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Why are meetings not extinct yet? These quirky quotes ask the same in tongue-in-cheek ways I hate meetings. The time spent on them can be channeled towards so many productive purposes—such as, umm, work. Not to mention, meetings are so drawn out you find yourself instinctively tinkering with your phone time and again under the desk. Even the protagonist in my book PiKu & ViRu uses a boring meeting to secretly uninstall all her dating apps. (Buy/download, read, and review my book here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited!) Turns out I’m not the only one who wishes meetings were an email instead. Some of the greatest thinkers and biggest personalities of our times have had an equal (if not greater) disdain for meetings. Not all meetings are the same, I understand. But I’ve rarely seen a meeting translate itself into proper, tangible action and results. No wonder I find them so pointless. To prove my point, I’ve cherry-picked 40+ epic quotes on the utter futility of meetings. Read until the end because there’s a cool satirical video on meetings by master storyteller Jaspal Bhatti from his iconic sitcom Flop Show. Prepare to ROFL! “Meetings are an addictive, highly self-indulgent activity that corporations and other large organizations habitually engage in only because they cannot actually masturbate.” —Dave Barry “Congratulations on demonstrating your importance by turning a non-issue into a two-hour staff meeting.” ―Anonymous “People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.” ―Thomas Sowell “Most meetings are social street lamps that attract the unproductive moths in an organization.” ―Anonymous “A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost.” ―Anonymous “Feel useless? Organize a meeting. Show off your charts. Waste everyone’s time. Start late.” ―Anonymous “Walk out of a meeting … as soon as it is obvious you aren’t adding value … It is not rude to leave, it is rude to make someone stay and waste their time.” ―Elon Musk “Always hated the sight of five, six grown men sitting around a table, doing nothing but work their jaw.” ―Annie Proulx “Actions speak louder than meetings.” ―Lee Clow “Master the art of refusal and avoiding meetings.” ―Tim Ferriss “Meetings move at the speed of the slowest mind in the room.” —Dale Dauton “The only thing I hate more than meetings is the work the meetings get me out of.” —Anonymous “The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings.” ―Thomas Sewell “Let’s have a staff meeting and discuss the things that must happen but will never actually end up happening.” ―Anonymous “Meetings: the practical alternative to work.” ―Anonymous “Meetings are indispensable when you don’t want to do anything.” —John Kenneth Galbraith “One either meets or one works.” —Peter Drucker “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be ‘meetings’.” ―Dave Barry “Has anyone ever said, ‘I wish I could go to more meetings today’?” —Matt Mullenweg “Meetings should have a button you secretly press and if everyone presses the button the meeting suddenly ends.” ―Anonymous “Our meetings would go much faster if no one spoke.” ―Anonymous “Employees hate meetings because they reveal that self-promotion, sycophancy, dissimulation and constantly talking nonsense in a loud confident voice are more impressive than merely being good at the job—and it is depressing to lack these skills but even more depressing to discover one’s self using them.” ―Michael Foley “A meeting is a collective tacit confession of participants’ unwillingness to work.” ―Pawan Mishra “Meetings: They often include at least one moron who inevitably gets his turn to waste everyone’s time with nonsense.” ―David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried “Your meeting is a high priority if there’s free food.” ―Anonymous “Time bandits come at all hours, wanting conversations, wasting conversations, wanting meetings, wasting meetings, and all with no purpose.” —Brandon Webb “The longer the meeting, the less is accomplished.” —Tim Cook “We need to have a meeting to discuss how productivity is suffering because we are always attending meetings.” ―Anonymous “You said to start my presentation with a joke, so I showed them my paycheque.” ―Randy Glasbergen “A meeting consists of a group of people who have little to say—until after the meeting.” ―PK Shaw “Any simple problem can be made worse if enough meetings are held to discuss it.” ―Anonymous “The only way you’re going to get me for a meeting is if you’re writing me a check.” ―Mark Cuban “Sometimes, I spend whole meetings wondering how they got the big meeting table through the door.” ―Anonymous “The only summit meeting that can succeed is the one that does not take place.” —Barry M. Goldwater “Thank you for voicing that terrible idea and making this meeting last even longer.” ―Anonymous “Most people doubt online meetings can work but they somehow overlook that most in-person meetings don’t work either.” ―Scott Berkun “My sleep problems would go away if office meetings took place in my bed.” ―Anonymous “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of this meeting.” ―Anonymous “How cost-effective is it to make us stop working to attend a boring meeting where they bitch at us for not getting our work done?” ―Anonymous “If you can go a week without meetings, you can go a month.” ―Anonymous “Meetings are toxic.”―David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried And now, time for the video, as promised:

When it comes to outlining your book or screenplay scenes, this template keeps things SSC—short, simple, and colourful Image: Screenshot taken from Amazon Prime Video One of the things I learned while writing my novel PiKu & ViRu (buy/download, read, and review it here—it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited) is the significance of plotting and structuring. Before I began penning my book, I had written a few screenplays on spec. While creating those works, I was completely oblivious to the importance of this pre-writing exercise (which does count as writing, BTW). No wonder those pitches failed to find takers, despite the novelty they promised. But when I dove into the book-writing process with P&V, I realised that I not only needed to gain clarity on where my 300-page manuscript was headed. I also had to ensure a minimal amount of editing later on (which, BTW, never usually happens with your first book). Yes, plotting is a painstaking process. But it’s better to do this hard work now than slog at the editing table. While plotting your story’s beats and character arcs is the first thing you should do, it’s also important that you know how to outline your book or screenplay scenes. If you don’t, your scenes become bland affairs, minus the drama, conflict, and emotion that keep the reader or viewer hooked and engaged. To spice up your scenes and give them the life they deserve, here’s a simple scene-plotting worksheet I’ve compiled that you can use immediately. I also used this while structuring my detective-mystery WIP. The result: I *bragging alert* ended up adding more meat and layers to one of the show’s antagonists and amped up the conflict! Imagine the wonders such plotting and planning can do for your narrative and characters. I’ve tried to make this sheet colourful enough to keep things interesting and inspiring. Download it, use it, and let me know in the comments how it pans out for you. Here’s the JPEG version: Keys Main character (MC): The character in the scene with an arc. Not necessarily the same as the story’s MC. Also, specify the POV character, from whose point of view the scene unfolds. MC’s goal: Where the MC wants to end up when the scene concludes. Scene goal: Where the story makes the MC end up when the scene concludes. Place: The setting where the scene happens. Specify whether it’s an interior or exterior environment. Time: It could be morning, afternoon, evening, night, or simply day. Mention how much time has elapsed from the previous scene—whether it’s “moments later,” “continuous,” etc. In case it’s a flashback scene, mention the word “FLASHBACK” or “FB”. Scene beginning: What the situation is and where the characters are at the start of the scene. Usually, the characters are doing their routine stuff or trying to achieve something. Scene middle: What conflict or drama occurs that diverts the characters and story from the path they were headed. If it raises the stakes for the characters and disrupts and upends their lives, things get even more tense and nail-biting. Scene end: Where the characters and situation end up when the scene concludes. The more this part deviates from the characters’ original plan, the more exciting things get. Rough example Main character: A sailor on a ship. (Feel free to decide the name and gender.) MC’s goal: To reach a particular destination. Scene goal: To make the sailor head elsewhere, as the story requires them to be there for a larger purpose. Place: Middle of the sea. (You can specify which sea it is as per your choice.) Time: Night (or whenever). Scene beginning: The sailor is excited about their trip to this destination and the good time they’re expecting to have there. Scene middle: A violent storm erupts in the sea. Scene end: The ship sinks, and the sailor is the only one who washes up on the shore of a nondescript island. (Post backdated on Wed, 29 June 2022)

The dreadful feeling still comes with this F word, but I’m now armed with a childhood lesson Image: Business photo created by Racool_studio | Freepik Feedback: Critical assessment or suggestions to improve performance. —WordWeb This was when my book PiKu & ViRu (buy/download, read, and review it here—it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited) was in the professional-editing stage. My editor emailed me a bunch of comments in the structural-editing round, and I had to address them as soon as possible if things had to proceed to the line- and copy-editing phase. When do you think I addressed those comments? Immediately after my editor sent them to me? A day later? A week later? NOTA. Correct answer: one and a half months later! Easily. The reason behind the delay was an obvious one. My fear of getting negatively affected by feedback and of not being able to address it properly. The same also happened during the beta-reading stage a few months ago, but I was somehow able to work around it. Things were different in the professional-editing stage, though. Stuff was a bit more technical, so there were comments that, despite the editor’s clear-cut explanations, I wasn’t able to wrap my head around. Somehow, I pushed myself to clear this stage and made the changes. Later, my editor sent me my revised draft with some more comments to resolve. While reading this draft and those comments, I realised… My manuscript had veered off from my original vision! It wasn’t my editor’s fault. She was simply trying to help me improve my work. It just happened on its own. Yet, I also had to stay true to the vision I’d had for my book. Now, they say it isn’t necessary to address all of your editor’s feedback. As a writer, the choice is entirely yours. But I’ve learned from my former workplaces that if the editor is just one person who feels something’s off about a part of your work, tens of thousands of your readers are going to feel the same. That’s why you better face the disaster now so you can avert it in time before your readers point it out to you. I resolved to address each and every bit of feedback, no matter how tough it seemed. At the same time, I had to marry those comments with my original vision. I turned the entire challenge into a fun game. It’s easier said than done, I know. I ended up spending two sleepless days on the project! But here’s an analogy that helped me out. An incident from my childhood. It was my sister’s second birthday. I was 5 at the time. Our parents took us to a nearby cake shop. Back in the day, I was obsessed with pineapple cakes. If I saw a pineapple cake or pastry at a store, it had to be mine. No matter what occasion or time of the day, I could always do with a pineapple cake. So, when I saw there were 2 cakes at the shop—the first a half kilo, the other a full one—I wanted both of them. Yep, I was this difficult for my parents. My folks tried to convince me to go only for one. But no. I had to have both of them. My sister, if she’d have had any proper thinking or speaking faculties developed at the time, would never have allowed these plans to come to fruition. And I would never have learned a valuable lesson. One I now visualise whenever I have to address a round of feedback. The moment my parents realised they couldn’t calm down their brat, they gave a resigned look to the cake seller. The cake seller simply nodded and took both cakes in. After what seemed like hours but were only a few minutes, she walked out with a double-tier cake, where the half kilo one was stacked on top of the full kilo one. It actually looked like the world’s prettiest wedding cake. I’m sure my sister never complained, looking at the final result. My parents didn’t either, though they had to shell out the cost. I’m now mature enough to not repeat this incident again. (Though, I still end up buying a lot of what I don’t need when I’m left with my credit card at a hypermarket.) Besides, I just dislike pineapple cakes now. But that’s not the point. The point is the lesson I learned from the cake seller. There is always a solution. Somewhere down the line, I forgot about this takeaway completely. Until I had to address my book editor’s comments and match them with my vision. The feedback was the half-kilo cake here, and my vision, the full-kilo one. Today, whenever anyone sends me back a string of comments… I welcome it with open arms. These comments aren’t meant to belittle anyone. Nor are they an attack on our self-worth or abilities. Feedback is simply an opportunity for us to improve our work from what it is currently and take it to another incredible level while also helping us retain our original vision for our work. Tattoo this line somewhere if you want to. Because then, you’ll never dread feedback. You’d start welcoming it. You’d look forward to it. And then whoever gives you feedback becomes your partner, your ally, your best friend. Feedback is important. We need it. It makes us creative. It compels us to think. It all depends on how we take it—if we dread it, run away from it, or make a double-tiered cake out of it.

Learn how I went from barely managing 10 pages a day to now nearing or even surpassing 10 times that number Image: S O C I A L . C U T | Unsplash I’ve been a slow reader all my life. It would take me weeks, if not months, to finish a 300-page book. The only way I thought that could help me read more was a deadline. Like the one imposed by libraries. But I soon discovered a technique that now helps me read dozens of pages in one go. And I’m not just talking about books. I’m also referring to articles, blog posts, newsletters—everything! And I actually have a better understanding of what I read. Here’s what this technique is. Imagine you’re watching a movie in a cinema hall, with no incentive to rewind. That’s exactly what you need to do while reading—no rewinding. In reading parlance, here’s what it’s called. Do not reread what you’ve read. Yes, that’s right. It’s human nature to go back and forth on the sentences we’ve read. It’s as if we think that doing this will make us remember what we read. That we’ll understand the sentence better if we keep revisiting it. That we’ll forget the sentence we’ve read if we don’t linger over it again and again. But here’s the kicker: You’re going to forget what you read anyway. The best way to remember what you read is to finish reading the entire article or book in one go and then reread it in another go. It’s okay if you forget what you read or are unable to understand it. Keep ploughing on and do not look back! If you want, after reading every paragraph, summarise it in your head, and then, once you’re done with all paragraphs, summarise the entire chapter or article. You’ll automatically glean and pick up the details and subtexts in your subsequent reads. If you have no time for subsequent reads, then just be content with gleaning the summary of the text and paragraphs in your first read. That’s all your mind can help you with at the moment. It’s all subconscious—summary and gist in the first round, details and subtexts in the subsequent. Keep practising. The more you read, the better you get. It’s like a muscle that gets stronger with regular, consistent exercise. For your next book, may I recommend my own if you haven’t read it yet? Buy/download, read, and review PiKu & ViRu here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited! Try my reading technique for this one and see how it goes. I’d love to hear all about it from you!

These pizzalicious ideas are exactly what you knead—sorry, need—for shaping your creativity Image: Screengrab from YouTube video by Movieclips It’s Pizza Day on 9 February, which means it’s just the occasion to get your dose of this cheesy pie. But don’t just savour your pizza. Write about it, too. Tap into every nook and cranny of your piece to mine the most flavourful ideas from them all. I’ve done that for three crucial scenes in my book PiKu & ViRu. (Buy/download, read, and review it here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited!) And my first one for ReadersDigest.in, too, revolves around this gorgeous dish. Read it here. It’s your turn now to get your story cookin’! To make the process easier, I’ve created this list of 65 pizza writing prompts. The idea is to have your own pizza story or movie in no time. Give these a try, and you’re sure to have platefuls to write about! Pen a play on the autobiography of pizza. Make your story’s protagonist have a dream pizza and give them a quest around it. The pizza could be at a particular restaurant or destination or of the protagonist’s own recipe. Write an essay on your first-ever pizza. When and where did you lose your pizza virginity and to which pie? Review your most expensive pizza experience. Was it worth the splurge? Get crackin’ on your pizza bucket list. Bang out a poem on your most memorable pizza. Pay homage to the best pizza you’ve ever had. Rant about the worst pizza you’ve ever sunk your teeth into. If you could add only 3 toppings to your pizza, what would they be? Record your results. What’s your choice of dessert pizza? Share your thoughts and, if you can, a recipe. Outline your plans for next year’s Pizza Day. Write an ode to pizza. Document your life lessons and takeaways from pizza. Collect pizza facts and stats. Get clear about your favourite pizza crust. Is it thin, thick, deep-dish, or cheese-burst? Pizza with cutlery or your hands? Dump your thoughts. What do you like to eat with your pizza? Crank out a list. What do you like to drink with your pizza? This would make for a great pizza-pairing article! Work out a relationship or love story between a pizza lover and hater Your weirdest pizza? Devote a blog post to it. The best time for pizza? While every time is a good time for pizza, a social media post from you on your opinion about this would be exactly what the doctor ordered. The best place for pizza? Blog about it. It could be a restaurant or destination. The best event or atmosphere for pizza? (Pizza at sunset, anyone?) Share a handwritten note with photos, if you can arrange for them. Would you cut pizza on your birthday instead of cake? Or would you order a pizza-themed cake? Pizzalicious Instagram post coming up. Pen down a story about a pizza chef… …or a pizza dough spinner (if such a profession exists—else, create one, WTH)… …or a pizza delivery person If you could be in the pizza business, what role would you like to play? Interview yourself on this. The most important component in a pizza and why. Here’s a food article coming up. Speak to various pizza experts for their input. Have you tried vegan pizza? How was it? Tell the world about it. Conjure a nail-biting thriller on pizza thefts. How do you like your pizza? Sauce-loaded, cheesy, sweet, or spicy? Get complete clarity on this. Your go-to pizza for first dates? Time for a relationships-meets-pizza piece. Create a pizza mystery. Script a video on your favourite pizza movie scene and what makes it special. What’s your favourite pizza moment in a book? Do a compilation if there are more. If you could create a reality show around pizza, what would it be like? Bang out a concept note. Or it could be a pizza anthology. Maybe see how you can get a book out of it Create a pizza billionaire character. What if pizza was pitted against another food—say, burger? Which one would win the battle? A short story on this would be unputdownable! Build a story around a dating app that matches people based on their pizza tastes. Create a list of must-try pizzas from around the world. Which one would qualify from India? Aim to come up with a list of 100 different pizza varieties. See which one you’d like to work with for your story. Create a “which pizza are you” quiz. Which pizzas would you serve at your wedding? Come up with a menu. Think of a pizza-themed event, wedding, or party. Protagonist, antagonist, and one pizza slice—who wins? There’s your short film. What if pizza becomes a dessert or ice-cream flavour? How would that happen? Bring out a recipe. Coin another term for pizza. Use it in your next WIP. A town that has never heard of pizza. What happens when its denizens taste pizza for the first time? Do they come up with their own name for it? This could be a nice children’s tale. How would your veg and non-veg fiction couple share their pizza? What sort of conflicts would they face in the process? Write a story about a house or city built entirely of pizza. What kind of pizzeria would you like to open? Create a plan or proposal. What happens when a human character turns into pizza? How does it happen? What would their fate be like? Would they return to their human form or get eaten like pizza in the end? Show a political party with pizza as their symbol. Will they see the success they’re eyeing? Would pizza be the hero, villain, love interest, sidekick, or genie in your story? What would the character arc look like? What happens when two characters’ pizza orders are mixed up? Do we see a romance brewing here? Or is it a thriller in the making? Create your dream pizzeria menu. Share a fusion pizza recipe. Write a thank-you and appreciation note for pizza delivery people. Copywrite a spec ad for your favourite pizza or pizzeria. Present the history of pizza in an interesting way—maybe as a timeline or a biopic. Plot your own pizza movie scene; see this list of iconic Hollywood ones for your inspiration. Create your own pizza quotes and puns. Take some of your favourite memes and give them a pizza spin.

Here are all the potential sources of drama in the new season of this Prime Video series Image: Screengrab from YouTube video by Prime Video The first show I watched upon my subscription to Amazon Prime Video was Amy Sherman-Palladino’s comedy-drama The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. What I liked about it was how inspiring and relatable it was. My own journey was very similar to that of the protagonist Miriam, a.k.a. Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a Jewish American woman who finds her purpose in stand-up comedy after her husband, Joel (Michael Zegen), leaves her for his secretary. While I didn’t have a husband leaving me, I did have someone close go away. And then life made me write PiKu & ViRu, my first book. (Buy/download, read, and review it here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited.) I’m sure there are scores of people who can identify with Midge, and that’s why this series is such a worldwide hit. Set in the 1950s and 60s, the show has completed three seasons so far, and now the fourth one is slated to premiere on Friday, 18 February 2022. Here’s what I think would happen in the series this season. I’ll then compare the list with what actually takes place. No guarantee that it’s going to remain spoiler-free. Which reminds me that if you haven’t watched the first three seasons, you better do it here, because all predictions come with plenty of spoilers ahead. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you :) Inserting one of the 4 new teaser videos here to add more space before the spoiler-loaded copy ahead. Let’s begin now. Midge lives anywhere but in the Upper West Side In season 3, Midge wants to repurchase her tony old Upper West Side home from her former FIL Moishe Maisel (Kevin Pollak). She then gives him her comedy-tour contract papers as a guarantee. But in what can be called a “tough love” end, she’s thrown out of the tour, due to some jokes that almost outed the sexuality of her celebrity tour partner Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain). Her contract is, thus, null and void, so she cannot use it to buy her apartment. (She never inked her signature anyway.) Also, unbeknownst to Midge, her manager Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) has gambled away her savings. So, Midge has neither the money nor the contract as her guarantee. Only a miracle or stroke of generosity on Moishe’s part can get her the house now. (Generosity is a quality that’s too much to expect from Moishe, so it’s as much a miracle.) Going by another of season 4’s teasers, Midge seems to have bought back her house and also has her parents, Rose and Abe Weissman (Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub), come to live with her. But the selfish Midge who truly lives in her own bubble needs a toning down of her excessive lifestyle, which sometimes stretches way beyond her means. This season should, hence, see her introspect her privilege and do some serious soul-searching. It would only make sense for her to be compelled to move to someplace humbler and agree to send her kids to school there. Midge begins working for Joel Joel may have been a failure in matrimony and stand-up comedy (though he still has some of the show’s best lines). But he’s the exact opposite in the world of business and entrepreneurship. We’ve seen his enterprising nature from the way he runs his family sweatshop and cleans up its mess. And now, he’s started his own entertainment club. Joel was also the strongest, most grounded character in season 3, in stark contrast to his self-centred, chauvinistic persona in the first one. He’s truly come a long way. It’s a given that, despite the initial hiccups, especially in the form of the illegal gambling centre beneath its floor, Joel’s club is going to be a hit. And if he needs a regular stand-up performer, no prizes for guessing who he’s going to hire. Joel has also begun managing Midge’s finances after Susie handed him the responsibility following her gambling losses. Midge’s frequent visits may not sit well with Joel’s new love interest Mei (Stephanie Hsu), going by their tense first meeting, so the makers are likely to mine tons of drama from their clash. Susie and Midge fall out (but only for a while) It’s possible that Midge will eventually discover what Susie has done with her savings and boil up with rage. She may even sever their friendship as a result. However, what’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel without Midge and Susie as BFFs? The two should patch up in no time, though there must be some act of redemption on Susie’s part. I have to admit, though, that I did empathise with Susie the entire time. Midge isn’t the one living in a single-room hole with a bed that blocks the door. Susie is planning to claim insurance after burning down her dead mother’s home to recoup Midge’s losses without Midge being any wiser about the screw-up. But I’m not so sure whether the amount is likely to come in on time. While hope always prevails that the money would come through, we want to see Midge start from ground zero with a renewed mindset this time. Midge and Lenny fall in love, but Lenny dies before anything develops further We’ve been wanting this relationship to happen right from day one! Looks like this is the season when the two comics would find romance with each other after Lenny’s (Luke Kirby) divorce. But with his financial condition in as dire straits as Midge’s is headed towards, the two are up for a rocky path ahead. Also, I still cannot get over Lenny’s line in S3E5, “Maybe someday, before I’m dead,” and his pensive, almost sorrowful expression afterwards. Coupled with the fact that the real Lenny Bruce died in 1966 and this season is also set in the 60s, my heart sinks even more. Rose and Abe face an uncertain future as a couple Rose has recently discovered her knack for matchmaking and is sure to have all the people in her circle enlisting her services. Doesn’t matter that it didn’t agree with Midge and her mercilessly dumped ex-beau Benjamin (Zachary Levi), whom Rose tried to set up with another woman. The matchmaker has got plenty of other lovebirds to bring together. Meanwhile, it looks like Abe, who’s no longer teaching at Columbia University, is all set to languish at home, twiddling his thumbs. I’m not sure his theatre-critiquing gig is going to translate into something substantial. Even Sophie Lennon (Jane Lynch), a.k.a. Midge’s biggest comedy rival, has been kicked out of theatre forever after her Miss Julie debut-turned-debacle, so he wouldn’t get to review anything involving her in his signature style of writing. With Abe still finding himself while Rose is helping people find their soulmates, there can be some interesting married-couple drama emanating from this front. And if we get some of Abe’s legendary one-liners as part of the package, who could possibly complain?

How this Allu Arjun-starrer became a smash success The word ‘Pushpa’ means flower in several Indian languages. But Allu Arjun’s titular character in the gangster movie of this name insists that it refers to ‘fire’. Because that’s what this fiery chap is all about in this Telugu film. In my interpretation, ‘Pushpa’ also stands for ‘Bollywood, pull up your socks!’ Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I watched a Hindi movie of this scale even in the pre-pandemic era. Sure, Dangal was one such larger-than-life work. But it was in 2016. That translates to five years of drought with respect to epic, visionary content in Bollywood. And now, with Kabir Khan’s 83 fizzling out before this juggernaut called Pushpa: The Rise, the writing is on the wall for this increasingly smug industry. Welcome to the era of the pan-Indian movie. And while Pushpa: The Rise, the first of B. Sukumar’s two-movie series, is an out-and-out masala entertainer, its smash success means it has managed to grab eyeballs even among the most discerning of viewers. Here are 5 reasons why. Allu Arjun’s power act Action-packed potboilers aren’t really known for focusing on their lead stars’ acting skills. Pushpa, however, is a rare exception. Actually, if you need just one reason to watch Pushpa: The Rise, it has to be Allu Arjun’s award-worthy work. Playing a street-smart sandalwood smuggler of a labour-class background, the actor gets to showcase a wide range of emotions and histrionics in a variety of situations. The end result is so fantastic, it can put many a so-called star to shame. The film does have its share of suspension-of-disbelief moments, but Allu Arjun injects an interesting dose of believability and humanity on these occasions. Kudos to the director Sukumar for giving him the bandwidth to bring out his talent. Smart screenplay Did I just call Pushpa a ‘potboiler’? Scratch that. A potboiler, according to WordWeb, is “a literary composition of poor quality that was written quickly to make money”. Pushpa: The Rise is far from it. Though the three-hour-long runtime could have been on the shorter side, the director, who also wrote the film, ensured that each scene and character had a reason to exist. It ticked all boxes of efficiency, with nothing going to waste. Something I’m learning for all my fiction writing, including PiKu & ViRu 2. (Buy/download, read, and review the first book here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited!) I was afraid Pushpa would come across as the ultimate alpha male, a potential source of unrealistic James Bond-like manhood goals for the boys out there. However, Sukumar has cleverly woven in a backstory for him to make him more three-dimensional. I was also worried about Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna) and Pushpa’s romance turning out to be a pointless side plot. But I loved how it led to plenty of conflict and drama in the overall narrative. Everything just blended together seamlessly to form a kick-ass viewing experience. The ending, which points out what Pushpa is up against in part 2, isn’t much of a cliffhanger. But I got so invested in the characters that I’m excited to see what lies ahead. And that’s the whole point of screenwriting, isn’t it? Superior technical touches From the intricacies of the illegal red-sandalwood trade to the use of pagers in sync with the film’s timeline, Pushpa: The Rise aims to entertain its audiences while ensuring it gets its world right. The amount of research that has gone into it is surely painstaking. The cinematography is stunning, with the picturesque sandalwood forests popping out in all their lush greenery and the redness of the timber being just as arresting. And while we all know that the film’s physics-defying fight scenes are sure to have used some VFX, some of them are so well executed—especially in terms of the acting—that we wonder if they are real in any way. Foot-tapping music The film’s songs and background score perfectly match its mood and tone. Devi Sri Prasad’s compositions are also just what you need for your playlist. My personal favourites are ‘Daakko Daakko Meka’ (‘Jaago Jaago Bakre’ in Hindi) and ‘Srivalli’. ‘Oo Oo Antava,’ performed by Samantha in the film, seemed a bit out of place in the narrative, indicating an intent to titillate and sexualise more than further the plot. But barring that, the soundtrack and its execution in the film are otherwise quite solid. The sheer scale As I mentioned earlier, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a larger-than-life film grace our screens—big or small. For those of us starved of this kind of cinematic scale, Pushpa: The Rise fills the void and does an excellent job at it. When else are we going to see the likes of Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil unite for a two-film series in such a dramatic, spectacular way? Sure, Pushpa: The Rise has flaws, especially with respect to the depiction of its women characters, including Srivalli, and the tepid climax. But I’m sure the second part, Pushpa: The Rule, would iron out these issues and give us an even better experience than the first one. I really can’t wait to check it out!

If there were a Hippocratic Oath for food writers, you’d swear to stay away from these forbidden fruits Image: Food photo created by stockking | Freepik No food writer is immune from making mistakes. They should if they want to learn and improve their skills. But when it comes to these 7, it’s better to avoid them at all costs. Here they are in no particular order. Being unauthentic People love to read your food takes because they get to learn about your unique gastronomical opinions. So, if that crowd-favourite dal isn’t up to your taste, don’t rave about it. By all means, appreciate the effort that goes into the cooking. But at the end of the day, your job is to provide a factual, authentic report of your food experiences. Else, that seriously hampers your credibility. Being authentic and genuine also means you stick to providing balanced, truthful reviews of your friends’ restaurants as well. Give a disclaimer in your story whenever this is the case, stating the nature of your equation with your pal. If your meal has been sponsored, include that detail, too. Remember, honesty is always the best policy, even in this business. Eating what you’re not Someone just told you that you can’t write food reviews because you’re vegan, vegetarian, or a teetotaller. Screw them. The truth is that there is a rising community of vegan, vegetarian, and teetotaller food writers worldwide. What’s more—there is a need for vegetarian and vegan food critics, especially to do justice to plant-based offerings and restaurants without launching into the whole “I ate a meatless lunch and survived” mode. No matter what your food lifestyle is, eat whatever you’ve been eating, stretching your limits on occasion to trying new things within your dietary restrictions. But don’t venture into a culinary territory that doesn’t make you feel comfortable. And yep, no judgment. (Saying this to the veggie and teetotalling ones, too.) Deprioritising your health I know of so many food writers who don’t mind tearing their stomach lining, puking blood, or spiking up their cholesterol levels, just because they feel they can’t properly review a restaurant without trying its rich, spicy “signature dish”. Please don’t be that person. If you do end up ill before your food review, stick to the safest possible fare and come up with another angle for your story. You’ll have plenty more occasions to feast on those cheesy burgers and spice-loaded curries. But you still have to remember that no review can be more precious than your life and health. Overusing “tasty,” “delicious,” or “lip-smacking” The whole idea of food writing is to paint a vivid picture of your culinary experiences in your readers’ minds, using the most visual choice of words possible. Unfortunately, “tasty” and “delicious,” especially after a point, are not only incapable of creating that lifelike imagery. Coupled with “lip-smacking,” they are also trite and redundant with overuse. This one is a sin I am way too guilty of. Here’s a list of words you (and I) could borrow from. Check out this post on my favourite food moments in literature—I’ve also included a few lines from my book PiKu & ViRu. (Buy/download, read, and review it here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited.) Biting more than you can chew You see food writers doing a bunch of other stuff, too—videos, podcasts, writing lavishly paying cookery shows—and you want to jump on the bandwagon. To this, I just want to say—go at your own pace. Do whatever you’re comfortable with and have the time and energy for. Again inserting a fable moral here, but slow and steady indeed wins the race. An early burnout is the last thing you’d want when you haven’t even properly started out yet. Burning holes in your pocket You may not have freebies coming your way initially for reviews. But you shouldn’t spend all your life’s savings on restaurant meals either. Food writing does not always have to involve reviewing restaurant fare, you know. You could share family recipes, food histories, even logs of your culinary day. Here’s a list of topics and ideas to choose from. Go wild with these, minus any pocket drain. Waiting until you bag a food-writing job I’m not saying that it’s difficult or impossible to bag a food-writing job. But in case you apply for one, you still need to show a few clips to prove your mettle. That’s why starting a blog makes a lot of sense. You could use your social media alone for the cause. But nothing beats a blog when it comes to showcasing your long-form writing skills. Document your daily home-food experiences for starters, especially if you aren’t comfortable dining out during the pandemic. A blog can also open up other kinds of food-writing avenues for you—think content-writing gigs, cookbook-compiling assignments, guest posts, and whatnot. So, go ahead and live as if you already have that food-writing job of your dreams!

Understanding poetic storytelling from this Korean Oscar-winning film I finally watched Parasite on New Year’s Eve, more than two years after its release. (It’s available on Amazon Prime Video.) This Academy Award winner is one of those movies your conscious mind fails to understand the deal about but your subconscious mind instantly connects with. Both parties, however, agree that director Bong Joon Ho has used a poetic way to tell a simple story, which is something I want to learn for my upcoming works, including PiKu & ViRu 2. (Buy/download, read, and review the first PiKu & ViRu here; it's FREE on Kindle Unlimited!) Revolving around a poor, unemployed family (the Kims) that tricks their way to employment in a rich household (the Parks), Parasite also has an interesting graph after the midpoint where both families’ true natures begin to unfold. I highly recommend this film so you can challenge yourself as a movie viewer and have a distinct opinion on it. For now, here are 5 of the most poetic metaphors from the film. Read about my favourite moment from the film here. Download Parasite’s screenplay from here.

Plus, blogging plans for 2022 Image: Birthday photo created by rawpixel.com | Freepik One of my New Year resolutions for 2021 was to publish a blog post every week for at least the entire year. I feel proud to declare that I’ve successfully completed my resolution! Despite several challenges, I was able to keep my resolve and bring you a blog post every week. So, how did it go for me? Did I earn anything from my blogging? Did I win an award for it? Did I make my book PiKu & ViRu a million-dollar bestseller through those shameless plug-ins? (Buy/download, read, and review it here; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited! There I go again 😂) The answers are obviously ‘No’ for the last three questions, though I did bag some gigs and sell a few copies of my book on the strength of my regular blog-writing routine. As for what I’ve learned from my weekly blogging and how it went, the answers are still the same as in this post. TBH, a year is too narrow a timeframe to figure out what works and what doesn’t on a blog. I’ll still need another year—maybe even more—to gauge trends and patterns. I want to thank you, dear reader, for taking out your precious time to read my posts and share them. Blogging is a powerful tool for a writer (or any creative person or expert for that matter) to showcase their writing and views to the world. It’s also the best way for us to provide you with updates from our professional and personal lives, keep you posted on our WIPs, give you a behind-the-scenes tour of our works, and pass on valuable resources, ideas, and tips that have worked for us. Being regular simply helped me reach more of you over a period of time, mainly because search-engine algorithms favour routinely posting websites. [Also read: 5 SEO must-dos before you even think of keywords] That’s why, while at the beginning of the year, I barely had around 50-100 of you visiting my blog every month, the number reached almost 300 by December! But that’s not the point of blogging. What blogging helped me do was exercise my writing muscles, learn skills such as SEO, become more regular with my social media posting (which isn’t the same as being more regular on social media, BTW), and just be more courageous in putting myself out there. If I have to earn from my blog, it’ll happen when it has to. For now, my blog also helps me record important resources, lessons, learnings, and insights, as well as document systems and processes that give potential clients a peek into my working style and mantras. Let’s just say I use my blog to cover all grounds :) So, what’s in the pipeline for 2022? Am I going to continue with my blogging? The answer (at least for now) is yes, though I’m not sure how long I can keep going, with my paid projects, screenwriting, and fiction work taking centre stage. Efforts are on to schedule posts in bulk. That’s why most of my posts won’t be so time- or effort-intensive as some from 2021. (This means no more content calendars for now, as I cannot shirk fact-checking each of those 100+ events per month.) Besides, given my screenwriting pursuit, I’ll be posting a lot about films and fiction. Stay tuned for these. The content calendars may return once I have a substantial number of posts scheduled in advance, but I don’t think I’m bringing them back, as I doubt I would ever have the time to compile them. In any case, keep an eye out for more original, unique content coming your way. Do join my mailing list on the Contact section of this website so that my posts reach you straight in your inbox. Once again, I thank you, dear reader, for helping make this experiment a great success. This post just wouldn’t have existed without you. Do continue showering your love on my blog and book and tell your loved ones about them, too.

How an award-winning Korean movie gave me one at the last minute Image: Aswin | Unsplash Last week’s post was a list of New Year resolution ideas, based on what worked for me in 2021. Each of them is surprisingly easy to do and requires only a few minutes of your day. Because I’m already following almost all of these in some or another way, I felt I needed a new resolution for my self-improvement. It would also enable me to test out options that could eventually make it to the 2023 version of the said blog post. However, I found myself scrambling to find one, even when the clock was threateningly racing towards the celebratory midnight after 31 December. Something happened at 11.30 pm, though. I was viewing Parasite at the time on Amazon Prime Video. (I know I’m late to the party, but at least I got there. Those who have watched it already should easily guess where I’m going with this post :)) For those who haven’t seen it yet (you should!), the South Korean Oscar-winning film is about a poor, unemployed family of four adults who inveigle their way to employment in a rich, urbane household. Of course, as is the case is what almost every film, sh*t goes wrong, and the family ends up in a terrible situation. In a scene depicting the aftermath of those circumstances, the son Ki-Woo (Choi Woo Shik) asks his father, Ki-Teik (Song Kang Ho), whether he has any plan out of the mess. Ki-Teik has always been a “plan fan” until that stage. But now, given their rock-bottom moment, this is what he tells Ki-Woo: Before I knew it, I was playing this heartbreaking scene on a loop. There were goosebumps all over my body. And tears kept streaming from my eyes (pun completely unintended). At the time, I didn’t know why the avalanche of emotions gripped me like this. Sure, the scene was sad (here’s a fantastic analysis of this part), but I didn’t expect to be so overwhelmed. Soon, I understood why. I have always been the kind of person who would welcome the New Year with a host of expectations. Be it bagging a million-dollar gig, meeting my dream man, travelling to a new place every month, or selling hundreds or thousands of copies of my book PiKu & ViRu (buy/download, read, and review it here—it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited), I always felt the upcoming 365 or 366 days was a lot of time for the so-called magic to happen. Life, however, would never turn out that way. The cycle would repeat every New Year’s Eve, without any lesson learned. I’d end up disappointed at the end of the year, only to load even more expectations on the next one, instead of being thankful for the good (perhaps, even better) things that came my way. What a fun way to live! Unfortunately, it isn’t. That is why Ki-Teik’s words were the wake-up call I needed. So, here’s my 2022 resolution: Just surrender and flow, while watching my expectations. And be grateful, of course. The aim is to try to not lose my calm if things don’t go as hoped. The immense peace I felt on making this resolution was unprecedented. Don’t get me wrong—I am continuing with my previous years’ resolutions, such as journaling, exercising, “planning” my next day the previous evening, and cutting down on social media. Of course, my screenwriting, blogging, and other work are still going on. (Even Parasite needed a lot of planning to come to life, right?) But I’m not expecting these habits to bring some magic or miracle into my life. I’ve realised these are actions to be taken just for the sake of taking them and for the process to be enjoyed, not to achieve some lofty dream that’s completely beyond my control. The result: I was able to enjoy Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts on 1 January 2022 without any baggage of expectations saddling me. The emotional experience has now become a lasting, cherishable memory for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year. Later, a client issue I chose to not worry about for a change, and simply let it take its course after doing my bit, got resolved in a matter of hours. So, if you have a resolution for the year, great! Just enjoy the process, that’s it. And even if you don’t have a resolution, that’s perfectly alright. The idea is to play the game and have fun doing so, not to win at all costs. I hope you have a great year ahead, dear reader—one that brings you all the happiness and health you need and deserve. Happy New Year!

Time required for each: only a few minutes a day Image: New Year vector | Freepik Still shopping for a New Year resolution? Choose from this bunch of easy-peasy habits you can follow daily in 2022, based on what has worked for me in 2021. Of course, you can personalise and tweak these ideas to your liking. These are simply a blueprint for you to follow. So, here’s my list of top 10 must-follow New Year resolutions for you. EOD planning If there’s one thing, only one thing, you can do to boost your productivity and get sh*t done, this one will help you the most. Planning your day the evening or night before not only fills your mind with clarity, reduces your stress levels, and helps you sleep better. It also makes you more focused when you show up to your workspace the next day. It’s literally what my doctor has ordered me to do, so you surely stand to win with this one. Time commitment needed: 5–10 minutes post-dinner or before bedtime Morning journaling When your therapist tells you that your daily journaling practice is the best thing you’re doing for yourself, that’s all the argument needed in favour of this powerful (and free) therapy. Besides, I end up jotting down tons of ideas in the process. I’m completing two years of journaling at the beginning of 2022; you can read all about my experience here. Time commitment needed: 10–30 minutes first thing upon waking up Inspiration time After you “pour from yourself” during your work hoursā, it’s time to fill your cup. Ensure you get your daily dose of reading, movie-watching, and motivational talks. Here are 7 TED-talk recommendations of mine. Devote your weekends to hobbies, learning new things, and R&R. Create a playlist of inspirational songs that immediately fire you up. Ask a family member or friend to participate in a brainstorming session with you, where you bounce off ideas with each other. And squeeze in some Artist’s Date activities once a week. I’m yet to do this one regularly, so I’m making that a goal for the coming year. Time commitment needed: 5–60 minutes anytime in the day Eating on time Image: Food photo | Freepik I know of too many people who’d rather give themselves acidity while pretending to be busy and important than follow an eating routine like normal, healthy folks. I also know of some who won’t let others eat until they finish their work. As someone who has been struggling with acidity for what seems like an entire lifetime, I’m telling you the slogging and slavery aren’t worth it. Please eat on time, relish your meals, and save your life. Switch off all your gadgets while eating. (I keep my phone in another room when I’m at the dining table.) And yes, tank up on 3 litres of H2O per day. Time commitment needed: 15–20 minutes per meal Scheduling passion before paid work This may not appear important to you, but trust me, it is. If your workplace or clients dictate the first sacred hours of your day when you’re supposed to be working towards realising your dream, when will you actually get around to doing something to realise your dream? Reserve your peak energy for your own dreams instead of others’. It's even easier if you have a WFH lifestyle. It’s a bitter lesson I learned a few years ago, which is why I would write my book PiKu & ViRu during my commutes to work and before any work would come to my desk. (Buy/download, read, and review my book here if you haven’t yet; it's FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Please ensure you drop a review after you read it.) I now prioritise my screen- and fiction-writing immediately after breakfast. It’s an hour I guard like a hawk. Time commitment needed: 10–60 minutes per morning before work Cutting down on social media Let’s face it: social media has become boring now. Yawn. Yet, it manages to take us down virtual rabbit holes through those sneakily designed timelines whenever we log in. It’s rare to not end up with FOMO or negativity after a session. In short, it’s a colossal waste of time—a good way to blow up and squander all that productive time on something unproductive. At the same time, social media is an indispensable part of our lives, especially when it comes to keeping in touch with our friends and promoting our works and businesses. The key, thus, is to maintain a balance and be disciplined about its usage. That’s why I’ve dedicated only one day a week to social media use. Even then, I have a strategy for my navigation. The result: less time spent scrolling and more on getting some actual work and reading done. Facebook and Twitter also have scheduling tools, so I make the most of them during this time. The idea is to get smart with your scrolling, make a plan for it, and stick to it. Time commitment needed: once a week Wrapping up work early Working late hours is a sure-shot recipe for a bad back, messed-up mental health, strained relationships, and an unhealthy heart. It’s high time we stop glorifying this dangerous habit and normalise leaving as soon as our work is done. So, let’s devote a New Year resolution of ours to this cause by signing out early. The goal should be to get the task done in the least amount of time, not show off the number of hours we slog to come across as “hardworking”. My spondylosis diagnosis has only made me rue the lack of assertiveness to leave work on the dot during my jobs. Don’t make the same mistakes as I did. Log out of work early. Those employee and “performer of the year” awards are just not worth it. Time commitment needed: Not time—just some balls Exercise Image: Woman photo | pressfoto | Freepik You can’t skip this one (pun unintended), no matter how busy you are. And *breaking news*, you don't need a gym membership for it. I devote an hour at least five days a week to my workouts, which range from walking and jogging (cardio) to yoga and pranayama. These help me move my body after so much time writing on my computer during the day, and I feel fit, fresh, active, and energetic. My fitness goal in 2022 is to increase my strength- and weight-training routines, so one of my New Year resolutions is devoted to these. Time commitment needed: 30–60 minutes in the morning or evening, plus Vajrasana for 5–10 minutes after meals and short bursts of walking and stretching during work hours Self-check-ins We frequently check on our loved ones’ well-being; do we ever check ourselves for our own? Set hourly reminders to ask yourself how you are feeling. It’s the best and simplest act of self-love and self-care you can extend to yourself. If you aren’t happy with your current life path, please feel free to pivot. I even tell myself “I love you” twice a day, without waiting for anyone else to say it. Also, talk (in your head or on a page) to a higher power or source you believe in; it keeps you brave and humble. Time commitment required: If an hour a day isn’t feasible, just once in the morning and once before bedtime are enough Building your “machinery” I’m not asking you to invent a gigantic contraption straight out of a science-fiction movie :D The machinery I’m referring to is the one comprising your entire life in script or blueprint form. The components can include personal principles, tenets, famous quotes, life lessons, therapy insights, etc. Consider it as a constitution for conducting your life. The moment you’re faced with a brain-racking situation, refer to this plan and you’ll instantly know what to do. The machinery also acts as your algorithm when it comes to attracting opportunities and certain kinds of people. For instance, if, as per this machinery, watching movies up to the end credits is an important quality for you and you also seek this in your life partner, you’ll know that one of your first few dates has to be at a movie hall. That’s how you can see whether the person you’re with stays back to watch those parts and show their respect and gratitude towards the people painstakingly involved in the filmmaking process. Of course, the plan is subject to change as per life situations—though certain principles are bound to remain intact and rock-solid. Time commitment required: 10–30 minutes any time in the day Bonus: Introducing yourself to everyone at an event Once the world goes back to normal and safe, try to accept those event invites that come to you. Don’t just sit there in a corner of the venue, though, glued to your phone. Introduce yourself to everyone there. By “everyone,” I mean everyone. I did this once and ended up working with Preity Zinta. It’s a different thing that it happened in a dream ;) The point still is that introducing yourself to others is a good way to work those courage muscles and shed the fear of embarrassment. I saw a friend do this at a workshop I attended a few years ago. She introduced herself to everyone there and eventually bagged a role in a popular web series! All she did was say her name, that’s it. It was a great lesson I learned from her. That’s why I’m recommending this goal to you for your New Year resolution. You never know who may lead you to what. Again, this goal is subject to the pandemic situation in 2022. If it’s still unsafe to get out there, better to stick to e-introductions by way of pitching, cold emailing, etc. Time commitment required: As long as the party lasts :)