|
|
|
|
|
| HOME | NEWS | DEAR REDIFF | |||
|
COMMENTARY
|
|
|
E-mail from readers the world over
Date sent: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 19:58:06 -0500 Congrats Amberish Diwanji for presenting this wonderful article. Religion and language are the real killers of unity and society. The more we bring it closer or impose either one (Hindutva or Hindi), we are pretty sure that we are leading to the Biggest Indian disintegration. And the current Indian political vision is clearly evident that we are heading for that fate. I am really excited to read your both articles (Don't throw English and India will thrive if we are committed to the country) and appreciate it. Robin Ramesh Cambridge, MA
Date sent: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 12:50:55 -0800 It's heartening to know the facts about the cops. But I am wondering how many ministers in the government that is publishing this report, are criminals themselves. Has anybody ever dared to publish this? It would have been nice if you could at least mention this ironical fact. Ramki
Date sent: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 16:01:14 -0500 I was amused to see the author refer to the economy class as cattle class, which is what it amounts to nowadays. However, most of us pay for that privilege, whereas people like the author travel at someone else's expense! Beggars cannot be choosers! Ven Hari
Date sent: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 17:59:03 -0500 One can compare The God of Small Things very well with another novel by another author of Indian origin, The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh. Similar story lines -- small lives, juxtaposed with history unfolding on a larger canvas on which the protagonists have no control but are nevertheless sucked into, creating a concoction that bursts suddenly without warning on the face, changing a few lives forever. Unfortunately, that is where the comparison ends. While Ghosh allows his pen to flow with the conviction of the master who knows exactly which words should come in where -- just so -- Roy's effort appears laboured, staccato, and directionless. Roy even tries to use (most probably unknowingly) a style similar to that of Ghosh -- the sense of foreboding of events that are to come, but fails there too. You are not even 50 to 75 pages into the book, when you know exactly what is going to happen and how -- and even who are to be involved. And finally, when Roy does tell us what happened, she isn't too sure whether we are going to catch what she is trying to say, and therefore has to spell it out. Puhlease! And then, there's the style. Sorry, style! In a deliberate attempt to break tradition, Roy indulges in it. And how! One remembers Godard's classic film Breathless where he goes against every rule in the book to create his own. And then imagine Mrinal Sen trying to copy that style.... I have nothing against the book -- best of luck to Roy for all its multiple million (dollar/ copies?) success, but is it what the Booker is all about?
Date: Saturday, December 06, 1997 9:22 AM I personally think your story is nothing but cheap gossip. Published in attempt to catch the eye of consumers, who have nothing going on in their lives, so have to read fiction, in order to fill the void in their miserable lives. PS: The Deols and Khannas are two very respectable entertainment families, who both possess everything it takes to be successful commercial heroes, including good looks, screen presence, charisma, and passion for the art of acting. Gossip such as that outlined in "Deol in the Sun" is nothing but a ploy by journalists to create tension between the families, and fans of the members of both these families, such as myself. Thank you for an otherwise enjoyable web page.
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 08:57:29 -0400 I thought it was a well written article. Of course, I am an American so my views are a tad different from your culture. Anthony Graves
Date sent: Sun, 19 Oct 1997 20:44:45 -0600 I READ YOUR "YAAR PESARADHU"? REALLY IT IS WONDERFUL. I ENJOYED IT AND TOLD IT TO MY SON. BEST WISHES TO YOUR COOK. AISHA RAZACK DENVER, USA
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 17:21:57 +0530 I have come across south Indians who do not call themselves south Indians, and try to imitate north Indians in everything they do. This trend is increasing day by day. What is really good about Tamil, Tamilians, their culture, language, their tradition etc is made fun of by its own people who do not understand the real value. I am so happy to see this article on the Cauvery, and the rich tributes paid to Tamil Nadu and Tamil people. I am really happy to find an unbiased report. I wish many Tamilians read this article and feel good to say that they are Tamilians. North Indians should understand why Tamilians cannot be just forgotten, and why we should continue learning it. Better, they should know to distinguish between a "Madrasi" and a "Keralite" or a "Kannadiga" or a "Andhrite." Good work. Uma
Date: Friday, December 05, 1997 11:23 PM How can you say that Karisma has replaced Madhuri? Madhuri is the number 1 heroine and she will always be. Think before you write. And for your kind information, Dil To Pagal Hai is not a moderate hit. It is a super duper hit and the credit goes to Madhuri because she is the main heroine of the film.
Date: Saturday, November 22, 1997 4:11 AM The only problem with Rajeev Srinivasan's review is that it is too long and, in part, too kind. But then he is a journalist... The film is an unamalgamated insult to its namesake tome, a waste of time and worse. After regretting that I sat up on a Sunday night watching this tripe on pay-per-view, I felt glad it was not being shown in India. I guess it is a good thing to hear that it is now going to be shown there, only for the sake of freedom of expression. The tragedy will be that the sex-starved audiences may make it commercially successful!! Is there not a single artist in all of India to do justice to the Kama Sutra? The closest was Simi in Siddhartha and, yes, Rekha in this film but she hardly got a chance! Rajeev Srinivasan is not a professional journalist and contributes articles on various issues to Rediff On The NeT.
Date sent: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 23:18:37 -0500 CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING, IN MY OPINION, THE BEST WEB SITE ON THE INTERNET! Your site is well designed, has perfectly maintained links and has educated opinions. It's far better than the others wannabes that will remain simply that: wannabes. Judging by your content it seems that you are aware, unlike other India news sites that at least 15% of your clientele is Indian American (like myself). Indian Americans cannot access Rediff every day, and it is necessary to include weekly summaries of the news for us. I particularly like the fact that your content is specifically wired to Indian tastes. For example while other India web servers put their cricket content into a generalised time-consuming Sports category; you guys have an all together different sub site for cricket. And the sheer professionalism of the links and design strike you as something really great. Another uncommon thing is the abundance of images. This particularly makes your site more appealing to others. What I would recommend, however, is that you put more images in the cricket section. It being a spectator sport. Another suggestion: why don't you guys go into print? With the flair and literary geniuses (Kamla Das et al) you have working for you, your print version would come across as a breath of fresh air from the drab weeklies we get here in USA. So how about: REDIFF ON THE PRESS?
Date sent: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 09:57:15 -0500 Pritish, you are right!! Pallab
Date sent: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 00:40:35 +0100 Did General Gul really associate France with Germany and Japan, or is it a misunderstanding? Not that it is so important, but historically still. France was not exactly in the "Axis"!!!
Date sent: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 14:04:45 -0500 Three cheers to Kalam. We have brains like Kalam. That's why we are able to talk to the world. Please ask our politicians to bow their heads to Kalam. R Pandiya Kumar New York
Date sent: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 06:39:23 I loved you report on the Indo-Pak border. Indian journalism has been short of this sort of work. Keep it up!
Date: Friday, November 28, 1997 11:12 PM You guys need to do a lot of research. Does Karisma take10 million? That is 1 crore more than all the heros, except Shah Rukh and the Big B. Also the article about Shah Rukh wasn't so nice. You were almost condemning him for spending time with his son. Don't you think family comes before work?
Date sent: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 15:54:53 -0500 (EST) I have a few questions. Does this drug work as a vaccine? Does it produce more T-cells or does it work directly by selectively killing infected cells? If this drug really works then more power to Dr Majid. If it doesn't then he is doing a great job in making a fool of a lot of people. I personally would like to see him infect himself and then treat himself with the drug!!!
Date sent: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 12:51:01 -0600 Well, what a pessimistic opinion about country and life in general. I have been a regular reader of your columns, but recently you seem to have been taking a weird direction. Maybe I am the only one who feels so. Or may be my thinking has changed having been away from the country for almost two years. But I have always loved Indian politics not for its " Masala" but may be the uncertainty that comes with it. Give the BJP a chance. I feel that too. May be the image they carry is tarnished but I don't think their intentions are! What the Congress has done to the country no one else could do. You were right in writing that they were all corrupt and the Gandhi family was a lot responsible for that. But who elected them time and again. I was a hard follower of the Congress till the Gandhi family lasted, but nobody has done anything great after they left. Our politicians are surely jokers but are we not responsible for that too. Living in the US, I have seen that people have tremendous power here and so is the law and order (At least for the common man). I guess we need to strengthen our infrastructure first and then bother about the rest. PEOPLE CAN REALLY CHANGE THINGS IF THEY BELIEVE IN IT! Please be more optimistic in your approach but not forgetting the reality too. Because many people like me are hardened fans of your writing. When you are far away, I think I would like to believe every word you write because I believe in your writing.
Date sent: 25 Nov 97 13:52:30 -0500 It saddens to hear these kind of reports. First it was Tamil Nadu, now Karnataka. It is true that one should have respect for one's language, but what these people are doing amounts to lingual fanaticism. They could allow the sign boards to be in both languages, but the "saviours" of our languages will not have it that way. It is only "My Language" in "My state." English became the language that connects us to the rest of the world, because we could not arrive at a common "acceptable" language for our country (What else can we expect from people like this). They do not realise that this harms tourism too, but I guess for them touring would amount to going to different cities in their own state. These guys are SICK.
|
||
|
HOME |
NEWS |
BUSINESS |
CRICKET |
MOVIES |
CHAT
INFOTECH | TRAVEL | LIFE/STYLE | FREEDOM | FEEDBACK |
||