids on what exactly is going on between their mother and father and whom to follow or support………the career ambitions that drive every educated person, which leads to confusion on how to kindle their relation with the partner and kids makes them constantly question on where it is headed; the loneliness that they would end up with, if they don’t pair up at the exact juncture of their lives; and numerous other concerns that confront the present day marriages and marital relationships that have resulted in the fear for commitment among the partners-to-be, are illustrated well by the movie. 

I am surprised by the clarity with which the director presented such a complex topic!!! The film urges us to put enough thought and time into the marital association and not to take the partner for granted. Finally, every time a marriage stands at the crossroads, just give the partner a second chance……….because, as a human, the wife or the husband has the right to err and life is all about learning from mistakes of the past!

Uyyaala Jampaala

I always thought that direction is the most overrated profession in the movie industry............why do they give the directors so much credit, when so many other professionals, artists and technicians are involved...........but, I realized today what magic he can work out with the most common prop, a love story, given a group of new faces, TV stars and a hero who is neither glamorous nor has a macho built or an established image!! He can entirely give a new feel to the old wine......Uyyaala Jampaala has proved the point beyond doubt.

Nativity, local dialect, colloquial dialogues, characters which people can relate to, and freshness; can win the hearts of the audiences and entertain them. Doing all these while not making the viewers cry or giving them a no-brainer or showing them an out-of-the-world adventure or presenting them with raunchy comedy; is the result of
extraordinary efforts. Uyyaala Jampaala is one such movie. It is a good film that the the Telugu people can proclaim as their own.