The barber,A murder mystery तमाशा and Subhash Ghai's छठी औलाद!

As usual, I have been contemplating about getting back to blogging. As usual, there were again the umpteen number of ideas, topics, issues on which I felt I should express my views. As usual, I could not structure my thoughts and translate them into words.

Unusually, I thought of penning all of them together in a single post.

First thought: The barber : Maybe an important service marketing lesson

I went to the barber shop today and I had a thoroughly enjoyable time while I was there. I had the usual hair cut and a good hair massage. Hardly interesting, one would say! Well, the reason I had a great time was because while the services were being rendered, there were old Mohamed Rafi songs playing in the background. Just listening to those songs made me nostalgic. During my childhood, my dad used to take me for the usual hair cut (or the usual hair massage) and in those barber shops of Naraina Vihar, Somajiguda or Secunderabad Club, there used to be the old Rafi songs (in my mind, playing out over an old music system). I never appreciated them, for, for me, they were songs for the old. Well, today when I heard them again, I could actually reflect on the subtlety and the relaxing nature of the songs. It made one relax. Don't ask me the reason or the logic behind it, but it just made me relax, and in a way let go.

A possible lesson which I had harped upon in the title was that maybe while rendering a service, we could use tools such as music or the surrounding environment to make one remember the old, or as many say, the golden days of their youth, or even times gone by, the past. Maybe, the customer would relax in such a "familiar" environment. And maybe, this could make him not only a repeat customer, but also a well spending one.

Certainly a thought to ponder over!

Second Thought: A murder mystery तमाशा : Ban the inconsiderate channels?

For the last 35 days, news has been dominated by a sordid murder mystery, or as it is called by some the double Noida Murder case. Time and again, news channels have revelled in revealing the "breaking news", or like today, being the first channel to make a "खुलासा". There has been a trial by media, and every household today, or at least the ones who watch this news day in and day out, talk about the aggrieved family or the victims in the most perverse ways. Every family imagines, discusses what might have happened, and who may have been responsible. And all this is fuelled by the so called आवाज़ of the जनता, the news channels. Some have framed such exquisite stories that it has become difficult for many to separate the truth from the lies.

I have only one thing to say. Bring the matter to a swift conclusion, and let the family grieve or be crucified for the crime committed. At the same time, let there be some civility. The media can not and should not conduct a public trial. News should be reported, not sensationalised or like many do not made into " breaking news" (Maybe watching " Good Night & Good Luck" should be made mandatory for everyone to understand what I mean here!).

The thought to ponder over here is: Can we as viewers, and hence as consumers of these channels, do something to enforce some sense of civility?

Third Thought: The Happening: What happened?

A much hyped up movie called "The Happening" released a few days back. With a superb concept of nature hitting back at the humans, the movie could have been a great one. It could have maybe made us aware of what we may be doing to the nature all around us. Having an Indian production house, maybe it could have made a deeper impact upon our own society. But it never did.

Why?

Because the movie never " happened".

The only possible interest left for many, like my brother , by half time, was how Subhash Ghai's छठी औलाद , the director of the movie, Mr. Shyamalan, would make his entry.

Alas, we were all disappointed once more. He too, never, "Happened".

The thought to ponder: Why was the movie made? What " Happened" Mr. Shyamalan?

I just dump these three random thoughts here. Not that many will read it, but at least I made the effort to pen down my thoughts. Who knows, there may be some pattern in my viewpoints? For the reader, do tell me if you detect the pattern!