Illusion of great friendship- an extract from real life!

Yeah! I know, seeing the heading must make you wonder if I am taking my job as a lecturer too seriously... :P It does look like that eh? But fear not, this is just an experience sharing- Mine, naturally!

While watching House MD yesterday, a dialogue I heard, struck a chord- "It's told we don't get to choose our parents, but I'm starting to believe we don't get to choose our friends either." Hmmm I naturally agree with the sentiment of this statement.

This last year, has been an odd one of sorts... While personally and professionally my life's going just about fine with no constantly-nagging-complains; where friends are concerned I have seen some really odd ups and downs. I say odd because I don't understand the behaviour logically. And to my amazement when I can't put behaviour into a set-pattern, it bothers me for long! (Reminds me of the jingle "Lasts long, really long :P") Anyway let me try and share what made these experiences odd-

A friend of mine, who talked to me regularly (almost daily) abruptly, just-like-that stopped talking to me. Naturally there were reasons given; but let's just say the heart didn't agree and was confused for a very long time. When we bump into each other now, its kinnda odd; I'm left wondering if all those conversations we had, that made us close have to be ignored or what exactly can I do to avoid the awkwardness?

Another close friend, found someone else "far-more important" to stay constantly in touch with, leading to "Sorry sweetie, I don't have time to talk" with me. A true friend, must say happy to see you happy, but it’s like that dialogue in 3 Idiots; "...Khud ke friend ko topper dekh ke aur bhi bura lagta hain!" I feel like screaming and saying "where's our time?" To be fair, I can't say we've lost touch completely; but it’s so far and wide, it almost feels like an exercise!

The safety of conversations, asking stupid questions; of voicing fears and soothing tears that I shared with these friends is now compromised. There’s a feeling of void created. Every time someone asks me "who are your closest friends?" their names are the first to pop up... but then I am left wondering "Are they really?"

Honestly am not so sure anymore. It’s sad that I'm completely confident, of the fact that these people- who knew every moment of my life and every thought in my head'; will now probably be the last people to hear, if something unexpectedly happens to me! I'm confident that they'll not even know for a month, if I say meet with an accident and die tomorrow.

Hey, its not all bad, I must say there are other friends, who were not-so-close before, and have become closer now. :) A lot of old friends from school have gotten in touch and there's never any lack of people to hang out with (:)); but its just that the heart still wonders... Do we really get to choose our friends or does destiny deal us cards that put people together and makes them friends? Also is “great friendship” just an illusion?

The optimist side in me, sure hopes not! :)

My all time favourite English Songs...

I'd written a blog sometime back on Forgotten Hindi melodies of the 90's and many anonymous readers leaving comments, requested for a list of English numbers too... So now, by popular demand, here's my list of English Classics (or what I call so :) ).

These twenty songs are simply, in my "all time favourites" folder, on my I POD, and are not in any specific order:


Neil Diamond's I can see clearly now: Johny Nash, Jimmy Cliff and many others, this song has been sung by many singers and is a great number. The song's got extremely optimistic lyrics, an unabashedly upbeat tempo and a quick sustained crescendo. Feel free to hear it when you need a mood upliftment... It works!


Nelly Furtado's I'm like a Bird is her signature song and there's a freedom about it that's totally lovable. Every woman has to hear it and sing it to herself in front of the mirror- it does wonders to the self esteem! :)


Every breath you take by The Police has been something I have literally grown up on... I think, it definitely had a hand in defining my idea of passion. The die-hard passion in this song, is something that should be considered biblical... The lyrics are the words of a sinister, controlling character, who is watching everything his lover does- it's about unrequited love and about the obsession with the lost lover and let's not forget the jealousy and surveillance that followed!


Another day in paradise by Phil Collins, is a soft, slow number about homelessness (if that's a word!) that's completely heart touching. A simple yet lovely number.


Save the best for last by Venissa Williams has already been blogged about, so I'll just leave you with the link... :)

http://astutalks.blogspot.com/2008/09/save-best-for-last.html


I heard Michael Learns to Rock when I was in class 5 and loved it. At that time, in my child-like glory, I believed it was what's popularly classified as the"Rock Genre"! Hence Paint my love was my all-time-favourite rock song! :P However I have grown tonnes since then and now know the difference; but the song still remains, up there, in my favourites list!



Bryan Adams is the first international concert I attended and so to me all his songs are like 'spoken by thee himself'! But Cloud Number 9 and Everything I do are a part of his "Best of Me" collection, which speaks for itself and does not need any other introduction! Also, Everything I do, was the first song sung to me and so has its very own special memories.

Father figure by George Michael is a sharp and sensual tale of seduction. Its kinnda obsessive in places and the video has always confused me to the exact nature of the relation between the cab driver and the model/ diva! All in all, I'll say, hear it and loouuu it.

Celine Dion has been influenced by genres ranging from rock and R&B to gospel and classical and her songs are known to address romance, happiness and melancholy.  While I know most men find her music soppy, I believe, That's the way it is and Because you loved me, are her finest tracks. While former is a great mood-lifter (read happiness) the latter is the best thing that can be said to anyone in your family... Dad, hubby, bro- it sure is a tribute for the encouragement they give without question!

You're still the one by Shania Twain is an ode to the union between a lover and her man. Here she explains how she is glad they did not listen to the critics, as, if they had done, look at what they could have been missing. Its a lovely thing to say to someone you've been in love with forever! :)


Ahhhmmmm, this blog is becoming way too long, so I'd rather not add my own two lines about my other happy-mood-songs. Here's the list:
The way you love me by Faith Hill
Love today by Mika
The Animal Song by Savage Garden
Ordinary Day by Dolores O Riordan
Stranger things have happened by Foo fighters
Soak up the sun by Shery Crow
Life is a rollercoaster by Ronan Keating
Nothing else matters by Metallica
In the end by Linkin' Park
We didn't start the fire and Uptown girl by Billy Joel
and Frozen by Madonna


 I'll end it at that... but I promise if there's an addition to this list, you'll be the first to know!


And to all you anonymous commentors, I'd say, hope I lived up to your expectation... Ofcourse you are free to leave your anonymous comments, yet again!


But P.S: FYI, I don't bite! :)

A personal look on the song "Tu Jaane Na... "

I love the lyrics of this song... My favourite part of the song is the sufi style chorus that's repeated thrice in the song. It's my latest awwww moment and I find it totally heart melting!

The basics: Composed by Pritam and sung by our very own Pakistani- Piscean singer Atif Aslam, the lyrics are by Irshad Kamil & Ashish Pandit (the new masters in town).

The feelings: Any and everyone who has ever 'loved and lost' will identify with the feeling. The beat takes sometime to get into your blood but once it does, it stays. The complete desperation of the lost-lover is so amazingly obvious here. Be it the fact that the singer's voice is so full of pain or the fact that his biggest desperation comes from the fact that he doesn't understand how to make things better. To top it all, it's every lover's worst nightmare; that his love doesn't even know about his feelings... It is a low, lower than low... actually an epitome of a new low all together!

The film: I have already written an extensive review on the film. (http://astutalks.blogspot.com/2009/11/apkgk-movie-review.html ) But this song in the film  gives you a mixed reaction. Ranbir doesn't come across as all that desperate after all. Emotions are not his forte yet! So while he excels at all scenes comedy and fun, his facial expression borders on weird here. But having said that it sure does make a great background score...


Kaise batayein kyun tujhko chahe yaara bata na paaye

Baatein dilo ki dekho jo baaki akey' tujhe samjhaye
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na

Milke bhi hum na mile tum se na jaane kyun
Meelon ke hai faasle tum se na jaane kyun 
Anjaane hai silsale tum se na jaane kyun 
Sapne hain, palkon tale tum se na jaane kyun


Kaise batayein kyun tujhko chahe yaara bata na paaye
Baatein dilo ki dekho jo baaki akey' tujhe samjhaye
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na


Nigahon mein dekho meri jo hai bas gaya
Woh hai milta tumse hubahu
Ooo jaane teri aankhein thi ya baatein ki wajah
Huea tum jo dil ki aarzoo
Tum paas ho ke bhi tum aas ho ke bhi
Ehsaas ho ke bhi apne nahi
Aise hain humko gile tumse na jaane kyun
Meelon ke hain faasle tum se na jaane kyun


Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na
Ooo jaane na jaane na jaane na .. aaa tu jaane na ..

Khayalon mein lakhon baatein yun tu keh gaya
Bola kuch na tere samne
Ooo huea na be-gaane bhi tum hoke aur ke
Dekho tum na mere hi bane
Afsos hota hai dil bhi yeh rota hai
Sapne sanjota hai pagla hua soche yeh
Hum the mile tumse na jaane kyun
Meelon ke hain faasle tum se na jaane kyun
Anjaane hai silsale Tum se na jaane kyun
sapne hai Palkon tale tum se na jaane kyun


Kaise batayein kyun tujhko chahe yaara bata na paaye
Baatein dilo ki dekho jo baaki akey' tujhe samjhaye
Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na


Tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na .. tu jaane na

Feel free to listen to it and make your own opinion... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv0eXRpOncQ