People Change. FRIENDS CHANGE!

Yes, you heard it right. People change, Friends change, they do. More so when they get committed.

She was so alone, I heard her crying over the phone. She didn't ask me to stay, but I stayed anyway, stopping myself on her way. I made her laugh when she wanted to cry, I wiped her tears away. I became her friend and made sure she was never alone. But then she got another heart which pretended to care. She left me and my friendship drastically there. She lived in a relationship happily, until he broke her heart again. She was again so alone, I heard her crying over the phone. I was just numb, stood there on her way. She said "sorry", but this time, I had no feelings to convey.

When we were best of friends and close, I could never see that we can drift apart and that too in such a bitter manner. I wanted to say a thousand things to you to make you understand that how important is the bond between us, and just because you have a new person in your life now doesn't imply that everything about us has to end abruptly.

But you chose to ignore and not pay even a tinge of attention. And you left without a word. I argued for a while trying to show you that you were wrong, but, alas! you were blinded. I cried for a while, tried to see your happiness without me and then I moved on. I made a lot of friends, though I still valued you. I was happy again, spreading cheerfulness everywhere.

And then, one day, you returned and told me you're in pain. You need me again. Though now I don't have any similar feelings for you. I have emerged out of the deep sea of pain that you left me in, I created a new life for me where I am doing wonderful. I don't feel like adding you on to the list anymore.

Guess I am doing the right thing. One day you left me in the middle, and now I am finding it difficult to hold on to you. You have changed, people change! Its alright. But please don't expect me to accept you in my life again, because for me you are just a stranger. You chose to change back then, and today I make the same choice!

Cheers!
Love & Laughter,
Ila :)
xoxo

The Lost Paradise : Book Review

The Lost Paradise
By Anjali Vaswani & Vikas Bansal
Review by Ila Garg

The story of the novel, The Lost Paradise, is set in the capital city of our country, Delhi. The beginning scene takes the readers in a usual household scenario where a mother is trying every means to wake her kids up. This scene in itself is very relatable and elaborated beautifully by the novelists, Anjali Vaswani & Vikas Bansal.

The story line, as I felt, is very challenging, intriguing, and, gripping. From the second chapter onwards, the story begins to enthral the readers and engage them in the process of reading. The way in which Anjali & Vikas have crafted themselves into the story is notable too.

The 167 page book comprises of 15 chapters. Each chapter compels the readers to engross themselves into the story. The story gave me goose bumps as I continued to explore in the details. The novelists have tactfully placed Riya’s history in front of the Readers.

Riya is a small town girl who comes to the city with big dreams of becoming a politician and wiping out all the evils from our society. She meets Vivaan and falls in love. Every scene is marvellously written and is therefore believable.

The lead protagonists, Riya and Vivaan, are a made for each other couple. The romance, the way Vivaan proposes Riya, the intimacy between them, the love, is so well expressed that it actually makes you remember your lover!

Riya and Vivaan are shown very much in love, and yet it is not just a common place love story. It deals with society at large. Rapes, Drugs, MMS scams, Murders, etc. comprises of the underlying themes. I personally recommend this book for all the youth of our society.

Moreover, what is striking about this novel is the fact that it is a debut novel and yet the subject chosen is quite matured. Proper justification is done to the content without any loop holes.

A common picture is placed amongst the Readers of the increasing number of girl victims, seeking justice at the India Gate, candle light marches, etc. but when it comes to Government, they are just acting like Douchebags. The intrinsic reality is portrayed magnificently. And for this, I highly appreciate the novelists.

Vivaan is a dedicated lover who wants to ensure Riya’s safety all the time. When Riya decides to help her friend Kamini to lead a normal life again without any fear of being killed, she doesn’t even know what effect it will have on her life and Vivaan’s ofcourse.

The moments of separation of Riya and Vivaan are created well too. You can actually see all the scenes running before your eyes like a movie. It left me all choked by the end.

The too many complexities of Riya’s life is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in The Lost Paradise. I finished the novel in one go as it is very hard to put it down once you start the journey. Vivaan tries hard to persuade her innumerable times that she should cease the battle and not involve herself much, but Riya is determined to fight for the right things.

To find out whether she comes out as a fighter or surrenders to the societal evils, she is able to bust the sex and drug racket or not, her dreams are fulfilled or shattered, she gets a happy ending or not, what happens to her future with Vivaan; you will have to read the novel, The Lost Paradise.

Because... Every Raindrop Is a Hope : Book Review

Because... Every Raindrop Is a Hope
By Sankalp Kohli & Mansi Sharma  
Review by Ila Garg

I’ve never been to Mumbai, but novelists Sankalp Kohli & Mansi Sharma made me feel as if I had been there for a long time. The picturesque descriptions in, Because… Every Raindrop Is a Hope, of the Mumbai railway station, monsoon, beaches, etc. makes you feel that you are walking on Mumbai streets with the Protagonist. 

The story is very touching and belongs to the romantic genre. Protagonist, Raj, with his two friends, Rohan & Rahul enters the college and explore a different phase of their life. Raj looks for a distraction initially to overcome his recent break up with Shruti.

The 192 page book comprises of 15 chapters, followed by an Epilogue. The use of poetic verses in the beginning of every chapter is the main reason I loved this book, because they prepare you for the chapter ahead and adds clarity. The story on the whole is quite meaningful. The novelists have tactfully used nostalgia to narrate most of the events occurred in Raj’s life.

The story keeps moving in past and present. One can easily find a lot of quotable lines beautifully interwoven within the novel. Overall it’s a fantastic read and gives a lot of insights to help you know and understand the various facets of love.

Besides love, hostel life and friendship are an integral part of the story line. Ragging, Manipulations, college politics, betrayals, add to the drama. College elections and fests are also included.

There are some intriguing events occurring in the course of the novel too. For instance, there’s a man mentioned who guides Raj, the protagonist, at times when he gets off-track or seriously deviates from the right path. The description gives the novel a metaphysical touch!

Raj confuses love with infatuation at many points and thus keeps shifting from Shruti to Mehak and to Shruti again, only to realise that he is better left alone. This aloofness brings more pain to him than peace. He betrays his best friend by making out with his girlfriend, Debby, and thus reaches downfall. 

Readers get the message loud and clear as they go further down the novel, “You Love, You Lose, Still You Live.” The larger theme of the story is “Love never ends, Hope also shouldn't”. 

Ultimately, Raj indulges in drugs, alcohol, frauds, and moves away from the people who really cared for him. His world turns upside down. He is now guilty of many crimes together and struggles hard to save his identity but fails miserably. 

The real Raj dies inside him. A virtual Raj is born instead. The Raj who is a loner, has no friends, is used by his girlfriend Debby only for monetary and carnal pleasure, gets tired ultimately and finds it difficult to recognize himself. 

The too many dilemmas of Raj’s life is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Because… Every Raindrop Is a Hope. Raj tries to persuades himself innumerable times that he is doing the right things, till the time he gets tired and is doomed to destruction.

To find out whether he comes out as a saviour or surrenders to his doomed fate, he gets his love or not, he is able to discover or not the mystery man who always helps him in the time of need; you will have to read the novel, Because… Every Raindrop Is a Hope.

Movie Review: Aashiqui 2

Its a blockbuster out of a string of songs sung by fresh voices. And a pair of new faces, artfully hidden under a jacket, for the purposes of a poster. The songs came first, the movie followed. Aashiqui's soundtrack became the new trend; the rage. So did that instantly-recognisable image of young-lovers-under-jacket. 

Though its a fact well-known that the movie's story highly resembles that of Frank Pierson's 1976 drama 'A Star Is Born'. 

Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor get their big breaks playing the romantic duo in this flick. Aditya is cast as Rahul Jaykar, a wasted rockstar who is battling alcoholism. He spots the incredibly talented Aarohi Shirke (Shraddha) crooning at a bar and decides to take her to the heights and let her touch the moon; the stars. The narrative unfolds their blossoming romance and a couple of soothing numbers make it a quintessential romance. 

For their love to be liberated from all the rituals of competitiveness, one of the lovers must make a huge sacrifice before the end. For love to live the lover must die. It's carried off in this film with an exuberance of emotions.

One thing that is really disconnecting about this movie is that reason for Rahul's alcoholism are never explained anywhere in the whole movie. Aditya Roy Kapur has mettle and Shraddha is beautiful too. But their chemistry fails to create any overall spark. Aditya's earlier movies like Action Replayy and Guzaarish failed to bring out his real potential to the fore. 

'Aashiqui 2' is a film with its heart in the right place. There are many moments of pure cliché between the lovers. And these moments, so deeply entrenched in the conventions of our cinema, blossom into fresh statements on modern love. 

Rahul : Aarohi

Aarohi: Kya?

Rahul: Kuch nhi..Bas yuhi.

The way Aditya looks into Shraddha's eyes is magical and enticing. It actually made me as an audience, fall in love with Aditya. The dialogues too reach out to the audience. Some of my favourites dialogues from the movie spoken at different points of time:

Aarohi: Itna pyar kab hua mujhse?

Rahul: Pyar, Mohabaat, Aashiqui, Sirf lavzo ke alava aur kuch nhi. Par jab wo mili toh inn lavzo ko maine mil gaye.

Rahul: Lagta hai mujhe ishq ho gaya hai.

Aarohi: Ye aadat tumhare saath reh sakti hai, main nhi?

Aarohi: Agar itna hi darr tha, toh itne paas kyu aaye tum?

Aarohi: Theek hai, main jaa rhi hu, tumse aur iss kamyaabi se dur.

Aarohi: Mere burey waqt mei tum the mere saath, ab agar ache waqt mei tum nhi, toh ye waqt bhi mujhe nhi chaiye.

Rahul: Dukhi ho gayi na tum mere ishq mei?

Last but not the least, I loved the way Aarohi wants to drown herself completely in Rahul's world and immerse herself in his love and further describes how she wishes Rahul to come to her and say that he has got bored of drinking and then they both will return back to the usual world.

I must admit this film does a very competent job of making us believe that true love still exists in this world and its a bliss. Man, woman, music, ambitions, dreams and despair, this movie has it all. 

In one word, I can summarise the movie as - 'Cute!' :)


Source: Internet