Author: Anil Malik

In my last weekend blog, I had written about strong female roles in the Bollywood films of the 21st century. Here is the concluding part of that blog. 7 Usha, played by Ratna Pathak Shah in Lipstick Under My Burkha 2016 She is a 55-year-old widow living in Bhopal, the revered matriarch of her locality. What is interesting is that she is nursing a secret crush on her young, muscular swimming coach. That a woman of her age can have sexual fantasies is bizarre and even shameful. So she begins to lead a parallel life in which she reads erotic novels and has steamy phone conversations with her coach. Watch her in the scene where she’s asked her name, and she takes a while to say Usha as if she has forgotten her identity. Ratna Pathak was brilliant. 8 Safeena, played by Alia Bhatt in Gully Goy 2019 Anti-feminism apologists…

There have been lots of posts and discussions in the media about the disqualification of elected representatives. Recently Rahul Gandhi of Congress was disqualified as MP when he was convicted in a defamation case for 2 years by a court in Surat. He was disqualified as MP immediately on the next day, even though he had a window of applying in higher courts for getting a stay on his conviction, but then the experts started saying that as per the law disqualification of elected MPs/MLAs is automatic when s/he is convicted for 2 years or more by any court. Now my question is what happens when the higher courts stay that conviction? Does then that person concerned automatically get his/her membership back in Parliament/assembly? The legal experts are not clear about the time frame, within what period if the conviction is stayed by higher courts the membership of the person…

In the earlier days, we Indians never looked beyond Yoga and meditation to keep our body and mind healthy. But today, the world has become a global village, and we can also look for alternative life practices to help our overall well-being. TAI CHI is slowly becoming popular in India, and not without reason. Let us explore what Tai Chi is all about. Understanding Tai Chi Tai Chi is a series of gentle physical exercises and stretches that anyone can do comfortably. So, it suits most seniors as it is not physically exhausting. It is sometimes considered ‘meditation in motion’ because it connects the body and minds through gentle movements. It is the art of embracing mind, body, and spirit. It is a serene and calming activity, especially beneficial for seniors as you can do it anywhere-lying in bed, sitting on a chair, etc. One noteworthy point is that it…

For the last few days, there is one piece of news that is getting maximum attention from the media and social media is Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the membership of Lok Sabha. This happened because he was convicted by a Surat court in a defamation case, and he was given a sentence of two years in jail. As per the present laws, a sentence of two years and more attracts automatic disqualification of an elected representative, MP or MLA. Rahul Gandhi is not the first elected representative who has been disqualified on account of being convicted, and getting a sentence of more than two years. Here is the list: 1 Rahul Gandhi (Congress-MP from Wayanad, Kerala). Convicted for 2 years in a 2019 defamation case against the OBC Modi surname, in 2023. 2 Mohd, Faizal PP (NCP-MP from Lakshdweep). Convicted of 10 years for attempt to murder, in 2023. 3…

In this weekend’s blog, I am back with Hindi films.  Bollywood is mainly a male-dominated industry, and most of the films have male-dominated characters, and generally, women are treated as props or objects of desire to be reduced to lesser fleshed-out roles. However, there have been times when portrayals by female actors in leading/side roles have stood out-gracefully tapping into the joys, sorrows, challenges, and complexities of women. Here are some female characters of 21st century who have amazed and enthralled them with their distinct, raw, and honest appeal. 1 Shashi Godbole-played by Sridevi in English Vinglish 2012 Here Sridevi played Shashi Godbole with such incredible dignity with her performance allowed the film to indict the family members without fully villainizing them. The way she walks, talks, hesitates and reacts varies from scene to scene. Even while she is learning a new language (English), she is essentially finding a new…

In today’s blog,  I am writing about a medical condition that is more prevalent in old people,  young people also can be affected by this condition, sometimes. This medical condition is called: NOCTURIA It is a condition that causes you to wake up during the night to urinate. This condition becomes more common as people age and occurs in both men and women, sometimes for different reasons. It can be common for most people to wake up once during the night to urinate, but urinating more frequently may be a sign of this condition. Nocturia can be associated with daytime urinary frequency or occur by itself. It is important to distinguish nocturia from polyuria (urinating too much volume). General causes of this condition include high fluid intake, sleep disorders, and bladder obstruction. This condition is more prevalent in elders than in young. But if it happens in younger people then…

In recent times, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been in the news quite often. A few days back, the leaders of 16 opposition parties met and decided that the Adani matter should be investigated by the ED, and for this, they will make representation to the ED, with signatures from the MPs from the opposition parties. When they were going to the ED’s office, they were stopped by the police and asked to return. Now, why do opposition parties want the Adani matter to be investigated by the ED? For that, you must know what are the powers of the ED, and why the opposition leaders are worried when the matter goes to ED. There are three premier investigation agencies in the country, and they are the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Now as per the procedures laid down by…

When we have all our body parts present and working fine, rarely do we think about how it would be if it weren’t so. People may be born with abnormalities or can lose some body parts to accidents or diseases. Here PROSTHETICS come into the picture. Prosthetics is a medical technology, which is the art of making various artificial body parts, which make it possible for people to live a better life. Prosthesis refers to the artificial body parts used by people, like hands, legs, eyes, etc. Even dentures we use are kind of prosthetics. The prime utility of prosthetics devices is providing people with better quality of life by making them mobile and independent. Of course, there are pros and cons, a few of which are listed below: Pros Many people opt for prosthesis to look normal and not out of place. It also gives them a boost of…

In today’s weekend blog, I am writing about cricket, and that too about TEST CRICKET. On 15th March 2023, the test cricket completed 146 years. On 15th March 1877, teams of England and Australia played the first ever test match at Melbourne Cricket Stadium, in Australia.. India started playing test cricket in 1932, and it took them 20 years to register their first win. From 1877 till 15th March 2023, there are 12 nations playing test cricket, and to date, they have played 2499 test matches. In 1971 one day format, and in 2004 T20 format started, which made the game of cricket more exciting. But they could not replace the text cricket, because the class and caliber of a real cricketer are judged by how he plays test cricket. On 17th March 2023, New Zealand and Sri Lanka will play the 2500th test match at Wellington in New Zealand….

You all are aware that we got freedom from British rule in 1947, and at that time there was the partition of undivided India, and two countries named Pakistan and India came into existence. Further, Pakistan was also divided into two parts, namely West Pakistan and East Pakistan (which later became Bangladesh). Today in this blog, I am writing about some UNKNOWN FACTS OF PARTITION, which are listed below: 1 Friends, do you know who was the person who decided which area will go to India, and which will go to Pakistan? The person was Cyril Radcliff, who was a British Lawyer who never came to India. The British appointed a person who knew nothing about India, and this person divided India while sitting in London. 2 Radcliff’s task was to divide the country in such a way that most Muslim populated area goes to Pakistan, and Hindu, Sikh, Jain,…