Problems with one’s mother-in-law do not have to start after marriage, as many young girls and boys find out when they are seeing someone. A recent instance that came to my personal attention proved this. The boy was extremely apprehensive about telling his parents that he was interested in someone – that too a girl completely out of the family and community ken. However, the girl was equally insistent that his parents had to be told, and had to get used to the fact. Was he serious about her or not? The girl wanted to know. So the boy went ahead and told his parents, and three days later, his middle-aged mother had a stroke and was in Intensive Care. The girl was left twiddling her thumbs and feeling guilty while her boyfriend was doing day and night duty at the hospital.

If this is what the news of an impending daughter-in-law can do to somebody, what will the exact relationship be like with the said daughter-in-law, after the actual wedding?

Two recent instances reported in the newspapers show the metamorphosis of the meek Indian woman, or rather, girl, into a much more assertive and militant avatar. In Indore, a girl who was being married to the groom of her parents’ choice, turned around at the last second, with the bridegroom’s garland in her hands. She then proceeded to garland her long-time boyfriend, seated in the first row in the wedding hall, watching his love get married to someone else.

When her beau began to be beaten by irate family members of the spurned groom’s family, and her own relatives, the girl rescued him and took him to the police station, where she confessed to her love, and triumphantly walked out to be married to the man of her choice.

I’ve always wondered whether there is a standard formula for success. I mean once you have all the ingredients like talent, hard work, determination and all that in place, is success assured? Apparently not, I discovered, from what 55 celebrities (from all walks of life), had to say in the book YOU’VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK! This is not just a book about those 55 people as much as the book that transformed their life forever.

You have the award winning actress Catherine Oxenberg, who shares her experience about how The Power Of One, a work of fiction, gave her a new perspective on life. The Power of One is the story of a young boy, Peekay who while  traveling home alone from boarding school is befriended by Hoppie, the conductor on the train, who is also a champion boxer. This interaction defines who Peekay becomes as an adult, highlighting the power one human being can have in a person’s life.

Long ago there used to be this lovely song which went - “You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips. And there’s no tenderness like before in your fingertips.

You’re trying hard not to show it baby…You’ve lost that lovin’ feeling…  Now there’s no welcome look in your eyes when I reach for you. And girl you’re starting to criticize little things I do.” For some odd reason I always choke with emotion whenever I hear this number.

It encapsulates so beautifully a common enough marital scenario. But just consider how different it used to be when the very same two people were enthralled with each other, in the golden flush of romance. What could possibly compare with that thrill in the heart as two adoring eyes met over a cup of coffee and hands groped their way to fit into each other’s clasp? How complete the day felt when an sms saying, “Can’t get you out of my mind, honey,” bridged the physical distance between two love-struck hearts.

Film: TRAFFIC SIGNAL
Starring: Kunal Khemu, Neetu Chandra, Konkana Sen, Ranvir Sheorey
Director : Madhur Bhandarkar

Traffic Signal was much hyped in the media and long awaited after the success of Page 3 and Corporate by the same director. But though the film is full of interesting cameos, a concrete and strong storyline is definitely lacking. However, despite this fact, the film is worth a watch for the sheer realism it tries to bring to screen, despite having a commercial star cast.