Touche rana dasgupta

Due to my extended holidays in college i am on a reading jamboree these days. Whenever something like young achievers list is given in a national magazine i just give a cursory look and muse to myself that this is where a coterie of supporters can come handy. But this time since i was at leisure i went through each of them. One such guy is rana dasgupta who wrote his single but brilliant novel "Tokyo Cancelled".
In the magazine, this canterbury born delhi settled drop dead gorgeous writer quoted something which was really a very apparent quote in this current ubersexual age.He said "Everythin worth beautiful is already finished. So look for ur future in unpromising places". How so apparent and true !!! Looking at the current social scenario cliches,bromides and platitudes became blase for current generation.
Or why else gayatri ganjawala whos an IIM-L student instead of plunging into a plump corporate job do crooning for hindi films ? Its these virgin territories which hold lots of potential in future. Currently my friends are after the IT boom but clairvoyance suggests that the future is going hold potential for nanotechnology but its the "virgin" tag which is stopping them from taking the step. Who knows may be the services sector may provide more jobs than the IT and its allied services job. When all the players of big states failed to make a mark on international arena ,the national selectors got a guy from jamshedpur and an another one from baroda. And lo behold they became the new pin-up guys.
In the literary front, amitav ghosh went back to his roots and he came with a spellbinding book "the hungry tide" with all the trappings of a winner all the way. When everyone was after the punk,rock,roll and jazz ,phat phish records had the gumption to take on the less trodden path and signed on rabbi shergill for his sufiana andaz and he took the world by storm . Even pankaj awasthi is not lagging much behind with his nine a runaway hit.
Even the businesses are following the dictum which richard branson endorsed very well by utilising his underdog status to the hilt. ONGC has gone to syria to acquire oil fields. Last year's thought provoking movies like black,my brother nikhil and hazaaron khwahishein aisi endorsed the least talked subjects and in due course of time they were applauded. Even the media has undergone a sea change. At one time second by second reporting was "in" but it has become a passe. Now its the sting journalism and all thanks to tarun tejpal and his motley crew. Bungee jumping will be a cliche and zorbing is going to be the whiff of fresh air in adventure sports.
Everything is undergoing a sea change but not the mindsets which hav been parochial and continue to be so. Otherwise the other day my friend was distressed because he dint have a valentine. Lets hope the real concept of valentine's day is ingrained to our minds which is that this day is a day of love. So give your mother,sister, anyone u like or meet on the road, a hug and a rose.
As of now let me give rana dasgupta three cheers and this time when i visit a book store i am gonna buy his "tokyo cancelled". Thats for sure.