Movie date with the gals
Looks like I’ve discovered the best way to beat Monday morning blues. An 11 AM movie and that too a comedy. What can be more uplifting than to watch a movie with some 45 girlfriends looking drop-dead gorgeous? And that too so early in the day and week. Few other things would win my vote on Monday. That’s how Ritu Singh celebrated her birthday with us at a swish cinema theatre watching the movie Crew, pampered and indulged with a myriad of movie snacks served through out. Crew is a hilarious film about a heist by three stunning and talented actresses — Tabu, Kareena and Kriti — and their chemistry is tangible. I felt like I was on a rambunctious plane ride with this crew. I’m going to find it a tad difficult to be objective about the movie this time because the experience was so enchanting with friends, cakes, popcorn, sandwiches, and samosas pouring in that I was disappointed when this ‘journey’ ended and I had to return to Monday and the work that followed.
Empowering farmers
Something that can be even more magical than all this is working with underprivileged folk and giving back to society. The sense of gratification is tangible. When I rushed the very next day to an exciting trip to Bhubaneswar to do social work with the NGO Harsha Trust where I volunteer, it was even more exhilarating. Harsha Trust has as its members mentally stimulating and incisive minds working to improve the lives of tribals in the Rayagada, Koraput, Balangir, and Kalahandi districts of Odisha and parts of MP. At Harsha, we work at upgrading the skill sets of the adivasis and also to educate and equip farmers with modern technology and equipment to improve their quality of life. Founded in 2002, we have since then made a concerted effort to promote technology-led and market-driven interventions primarily through community-based organizations.
Tiding through challenges
Once back I landed splat bang into my roller coaster life, into the thick of Mumbai’s Nawaz Modi Singhania fracas I sat in the eye of the storm to interview the lady in question. For my panel discussion I brought in the legal angle of abusive marriages by inviting on the panel the feisty advocate Abha Singh who can even give pugnacious editors conducting news debates some silent moments.
The name I chose for the chat is ‘Life is in it's Challenges’! Why you might ask? I will share the reason, if somewhat nebulously. I have had a razors edge challenge ridden life where I’ve tight rope walked many a baffling, mystifying situation. I find we grow through the intractable moments. Joie de vivre and fun seldom brings out the life in our existence. And so I coined this title.
Seeing what Nawaz is allegedly dealing with I felt i would set up a panel to discuss some pointers to create a successful marriage and also the legal ramifications of abusive relationships. I want to inspire all those women in challenging marriages to work at making things more conducive or then seek professional or legal help . And for that matter work at getting a life.
And boy! Did Nawaz reveal her challenges through a married life as it disintegrated before her eyes. Kudos to the way she dealt with my hard hitting queries about her being called a gold digger. She spoke about the family she married into being bankrupt when she married Gautam Singhania and how she came from a well settled family of lawyers. Her father was a senior counsel and is still very respected in the legal arena and Parsi community. Nawaz also spoke of some abuse that has broken her spine. Enough to have had a surgery on her back.
One thing I do know, is that life is full of twists and surprises. Some unpleasant ones that spring at you when least expected. We just have to be stoic, get up and move on. I have always believed “look your best when you feel your worst” and it is what was part of the reason the press gave me the label of ‘Page Three Girl’ when I was going through somewhat of a morass in the ups and downs of life!
(Write to Nisha at nishjamwal@gmail.com)
