Tell Me!

Tell Me!

Collection: Subtlety
Penned By: Harshit
Concept & Design By: Sumaiya

Transcript:

Tell me if It hurts you when you’re so quiet I can hear you breathing
when the last of sun rays go away
do you go about putting on lanterns
or do you embrace the dark that follows?

Tell me if it makes you sad when you burn photographs
when there’s no one else around you
do you hope for someone to come along
or do you talk to yourself in the quiet that surrounds?

Tell me if it makes you numb when you walk
when you can’t bring yourself to maintain an eye contact
do you feel ashamed
or do you feel protected?

Tell me if it makes you scared when youth lioness in the eyes that once
glimmered with life;
when you see someone giving up
do you feel sorry for them
or do you see yourself in their eyes?

Tell me if it brings you back to life when you see a bird taking flight:
when you see an airplane in the sky
do you wish to do the same
or do you feel the air surrounding you?

Tell me if it makes the pain a little bearable
when you hold someone close and feel warm inside:
do you hold onto that feeling
or do you live in that moment only?

Tell me if it makes you feel alive when you run through a field of sunflowers:
when you make bouquets of roses
do you steer clear of thorns
or do you understand the love?

Tell me if it makes the world a better place to live in when you see a child smiling:
when you do a good deed
do you think of satisfaction
or do you think of redemption?

Tell me if it makes this life a little more worthwhile when you light a beacon of hope
in someone’s journey.
When you see them braving through difficulties.
Do you wish to be like them?
Or bandage your wounds mercilessly.

Indian Web Series – Yay or Nay?

indian web series
Image Credit: Tanushree

Long gone the days of Ekta Kapoor’s “K-Series-Drama-Soaps”. This is the era of web series. Those were the days when we were compelled to stare at the idiot box cause all our housewife mothers used to love the daily soaps. But now the entertainment has got easier and and a lot familiar, thanks to the web series those are really focusing on the world that we can easily relate to. From depicting the daily depression of an IT Employee to the shenanigans of college students, they are totally covering our ebb and flow of experiences.

But don’t you feel a little show-off progression in those series? Or maybe a forced attempt to sound like “21st Generation” by overuse of derogatory words and meaningless discussion of private parts.
At its inception, it seemed to us as an all different taste, but now some of the depiction are hard to gulp  in and some are giving way to the evolution of an all new stereotype.

1. Sex chat with Parents
“Kahan hai aise maa-baap?” Well it is important that we should feel free with any sort of sexual discussion with our parents. But I feel, “bachche k pocket se condom nikla toh pehle chappal hi ayegi”. “Ghanta koi baith kr baat karta h yahan.” I literally can not tell them if there is some guy that I am sleeping with. I can not even tell them if there is one guy. And if you can. My dear. You are the blessed one.

2. We have Vagina
Well what is it with the discussion of our reproductive organs in every other second. When we meet our folks, we don’t do that right. Why do we need to make an announcement to the world that we have a vagina and it just refrains to come without a shout-out.

3. Language
Well it seems a trending business in web series that more innovative gaalis will hit more likes and subscribes. Does it have to be that way? We all are accustomed to cursing. But that doesn’t not mean you have to forcibly include it at the end of every sentence. This looks more childish than happening.

4. Dream Different
Judge me all you want. My dream was to work on a 9-5 job and I am not ashamed of the fact. But the way these channels are spreading another stereotype of “must-have-passion-that-is-different” is mockishly blasphemous. Well if you are working in an organisation that does not mean you are a “collared-kutta”. Stop spreading hatred towards the employments.

5. Daaru. Daaru. Sex. Sex
So every other day after office, we have a happening booze party plan. There we meet some stranger with whom I could connect just like that. And voila! Next day I wake up next to him. “Yeh kaun se desh me hota hai? Bhai! Tu India me hai. India. Teri Mumbai bhi India me h.” Here just to speak up to a stranger we need another kind of guts. It never happens “just like that” until it is an arranged marriage.

In case you found the article outrageous enough, cheers! Because it was meant to be. In case you find more points that force you to think and kindle disagreement in your mind too, please do share.

Call of Sanity

call-of-sanity

Yes. The dreamiest day of the year is here. You and your bae in red will soon be having a romantic time of the year. While you would enjoy the coziest moment of yours, isn’t it a little mysterious that this day is losing its lovely significance?
I bet you have already identified the affected species, thanks to the memes in WhatsApp statuses and Insta stories.
But why does this have to happen?
Are Single people readily jealous about the fact that they are turned down by the luck and have no one to celebrate with the day of love?
What causes the rush of anger in the furious “Bajrang Dal”?

From a person, who just had a transition from “being single” to “being happily with someone” ,  these could be some creepiest things that the couple should give an ear on and avoid to perform.

1. From creepy to crappy

Babu, Shona, Baby, Thana Thaya…
We can laugh our hearts aloud when it comes to these type of flooded memes. Please stop this shit in public. Please stop it among friends. It’s way too much creepier than you think. Seriously. Even our mother never showered us with this kind of love. Stop sugar-spooning your love. Show Ingenuity.

2. She is mine. He is mine.

Well it could still seem a little tough for you to accept the relationship status of yours. But we all know about it. So stop declaring to us. Stay committed without shouting. And don’t keep changing relationship status just because you had a fight for two days. We don’t want to know you have broken up until its final. Getting to know of a fight through ‘Its Complicated’ status is the most annoying thing the singles have to go through. We are there for you, but not on social media, but a phone call/WhatsApp ping away.

3. Table for Two

Cafes or Restaurants are just there cause the owners really need to earn some money out of it. Do not waste time cuddling there. Place your order. Leave after you eat.

4. Innovation in Repetition

It could be your small favourite hobby to count days and remember every fucking first thing ever happened in your relationship. But the whole world need not know. Keep this shittiest days of celebrations to yourself. We really need a break here.

5. Break up song

These are the losers who really stay committed for the sake of bringing a plus one in every wedding she has to attend. Stop boring your single friends about “Kaash ab tak break up kar liya hota”. We really do not understand this situation. And we do not want to.

6. Last but not the least: The days

It’s just too many days for something that is too cheesy. As if the V-Day pressure isn’t enough, its spread across the whole week. And some of them don’t make sense, like what the heck is Propose day on 8th Feb. You cant expect someone to be your valentine, if you are proposing them 6 days before Valentine’s day. Valentine’s day should be 6+365 days away from Propose day ideally. They shouldn’t fall in the same year.

So please couples. The day is all yours. Please celebrate the day of love with a lil attention to all the singles around.
We will keep the Bajrang Dal away.
We swear on it.

In the end, just to make you happy, use this cheesy one on your significant other, on-the-house:

“I give you this Rose to Propose with this Chocolate and Teddy and promise you hugs and kisses for life if you become my Valentine.”

Mother Screen

Mother Screen
Collection: Subtlety

Penned By: Roudrav
Concept By: Shalini
Design By: Sumaiya


I’ve seen on social media, writers in bunch,
Lamenting on technology over a quick lunch.
Quarreling and speculating in so many ways,
How people have become ‘tech-crazy’ these days.

And some time back, I used to be a part,
Of this topic that is this poem’s heart.
But today, I’m flying to celebrate a friend’s childbirth,
And IVF gave that mother a life and its mirth.

While flying for 3 hours I could only think,
Isn’t this all technology that keeps us in sync ?
They say that it destroys relations to the core,
Drifts people apart, abandonment and more.

But they don’t realise how a Mother feels within,
When she sees her child over a video call screen.
They don’t understand a Father’s relieved sigh,
When his child receives the money he sent in the blink of an eye.

They can’t comprehend that Brother’s utter bliss,
When he’s able to arrive in 2 hours to surprise his Sis.
Isn’t it all technology itself, but in different forms ?
But the writers won’t portray this, as it defies their norms.

They write how technology has broken more connections,
And publish it on social media to reach widespread nations.
The likes they get assures them, that talent is their pride,
And from the open truth, all they do is run away and hide.

Today I realized this and soon others will get the buzz,
Technology doesn’t madden, it’s the need of approval that does.
Their lack of acceptance does, be it big or small,
And their inner emptiness is the biggest reason of them all.

-Shalini & Roudrav