Author: Vidushi Lal

why friendships are precious?

Friendship is the treasure trove of connections on love and acceptance. It’s a bond between two people who feel like home. The friendship bond one develops can last for a day, a month or even years. I’m sure that all of us here have a set of friends for whom yo will be willing to do anything. I mean I know I do. Like for example even if I plan on going to hell, they all will tag along with me. Its really hard to find friends who you would get along with- and im not the best at making friends either- but I do feel its very important to make friends wherever you go- and some of those friendships turn out to be the best ones you’ve had. Like for example- last year when isc started- all my friends moved on to joining junior colleges and I was the only one in my friend group who got into isc-the first few months it was very hard for me to make friends- but after a while I did and they turned out to be one of the best ones ive had- and slowly I became friends with a lot of people in class too which im really glad about.

As a person grows up, they come across different types of friends. Who only want to be friends just because of your status, some who act nice in front of you but talk mean things about you behind your back, some who you are only friends with because they are in your class and you don’t want to be lonely which makes sense- these are all examples of unhealthy friendships. Even if you cant figure out if your friendship with someone is genuine or not, my personal take on this is make them meet your mom. Every friendship of mine that my mom didn’t approve of turned out to be really unhealthy for me – obviously at the time I denied it but now when I think of it, well she was right

 But in the end- you will always find friends who will always have your back no matter what, with who you will have a number of inside jokes, with who you can laugh so hard that your stomach starts to ache and also help you out and listen to you when you need them. But most importantly, they don’t judge you for anything you do- even if it’s the weirdest dorkiest, nicest or the worst thing you do and who NEVER bring you down no matter what.

Ive done a LOT of things that im not really proud of doing and yet my friends haven’t judged me for it even for a split second.

For me, the definition of friends is that they are those people who are as important to me as my family.

Idea of an ideal life

 I was thinking about the idea of an ideal life but couldn’t come to a point. So, I went on asking my family and friends on what their idea of an ideal life is and I got all sorts of answers- from buying an ice cream shop to eat as much ice-cream you want to buying a jet so that they could travel the world. But after listening to all of them, I came to a conclusion that-

“The Idea of an Ideal Life Is Not An Ideal Idea”

In fact the definition of “ideal” is something “desirable or perfect but not likely to become a reality”.. The whole idea of having an ideal life is that it makes us HAPPY. But We humans have unlimited wants so even if we get something that we terribly desire to have- we still remain unsatisfied-we desire something more, beyond what we get. Thus, an idea of an ideal life is a fallacy, according to me it does not exist. There is nothing ideal about life as there are a lot of ups and downs and a huge amount of unpredictability lies around us. For example- eight months ago, I was thinking about my 12th grade school trip and how much fun I would have with all my friends, but then who could have thought that a pandemic would break out that would not only result in the school trip getting cancelled but also us switching to online schooling.

So it is very important to live in the present and enjoy every moment and put in 100% to no matter what you do as- seizing the opportunity is to live and laugh. And all around us, nothing is ideal-nothing is perfect. Be it our parents, our friends and at some point even our own selves. Then how can we expect to live an ideal life? In imperfection lies the perfection and life is beautiful with all its imperfections. But we can live a happy life and be happy with what we have and value it.  Happy life can only be lived if we embrace anything and everything gracefully with a lot of pragmatism and in a positive way.

Different shades of character

When I think of the word character, the line “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character” by martin Luther king comes to my mind. As a person grows older, the outward appearances of a person start to fade with time but the character of a person still stays evergreen. Even when we talk to a person once, we might not remember the name of the person but we will always remember the character of the person and how they treated us. It is very important to have a good character so that one can have a fruitful, happy and positive life and also treat everyone in a kind and gentle manner no matter who they are.

Some people always have a good character from the start- but others start to have one when they are put into situations that push them to undergo character development. But at first, what is character development? In fiction writing, character development is the process of building a unique, three-dimensional character with depth, personality,and clear motivations. Character development can also refer to the changes a character undergoes over the course of a story as a result of their actions and experiences. But character developments take place in reality as well. For example – Akhilesh Paul, a criminal who started playing the game of football and became addicted to it and later ended up becoming the captain of the Indian football team and led the team into world cup in 2010. The whole process from being a criminal to transforming into the captain of the team and representing India is a strong example of character development.

When we read books, we always have a character that we like the best- it is because that we as individuals relate to the character and grow fond of it. The reason we grow fond of it can be due to many different reasons- sometimes its because they are something we aspire to be or sometimes because we feel that we see ourselves in them or it’s the circumstances they are in that we relate to.

In reality we too are the main characters of our own lives. “you are the main character of your own life, the architect of your own happiness”.  Every move that we make on daily basis builds up for the circumstances that we are a part of. Everyone that Is a part of our life only help us to become a better version of our own selves and grow into becoming wonderful people. One can become the main character of their life by looking at your goals and take the necessary action to get to the level you want to be in. Taking action also means, going through every possible idea to potentially get the results you want.

TOXIC BODY POSITIVITY


What is body positivity?
Body positivity refers to the assertion that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size and appearance.
Some of the goals of body positivity include:

  • challenging how society views the body
  • Promoting the acceptance of all bodies
  • Helping people build confidence and acceptance of their bodies
  • Addressing unrealistic body standards
    In today’s day and time, people promote body positivity all over social media.
    But, the only chess or positivity in social media is known as “toxic positivity”.
    What is toxic positivity?
    Toxic positivity refers to the idea of focusing only on the positive aspects of life while rejecting or dismissing negative emotions, which are a part of our human nature.
    Social media and the body positivity Movement can put some pressure on people by telling them that we should feel good about their bodies all the time regardless of their state of health. We should learn to love ourselves at our own pace, and not be empowered by something we see on social media. It is valid to not feel great about ourselves and be uncomfortable or unsatisfied. Even though a person has a lot of confidence and high self-esteem, it’s completely okay for them to go back as a whole.
    Going back to the term “body positivity” this movement is based on the fact that all bodies are beautiful. But, If a body is obese or svelte- it has a direct relation to the lifestyle that person leads. Those who support this movement say that a body must be accepted regardless of its condition. Something such as race and height of a person cannot be changed, so in that terms, we must love and accept who we are. But, why should we accept q body type that may not be healthy? Why not change something that can be changed?
    Being obese or losing weight recklessly is not right nor healthy, or think that just because you are slim you are automatically healthy. Because of social pressure, men and women suffer from body distortion. While women suffer from anorexia, men suffer from bigorexia (it makes the person look weak, while they aspire to have a perfect, strong and muscular physique) body positivity must have worked wonders for some men and women, but it isn’t for everyone. When obesity coexists, it’s not as simple as “learning to embrace your body” but it is rather learning to love the process. You can learn to love yourself while seeking some change for the sake of your health.
    Because of the social pressure and the unrealistic standards of a body, many people feel discontent about their selves with directly affects a person’s mental health and physical health.
    Diseases such as anorexia, bulimia, morbid obesity, anxiety among others are clear example. Thus, strong messages and movements are overall positive for a collective purpose, but it is important to create awareness about how it is important to seek professional help for a particular case. Every person has a different story and different struggles to overcome.

THE BEAUTY OF MOVIE POSTERS

When I was in primary school, I would always look outside my school bus through the window to look up at the billboards that had the movie posters. And I was so captivated by it that I started to read and study different kinds of posters.

Movie posters is something that most of us don’t pay much attention to, but it is far more important than just a piece of design or art. Movie posters fall somewhere between the realm of design and art. To make the poster feel cinematic, it requires a certain kind of aesthetic, sensibility and should also share a glimpse of the story. A movie poster can work wonders for the film, it can make it or break it. That’s why there are multiple poster designing agencies that only work in making the poster for the film.

In Hollywood, there are awards for remarkable poster art. The bar for posters is much lower in our country (mainly Bollywood). Before the trailer or the teaser of the film, the first thing that the audience sees is the poster. Without a poster, we are solely relying on words which can get dull very quickly.

As people who are not into filmmaking, we do not break down these posters and find the true meaning, so I will be breaking down 3 movie posters and show how I analyse a poster and discover the beauty that it holds.

Poster : PSYCHO (1960) By Alfred Hitchcock

Psycho is a 1960 psychological thriller-horror movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The poster was designed by legendary graphic designer, & academy award winning film maker Saul bass. The poster contains 3 major things- the lead character of the movie, the title and the names of the cast, director, producer etc. the colours that are mainly used here are yellow, blue, red, white and black.

In the poster, the girl is looking away from the man in the back on the left side of the poster. She is also in her undergarments which indicates that she’s either a model or she is a victim to an assault. The picture of this character and the title are both in yellow, which indicates that there might be a connection between the two. The two men in red are smaller compared to the women in yellow, which indicates that their role is smaller compared to that of the woman’s. The fact that they are in red might symbolise that one could either be the love interest or a murderer. It also highlights the genre of the movie- which is thriller- horror. The colour black in the background sets the mysterious tone of the film.

So, what message does this poster send? The artist is trying to send the genre across to the viewers as the message. The genre is psychological thriller-horror. (Although it would have been easier had there been a weapon to give more clarity to the viewers)

Poster : JAWS (1975) by Steven Spielberg

Jaws is a 1975 horror-adventure film whose poster was designed by Roger Kastel.  This is a well know and an iconic film. It is still well known throughout the different age generations.

When we first look at the poster two things capture our attention. The first thing is the title “jaws” which is written in red bold letters. The red colour could be seen as representing blood and violence which is a hint to the films content. This allows the audience to know what they are getting into and what they can expect out of this film. The second thing that captures our attention is the shark attack and the victim who is unaware of her fate. The teeth of the shark are also visible which suggests that what was about to happen to the woman. The colour of the shark and the colour of the water are pretty similar, which tells us that the shark is camouflaged in water and also gives the element of surprise which makes it eviller. All these elements make the audience want to buy a ticket to the film and find out what happens next. 

Poster : LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006) by Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton

Little Miss Sunshine is a comedy-drama film and its poster was designed by BLT Communications.

The first few things that we notice about this poster is the bright yellow colour, the Volkswagen van, and the characters running towards it. The image used on the poster is a still from the film. The yellow van signifies freedom and the word Volkswagen means ‘people’s car’ in German. These vans are notorious for breaking down and the films has used this to comic effect in their poster portraying a family running to keep up with a vehicle which has trouble breaking. The image of the car denotes travel which also has connotations of adventure and freedom, all key themes in the film. The image gives a clear visual representation of the plot and reflects the light-hearted tone of the film. The colour yellow ties in with the name of the film. This poster gives a clear visual representation of the story, cast, crew and genre. Together the image, colours and tag-lines create a representation of the film’s genre. From the poster, it is clear that audiences can expect a comedy, adventure drama.

Hence, posters are more important than you think. The saying “a picture is worth 1000 words” is true. One picture can tell a story in more detail than 1000 words ever could.

ARE OTT PLATFORMS OVERTAKING MOVIE THEATRES?


“The cinema has no boundary; it is a ribbon of dream.” – Orson Welles
Movies are one of the biggest parts of a person’s life, at least it is in mine. Despite of having school the next day or not, my parents always took me to the theatres for a late night show ever since I was 3. Just like me, many people have amazing memories connected to movie theatres. Other than emotional value, it also holds a large amount of economical value. In 2019 alone, global box office revenues hit an all-time high, totalling to $42 billion. On top of that, the consumption of movies is facing a constant rise in India. People have enough passion and love for films (like myself) and more than enough content to watch. Movie theatres have been a great source of income for a long time.
But, ever since the global coronavirus pandemic started, the film industry was one of the hardest hit. In India, nearly 10,000 cinema halls closed in March of 2020. The covid-19 crisis disrupted the entire chain, from production and distribution to consumption of content as the consumer’s confidence in physical ventures dwindled. But, while all this was happening, players in the over-the-top (OTT) space took to releasing new content on their platforms to increase the stickiness of their consumers.


What are OTT platforms and streaming apps?
Over the top platforms and streaming Apps is a streaming media service that provides users with a wide variety of multi-media creation. It offers content through broadcast, internet cable and satellite television platforms. With people’s changing lifestyles and increase use of smartphones with affordable internet services, OTT platforms are getting more popular.
Due to the pandemic and the closing down of cinema theatres due to the covid restrictions, OTT platforms and streaming apps have taken many steps to gain popularity and widen their base in India. Over the past year many streaming apps have launched and they have created content of varies genres. Many streaming apps offer shows and movies on local languages. They team up with local production companies and as a result, make their movies and web series.

But, are OTT platforms overtaking movie theatres?
To begin with, let us compare the two. Earlier people used to be eager to watch new movies on the big screen. They still are, but now, they are willing to wait until they are released on or purchased by the OTT platform. Many of the popular streaming apps such as Netflix and Amazon prime are now buying digital rights to the highest earning since more than ever.
Many of the producers choose to release their small budget films directly on OTT platforms releasing films with a low-budget and less familiar names on a big screen is difficult. Also, at times it gets hard to find a good release date for a film due to limited cinema screens in India. Thus, to cut the costs of printing and advertising, and avoiding the struggle of release dates, releasing them on streaming Apps seems better. Revenues from the theatre release of the film still form a large part of its earnings. But, now with films releasing on OTT platforms after their theatre release, it benefits them both. Producers can earn more revenue, and OTT platforms get more subscribers.
Now, due to the war between OTT platforms versus movie theatres there are a lot of challenges for movie theatres. To stay in the competition and fight against the OTT platforms, movie theatres need to keep offering some new elements to the viewers. Movie theatres need to focus on providing special effects content to the viewers such as IMAX, 4DX etc to attract the audience. They should also cut the prices of the food that is provided at these theatres (a person who can buy one medium bucket of cheese popcorn can also buy one month of Netflix subscription with the SAME AMOUNT) as viewers are getting more content on lower prices on OTT platforms.
Even though OTT platforms challenge movie theatres, it can never erase them from Indian entertainment industry. Movie theatres have been facing competition for a long time now in the past that all competitors have been the television, the VCR and also DVDs (CDs)- yet they still remain tall and strong and hold their position in the audience’s heart. Even though OTT platforms provide a lot of options and benefits, it is hard for them to take movie theatres place in India. Therefore as far as the future is concerned for movies and entertainment in India, it looks like OTT platforms and movie theatres can exist together.

THE EVOLUTION OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK


“Alternative” refers to the genre’s distinction from mainstream or commercial rock or pop music. The term’s original meaning was referring to A generation of musicians unified by their collective debt to the music style.
Alternative rock, pop music style dominated and changed rock between 1991 and 1996. It made it into the mainstream when “smells like teen spirit”- the first major label single from Nirvana, which was based in Seattle, Washington became a national hit. Their album nevermind was swelling 400,000 copies a week by Christmas in 1991. Other than nirvana, the music was enticed by alternative rock’s commercial possibilities and major labels had already signed Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Jane’s addiction and Dinosaur Jr.
in early 1991, R.E.M went mainstream worldwide with “out of time” while becoming a blueprint for many alternative bands. But before it all went mainstream, alternative rock 1st made its mark when the Dead kennedys formed the “independent record label alternative tentacles” in 1979. By 1984, several other bands had done the same and had mined into a variety of rock. Between the time period from the 1980s to the 1990s, various bands such as My bloody Valentine, slow dive, happy mondays and acid house made their respective marks in the world of alternative rock.
But, after the breakthrough success of Nirvana which led to the popularisation of alternative rock in the 1990s, there was a “new openness to alternative rock”. All the record labels, who were confused by this genres success, scrambled to sign bands and were eager to capitalise it. The New York Times in 1993 stated that “ alternative rock does not seem so alternative anymore. Every major label has a handful of guitar-driven bands on shapeless shirts and threadbare jeans, who conceal catchy tunes with noise”

The band – Nirvana

Despite in the change of style, alternative rock still managed to be mainstream.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, several alternative rock bands emerged, including the strokes, Franz Ferdinand and the Rapture. Preceded by the success of bands such as the Strokes and the white stripes earlier in the decade, an influx of new alternative rock bands, including several post punk artists found commercial success in this time. Arctic monkeys Wore a prominent act to owe their initial commercial success to the use of internet social networking, with 2 UK number one singles and whatever people say I am, that’s what I am not (2006) which became the fastest selling debut album in British chart history.
Hence, alternative music has held a place in modern culture and as culture and society evolved, so did this highly influential gamer.
While alternative music has faded into the musical background, it’s importance in the world of entertainment, and the development of western culture, stands the test of time.

why is it hard to say no?


“We need to learn the slow ‘yes’ and the quick ‘no’”, stated Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Another quote by Tony Blair, Former prime minister of the United Kingdom states “The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes” But for many people, it is not easy to say no.but, what makes it so hard to say that monosyllabic word?
Human interactions are quite reliant on reciprocity, which makes us feel that not obliging socially will threaten our bonds with people. Amongst our struggles to fit in with our peers and keep them happy, some worry that saying “no” might make those same peers reflect them. Other than that, the fear of saying no also urges to avoid any conflicts or confrontations or making someone upset or hurt their feelings.
Dara Blaine, a career counsellor in Los Angeles states that “some people are conditioned to think that if they say no, they will not move forward in life, which is absolutely false.” She continued to say that “it’s when people learn to say no that their careers really take off”.
Study also shows that women often find it difficult to say no compared to men, mainly because of the reasons of not wanting to piss them off(mostly men), or wanting to protect the ego of the other person. While not saying ‘no’ when a person really wants to, it may help avoid immediate discomfort of confrontation, but in the long term causes resentment, emotional stress and sometimes even depression.
Why is it important to say NO?
It is important to say no as when you say no, you prioritise your own feelings and needs over others.
Saying no is a sign of respect as saying yes can later cause resentment against a person and can ruin a relationship. So, when you say no, it indicates respect for yourself and for the other person.
Experts encourage people to take control of their own lives and assert boundaries by learning to say no. When a person says no, it really reflects that the person is in the drivers seat of their own life…it gives a sense of empowerment.

the rise of small businesses in india


Beyond the high profile business wars between the retail bigwigs in the country,lies the core of retail-the small business community, which in the last one year has revolved rapidly in terms of operation and technology.
The small business community was among the first and the hardest to be hit by the covid-19 pandemic. Yet in the face of so much adversity, they demonstrated unfathomable resilience. These small business have used digital platforms like Instagram and Facebook to make a new start and grow through this particularly challenging time.
With small businesses forming 30% of the GDP, it is known that their revival will be critical to the economic recovery of India.
Nandan Nilekani, the non-executive chairman and co-founder of Infosys in his interview to fortune India stated that it had been a tough year for small business due to the pandemic. However, these problems notwithstanding, small businesses in India do have a bright future ahead. He continued to say that “I strongly believe that they are the engines of economic growth and job creation, and I believe they will have a very good future”
Hence, the rise of small businesses has just begun in India and it will not just define the country’s recovery from the pandemic but it will also shape the coming decade of entrepreneurship and innovation.

why cancel culture should be cancelled


Cancel culture or call out culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles- where it be online, on social media, or in person.
The notion of cancel culture is a variant on the term call-out culture and constitutes a form of boycotting or shunning involving an individual (often a celebrity) who is deemed to have acted or spoken in a questionable or controversial manner.
J.K Rowling, known as the author of Harry Potter series, was also cancelled after she made a transphobic comment on Twitter. From authors to entertainers or to just common people, online platforms are ruthless when judging ones action and their past.
When children make a mistake, they are taught to correct themselves often in a polite manner and learn something from it and move on, why can’t influencers, authors or even people who make a mistake be treated the same?
The difference is that now there is a worldwide platform for the audience to speak their minds. Through a tweet or an Instagram post, a person can call out a celebrity or a person with more influence and others who agree with them follow. With a tool like social media, where a lot of people follow a herd mentality, it is easier to make a mountain out of a molehill. People are always taught to have their own opinions and stick to what they think, but when their opinion is more on the controversial side or is different from others, others tend to “invalidate” it and shame them for it.
Rowan Atkinson, an actor well known for playing Mr. bean told Radio Times that cancel culture has become a digital mob “roaming the streets looking for someone to burn”. He then continued to say that this culture has made it hard for people to be “exposed to a wide spectrum of opinion” and he was fearful for the future.
Hence, cancel culture is extremely negative and toxic and it can threaten the mental peace and stability of a person who committed a mistake or was ignorant in the past, not giving a chance to the person. The only thing that should be cancelled is the nature of denying forgiveness to those who have wronged.