Dil Chahta Hai was India's first mainstream Hindi movie meant for English-speaking and English-aspiring people.
The habitus of the film — unapologetically — consisted entirely of India's elite lifeworlds.
It was an India of five-star resorts, beach volleyball, artistic retreats in the hills, businesses in Australia, Merc convertibles — all lived through a cosmopolitan lens.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music was much more accessible to people who listened mostly to Western rock/pop than the songs of previous Bollywood movies meant for the rich — e.g., the Karan Johar/Aditya Chopra movies.
Dil Chahta Hai was released at a peculiar moment of great optimism for India's professional-managerial middle class. They were earning more, living better lives and, therefore, were getting automatically distanced from the everyday miseries of the remaining 95 per cent of Indians.
I don't think such a movie can be made today, as the middle class goes into decline.
In fact, Zoya Akhtar's attempt to update the spirit of Dil Chahta Hai, with Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara, had a much smaller reach, because it was already about a narrower class which had risen above the rest of the middle class itself.
In retrospect, Dil Chahta Hai was a product of a short-lived economic bubble that has now burst.
Brutal lathi charge on peaceful students in Jharkhand by Rahul Gandhi’s government. No violence, no stone-pelting, no abusive slogans, yet they were beaten mercilessly.
Dozens of journalists covered the student protest in BJP ruled Delhi with total freedom, while in Opposition ruled Jharkhand @AmanChopra_ is picked up by cops, questioned, and slapped with an FIR.
No outrage. Because Democracy is alive and so is Press Freedom under the Congress.
Abhinav Pandey came to Jharkhand for a two-day professional vacation.
> Made three videos.
> Ran away.
Aman Chopra stayed on the ground.
He showed how arrangements similar to Jantar Mantar are being created in Jharkhand.
That was enough.
Rahul Gandhi and Hemant Soren got nervous.
> Aman Chopra has been picked up.
He is not being allowed to report the students’ march to the assembly.
Ajit Anjum is silent.
Ravish Kumar is quiet.
Arfa is busy checking his religion.
The entire brigade that never stops talking has suddenly lost its voice.
This is the real face of journalism in India.
One set creates content and leaves.
The one who stays and shows the truth gets stopped.
A Mumbai student's speech goes viral -
"Chehre badalne walon ka itihas lamba hota hai"
"Not cockroaches... Hypocrisy survives every disaster"
"How can we blindly support a party when its entire manifesto is being unemployed?"
"They are taking advantage of the desperation of this generation"
"They call us Andhbhakt because you cannot see your own hypocrisy*
"Neutrality is not something that you declare; it is something that you demonstrate"
"24X7, you question the existing government. But why you undermine the reforms that this government has introduced?"
This is a view of India 🇮🇳 you could hardly have imagined ten years ago !
I have been traveling extensively in India and its is amazing to see how infrastructure is improving by the day:
* Trains are much more reliable and comfortable. Next year first high speed line will open.
* Airports are modern and new airports are coming up by the day - in Mumbai, greater Delhi and more.
* 25 Indian cities are constructing metros.
* Roads are drastically improving - both highways and may be most importantly the last mile connection to the hundreds of thousands of villages.
There is an old saying that if you want to get rich you should start by building a road. The infrastructure revolution in India is a marvelous step towards Viksit Bharat - the modern India.
Well done India!
Thanks @IAjitDoval_IND
Maharashtra shows the Way
Food safety is ultimately about people, not files, inspections or statistics.
Every safe meal is a family protected. Every action against unsafe food is a step towards protecting someone’s health, dignity and future.
Maharashtra’s experience reminds us that governance earns people’s trust when purpose is clear, action is fair, and compassion remains at the heart of enforcement.
Public service is, at its core, about standing with people; especially when they need the system most.
#TukaramMundhe #FoodSafety #PublicHealth #PublicService #GoodGovernance #People #Leadership #Inspiration
https://t.co/Xauebv8LQf