Musings

She burst onto the bollywood scene with Himmatwala in 1983. Perceived initially as the new hot girl, she soon drew crowds to third rate films like Tohfa and Justice Chodhary, just on the strength of her graceful dancing. Very quickly she passed this phase and entered the top league with films like Mr. India. Her sensuous dance in dark blue saree in the song "kate nahi katte ye din ye raat" was a riot and she became a queen of the celluloid. She ruled for the next 4-5 years with films like Chaalbaaz, Chandani and Lamhe among others. Her acting skills had been acknowledged long back in the film Sadma and it was evident that she excelled in every sphere of performance. By this time winds of change had started to blow and a new star was born by the name of Madhuri. Sridevi married Boney Kapoor in 1996 and took a long break from films. She came back in 2012 with an impact performance in English Vinglish. In 2017 she appeared in her last film Mom. She acted in many regional films ...

I recently visited a spacious air conditioned bookstore in Fort area. The books were nicely stacked for display. I enjoyed leafing through fresh arrivals of different genres. At last I selected and bought a book with that smell of freshness that all readers love. However, next day I was dismayed to see the same book being offered online for 30% less. I felt a bit cheated and vowed to make all future purchases online. Then yesterday came the news of strand book stall closing its shutters in a week's time. One reader had remarked that the joy of visiting a book store can never be compared to online purchase. I completely agreed. Perhaps the extra cost we have to pay is for experiencing that joy. Still money is money. Two books bought online might save enough to buy a third. But I know that I can never give up the joy of visiting a bookstore. I suppose I will have to adopt a mixed policy in future so that I achieve a reasonable balance.

शेवटची चढण चढून ती कड्याच्या टोकाशी येऊन उभी राहिली. खालच्या खोल दरीत तिने डोकावून पाहिले. बस्स, आता एक उडी आणि संपेल एकदाचे सर्व काही. दारूण निराशा, दु:ख, वेदना....सगळ्याला पूर्णविराम. कायमचा. तिने मान वर करून पाहिले. अनंत निळे आकाश सर्वदूर पसरले होते. केवढी अफाट आहे ही सृष्टी! थांगच लागत नाही. अंतराळात अशा किती सृष्टी आहेत त्याची गणतीच नाही. क्षितिजापर्यंत तिची नजर जाऊन भिडली. त्या भव्यतेपुढे तिला तिचे दु:ख फार क्षुद्र वाटू लागले. अशी होते का मी? पराभव स्वीकारणारी, पळपुटी?   कधीच नाही. संघर्षाला मी कधीच घाबरले नाही. मग आज इथे का आले आहे? मंद वार्‍याची झुळुक अधूनमधून येऊन सुखावत होती. तिला वाटले, आपण एखाद्या गोष्टीत इतके बुडून जातो, की त्याच्या पलिकडे काही जग आहे हेच विसरायला होते. मनाचे हे घेरलेपण मोडले तर सगळं सोपं होऊन जाईल. तिची चूक तिला आता उमगली होती. त्या विस्तीर्ण भवतालाने तिला काहीतरी शिकवले होते. तिच्या चेहर्‍यावरचे मळभ दूर होऊन प्रसन्न स्मित झळकू लागले. आत्मविश्वासाने ती मागे वळून चालू लागली....पुन्हा एकदा.....जीवनाकडे. ...