Taking the lift.

Is it just me or do most of the people feel uncomfortable while they go up and down in a lift?
Many of us spend a few minutes of the day in a lift(or elevator if you should prefer),so do I. Whether it's just a floor or more we prefer taking a lift than dragging our heavy bodies over the stairs.Every time I take this mode I can't help but feel great unease. There I am,totally at the mercy of a metallic box,closed from all sides,moving on a chord,loaded with people twice it's capacity.And it's not just the claustrophobic feeling that makes me uneasy.Another factor is the thought that for a few moments I am living the same life as those with me in the lift.And who knows what sin each one has committed,and whose time has come.So I might have to pay for someone else's indiscretion. What adds to the uncomfort is getting caught when stealing a furtive glance of the only pretty girl in the cabin. Why does it always have to be me who is left red-faced when Adam's every son is doing the same. Moreover, there are those who can't pass a single second without admiring themselves in the mirror or those with "Oh!The lovely locks" of Rapunzel/John Abraham(depending upon the gender).They never fail combing or just carelessly giving a touch to their hair. Some ladies even take the opportunity to add that much (not)needed mascara or gloss their already shining lips. For others, these few minutes present them with the chance to get updated with the happenings of the world. So we have the financially inclined people digging their noses into the Economics Times.These people become aware of the surroundings only when their floor is reached.Others add music to their lives by continuously tapping their feet to those melodious notes from their latest i-Pods.And for the technologically,financially,morally deprived souls like me,the only thing we look forward to is sharing a few moments with a pretty face(outside the lift we can't even dream of coming so close to an angel).And on those days(which is mostly the case)when we don't even have somebody to glance at,we fidget,nervously look around and avoid everyone's gaze.We try to look cool and carefree,but our casual demeanor is given off when we glance at number of each passing floor.In other circumstances we know that 8 will come only after 7,but when in a lift(or elevator if you should prefer)we start counting and adding from 1.
And when we reach our floor,in a hurry to escape,we stumble and push and shove and generally make a bigger fool of ourselves. And you thought taking the lift was easy?

Being Aamir

In a time when Bollywood is flooded with mindless caper,puppy romances,and blatant plagiarism ,there is one actor who has constantly sought to do something different each time he has adorned the movie screen. He goes by the name Aamir Khan. Most of his movies - QSQT,Baazi,Sarfarosh,DCH,Lagaan,and RDB,just to name a few - have been a literal treat to watch.He has constantly evolved as an actor,quite unlike some of the others, who though in their 40s, continue to dance around the trees with actresses half their ages. But it's not Aamir the actor,who this post is about.It is about Aamir the activist.
His a la RDB demonstration in front of the India gate had far reaching ramifications.He has acknowledged that he did not know that this demonstration would have such reactions.His plea for proper rehabilitation for those uprooted from their lands because of the construction of Sarovar dam on Narmada was construed as a war cry against the people of Gujarat. Aamir was the monster out to deprive the Gujaratis off their solution to water shortage . His words were completely mutilated. All he had asked for was proper compensation for those affected by the dam but he was labeled an enemy of the Gujarat state. He was called a non-conformist,a iconoclast,even his motive was questioned because of his religion. Somehow in the twisted minds of our politicians and news channels,Gujarat and Muslims are terminally linked. His latest movie "Fanna" was banned in Gujarat,the saffron party demanded an unconditional apology from him.Thankfully, Aamir stood his ground and did not render the apology. He knew he was against a very powerful adversary,yet he continued to stick to his beliefs.
This was the first instance when someone from the tinsel town had espoused a social cause. Our actors have great following, so much media reach that they can be very effective in making social changes or atleast making the government accountable. But most of them are sadly content with making their meager millions. And it's not just the actors. Unless the influential people become involved,we will continue to languish where we are. There are only two ways as Aamir said in RDB,"Either we try to get into the system and change it from within,or we let things the way they are and stop complaining".