why not write in hindi

I was introduced to hindi literature at the age of 27, by that time already having read tonnes of books in english. I always felt that english writing coming out of india was somehow lacking in that something which gives a book its soul...it sounded a little strained....and I wished it was more relevant to my life. Amitav Ghosh and Upamanyu Chatterjee were exceptions to the rule I felt but still some of their later books let me down. I used to wonder why noone wrote about the indian experience and why there was no true indian voice yet.

When I read Manohar Shyam Joshi, or Nirmal Verma or some newer Hindi authors I realised that what I was searching for was right under my nose. The evocations of delhi or lucknow or mumbai or even the small towns in their books was so masterly and true, it struck home immediately. I explored a bit and found that there was a vast sea of hindi literature which was vibrant, relevant, brutally honest and amazingly talented. It spoke to me and spoke for me.

So if anyone is thinking of writing in Hindi and wondering what will the morrow bring. Will he be living in the chawls of mumbai and ekeing out a miserable existence, I think that is a fallacy. A writer must find his voice first, not worry about which language will have better readers. Speak the tongue that comes naturally to you. There is no dearth of opportunity. The movies, the serials, the magazines, the websites, the tv channels all are hungry for content. If you create good content, it will sell. To create good content though you must find your voice.

I, being as my flatmate once charmingly observed, "very compromising" had tried to figure a way which combined the best of both worlds. So you can write like this too -

itni saari debate faaltu mein ho rahi hai. jo man mein aata hai usko keh daalo. Dont worry ki usko kaise chhaapenge. Arrey yaar, aajkal to chhaapne ki zaroorat bhi nahi rahi....hum ko dekh lo...kitna likhte hai aur ek drop ink use nahi kya abtak :)

munnabhai lage raho

I saw it on saturday, in a little hall in boston. Great movie. I have been a little saddened by the tendency in India these days, to heap abuses on Gandhi and blame him for all the problems. I guess some people will never forgive him for openly admitting that we were weak and creating a solution within that constraint.

It makes people like me a little apologetic for still finding him admirable. Its no longer easy to say that one is a gandhian, unless u mean that you support the Dynasty.

This movie managed to get its message across without being preachy and it was a load of fun too. It seems that the whole Bhagat Singh/Subhash Bose vs Gandhi debate is happening in indian cinema now…in the form of Rang de Basanti vs Munnabhai :). Both movies look at the problems in big cities in India. Where one gets serious and preachy and finally advocates going down in a blaze of glory, Munnabhai starts off funny, stays funny and ends up advocating peaceful non cooperation and satyagraha. Nicely done!!

following up...read this...seems the citizens of lucknow have taken the message to heart...and the gandhi caps are much in demand.

movie competition

For our aspiring movie writers….. I got this in an email....was about to throw it out, but the earnestness of it made me stop. Like a cute mudcovered puppy, this offer to the creative people wanting to make 501 ( hehehe why not 500 ) dollars was so cheesy that I not only let it stay...but posted it here on my blog....so read on below....pay note to the 11 different genres described ..hehe

-----Original Message-----
Subject: Can you write a PREDICTABLE cheezy BOLLYWOOD story? (for $501)


(Moderator, could you please approve this - We are sure there are many experienced, aspiring writers in this group. Thanks in Advance.)


Looking for 7 short-screenplays, $501 each


While we are working on our ambitious INTERNATIONAL flick 'WHEN KIRAN MET KAREN' http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0841048/ . We have decided to produce a quick STRAIGHT-TO-DVD project... Collection of 7 Short Films (12-15 minutes each) - Directed by Various Directors ~

TITLE : Just Another BOLLYWOOD Story!
GENRE : BOLLYWOOD SPOOF (COMEDY)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH, hindi, GUJARATI, punjabi, LATIN, spanish, URDU, telugu, GHETTO, mumbaiya etc

7 UNIQUE STORIES WILL BE SELECTED FROM FOLLOWING THEMES :-

a) LOVE-LOVE (Example - Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Mohabbatein)
b) LOST AND FOUND (Example - Amar Akbar Anthony, Every 80s movie)
c) REVENGE (Example - Sholay, Karan Arjun, Karz, Ghayal, Baazigar, Trishul)
d) FAMILY DRAMA (Example - Hum Saath Saath Hain, Baghban, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham)
e) LOVE-TRIANGLE (Example - Saajan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil Toh Paagal Hai)
f) INFIDELITY (Example - Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Silsilla, Murder, Jism, No Entry, Masti, Bewafaa)
g) UNDERWORLD (Example - Omkara, Parinda, Satya, Munnabhai MBBS, Company, Sarkar, Vaastav)
h) TRAGEDY (Example - Devdas, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Anand, Dil Se)
i) OBSESSION (Example - Darr, Anjaam, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa)
j) PATRIOTISM (Example - Pardes, Swades, Every Manoj Kumar movie)
k) SPORTS (Example - Lagaan, Bend it like Beckham, Iqbal)

YOUR SHORT STORY/SCREENPLAY SHOULD -
(A screenplay in BOLLYWOOD is what is known as the Step Outline in Hollywood — a clear description of what happens in each scene, sometimes with indicative dialogue, sometimes without, with some clarity of where you want songs to play a role if at all.)
- have maximum 5 characters
- have maximum 3 locations
- be perfect for 10-12 minute film
- have one situation for a 2 minute typical BOLLYWOOD SONG *.
* (LYRICS and MUSIC is not your responsibility. We will compose 7 funny PARODY songs later.) IF YOU HAVE A BRILLIANT IDEA - and u have to use more than 5 characters, more than 3 locations - it's A-OK.

We have given you 11 themes... 30+ examples... choose the most commonly known... most famous... "CLICHE" BOLLYWOOD situation/conflict... and present it in a 21st century NEW AGE form...

7 wacky hilarious screenplays will be selected... And each writer will be given $501 - once we start the pre-production on his/her script.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS - November 1, 2006.

Email your submissions in MS-WORD format to "justanotherbollywoodstory7@yahoo.com"

Manohar Shyam Joshi no more

A legend in the indian literary world has left us today. Though some would say that he wasnt up there with the famous literary giants of India, few would argue about the reach and impact his writing had in India. From popular television serials, to film stories, to editing a popular hindi weekly to writing a bunch of hindi books he left a lasting imprint in the mind of three generations of indians. No one has captured the flavor of bombay like he did in his book "kuru kuru swaaha" and no one has written more beautifully about the simple life in the small towns of the himalayas where he was born and raised. All through his writing there runs a vein of self deprecatory humor, a flair for hyperbole and farce mixed with a tinge of pathos and romance. Through it all, his writing rings true, he knows what he writes about and hold up a clear mirror for society to see itself.

Manohar Shyam Joshi, R.I.P.
NEW DELHI, MAR 30 (PTI)
Renowned writer Manohar Shyam Joshi,the litterateur, aged 73, breathed his last at around 5 am at the National Heart Institute here.

Joshi has written several books including 'Kuru Kuru Swaha', 'Kayap' 'Hariya Hercules Ki Hairaani', Baton Baton Main', 'Mandir Ghat Ki Pooriyan', 'Kaise Kissago' and 'Tata Professor'.