MAGGI - The Magic Wanes

Seldom has any instant food captured the imagination and taste buds of a country as did Maggi noodles when it first arrived in the subcontinent in the early eighties. For a country thriving on fresh food and wholesome eating with prime emphasis on cereals and grains, the advent of Maggi noodles with its 'two minutes' tagline opened new frontiers of instant fancy cooking. International cuisines were out of bounds for ordinary citizens. Although Chinese cuisine was getting increasingly popular amongst the generation X, one didn't attempt to replicate the intricate haute cuisine at home. In this scenario, Nestle's foray in introducing the maggi noodles into Indian market was an instant success. 

Television had just gathered momentum after the 1982 Asian games held at New Delhi. India was well poised for its experimentation with world films and food. Our drawing rooms were suddenly full of good-looking people telling us what to wear, what to eat, what to see, who to admire and how to step out of our closet. Tempting days lay ahead. The globalization of India had begun and the world far away was no longer a mystic dream.

Maggi ads targeted the young spirit craving for yummy, out-of-the-box recipes rather than the staple pakodas, samosas, cutlets, parathas etc which our mothers specialised in treating us to. A cup of hot water, a packet of noodles with its little pouch of masala...two minutes cooking time and VOILA...! You got a slurpy, delicious bowl of noodles ....any day, any time. The ease with which one could jiffy up a mouth-watering snack made even our mothers warm upto this outsider rather than banishing it. As times went by, the elders too embraced the maggi noodles whole heartedly. At colleges and hostels it became a mandatory item along with a packet of chips or biscuits. You knew you could never go hungry with a Maggi noodles packet by your side. Summoning up a cup of boiling water to ready the whole thing was never going to be that difficult a task. Maggi noodles was everybody's comfort food in no time. Not surprisingly it continued its dominance for over 3 decades. Product innovations and smart packaging kept luring the youth into the magical world of Maggi despite several sporadic warnings about it being unhealthy. 

The recent laboratory tests which found lead in excess of the permissible limit and MSG in packets of Maggi has brought out the unsavoury aspects of an otherwise star-stellar eatable. As a concerned mother of growing kids, I'm facing an uphill task deterring my offsprings to lay off their favourite food for the time being. 

Arguments floating around that no food item is 100% safe is tantamount to criminals arguing that no human is angel ! I must say it stands on very flimsy grounds. Nestle ought to come up with convincing arguments in defence of its star product. After all it isn't just any other food item but one that had become a reliable friend of millions of Indians over the years. Brand Maggi has taken a severe beating. Parents and advocates of healthy eating feel vindicated. "I told you it's not healthy", they may smirk but what's at stake isn't just the lab findings but the breach of trust we feel at the lack of quality control over branded food products. Topping it all is the guilt of having fed our kids kilos of toxicity , eyes wide open, all these years ! 

As of now Maggi Mania Express has come to a grinding halt. Whether it gets further derailed or recoups to come back on the right track is going to be an interesting watch. The wait is definitely going to be more than 2 minutes. 

Am I going to start reading labels and researching funny sounding ingredients in an item before consuming ? You bet I am !

PIKU- a study of the selfish gene

We all loved Piku- a wholesome, winsome, funny and endearing tale of a modern woman and her tumultuous relationship with her cranky, hypochondriac, septuagenarian father.The fact that the fabulous Mr.Amitabh Bachchan portrayed Piku's father made us love the old man so much more. His continued obsession with his belly motions had us in splits. The wit and the banter between the two and the various other characters in the movie seemed so real and quite in tandem with our middle class sensibilities. Like the protoganist Piku, today's generation is torn between love and duty for aging parents and pursuance of personal goals and ambitions. Who wins in the tussle is anybody's guess? A lot of folks are fine tuning themselves according to their kids' wishes and lifestyle but a few like Bhaskar Bannerjee, Piku's father, have subjugated their logical reasoning at the altar of the selfish gene working overtime in their frail bodies. Yes, it sounds blasphemous but an undeniable and uncomfortable fact screaming at us is that Parents can be selfish too !  At times their self obsession and an overpowering need to be cared for by their offsprings blinds them to their children's aspirations and the practical aspects of life. They don't hesitate in imposing  their will upon their kids and often resort to the 'brahmastra' of emotional blackmail to win their case. No arguing, no debating, they are the judge and jury. Next only to the almighty! 

When we see Piku's father, we see a class act by Amitabh Bachchan and get mesmerised by his brilliance as an artist. We fail to get put off by his excessive dependence on his grownup, harried and multi-tasking daughter trying her level best to build her life around her whimsical father's numerous eccentricities. His reluctance to allow her to marry anyone, his weirdly embarrassing comments (she's not a virgin, he says to a first time acquaintance), his obstinate ways aiming at deliberately making life difficult for her don't scandalise us because we know it's just Amitabh enacting one of his characters par excellence. On analysing the character dispassionately, it becomes clear there is a scared old mind set on high self-preservation mode behind the agglutinant father who wants to hold onto his daughter as a lifeline. He is unapologetically clinging and demanding. It's obviously amusing for the audience but clearly enormously exasperating for the girl at the receiving end of the drama; the loving, dutiful daughter at the end of her tether. 

"You can't judge parents", Piku says defensively about her father after his death. Here is an intelligent, no-nonsense girl who tolerated a lot of shit from her father. This one line summarises the beauty of a parent-child relationship. It doesn't adhere to ordinary standards of behaviour. You don't always need to critically analyse each other. You know each other's weak points ,you learn to accept them and still love one another limitlessly, timelessly - Selfishness be damned. Genes win. Always. 

Bombay Velvet - serenading the city of dreams

A stylised, detailed and perfected, velvety walk into the retro gallery of gangsters and glamour dolls, of passion and retribution. Love and life become nightmarish in the budding city of dreams, an impeccably re-created Bombay of 1960s. Ranbir (restless soul with a crazed look in eyes aiming to die like a 'big shot') and Anushka ( jazz singer with exaggerated, gothic inspired makeup and elaborate costumes and pouts) shine through, while Karan Johar is more comical than sinister. A sore, jarring factor is the constant smoking by every character in the movie ! Did nothing to add to the cool quotient of the movie but made me seriously worry if I'll start coughing by the end of the movie ! Now, if only the audiences get lured into watching a 'hatke' movie and cough up enough moolah to make such ambitious and self-indulgent ventures financially viable projects in future. Wait n watch. 

EK THA BHAI

Verdict ki jai ho...!!

It has made the country and its aam-admi and khas bhadralog lock their horns debating upon the merits vs demerits of a phenomenon called Salman Khan.....From emotional outbursts and initial downpouring of sympathy to vociferous drawing room discussions, belligerent Twitterati and hyperventilating journos, all are going full throttle at dismantling the invincibility of superstardom. Truly commendable, if only the media stops being blinded by the charisma of the man under their scanner. He is being human. You stop being the judge. He is not 'above' the law. You don't hit 'below' the belt. 

The verdict is out but people are still fighting his case ! Moronic friends making appalling efforts to win 'Bhai's' favours get their two minutes of fame while the hound-hunting media which loves to hate the poster loverboy garners unprecedented TRP's. Adoring fans lap up the visuals and news all gooey eyed. A blockbuster real life flick has been released. Now whether we commiserate or condemn the man, the Salman saga will continue till we keep getting 'kicks' out of it.

GOLGAPPAS- -The Crown Jewel of Indian Street Food

Golgappa, Puchka, Panipuri, Batasha. Varied names in varied regions, but all conjuring up a similar image...a small, round, puffed, crispy fried puri punctured at the top, filled with mashed potato or chickpeas, brimming with spicy and tangy water. This taste wonder is meant to be eaten in one mouthful to relish the different competing elements that fuse brilliantly to bring alive your senses. It has the pride of place amongst all street foods in India. Its supremacy is arguably challenged only by the Samosa which is equally tasty but is considerably less messy to eat.  

It is definitely not haute cuisine in presentation but who cares? It is MOUTHWATERING, quite literally! The Golgappas require a certain degree of skill to be able to eat it comfortably without making a spectacle of yourself. But, what it lacks in finesse and presentation, is compensated for by the flavour which arguably is the pinnacle in gastronomical delight! Golgappas are not for the faint-hearted; its spicy, sweet and sour water can cause your eyes to water and lungs to choke if eaten rapidly. They should ideally come with a warning - proceed with caution !

Every city in India has its own landmark 'chaat' speciality shop where you take your guests with a sense of pride! U.P. is the front runner in Golgappa shops. Delhites and Mumbaiwalas can boast of the best shopping malls and city landscapes but can't match the humble 'chaatwalas' of U.P. in taste and zing. 

At the same time, you need to be a regular 'chaat' eater to be able to discern the best Golgappas from the many copycat versions mushrooming at every nook and corner in North India. Hygiene also plays a major role in the battle of the Golgappas. No wonder the best 'chaat' shops have upped the ante and items like distilled water, glass covering (to keep flies at bay) and disposable gloves for the servers have become mandatory. 

Traditionally, women have been widely believed to be the great Golgappa lovers but men crave this divine wonder just as much, if not more. Historically, women remained vegetarians as eating meat was not considered 'virtuous' and thus were limited to vegetarian delights whereas men had a more varied palate. In the same vein, eating meat was considered 'manly' and showing appreciation for vegetarian food esp 'chaat' was considered showing effeminate tendencies!

The Generation Y is abandoning indigenous golgappas in favour of 'imported' burgers and pizzas. I suppose it isn't cool anymore to express any fondness for your native language or food. Or maybe, it's just that their taste buds and palate have altered like their other lifestyle choices. 

Regardless, the modestly priced and easily available Golgappa remains the favourite of millions due to its unique flavour and tingling taste. The good old Golgappa is a great friend when you are broke or feeling low or both. It is highly addictive - you just can't stop even when your tummy says you are done and the tingling burn in your throat says 'ENOUGH!' You listen to your heart which says: Go on, Go on ....gol..gol..golgappas...:-D

                        KUCH CHATPATA HO JAYE ! 

FAKE FEMINISM

At times you embark upon an issue with noble intent but along the way you lose the plot and crossover to the bizarre and ridiculous. The new age brigade of successful and self professed 'women of substance' are such species who are inadvertently, trivializing the issue of women empowerment by advocating a convoluted thought process and a debauched lifestyle.

An average indian woman is trapped in the moribund shackles of traditions and gets little leverage to break out of it. They are the ones who need to live their life their way which is the way of courage and compassion. They are in need of CHOICES...decent and intelligent ones enabling them to live their life with dignity and empowering them to resist undue domination and suppression by society (male n female included). The freedom they aspire for is freedom to pursue their education and career, freedom to realise their true potential, freedom to make sensible choices for themselves in personal and family matters, freedom to have their say and being heard without being ridiculed. This is what they require and not the choice of being gay or adulterer or whatever. 

The likes of bollywood celebrities and pseudo journalists with their brand of aggressive and over the top notion of women power, sit in their ivory towers and seek to hog the limelight by riding on the women's lib bandwagon. Nothing could be more regressive than pitching yourself as a woman who fast tracks on the road to success, piggybacking not on genuine talent and hardwork but cheap titillation.. Pathetic effort Deepika, especially after that honest take on a taboo topic like depression.. You are defeating the very cause u are trying to champion..! Breaking some taboos make for convincing tableaux while breaking others only help in hard selling the tabloids. Your life, your choice...! To toast it or 'roast' it  ...

We Are Just Like That

Hum to bhaiyya aise hee hain !

From putting someone on a pedestal one day, to pulling the carpet from under his feet the very next day, we are a nation of billion hyperactive & hyperbolic souls. Passionate and provocative we give vent to our emotions in high decibels. It has a purgative effect on us. We celebrate,we bemoan, we mourn everything --together. Nothing in private or isolation. Indians are by nature vocal and expressive. Not the stiff upper lip for us. Cricket and bollywood are sacred to us and we go ballistic at the highs and lows concerning these two. India's loss in world cup semi final can not be expected to be digested coolly n sophisticatedly. While blaming extraneous diversions for a top batsman's dismal performance is crude and unfair but then gossip was never meant to be refined. With angry birds and crows dissecting ad nauseum the merit and otherwise of AIB roast, BBC  documentary or trolls on Anushka Sharma, things are getting uptight. The conservatives are heating up the tirade against the 'bindaas junta' hellbent upon stirring a hornet's nest by its shenanigans. Puritans take a chill pill..! ITS all baseless and harmless... A few days and all will be forgotten. Wiped away from the fickle public memory. Better stuff awaits your precious time and attention. Give it there! 

Written by a bemused spectator.