Ghost in Glamour

In the scene

Look behind the scene - literally

“Local people believe a ghost lives here,” our tour guide stated on the way out of Film City, Mumbai. Film City is the hub of Bollywood movies and India TV soap. This is where glamor is captured in the camera.

Ghost in the world of glamor! Does it sound right?

Yes, local people are right. A ghost lives in the Film City and in other studios.

We saw it too.

A common scene in studio

Camera and crew capture beautiful girls, handsome guys, stylish dresses, opulence, luxury, decorated houses, expensive cars, and well behaved perfect lead characters for Bollywood cinema and Indian TV soap operas.

Look behind the scene. Dreadful working conditions, poor sanitation, long working hours, ghastly surroundings and pitiful treatment of meagerly paid crew members.

That is the living ghost in the world of glamor and glitz.

Squeaking Speakers, Sizzling Shreya

(Review of 19th March 2010 Shreya Ghoshal concert in Raleigh, North Carolina)

Squeaking speakers. Endless echo. Atrocious acoustics. Stadium setting.

Yet Shreya sounded sweet and captivated the audience for four hours.

Music lovers enjoyed her classical songs while party goers had their share with fast numbers. In an unfriendly setting for the concerts, four times national award winner demonstrated her command on singing. Mediocre musicians did not deter Shreya’s sincerity. Accompanied dancers appear distraction but her clear and melodious voice mesmerized listeners. Despite enormous success at the age of 26, incredibly humble Shreya shook hands with audience and entertained specific requests for regional languages’ songs. “Tujhme Rab Dikhta Hai” and “Mere Dholna” call for special mention for flawless delivery. Shreya’s VJ, Niharika narrated well with some excellent “shayri”.

Overall, the concert was worth but Shreya deserves a concert appropriate surrounding with suitable sound equipment.

Dear RTP readers, if you attended, please share your thoughts in comments. If you missed, let us hope next time we have a better environment for her.

Why does SRK tweet?

I am sure you have heard the news that SRK has started twitting. If not, click this link.

I did not want to spend time to talk with my friends to figure out SRK’s reason for tweeting but my first friend i.e. my brain, outlined the conversation between Karan Johar and SRK which led SRK to create an account on Tweeter.
KJ (Karan Johar): Shahrukh, you should start tweeting.


SRK: What is that?


KJ: Consider it free publicity.


SRK: I am already a popular man. You know that.


KJ: Well, we need more publicity for our new movie.


SRK: We have two new hot movie topics - illness and Islamic terrorism in the movie. That is good for metros. We have a lot tears for female audience too. The movie will be a hit. Don’t worry.


KJ: You are right. But I am little worried. The audience is intelligent now. Adi and I have already used Islamic terrorism formula in New York and Kurban. Paa has been hit and so people have seen illness too.


SRK: You got a point. But we are doing that TV show “Lift Kara De’ and donating 9 Lakh RS on TV. That gives us good publicity.


KJ: We need to think about overseas audience especially the UK and the USA. And moreover Tweeting is free.


SRK: OK. You know better. What do I have to do?


KJ: Just ask your personal assistant to type few lines on the computer.


SRK: What kind of lines?


KJ: Just say something. Whatever comes to your mind like ‘I am relaxing’ or ‘My vacation is over’


SRK: But my Personal Assistant does not know English that well.


KJ: He does not have to know English. He should be able to type simple sentences.


SRK: But his spellings are atrocious.


KJ: On twitter, they don’t care about spellings or grammar. As long it seems like an English sentence, we should be fine.


SRK: I think he can do that. But how does tweeting help us?


KJ: Media will cover it and that is free publicity. Once we declare you are on tweeter, a lot of teenage girls, bored housewives and also a lot of men will feel connected to you in 2010.


SRK: And they will bring them to theaters when the movie releases.


KJ: Exactly.


SRK: Do you make movies or market movie?


KJ: Marketing is the key.


SRK: Let me call my personal assistant here.


Readers: - Please feel free to email(arealblogger@gmail.com) or send me comments if you agree/disagree or if you want to add more.