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A few minutes of these motivational videos can turbocharge your day I’m not exaggerating when I say 2019 was one of the worst years of my life. So bad, it made 2020 look like Disneyland in comparison. Imagine. One of the forces that helped me survive that terrible phase was TED. Not a guy named Ted, but TED talks. You know, the ones we turn to on YouTube for anytime-anywhere motivation. While the world binge-watched shows and movies, I devoured these videos at the rate of 5–10 a day. I was in a desperate need of answers, willing to go wherever they possibly existed. I’m much better now and back to bingeing on movies etc.—the worst has passed (hopefully). But there are a few TED and TEDx talks I still watch repeatedly so I can internalise their messages thoroughly. Sharing 7 of these with you for your time and inspiration: ‘Change Your Mindset, Change the Game’ by Dr. Alia Crum If there was any data missing on the effect of one’s mindset on their performance, this video bridges that gap. Dr. Crum from Stanford uses a few case studies of hers to make some stunning revelations about the power of our beliefs. The most shocking takeaway from the video—that exercise is actually a “placebo”, and that I might be getting more of it than I think I do. I must watch this video every day, I know. ‘How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals’ by Stephen Duneier Breaking down a huge task into smaller doable units isn’t any new advice. Institutional investor, artist, and author Stephen Duneier takes it to the next level. Duneier uses this technique to ace a new language, read scores of books in a year, hike 33 trails, learn to fly a helicopter, and do much, much more with his time. It’s also how he achieved Guinness records for crocheting granny squares and “yarn-bombing”. All these, despite having been a C and C-minus student with focusing problems! The best part: his approach is ridiculously simple to follow. The only thing left is to get my ruthless, pushy inner taskmaster on board. Hope a daily watch will help. ‘Your Elusive Creative Genius’ by Elizabeth Gilbert Eat, Pray, Love may be one of my least favourite books, but this unconventional video on creativity by its bestselling author has changed my entire perspective about writing. Though I have to add these words to my bios for explanatory purposes, I no longer tell myself that I’m a ‘writer’ or ‘creator’. Instead, I say I’m a ‘scribe’, a ‘record-keeper’ for the stories dictated to me by an intangible force some of us call the ‘muse’. The same, I now realise, applies for this blog post and also my book, PiKu & ViRu (click here to buy or download it if you haven’t yet, now that you’re here :)). Eerie, I know, but putting things this way removes all the pressure in my head to come up with creative ideas and get my writing right. And then, things fall in place automatically. A highly recommended video for writers and the creative types. ‘The Life-Changing Power of Words’ by Kristin Rivas Seattle-based hypnotherapist Kristin Rivas demonstrates the impact of words on our minds by narrating her poignant life story. Ever since this video, I try to be more careful and responsible about what I say or write, though I may not always be successful. Words can, indeed, hurt or heal, depending on how we use them, and Kristin’s emotional journey is solid proof. ‘The Most Important Lesson from 83,000 Brain Scans’ by Daniel Amen While the video pertains to the importance of brain scans in treating psychiatric problems, I find it equally useful in reminding me about the power of data and facts. Whenever I face an issue, I try to collect all the facts and perspectives surrounding it till I reach the root cause. It’s also something I do for my daily schedule so I can track, monitor, analyse, improve, and make better use of it. It’s more or less the same principle immortalised by management guru Peter Drucker—“What gets measured, gets managed.” ‘If You Want to Achieve Your Goals, Don’t Focus on Them’ by Reggie Rivers Former football player Rivers, in a humorous TEDx talk, underlines the significance of converting goals into behaviours and processes. This talk helps me understand what lies in my control and what doesn’t. It, thus, helps take fear and any unhealthy obsession with ‘success’ out of the equation. ‘Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator’ by Tim Urban This one’s a TED blockbuster, but if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s a super hilarious and entertaining take on procrastination by WaitButWhy blogger Tim Urban. Most of the video is about how procrastination takes place in the brain. It doesn’t propose any concrete solutions, except for the calendar in the end. Yet, I revisit it often, especially whenever I’m in need of a good laugh and a perspective into my habits. Trust me when I say this blog post has made it through whatever Urban’s described, with the“instant gratification monkey” in me agonisingly at odds with my ruthless, pushy inner taskmaster. He’s right when he states we’re all procrastinators, and I’m just no less. Which are your favourite TED and TEDx talks? Do share in your comments. Lede image: Screengrabs of YouTube videos by TEDx Talks and TED

These delicious takeaways, quotes, and life lessons can serve one forever Anthony Bourdain’s popular tell-all Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly became my last read of the last year. For the uninitiated, it’s a memoir of the late chef’s time in America’s restaurant industry. I couldn’t have asked for a better, meatier book to end 2020 with. It packs in everything—from the enlightening (what the word ‘specials’ on the menu really means) to the shocking (I still can’t digest what I read about Sunday brunches) to the downright hilarious (when Bourdain worked for a mob-run chicken joint). It’s interspersed with interesting, quirky characters, who make Bourdain’s journey sound even more intriguing. But the cherry on the icing is Bourdain’s witty writing, infused with humility and humour, which makes the book worth second or more helpings. I really wish to write as sharp as he did; hope even 1% of it reflects in my next book. (You can buy/download, read, and review the first one, PiKu & ViRu, here.) If you’re looking to cull out some of the most memorable Anthony Bourdain quotes and life lessons to frame on your wall, this bible has all you need. Though parts of it are problematic, perhaps even redundant with time, the book boasts so many inspiring tidbits that I kept highlighting them as I read along. I checked the number of highlighted portions in the end and realised I easily had around 50. Hence, I’ve compiled them all in a blog post. Hope I follow even half of them myself. Don’t worry—this blog post isn’t the full book. In fact, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. So, go immerse yourself in this culinary adventure called Kitchen Confidential. For now, in no particular order, here’s a snapshot of what I’ve taken from the book. Keeping a calm mind Staying relaxed during a tirade Anthony Bourdain received as a student at the Culinary Institute of America deflated the rebuker like a fallen soufflé and even made him treat Bourdain nicely from then on. I can vouch for this philosophy based on a few personal experiences. Always asking for more Whether quoting prices for his catering venture in Provincetown or negotiating his salary with a top restaurant in NYC, Anthony Bourdain usually asked for more—sometimes even beyond what he thought he deserved. “We knew well how much these people [local business owners] were paying for cocaine—and that the more coke cost, the more people wanted it.” Okay, the coke logic might be a bit too much, but you get the point. Understanding your target audience Weekends spell packed houses for restaurants. They’re, hence, the time for dishing out crowd-pleasers—“quick, simple, easily plated” dishes whose names the general public can easily pronounce. Quality, leisurely meals are usually reserved for weekday diners. No fixed rules here, of course—every business has a different audience, which can only be found out through constant research. Working clean and tidy “Messy station equals messy mind,” said Anthony Bourdain in one of his best quotes and life lesson. It can also hamper one’s performance. Showing professionalism, not artistry Anthony Bourdain considered cooking as a craft. He preferred hiring professionals who worked solely for the dough—regardless of their love for cooking—over anyone who called themselves an ‘artist’. He didn’t think artists were inclined to arrive at work on time or satisfy diners. In short, he thought it okay to not be in love with your work and to work only for money, as long as you’re doing a high-standard, professional-level job. Checking the office toilets Anthony Bourdain made it a point to steer clear of eating at restaurants with filthy bathrooms. Similarly, I avoid collaborating or working with companies whose bathrooms present an awful sight and stink so much I can’t breathe. “Bathrooms are relatively easy to clean,” said Bourdain. If establishments are stingy about something as basic as cleaning a toilet, think about pricing, invoicing, and the overall experience of working with them. Reading and studying people It’s obvious how important it is to learn how to read people, their expressions, and body language. Anthony Bourdain stressed the need for this skill to decode waiters’ faces. (“He could save your life with a raised eyebrow or a sign.”) In the business world, knowing how to read people is indispensable and invaluable, especially during negotiations, something I personally need a lot of practice in. Bourdain also emphasised this skill in order to figure out employees and competitors. Anticipating threats and risks I want to be prepared for anything that can go wrong. The risk can stem from anywhere—unpredictable economy, political decisions, pandemics. Even switchboard sparks and phone snags count. “Prior preparation prevents poor performance,” Anthony Bourdain would say. Using bedtime for planning Anthony Bourdain always did that. It’s the only way to get a head start and reduce stress when there are plenty of things to be done in a minuscule timeframe. Crunching data and numbers Keeping a record of fish-fillet yields per chef/cook, as one of Anthony Bourdain’s former bosses (unsurprisingly nicknamed Bigfoot) would do, is too much micromanagement. Yet, there’s no denying we still need stats to tackle business problems and get the solution staring out at us, though not necessarily doing it Bigfoot-style. ‘Mise en placing’ operations (Image: Rudy Issa | Unsplash) ‘Mise en place’ (pronounced ‘meez awn plahz’) is the French term for ‘(putting) everything in its place’. In culinary parlance, it refers to a cook’s set-up—“their carefully arranged supplies of sea salt, rough-cracked pepper, softened butter, cooking oil, wine, back-ups and so on”. The idea of a mise en place is to help you “find everything with your eyes closed”, with everything available at your “arm’s reach”. In business, it means having systems, processes, documentation, equipment, inventories, accounts, software, etc. ready before getting started and then tweaking along the way. It’s the key to simplification and efficiency. (Also see: FREE freelancing contract template) Measuring what you get Bigfoot uncovered a number of fleecing vendors this way. Everyone’s time is valuable I may not go to the extent Anthony Bourdain and Bigfoot did by sending back late-arriving delivery drivers after making them unload—and reload—goods in their trucks to teach them the value of coming on time (which the drivers eventually learned and followed). But I should surely avoid taking calls during my sacred writing hours. And learn to leave from a meeting place in case the other party is taking their own sweet time to arrive and not even a bit serious about honouring the appointment. Being curious and watchful When he was a chef at the Rainbow Room, Anthony Bourdain made some interesting discoveries. He found a sportsbook, as well as a window with a spectacular view. And how did he stumble upon these? By roaming “through the halls, back stairways, offices, dining and storage areas”. In other words, by being observant and alert. Having enemies is great It only means you’re important, as Chef Pino Luongo told Anthony Bourdain. Watching the news daily Because a clear sky on a weekend with no sports matches means your restaurant is going to get “slammed”. Tracking and documenting information Anthony Bourdain described how night managers at restaurants communicate with their daytime counterparts through a logbook. It contains details such as customer grievances, repairs needed, employee problems, unaddressed phone calls, and more. Noting down everything, indeed, simplifies interpersonal communication, keeps everything transparent, and also makes handovers easier. The power of serendipity Anthony Bourdain and his catering partner, Dimitri, were faced with a challenge during their catering venture in Provincetown. There seemed to be no solution for it, and what they were attempting was scientifically impossible. Still, it miraculously worked. It was a case of, as Bourdain sassily put it, “God protecting fools and drunks”. The ‘peak hour’ rule Contacting people for no valid reason during peak work hours is the easiest way to get in their bad books. Passion counts over costs Sure, there’s no problem working only for money, but a love for your work is a bonus. Anthony Bourdain, of course, loved food. One of Les Halles’ two partners, José, was so passionate about food, he would have Bourdain “mount all … sauces with Normandy butter and foie gras, garnish everything with fresh truffles … (invest in) the first softshell crabs of the season”. Despite the cost involved, these tend to act as surprises for diners, “help develop a loyal clientele”, and also turn in profits. Clearly, having your passion translate into knowledge, hard work, and customer satisfaction is a recipe for success. (Also read: Want to be a food writer? Do these 5 things ASAP) Requesting the tools needed (Image: congerdesign | Pixabay) Feel free to ask your client/employer for whatever tools or equipment you need to do your work for them. Anthony Bourdain, for example, would stock up on dry side towels—as many of them as possible. Sometimes, he would “rip through twenty of them in the course of an eight-hour service period”. Placing a limit on the number of towels per cook, he felt, was “criminally parsimonious”. “If it costs my masters a few bucks extra, tough. I’m not burning my hand or wiping grease on my nice plates because they’re too mean to shell out for a few more rented towels.” Managing things by oneself Though it isn’t necessary for them to do it, it’s great when a team works out things and solves problems by themselves without dragging their leader into the picture. Embracing the impossibility of 24x7 availability Anthony Bourdain hesitated to call his crew’s home numbers during their off-hours. He never expected their home members to answer his phone properly. Some of his workers even claimed to not have phones! Though this was 20+ years back, I wouldn’t bet on the situation changing much today, despite the improved availability of cellphones. (Also read: Cyclone Tauktae, Facebook, and 11 lessons in assertiveness) Timely stocktaking and inventorying Because that’s how you know what to do and what to invest in next. Being an “organisational mastermind” Anthony Bourdain showed that running the “nuts and bolts” of the organisation yourself, even when other people are supposed to be in charge, is the quickest way to have people trust in you. Helping and serving people Anthony Bourdain described how two middle-aged women restaurant partners lost a lot of money because of his “jumped-up megalomaniac” predecessor. He then decided to “do some honest toil for these nice ladies, save them a few bucks”. Sometimes, the aim to help people is all the reason we need to say yes to a project. Giving it your best “I don’t care if the crackpots we work for deserve it or not … We are gonna give a hundred percent.” This one’s among my favourite Anthony Bourdain quotes and life lessons! Being thoughtful and caring Tell Anthony Bourdain’s (former) sous-chef Steven Tempel that “you like gummy bears and Steven will show up the next day with a bag.” “If he stops off at a burger stand for a mayo and mustard and ketchup-slathered grease-burger for breakfast, he’ll bring a couple extra so everyone can have some.” And while the cooks were said to survive on some of the most inedible food on Earth, Steven would make a sufficient amount of “little potato crisp and caviar snackies” etc. for everyone to try while he simultaneously worked on restaurant orders. Wish I have even 1% of such thoughtfulness towards everyone. Experimenting by trying everything Anthony Bourdain was known to eat everything. Steven Tempel, too, would always “try out new flavour combinations”. It’s all part of the work. Striking deals when necessary You have something to offer someone whose offer you like? Like the “symbiotic relationship” between a bartender and their restaurant’s kitchen team? What are you waiting for then?! Following trade/industry updates (Image: Dan Gold | Unsplash) Goes without saying. For aspiring chefs, Anthony Bourdain advised reading cookbooks and trade magazines. “They are useful for staying abreast of industry trends, and for pinching recipes and concepts.” Rewarding loyal, appreciative customers Thanks to money-saving offers such as the ‘buy-back’ for loyal customers, bartenders accumulate a huge ‘following’ of patrons, who follow their favourite bartender wherever they work. Character scores over talent Adam Real-Last-Name-Unknown (yes, that’s an actual person mentioned in the book!) may be the best baker on Earth, but without disciplined conduct, he’s unlikely to earn some much-needed respect from his industry. In any case, he was a chapter by himself, though! Thinking before firing someone “When you look somebody in the eyes and can them, there’s no telling what terrible result might ensue.” Further adding to this brilliant and thought-provoking quote slash life lesson, Anthony Bourdain said that an employer should consider every possibility and consequence when taking a decision about an employee. Choosing excellence over success At the time of the book, Scott Bryan was a 3-star chef, while Anthony Bourdain wasn’t. According to Bourdain, that’s because Bryan worked for the learning, whereas Bourdain did it only for the money. Bryan even switched from à la carte to pastry—simply for the learning! Unthinkable, but the path to greatness constitutes excellence—sometimes at the cost of rewards. Balancing work with education Scott Bryan’s business partner Gino Diaferia had no restaurant experience when he joined Luma. “When things began to lose their charm, he bought out the partners and began spending all his time at the restaurant, learning the business from the ground up.” Prioritising what you love Instead of the so-called crowd-pleasers, Scott Bryan’s menu for Indigo featured items such as unpopular fishes, a “ballsy” chicken concoction in red curry, a daring and stinky cheese selection as Morbier, and only one beef dish. Anthony Bourdain called it “the perfect my-way-or-the-highway document”. Eschewing old, conventional wisdom Scott Bryan broke countless rules of the restaurant business and yet tasted success. How to avoid regrets Anthony Bourdain would advise asking yourself the ice-cream-truck question: “What would happen if you were walking across the street and were suddenly hit by a careening Mister Softee truck? As you lie there, in your last few moments of consciousness, what kind of final regrets flash through your mind?” This applies to business, as well as life. (Also read: 35 things I wish to come true by my next birthday) Contacting locals before travel If Anthony Bourdain wouldn’t have contacted the Tokyo-based publisher of his Japanese-translated storybook, he would never have been able to give his book a second lease of life during his trip to the city. Putting functionality over fashionability (Image: Tae In Kim | Unsplash) Anthony Bourdain shared two examples of ergonomic, convenient, and pragmatic design. The first is of Bigfoot, who installed “conveniently located hot-water hose for bartenders to melt down their ice easily” and “cute little plastic handles on any electrical plug near any station where the workers’ hands might be wet”. The second is of Scott Bryan, who never piled food layers such that one looked good on top of the other. There was always a logically sound reason behind the layering order that had mainly to do with taste. Learning about local cultures Considering America’s restaurant industry majorly constitutes a Spanish-speaking, Central- and Latin-American workforce, Anthony Bourdain would advise speaking their language, eating their food, and learning about their cultures, histories, geographies, and politics. Helping people “break free” The huge steaks at Les Halles Tokyo would make diners tear into them as if they were disobeying the small-portions lifestyle they were raised on. Choosing convenience over conventions Anthony Bourdain’s inventory sheets were arranged “clockwise”, in “geographical order” of his food stocks. This way, he could tick off items in a one-directional way, without going back and forth. Alphabetic order or arrangement of items ‘by type’, as convention dictates, can be a good idea, but only if it simplifies processes and saves time. Calculated exposure to fear It’s natural to feel afraid when trying out something new. That’s what Anthony Bourdain experienced, too, during his first time eating local food in Tokyo. The key is to take the plunge, in a way that feels the easiest, but take it anyhow. Total involvement in business As per Anthony Bourdain, “a successful restaurant demands that you live on the premises for the first few years, working seventeen-hour days …” He added, “You must be fluent in … the Kabbala-like intricacies of health codes, tax law, fire department regulations, environmental protection laws, building code, occupational safety and health regs, fair hiring practices, zoning, insurance, the vagaries and back-alley back-scratching of liquor licenses, the netherworld of trash removal, linen, grease disposal.” Phew! Tracking the organisational “grapevine” In business, information is key. Even if it’s a rumour, it’s still good to know. “I like to tell selected people things in supposed confidence a few times a week, for fun. Later, when it comes back to me it provides an interesting road map of data transfer, a barium meal, revealing who squeals and to whom.” Following a disciplined routine Because that’s the secret to being a “serious, capable and responsible” professional. Expressing faith in people When a down-in-the-dumps Anthony Bourdain met Bigfoot and asked for an advance salary of $25, Bigfoot lent him $200, despite not being in touch with Bourdain for more than a decade. In spite of his flaws, this was a big leap of faith on Bigfoot’s part. Needless to say, Bourdain didn’t let him down. Being humble and reflective Every word, quote, and life lesson in the book is a tutorial on humility, which proves how much of it the man, Anthony Bourdain, himself had. Hope his soul is resting in peace and cooking up a storm wherever he is.

A few words a day can act as strength-builders for life Last year was undeniably the world’s longest horror show. After all, there was a pandemic at play, threatening lives, wrecking families, tumbling economies. Almost everyone I know of has been through some sort of psychological and emotional tumult for a great part of 2020. My own mental health has had a rocky time, with anxiety and OCD at their peak. Therapy isn’t a road many of us can take, mainly due to the expense it entails. Thankfully, it was writing that helped me survive this stormy phase. I’m glad I heeded a few friends’ advice at the start of the year itself and developed a habit of daily journaling. Following the “Morning Pages” template pioneered by writer Julia Cameron in her celebrated creativity manual The Artist’s Way, I religiously write 3 pages of stream-of-consciousness longhand entries in my notebook within 45 minutes of waking up. I never expected it to become a routine, especially given my mental and even physical health issues, but here I am, with 365 entries done! I’m amazed that something like this even happened in the first place. My journaling habit helped me prepare for the shitstorm that hit our shores in March and cope with the turbulence it caused over the months. I would also credit my journaling routine in helping me “unblock” my creativity during this tough phase and resume screenwriting, which I had put on the back burner to focus on other kinds of professional writing. Besides, the writing habit has provided me with the clarity of mind I needed to utilise my home confinement for constructive yet brutally procrastinated tasks such as decluttering, goal setting, and regular cooking. While there are plenty of such writing exercises to choose from, I’m sharing 3 simple ones that have worked for me and which you can easily weave into your schedule. They cost nothing, except for a tiny bit of your time and effort. But once they become a habit, they’re sure to benefit you—just like how they have for me. Combine them with your therapy, if you’re undergoing any, and they become even more effective. Here they are for your #2021Goals: 1. Journaling (even if it’s just one word or sentence a day) Whether done in the morning, night, or any other time of the day, this one’s a highly rewarding experience. Journaling and brain-dumping are said to help clear the funk in your head so there’s enough headspace for tasks such as finding answers to puzzling questions, gaining insights, and boosting focus and productivity. While my morning-journaling exercise is a strictly pen-and-notebook affair, I have also created a file on Google Docs for any-time thought-dumping, esp. for the pesky, anxiety-inducing ones. If you prefer to use journaling to take stock of your day, a bedtime round can be a better bet for you. What do I journal about? The previous day’s highlights (esp. the one best thing that happened in the past 24 hours), plans and predictions for the day ahead, and any fears and worries experienced at the time. I haven’t really gone through my journal entries from the past year, but it’s advisable to avoid reading your brain dumps, at least for the first few months, lest your inner critic should spring to life. If 3 pages seem too much, aim for just 1 page. If 1 page is a lot, a paragraph will suffice. And if a paragraph, too, seems like a steep climb, just keep a line or a single word as your target. Don’t know how to begin your entry? Simply describe how you’re feeling in the moment—happy, excited, gloomy, shitty, anxious, lazy, etc.—then go on that high-intensity rant if you want. You may even direct this rant at a specific person in letter form, though you obviously shouldn’t send that missive to them in any way! And yes, don’t let anyone read your journals. All those words are “for your eyes only”. Whatever your capacity or convenience, the important thing is to get those thoughts out onto the page so they don’t sc**w you from within. Forget about grammar or typos. Forget about fluency of language. Write in whatever language you’re comfortable with. (I insert a lot of Hindi—even a smattering of whatever little Marathi, Punjabi, etc. I know—at times.) Don’t look back at what you’ve written, don’t edit—just keep proceeding, get your daily goal done. Who knows, you might even pour out your next bestseller or blockbuster in the process! 2. Lists & logs Don’t think lengthy writing works for you? Try lists. We all make lists on an everyday basis anyway. To-do lists. Goals lists. Shopping lists, wish-lists, bucket lists. Some of us maintain daily logs to measure our productivity—even keep track of the books we read, the films we watch, the foods we eat. We do our financial accounts and budgets as well. Then, there are the daily achievement lists, gratitude lists, affirmations lists, a bulleted outline of personal strengths and weaknesses, a spelling out of criteria for the next job or gig. (Speaking of gigs, here’s my round-up of 70+ writing formats you can use, which includes—you guessed it right—lists. And here’s another one for the questions you should be asking your clients.) Hell, we also have hit lists! Lists really help acquire clarity—perhaps even more, when they’re created and updated on a regular basis. If you need some more prompts, here’s a list of some more lists (!) you can create. Indeed, there are no limits when it comes to making lists. You can get insanely creative and colourful here. For more ideas, maybe some extreme ones, check out this Bon Appetit story on meal planning and how the writer does it using carefully cultivated lists to quash the stress of daily cooking. Just ensure you’re writing at least one list daily. 3. Bedtime question Based on some self-help write-ups, I have recently started this practice, though I haven’t used the pen-and-paper approach for it yet. But this is how it works in general: I ask myself a question—mostly concerning a problem I’m facing—before going to sleep and wait for the answer to automatically occur to me. So far, I’ve received answers for whatever questions I’ve directed to myself. The answer could present itself in a dream or pop up as a sudden realisation, a flash, or a journal entry. I really don’t know how it works; I guess the process is probably about the subconscious mind “chewing” on the matter while we’re asleep. Of course, I don’t expect the answer to always come to me, but at least I feel assured that I’m doing something about my problems and deploying my latent mental and intellectual resources for the task. And the practice costs nothing—neither time nor money. It’s simply about remembering to do it. You can make a ritual out of this practice. Write down your question on a piece of paper and then place it under your pillow. If you don’t get your answer, continue to “sleep on it” the next night as well—or until the answer occurs to you. Some people write out multiple problems on a page and lock the paper in a cupboard, only to take it out a few months later. If the problems are solved, they destroy the paper and throw away the pieces. If not, they lock that paper again in the cupboard and keep it in there until each and every problem has disappeared from their lives. Sometimes, the problems stay unsolved even after ages, but merely reading about them after all those months and years can make one go with ROFL with amusement! Give these daily writing exercises a try and describe your experiences in the comments. Hope the year 2021 turns out to be a victorious one for you and your family. Happy writing!

All your T&C in one place, ensuring you and your client are on the same page Image: Business vector | Freepik.com Every freelance professional needs a contract. Simply put, it is an agreement comprising the terms and conditions concerning the working relationship between a freelancer and a client. We all know the advantages of a contract—legal protection being just one of them. It’s risky and even considered unprofessional to begin work on a project without signing a contract agreeable to both you and your client. You do not need to wait for your client to send a contract to you. You can send them your own and bind them to it until their version comes along. Based on requests from several friends, here’s a template I have created that you can use to draft your own contracts. Tweak it according to your project. I’d also recommend you bookmark/save this questionnaire I have prepared. It has all the questions you need to ask your client before deciding on a project. Include their answers in your contract. Remember, the more clarity you have, the more you end up with clients on the same page as you, and the better working relationship you have with them. No matter what happens, insist on a contract. You’ll save yourself from a lot of heartache along the way. Good luck! -- FREELANCER’S NAME Freelancer’s Designation Address, contact details, website AGREEMENT This agreement is between XX (“Client”) and XX (“Freelancer”) and concerns the following assignment: XXX deliverables for XXX product/service/brand/company 1. Freelancer’s tasks The Freelancer agrees to work on and submit XX number of XX (DELIVERABLES) every XX (PERIODICITY) as agreed with the Client, based on the Client’s brief. The brief and the deadline for submission will be mutually agreed upon by email or any other form of written communication. 2. Date of commencement Contingent upon immediate signing of this contract and receipt of the advance amount, the Freelancer will start work on the assignment from Day Month Year. 3. Payment The Client agrees to pay the Freelancer a total project fee of XX/- (CURRENCY + AMOUNT). The fee includes an advance amount of XX/- (CURRENCY + AMOUNT); work starts upon receipt of this advance amount. The remaining amount is payable in XX instalments by (DATE) of every month (PROVIDE AMOUNT BREAK-UP HERE). The Client agrees to transfer the amount/s to the Freelancer’s XX (SPECIFY WHETHER IT’S A BANK OR PAYPAL ACCOUNT) account. A three-day grace period will be given to the Client to make the monthly payment to the Freelancer until the XXth of the respective month; if no payment is made by the Client to the Freelancer even until then, the Freelancer will stop work until s/he receives the payment and will add a/an XX% late fee to the next invoice. In case any unit of work done by the Freelancer for the Client is unutilised by the Client, the Client agrees to compensate for the Freelancer's efforts anyway with XX% (SPECIFY WHETHER 100% OR LESS THAN THAT) of the fee applicable for that unit of work. 4. Changes & revisions The aforementioned project fee is based on the estimated time investment needed by the Freelancer to accomplish the agreed deliverables. In case the Client wants to amend the arrangement or anything else, make changes to the submitted work, or add anything new, the Freelancer will provide a separate estimate for that. 5. Timings The Client agrees to the Freelancer’s work timings of XX to XX for the project. The Freelancer assures maximum possible effort to complete a day’s tasks within the stated number of hours. As a policy, the Freelancer does not undertake any work or respond to any calls/messages/emails between XX a.m./p.m. and 10 a.m./p.m. on (NAME THE FREELANCER’S DAYS OFF). In case of unavoidable work during these hours, the Freelancer will charge the Client a fee of XX per hour. The Freelancer cannot provide a guarantee of quality in case of last-minute/rush jobs. 6. Legal The Freelancer cannot guarantee that her/his work will be completely error-free, and so s/he cannot be liable to the Client or any third party for damages, including lost profits, lost savings, or other incidental, consequential or special damages, even if the Client has advised her/him of the same. If any provision of this Agreement shall be unlawful, void, or for any reason, unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this Agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions. 7. Copyright Once the Freelancer completes a unit of work and receives the payment for it, the Client will own the copyright to that unit of work, and the Freelancer can sample and reuse that unit of work only with consent from the Client. 8. Applicable laws Both parties agree that this Agreement shall be interpreted and governed by the jurisdiction and laws of the Courts of XX (FREELANCER’S LOCATION). 9. Miscellaneous This Agreement may be amended only in writing, signed by both parties. 10. Termination Once the project is in process, either party may terminate this Agreement for any reason, with XX days’ notice emailed to the other party. The Client will pay the Freelancer for work done up to the date of termination, and the Freelancer will refund any overpayment. This agreement is made and entered into by and between the parties hereto on this date: Day Month Year Freelancer’s signature Freelancer’s full name: Freelancer’s address: Date: __________________________ Client’s signature Client’s full name: Client’s address: Date: __________________________ Post updated on Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Don’t be lost for ideas Who doesn’t want to travel the world, chronicle their adventures, and get paid for it? Just like how PiKu aspires to in my book PiKu & ViRu? (Buy/download, read, and review it here—it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited!) Such a role is truly the best job on Earth, straight out of a dream. But as Uncle Ben said in Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. If you set out for your trip without a content plan, you’ll never know what to look out for that you can write about. What you need is a handy content list you can use for your research and create a travel plan with before you leave. While, of course, we all want that stroke of serendipity to shine upon us, I’ve realised it doesn’t really show up if you don’t have a strategy at the ready. Moreover, besides travelogues, why not also help readers with short, snappy articles comprising accessible and approachable information? Especially by giving your own unique spin to the same old templates? Even SEO will agree. Here are all the topics you can cover. Feel free to pick whatever is applicable based on the destination, your itinerary, trip duration, and budget: Good ol’ travelogue Destination guides Airport guides Itineraries (incl. for stopovers) What to see & do (usual + offbeat) What to see & do with kids What to see & do for solo travellers What to see & do for couples What to see & do for LGBTQ+ travellers What to see & do for free What to see & do at a place during a particular season (e.g. flowers in spring, skiing in winter, fall colours) Highlights of a particular museum or art gallery (for time-starved travellers) Must-dos for adventure lovers Fitness regimes for specific experiences (e.g. a particular trek, marathon, altitude) Side & day trips Newly opened attractions Best stays Best budget stays (or within a particular price range) Best luxury stays Best homestays Best serviced apartments Best hostels Best Airbnbs Best stays for business travellers Romantic stays Best kid-friendly stays Best pet-friendly stays Best stays for LGBTQ+ travellers Best eco-friendly stays Best newly opened stays Rooms with a view Hotel comparison table Hotel reviews/previews What to eat & drink Where to eat & drink Best new restaurants/bars/cafés Where to eat & drink in a particular area of a destination (e.g. Chandni Chowk, Bandra, Indiranagar) What to eat & drink in a particular area of a destination Veg, vegan, and Jain food Best farm-to-table/eco-friendly meal experiences Where to have a particular local food/beverage (e.g. where to eat the best biryani in Hyderabad, Mumbai’s tastiest vada pavs, best hot chocolate in Switzerland) Best breakfasts Best street food Best tea/coffee experiences Best rooftop restaurants/bars/cafés Meals with a view Profiling a particular local food/drink/ingredient Where to find Indian food in a particular destination Best home meals Recipes of local foods Best swimming pools (incl. those with a view) What to shop and bring back as souvenirs Where to shop Best spas and wellness resorts Where to party Local transport modes—best road trips, best boat rides, best train journeys Phrases to know What to pack Local etiquette + dos and don’ts (can be extended to experiences such as Japanese tea ceremonies, Russian vodka drinking, English afternoon tea) Travel tips by local insiders Explainers to local aspects (e.g. what is foie gras, what is thangka, why are the Egyptian Pyramids triangular in shape and not any other) Photo essay Photography tips (esp. for phenomena such as Northern Lights, sunsets, Great Wildebeest Migration) Personal experiment (e.g. I’m scared of heights and I went skydiving in New Zealand; this is what happened) Confessions and ‘Overheard at’ Quirks & oddities Local people who everyone should know about Local festivals and events calendar Local folklore, tales & myths Local typography, signboards, truck messages, typos & bloopers Life lessons from your trip Fun facts (like ‘Things you didn’t know’) Travel quizzes A destination, area, or hotel in ‘numbers’ Books to read before going to a particular destination Movies shot at a particular destination

Just what you need to base your decision on Last year, as a newbie who was just a few months into the freelancing scene, I had a bunch of heartaches with a couple of clients. An inevitable scenario in the freelancing world, of course, but one that warranted some serious soul-searching. And that’s when it hit me: I had been such a despo that I was taking on projects & clients without even vetting them. Not only that, I didn’t even have the basic information to draft my own contracts. Nor did I care to buy time after our meetings or discussions. The result: rush jobs, late nights, scope creep and whatnot. I won’t really blame my clients here. After several days of Google searches, I finally created this list of questions I now subject every client to. Admitted it’s a huge list, but it’s better to be meticulous than mess up. I also request a 24-48 hour period from my clients so I can let my subconscious ponder over their answers and decide accordingly. Do these questions help avoid the heartaches? Not entirely. As I said, they’re inevitable in the freelancing world. But their answers still safeguard you, especially legally. So, here’s what you need to ask your prospective clients. Remember, the clearer the water, the better you can see the things in it. Overall project 1) Please explain the project in detail. 2) What is your vision, mission, and purpose for the project? How do you see the final result, and what’s your expected takeaway from it? 3) What’s your estimated budget for the project? 4) Do you foresee any potential stumbling blocks or problems for this project? What have been your learnings and takeaways from previous projects? What were your challenges at the time? How would you have done it differently? 5) How long is the project? What is the duration of my role? Please share exact dates. 6) Who’s your target audience? What are the problems they’re facing? Have you done any research to find out? How will this project help solve their problems? 7) What will be the tone and style of the content? Work 1) What will be my exact designation? How will my day be from the time I start work till pack-up? 2) Quantum of work + number of days per week + working hours per day + possibility of all-nighters and weekend work + how many pieces of content are we looking at in total + print, digital and social breakup + publishing dates? 3) How often will you need new content? Do I have to create all content by myself, or will you share the material? Will I be working with another freelancer? Can I outsource parts of the project if needed? 4) Will I be given specific project instructions and even training? 5) Will you communicate deadlines in advance? How soon? What kind of deadlines are these—timely or rushed? How concrete is your timeline? 6) How will you measure the quality of work I turn in? Can we have feedback sessions? 7) How often do you want me to share updates with you? Through what medium: email or phone? 8) What will be my place of work: home or client office? Team 1) Who all will be part of the project team? What’s the hierarchy? 2) Who will make the final decisions and approvals and be my sole contact point? Will they also edit my written work? Who will edit other writers’ work—that person or me? How available would this person be in case of questions and doubts? What’s the best time of the day to contact them? What’s the best medium—phone, email or WhatsApp? What’s the expected response time? 3) Who will be the second in command in case this contact point is unavailable? Payment & rights 1) How much will I be paid for the project? What will be the break-up of the payment structure? Will there be any deductions? What will these be? What about the payment for any revisions? 2) How will you be paying me—cheque or bank transfer? (I’d prefer the latter instead of waiting for a cheque.) What would be the frequency of payment—end of each month or some other schedule? Would it be possible for me to get at least a 50% advance for the month at the beginning of the project? What expenses will I be reimbursed for? When do you expect me to invoice, and do you have a particular format you need me to use? 3) What are my rights to my work? Can I use it on my online portfolio? From when? What’s your embargo period? Will I get a byline? What about the work that is not used—do I hold the rights to it or will I get a kill fee? 4) Will I be able to take leaves during the project? For health or other reasons, including travel? How available do you want me to be? 5) If all goes well, will this project lead to more assignments for me after completion? Selection 1) Why do you think I’m worthy of coming on board? What are you expecting me to bring to this project? 2) Am I the only one being offered this, or are you talking to other freelancers too? What will your selection decision be based on? 3) Have you worked with a freelancer in the past? If yes, how was your experience? 4) Are you also looking for a graphic designer? (You can either recommend yourself if you’re one, or a relevant contact so you can take a shot at earning your referral.) What are the questions you ask prospective clients? Tell me in the comments.

Because creative expression has no limits Think your ideas only work as news or feature stories? Never believed you could earn a quick buck by writing résumés? Need innovative ways to present your prose? Here are 70+ content formats you can explore. Because you can do a lot with your craft. 1) News stories 2) Short & long-form features, creative nonfiction 3) Opinion pieces 4) Columns 5) Reviews 6) Essays - Personal essays - Third-person essays 7) Listicles & roundups 8) Long & short fiction 9) Personal experiments 10) Travelogues 11) History & biographies 12) Comparison pieces & tables 13) Explainers - ‘What is’ something - ‘Difference between’ 14) How-to articles 15) Guides & fact boxes 16) Case studies 17) White papers 18) Research 19) Series or serialized stories 20) Profiles 21) Interviews - Flowing text - Q&A 22) Photo galleries, slideshows, features & essays 23) Previews 24) Blog posts & guest posts 25) Trend stories 26) Scripts, screenplays, videos, podcasts, video games 27) Oddities 28) Timelines or chronologies 29) Diaries 30) Vox pops 31) ‘As told to’ stories 32) Obituaries & ‘In Memoriam’ stories 33) Scenarios—predictions of future events based on current trends or developments 34) Recipes & demos 35) Poetry 36) Quizzes, puzzles, polls, contests 37) Event fixtures 38) Open & other letters 39) Anything ‘in numbers’ 40) ‘A to Z’ stories 41) Live or real-time compilations of news, reviews or updates 42) Press releases, announcements, notifications & circulars 43) Teaching stories (e.g. a full article on a screenwriting trick, card-game move, yoga pose, etc., incl. backstory, demonstration, examples & case studies) 44) Social-media posts, series, campaigns & properties 45) Ad & product copy, classifieds, advertorials 46) Translation 47) Tables, charts, diagrams 48) Infographics 49) Transcripts of commentaries, event panels, talk shows, podcasts, etc. 50) Lyrics & dialogues 51) Website & app content 52) CVs 53) Dating & matrimonial profiles 54) Business & project plans 55) Mission, vision & purpose statements + other organizational systems & documents 56) Catalogues, brochures, manuals & other promotional materials 57) Greeting cards, online greetings 58) Motivational & other quotes (can also be used on T-shirts, footwear, coasters, etc. or as images in themselves) 59) Memes 60) Menus 61) PPT presentations 62) Emailers & newsletters 63) Testimonials 64) Comic strips 65) Sketches & doodles 66) Textbooks & courses 67) Pitches 68) Surveys 69) FAQs 70) User-generated content 71) Encyclopaedias, Wikipedia, dictionaries, etc. 72) Job & gig listings 73) Speeches 74) Invites for events, weddings, etc. 75) Confessions + ‘Overheard at’ stories

A website offers a host of benefits you don’t want to lose out on, no matter which stage your business or profession is at. Here are 10 reasons why you should get one ASAP Too many people who reach out to us or we reach out to for website work develop cold feet at the last minute. The reasons are myriad: from “Our Facebook page/WhatsApp group is doing fine” and “We have plenty of customers/fans” to “Not enough budget/time” to a shocking “Not a priority”. We feel the best time to get a website ready for your business or professional practice—big or small—is the day you start it! And that you should put everything else aside and especially dedicate some amount of your time and capital to it if you want your venture to survive. Here are 10 reasons why we advise so: 24x7 marketing Your website is a resource that pitches your business, services, talent or products to every part of the planet, even when you are getting your customary eight hours of sleep, spending quality time with your family, or watching Netflix. Imagine someone stumbling upon your website during your downtime after several desperate searches. Imagine this person having a need only YOU can fulfil. Imagine not having a website and the situation turning out to be a two-way loss. Nobody would want that, right? Thus, the need for your own ‘www’ platform. Perception Even if it is a friend seeking services, who do you think they would choose? You, without a website, no matter how trustworthy they consider you? Or someone who has a brilliant website, with a neat, user-friendly design, strong portfolio, and glowing testimonials? If your friend is serious about their business and convenience, there is a high possibility they would go for the second option. That is how psychology and perception work, and so you need a website—and a bloody good one—to stay ahead of your competitors. Credibility You’re dealing with 21st-century customers, who believe what they see. Besides, as per research, around 60% people don’t trust a business without a website. Therefore, your website is your sales pitch, catalogue, manual and brochure—all rolled in one. Time-saving Do you know the amount of time you spend fielding queries on the phone or email is what you can actually utilise to build new business? Your website, thus, comes to your rescue by containing all information on one platform, readily available to anyone at a glance, so customers need not contact you for the same things over. Professionalism While WhatsApp groups are a great marketing tool, they have their share of limitations. For instance, management of customers becomes unfeasible once they hit a large number, leading some to even exit your group with a negative perception of your business. In addition, the conversations can quickly turn personal and informal, much to your users’ irritation. All these issues are easily taken care of by a website, where email and newsletter marketing serve as the most professional way to keep your customers updated. Unpredictable social media With social media registering increasingly sporadic logins, unpredictable algorithms, and a diminishing reach, users are more likely to miss your updates there. That’s where your website, combined with email and newsletter marketing, scores high. Google presence The main way anyone is going to find your business is through online search, so having a website will only work to your advantage. Search engine optimisation (SEO) through long-tail keywords, meta descriptions, and the like will increase your visibility. Lead & data generation A database is a goldmine for any business or service, and a website facilitates its compilation through contact forms, signups, etc. Information such as customer location, needs, preferences and feedback will help you make any necessary tweaks to your business in time. Reduces overheads Ecommerce is a boon to customers who cannot visit your physical store or office for some reason or another. Your website, thus, helps widen your customer base and, therefore, revenues—minus too many overhead costs. Takes your CV to another level Should you want to take up a job, having a website mentioned on your resume is likely to make your recruiter prioritise your application over others. You also get the upper hand during negotiations. Is there a better case for a website now? In short, a website is a necessary investment for any entrepreneur, professional or service provider, and it’s never too late to build one. Contact us now for a free consultation.

SPOILER REVIEW “The summertime sky in Mumbai was usually white, because the sun glared at it until it went pale with fear, and the blue it was supposed to be dripped off the surface of the atmosphere and fell into the Arabian Sea.” Damini Kane’s debut novel, The Sunlight Plane, opens with these lines. No, they’re not a poetic version of one of those mundane weather-and-sky conversations you resort to in the absence of ice-breakers. These artfully woven words not only convey the story’s setting, which is further specified as a gated community in Maximum City, aptly christened Reyna Heights. (‘Reyna’ is the Hindi word for ‘night’. Similarly pronounced is Reina, the Istanbul nightclub that saw a tragic shooting in 2017. In the latter case, however, the name probably meant ‘queen’, which perhaps explains the well-to-do status of Reina’s clientele and Reyna Heights’ residents.) The sentence in question also symbolises the things to come and further verbalises the contents of the cover. The title comprises the words ‘sunlight’ and ‘plane’, both associated with the sky. (In the book, it refers to a solar plane whose journey mimics the plot, though I wasn’t convinced by the analogy.) So is the yellow paper plane on the cover, which cannot soar as high as its fuel-driven counterpart. Moreover, the former is associated with childhood—playful, simple, innocent. Whereas airplanes represent ambition, adulthood, complexity—and baggage. (Hold on to this equation; we’re going to return to it.) The first part of this comparison applies to our nine-year-old protagonist, Tharush, whose name is the Hindi word for—you guessed it right—‘sky’. He is the hue of summer, the month-long period when kids get a reprieve from schoolwork if not the killing sun. Tharush is bright and child-like and has loving, caring and wisecracking parents. If it’s too hot, he stays home and lets his imagination run amok. While showering, he equates bathroom tiles to ‘different universes’. The lack of a sibling makes him want a friend, although he feigns contentment at his solitude, which he tries to drown by playing with fighter-jet toys and, thus, expressing his Air Force aspirations. The only dark spot in Tharush’s life is a bully called Vikram, whose powerful influence and violent temperament has robbed Tharush of his friends from the neighbourhood. Where there’s ‘Reyna’, there ought to be ghosts and monsters too. What if there’s someone more dangerous and threatening than Vikram? This brings us to the next most important character in the book who fits the second part of our aforementioned comparison. A new boy in the neighbourhood becomes Tharush’s first ever best friend. His name? Aakash. Sky again. Aakash, too, seems bright and sunny at the outset when he steals Vikram’s “electric blue” bicycle for a quick ride with Tharush. But he comes across as someone more mature than Tharush. Besides, he’s smart and taller, and unlike Tharush, loves reading. The complexity, however, spans more than just these qualities. On the one hand, Aakash can skilfully and courageously pick locks, even in bully territory. On the other, he nervously keeps glancing at the clock while playing with Tharush in the latter’s room. Tharush doesn’t have to become a fighter pilot to figure out that Aakash’s sky isn’t bright and sunny like his. It’s dark, overcast and turbulent, loaded with tons of baggage. And it has left big black and blue imprints all over his tender nine-year-old body. Aakash is a victim of child abuse. Tharush’s summer now turns into the dilemma of a monsoon sky. Should I confide in someone and, hence, wipe out the dark clouds from Aakash’s life? Or should I let them be, even though they’re scattering pain and agony through violent, scary outbursts? Doubtful about a future without his father, despite his monstrosity, Aakash makes Tharush promise to stay tight-lipped. Tharush, thus, reluctantly chooses friendship over his friend, and like Shiva as ‘Neel’-kanth, gulps the poison, which isn’t half as bad as his buddy’s daily plight. Tharush isn’t complicit, as there’s a clear intention to do something. But as his father puts it in the climax after the revelation, one can’t take a right decision in a situation so wrong. The ambition bit in the comparison comes from Aakash’s guitar lessons at Qawwali, the neighbourhood music store owned by a hipster Tasleem didi, as well as from his auditions for the school concert and his aim to appear for the Trinity exam. Music is more than just me-time for Aakash. It’s his way of expression and catharsis. It’s the fighter jets for the Tharush in him. Aakash’s silence would have made sense if his father were his only family. (His mother, tired of the abuse, had left home, though it’s unclear why she never took Aakash along and left him to rot in hell. Or did she intend to commit suicide along the way?) But towards the middle of the book, we meet Aakash’s unmarried paternal aunt, a Supreme Court lawyer in her late forties who’s light years away from her evil brother (and unaware about his history of violent behaviour). If Aakash knows he’ll end up in her custody sooner or later (which is what happens eventually), why the silence? Why suffer so much and let the devil get away with it? Also, how come the aunt doesn’t know about Aakash’s mother’s disappearance and the reason behind it? These issues stick out like loose wires in an otherwise well-oiled narrative that’s full of gut-wrenching moments. The book is divided into three sections: The Sun, The Clouds and The Sky. The first—the build-up and conflict—while intriguing, does have some pacing issues, like an unnecessarily long flight or an endless scorching summer. Besides, Tharush’s easy return to his imaginary games after witnessing his friend’s ordeal appears too abrupt. It’s only from the second part, when the conflict is heightened, that the speed intensifies. The third part—the resolution—is the shortest but feels like an unsatisfactory landing. While Aakash gets his relatively happy ending in Delhi, a metropolis at variance with Mumbai mainly in terms of climate, Tharush is left friendless and lonely in sultry Mumbai, especially after his bitterness towards his schoolmates over their alleged “complicity”. Moreover, Aakash’s father is never nabbed, which feels like a stab of injustice. The two boys have mobile phones, but we know it’s not the same as walking to school and playing together. Their friendship is, thus, seasonal. Does TSP deserve to be your airport read? Short answer: yes. The fact that nobody, not even Tharush’s parents or the boys’ teachers, could detect what was happening with a little lad under their noses calls for an awareness drill. And given the serious dearth of literature on this subject, particularly in the Indian fiction scene, TSP is the best ice-breaker we have now. The Sunlight Plane Author: Damini Kane Publisher: Author Press

Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star is Born, Black Panther, and Crazy Rich Asians top my list While writing my first book has been a great experience, there are moments of regret too. That I’ve missed out on life slipping by. That I should have struck a balance. That I should have been more ... present. It’s a different thing that I wouldn't trade my time spent book-writing even for a billion dollars. With PiKu & ViRu done and published on Amazon (buy/download, read, and review here), I now have a full month to catch up on the best of 2018’s Hollywood movies (as well as films from other cinemas). At least whatever is out for legal streaming. The 76th Golden Globe Awards has posted a big list, but what’s life without a great challenge? Here's what I have to watch before the official telecast of this scintillating event on 7 January 2019 on VH1, Colors Infinity, and Comedy Central, in no particular order: Vice The Favourite Green Book A Star is Born BlacKkKlansman Mary Poppins Returns Black Panther If Beale Street Could Talk Roma Bohemian Rhapsody Boy Erased Can You Ever Forgive Me? Crazy Rich Asians First Man Isle of Dogs A Private War At Eternity's Gate Beautiful Boy Capernaum Destroyer Dumplin' Eighth Grade Girl Incredibles 2 Mirai Never Look Away The Old Man & the Gun A Quiet Place Ralph Breaks the Internet Shoplifters Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Stan & Ollie Tully The Wife Wish me luck so I can catch up on as many of these 2018 Hollywood movies as I can.

Blame it on the trailers themselves. The Pad Man trailer is easily the best Bollywood trailer of the year so far, followed by Raazi. It’s entertaining, inspiring, gripping, promising. It was love at first sight, and I knew I had to catch the film on the weekend of its release. To confirm my decision, I consulted several movie reviews. A majority of them had thumbsed up. I booked the tickets. But 10 minutes into the film, I felt a void–I KNEW the story beforehand. The trailer had given it away–so had the several reviews either extolling the flick or tearing it apart. I loved the movie, but missed the excitement of unravelling a new story and exploring the journey of its characters. That’s because I’d experienced it all in the two-minute-long promotional clip. I dismissed the feeling and continued watching, reviewing, and dissecting various other trailers and consulting and deciphering film reviews. The experience repeated at the screening of a Greek film, but I disregarded it again. And soon, the clip for Veere Di Wedding dropped. Wish I hadn’t heeded its fans and skipped the trailer altogether. Because it only made me decide to NOT watch the film. The reviews, polls, op-eds, and word of mouth post-release pushed it to the bottom of my watch list, and I ended up valuing my money more than an opportunity for self-taught film education. To understand my point, go back to your childhood days. Would your grandmother ever give you a gist of the story she’d tell you that night? Would she create a special video to up your excitement? No, she didn’t need to. Because she knew you’d await the moment anyway. It wasn’t just your love for your grandmom–it was also your love for her storytelling, your joy of hearing new stories. You never needed a sales pitch from her, and she was smart enough to not hand it to you. You may argue that unlike granny’s tales, a movie ticket comes with a cost, even if we don’t count the popcorn, samosas, or iced Pepsi. Not to forget, the travel fare. But if I call myself a screenwriter and storyteller, I MUST pray the price. A hack could be watching movies on weekdays, when charges are more than halved and cola flows unlimited. Or wait for them to hit Netflix or Amazon. Until then, I need to will myself to shun all reviews and promotions, and there are several ways of doing it (one of them is a simple method called ‘staying busy’). Another potential argument: Grandma’s stories brim with quality, and I can’t afford to spend my fortune on shitty films. If you’re an aspiring screenwriter or filmmaker, watching bad movies is as much a part of your job as appreciating the good ones. How else would you know how to not make a bad film? And if I stop watching trailers and reading reviews, how would I know it’s a bad film anyway until I find out for myself? I can still go and watch Veere Di Wedding, but the mental block has cemented itself and several other films have taken over my list. So, it’s better to refrain from watching trailers, reading about these movies anywhere, or perusing a single review before hitting ‘Book’ or pressing ‘Play’. I have tried this approach for a few flicks, and trust me, the exhilaration at being blank in the beginning and gradually uncovering the plot as you go along is one of the best feelings on Earth. You may like or hate the movie, but you would have learned something from it. So what am I going to blog about now? Well, travel joys aren’t stunted by prior research or bucket lists, so that’s what I’ll be covering here. Plus, you’ll see columns on my upcoming novel, personal opinions, and life lessons. I will continue writing about books and films, but focusing on scripts and techniques than reviews. Film and book preferences are subjective, painted by our own biases and life experiences, thus this is the only way to be as objective as possible. Besides, I don’t want to kill your thirst for listening to stories and finding out what makes a good one. Grandma would agree.

It’s advisable to take this Ranbir Kapoor-starrer with a pinch of salt and treat it like a mass entertainer–nothing more. Rajkumar Hirani’s films are like amusement parks. Think emotional roller coasters, nail-biting adventure, gorgeous locations, and plenty of eye-catching colour. They’re candylands that will leave you beaming as you exit the park theatre. But is this approach apt for a dark dramedy as Sanju? If Hirani is the maverick he is, he and his team must have seamlessly blended the greys and blacks into his trademark poptastic palette, which is quite evident from the trailer. Despite his expertise at pulling off dramatic tonal shifts in a matter of scenes, I’m worried. No, there’s no questioning his visual and directorial mastery–the three-minute clip is a feast for the eyes. Special mention for the casting, most of which is so on point (I’m especially looking forward to seeing Vicky Kaushal, Jim Sarbh, and Sanjay Dutt’s contemporaries such as Mahesh Manjrekar and Sayaji Shinde in whatever roles they’re essaying). It’s the basic nuts and bolts of the screenplay and storytelling that has me bothered this time. Sanju (Ranbir Kapoor) says he did drugs the first time because he was angry at his father. The second round was because of his mother’s illness. By the third time, he had become an addict. Notice the use of the word ‘because’ in the first two sentences of this paragraph. You know what it sounds like? Playing the victim card. Blaming circumstances instead of manning up and owning responsibility. No, he doesn’t admit that he messed up. Even his confession of having had “308 girlfriends” comes more from a place of “boys will be boys” than “please don’t end up like me”. The prison sequences only contribute to Baba’s bechara image. I don’t think you can call Sanju a biopic. In fact, at the beginning of the trailer itself, the man announces that it’s his “autobiography”. It means the movie is a first-person account of Sanjay Dutt and his “variety” wala life. Everything is from his perspective alone. So, I wouldn’t recommend walking into the cinema hall and expecting objectivity, thorough research, and an exploration of the subject matter from multiple angles, all of which are the cornerstones of a biography. The reason I liked Meghna Gulzar’s Talvar was the Rashomon-style treatment of the story, giving us different viewpoints on one murder case. She leaves it to us, the audience, to decide which version to believe. Perhaps, Hirani could have adopted a similar technique, or something better. Compressing 40 years of an individual’s life into a three-hour flick is no mean task, but candyland approaches are certainly not the way to go. Still, I hope to leave the theatre not just smiling but also satisfied. And enlightened. Watch the trailer for Sanju here: