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Book Review: The Bad Boys Of Bokaro Jail

March 27, 2017

You may have read stacks and stacks of novels based inside prisons but, have you ever read a novel about an author’s time inside one? The chances are slim at best. The Bad Boys Of Bokaro Jail is one such story and a riveting one at that. The book is a first person narrative of author Chetan Mahajan’s experiences inside Bokaro jail and most of it was written inside the prison’s four walls... by hand. How he got there and what he was arrested for are both things that are just a Google search away but, don’t do it! In fact, I would suggest you read nothing about Chetan Mahajan, before you start reading this book. If possible, resist the temptation to even read the back cover. Simply open the book and dive in and you will feel like you are prying on someone’s diary – a forbidden act that is tempting to all. Wondering why I would say that? Well, the thing is the charm of reading a book is to plough forward not knowing what happens in the end and if you’re aware of wh

8 Tips For A Happier Relationship

March 24, 2017

You’re on the wrong side of 25, half your friends are married, some are happily single, some are dating and then there are those who are in a serious relationship; like you. I don’t need to tell you that relationships at our age can get fairly tricky. There is a part of you that doesn’t want to abandon the endless possibilities of single-hood; even if those possibilities never become realities. There is of course another part of you and this one’s harder to please because, it wants you to find someone. Not just anyone, but the one you want to be with, maybe even get married to. Forgive me for using the M word; I know a lot of us aren’t ready for it. We’re either not ready financially or we’re just not prepared mentally to take such a big step. It’s all understandable and life keeps getting more and more overwhelming. So, what is it that we can do to make our lives, relationships or attempts to get into relationships less stressful? Here’s my take! 1) Know What You Wan

10 Reasons To Go Watch Trapped

March 21, 2017

I’ve heard polarizing reviews from people about this film and really wanted to put my two cents out there. I’m pressed for time and can’t do an in-depth review. So, here’s a list of reasons that I think make Trapped a film you should go watch and one reason for you not to. 1) IT IS REFRESHING If you’re tired of run of the mill narratives and stories that give you a sense of Déjà Vu, Trapped will stand out. It’s a film about survival; an emotion so universal that you will feel it (unless you resist it). The film is not what a lot of people would expect but an educated audience must readjust expectations and try to accept what the filmmaker wants to serve. 2) IT IS HORRIFYING What you will notice in the cinema hall while watching this film is that people will constantly laugh and giggle. This behaviour is similar to what you witness during horror films. When something begins to feel too real we tend to shut it off by ridiculing it, do yourself a favour

Shit People Ask Writers

March 10, 2017

Updated: 27/07/2019 I’m just 27 years old, but to Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix that’s a lifetime. So, with a lifetime of experience in the realm of writing, I have a fair idea of what it’s really like to be a writer. Unfortunately, that also means that I have a lifetime of experience responding to questions people ask writers. Now, most questions are easy to answer but, some of them really make me wonder how taxing the process of snapping every single bone in the human body can possibly be. Also, how long does it take for someone to die of internal bleeding? Anyway, here’s a shortlist of questions that writers commonly get asked and their answers in reasonable detail. How much money do writers make? Believe it or not, there are tons of specialisations within the realm of writing; you could be a content writer, a poet, a scriptwriter, a copywriter, a journalist, a travel writer etc. The point being the pay scale is rather varied. There are peopl

HOW TO WRITE WELL

July 16, 2016

There’s a Billy Wilder quote that you may already know. He says, Grab 'em by the throat and never let 'em go. An interesting thought. How do you do it though? I can’t say much but , let me tell you what I know. It’s not that hard to absorb, what Big Billy Boy means. That quote is best explained by great opening scenes. Like what a novelist does with his book’s first line. Grabs your attention and then really makes you pine. Do what he did with ‘Some Like It Hot’s’ plot, Or use great dialogues to make a little say a lot. In your first few pages, hit them with all that you’ve got. Basically… Billy says catch their attention from the start, A great opening sets your scene or sequence apart. Your audience is fickle but, don’t mock their intelligence, A film’s opening shows whether you’ve done due diligence. Shock them, scare them, tease them or awe them, However you may do it, you have to draw them. And once you have the

Writing: How To Find Your Voice

September 14, 2015

As a writer, trying to find your own unique voice can be an uphill task. In an effort to please our readers, we often fail to please our own selves and imitate the masters, in vain. I’ve often read pieces I had written and realized that they lacked consistency in terms of tone, lacked conviction and at times simply weren’t cutting it. Often, the same piece has several tones, tenses and moods; this can be frustrating for the reader and can make them feel like the article they are reading is a “little off” to say the least. So how do we as writers, ensure we have our own special and unique voice? Let’s take a dig at it. Before you jump into this story you might want to read: HOW TO START WRITING Write the spoken word Your writing is actually a conversation between you and the reader isn’t it? You’re telling them a story- it could be fiction, it could be an educative piece or it could bloody well be a research paper. You need to talk to them in the language they understa

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