As it happens in most issues, it’s takes a human tragedy for serious talk to emerge on long working hours, pressure and work related stress of workers as ruthless part of the unstated corporate policy in the commercial and business world but has long existed in our socio-cultural ethos. The best examples to emulate were those who’d slogged it out.

As much retired bankers, our clan can claim that banking system has had ‘long working hours’ since times immemorial. One joke related to us by our senior executive went like -‘One late night, the wife shakes her husband awake asking fearfully ‘Why are the dogs on the street barking’. Hubby nonchalantly replies ‘Must be a banker returning home !’

This wasn’t overstating things one bit. A vital advice I’d received from Loans in Charge after joining the Bank in 1977-‘Our real work starts in the evening after customer hours.’ The very concept of  ‘10 to 5’ job for bank officers like us, became surreal from the start. During our time in 1980s, there a rural tenure that each officer was required to undergo. I recall ardous experiences travelling 35 kms by road to my rural Branch daily – starting early at about 8 am and not returning home before 8 pm, as a ritual for four long years !   

Some time in early 1990s, I was heading a South Mumbai Branch located at the other end of town from where I stayed and my local train & road travel time was average 90 mts each way. A normal working day meant 14 hours grind including the travel time in horrendous traffic. To add to our woes, Bank decided to introduce the concept of ‘8 to 8 Banking’ as pilot project in key branches- I was an unlucky Br Head to get that honour. To enable its success, I’d leave home at 7.00 am and return by about 9 pm, just to sleep. It was good fortune Bank called off this misadventure in a few months of its inception.  

Apart from the long hours which everyone (including the families) got used to over time, the culture of ‘late sitting’ percolated from Top Down since officers in both branches & administrative offices were not supposed to leave before ‘Boss’ departed and important meetings and discussions would be scheduled late evenings. Some Bosses didn’t have families with them and the Bank became their second home. If one showed inclination to leave early than usual, commitment was questioned despite his/her proven efficiency.       

Finally, the last but not the least was the immense pressure to achieve set targets and scare of being labeled as non-performers that made many stretch themselves to absurd limits. No one then really bothered about time or said that working long hours could have a number of negative effects on health & well-being of the officers. It was survival of the fittest in a mad maze of work – achieving goals, promotions and future prospects mattered most ! 

Stars : Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin

Watch on Netfix

Let’s put a caveat here for serious viewers of thriller genre movies – this is one with a difference where there are two very senior looking women ( never can we call them ‘old’ !) who happen to be old school mates, decide  to kill the husband of their departed friend when they meet at her funeral ! It isn’t a spoiler because their noble intentions are stated at the very start.

What appealed to me was the film had been marked as a ‘Comedy’ and has redoubtable Jane Fonda in a revengeful ‘avtaar’ looking smashing and out for some mean action !  What comes as the surprise in the pack is amazing Lily Tomlin, who looks as lethal as any scheming villain but is actually a frail lady with ominous gleam in her eye and lots of gumption and ideas. Together, they whip up a truly hilarious escapade that’s best enjoyed with no further reviewer notes that can become a giveaway for this fun watch !

It’s a bit reminiscent of the kind of vintage comic-thriller films with senior actors that we’ve enjoyed, like ‘Victoria No.203’ (1972) with veterans Ashok Kumar (Dadamoni) and Pran bringing the house down with their antics. What it tells us is that when it comes to sheer comic timing -‘old is gold

One doesn’t have to be a cricket enthusiast to hail something ‘great with a difference’ happening on the field, just as one appreciates an outstanding movie that has a first half that’s dull and unspectacular and a second half that makes one sit up for it’s spunk, audacity, class & brilliance. The shining stars aren’t the lead players (batters) but have risen to the occasion & how !

Another analogy for the incredible batting show by Ash & Jaddu on Day 1 of the 1st Test against BanglaDesh was sheer fluency and beautiful cohesion in their partnership, akin to ‘jugal bandi’ between two virtuoso masters like Ustad Zakir Husain and Pandit Hari Prasad, one complementing the other. All were enthralled as the two regaled us with ‘cricket’ at possibly it’s best.

It would be inopportune to compare two iconic innings from two different eras but yesterday’s master class from Ash and Jaddu in their unbeaten and record-breaking 7^th wicket partnership of 195 runs is reminiscent of the epic Laxman & Dravid 2001 show in Eden Gardens, Kolkata against the Aussies. While experts were reminded of Laxman’s style by Ashwin’s timing & wristy stroke-play(recording a 6^th hundred), Jaddu showed Dravid-like resilience !

Also apart from saving India the blushes after tottering at 144 for 6, lessons in batting strategy, attitude and playing in perfect tandem came from these two veteran all rounders, never in awe of the situation & counter-attacking Bangla bowlers and dominating them. Teamwork & maturity was the key. And remember the two are not done yet and Jaddu deserves his century !   

Wordy parlance has caught the fancy of today’s netizens and anchors who swamp the media with impressive verbiage of words ranging from ’canard’,  ‘hubris’, ‘bigotry’, ‘algorithms’ to ‘whataboutery’ and ‘shifting goalposts’ in TV debates and chats. Yet a simple word ‘Process’ is holding fort with same impact & enjoys the widest usage, so remarkable that it’s worth looking at.  

The word ‘Process’ came to us early since our teachers taught us about the five senses and the way ‘processing’ is constantly going on inside us, as we respond to external stimuli. In our academics we used another name for it, called ‘funda’, which essentially meant understanding basic concepts & processes (steps), be it in subjects like maths & chemistry or relating to how human body or machine’s function as taught in medicine & engineering.

Dictionary explains the ‘noun’ word ‘process’ as a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. We also have the ‘verb’ as the performing of a series of mechanical or chemical operations on (something) in order to change or preserve it. In an abstract sense, we know that if we follow the established processes the results are generally favourable. That’s why a great leader like MS Dhoni (and later Dravid, India’s exemplary Ex-Coach) had always stressed on focusing on process and not the outcome.

Why is it so important to follow the laid down and given processes ? I recall trainers who explained assembly line operations to us – repeating the same operations continuously day in and out, brings skill & perfection to the job, becoming a second-habit to workers. The same applies to hours of practice for sportsmen on the field and on-the-job training on shop floor & services. Of course there’s need for changing the systems to adapt to new situations.   

Finally there’s ‘legal’ process, prescribed by the laws of the country such as summons or writ requiring a person to appear in court & the proceedings on dates that are fixed, refixed and deferred several times while the lawyers endlessly argue the case before judgement is given after countless hearings.

Since due process of law must be adhered (or any act can be termed illegal), there’s this long, protracted nature of the entire ‘judicial’ process that lead to cries from an aggrieved class ‘justice delayed is justice denied’! So many opine that if ‘process’ (we include disciplinary action rules of organizations) itself  becomes the ‘punishment’, it needs urgent an relook, re-fix & reform !

Some time back, we were chatting with a young lady (who’s planning to graduate from a US Univ.) and she was citing her deep interest in pursuing a cinematography course. What impresses us the most is that, today, the millennial have at such an early stage acquired new insights and depth of knowledge in technically intricate fields which hitherto were rarely trodden before except by die-hard professionals.

However, with no training, as avid cine-goers we have our own thoughts and reflections on some of the facets of the craft of film-making that are so fascinating. In fact after six decades of being virtual movie-buffs, we feel we can easily discern a good film from an indifferent one and identify the weak links, pronto ! As we understand, even a good story has to be told well and told brilliantly, if it’s to be memorable. There are so many aspects to film-making that each is a science by itself – be it the screenplay, script writing, music and title tracks, background score, photography, editing, recording, actions shots apart from acting out scenes.

Our golden era of films belonged to the 50s to 70s when many movies were on wide canvas, grandly panoramic in scope and of a genre based on classics. Not only the films, but makers and actors became living legends ! Call it our ‘age-bias’ but the likes of  Frank Capra, William Wyler and Alfred Hitchcock could never be replicated. Back home none has still to come near genius of Satyajit Ray, Bimal Roy, Shyam Benegal, Hrishikesh Mukherji, and Basu Chatterji (to just name a few) though talented writers and makers with new styles, keep emerging over the past few decades. A great film appeals to the senses, visually aesthetic and appealing to the ears.

Sounds have played such an important part, with it’s breath-taking effect.While songs in Hollywood films were mostly reserved for musicals, the music score was an integral part of the success of Hindi and language films.

On the subject of background scores, Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ was a watershed in suspense and gore but we recommend you hear and watch some of these too. William Wyler’s epic ‘Ben-Hur’ has an unforgettably long chariot race, David Lean’s ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ has a shattering climax and then there’s ‘Gone With The Wind’ that immortal saga set on backdrop of the American Civil War, which swept the Oscars in it’s year of reckoning.

Let’s also not forget the classic westerns and their celebrated background scores in ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’, ‘A Few Dollars More’ and ‘Mckenna’s Gold’ ! The edgy opening music score of ‘Bond’ films acquired cult status ! 70s cult film ‘Sholay’ and it’s menacing beats remain a corner-stone ! BR Chopra’s ‘Kanoon’ in the 60s, with no songs, was mesmerizing !

Some time back , I got into a heated discussion with my old train-mate (some 18 years my junior in age, who looks up to me as a senior ) and didn’t seem to agree on what’s the way forward on a thorny issue but he started getting agitated and lambasted me for my shallow knowledge of our history. We did meet again but now our conversations are more formal & guarded.  

With some highly educated folks, discussions turn into a fiery debates and a slug-fest, egos clash and everyone wants to have the last word, like it often happens on primetime news channels daily ! In all this, feathers are ruffled and the soothing balm of old friendship is roughed up, all because we might have our ideological and political leanings, own ideas or think otherwise ! 

Here’s a great example for us to emulate – the iconic Narayana Murthy (of Infosys fame) once talked about his friend (and old business competitor ) the amazing Azim Premji (Wipro) with fondness when he says that on some important issues (like whether tax exemption on exports should continue) they have agreed to disagree as they hold each other in great esteem.

It is always likely in common groups of today’s netizens to have people with varying ‘knowledge’ levels and general interests in keeping with their own experiences and exposure to different facets of life but after a stage, there is maturity in having some understanding of ‘good’, ‘bad’ and the ‘ugly’ and one can discern them. To me, the human angle in life stories are inspiring !   

Also, there are ‘horses for courses’ and not everyone can claim expertise on all matters. Our education, work experience or financial background cannot make us act ‘superior’ but some feel they can dole out advice on everything under the sun- international diplomacy, economy, stock markets, inflation, GST, PSUs, censorship, sports & how to win gold medals in next Olympics !

That’s why it’s now increasingly difficult to even talk to old friends about say prices of eatables, poor rail services and soaring airfares because it can start a stormy exchange if one’s defending those running the entire show. Not for nothing do the English prefer to studiously talk about the weather & we sidestep acrimonious political issues and indulge in fandom of cricket & films. But wait, see the reactions to Netflix film ‘IC814 Hijack’. We told you!  

Stars : Tom Cruise, Demi Moore & Jack Nicholson

Watch on : Prime Video

As a film buff, one of the films I’ve watched many times over is “A Few Good Men” which, based on Aaron Sorkin’s ground breaking play, is an Oscar and Golden Globe nominated film with an all star cast of Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and that amazing actor, Jack Nicholson as the steely and despotic Col. Jessop with his own code of ethics while serving as the Commanding Officer of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, set in 1986.  

It tells the story of a group of military lawyers assigned to defend two marines charged with the murder of a junior fellow marine and being held in Washington D.C., awaiting trial. In this explosive military drama, they make a valiant effort to defend their clients and in doing so, put the military mentality and the Marine code of honour on trial.

While obeying and carrying out orders in the forces is sacrosanct forming the core of military discipline what goes in civil services and corporates is quite different. One situation is when new or junior officers are expected to follow instructions from above though policy manuals expect them to use prudence. To get the job done, at times they’re even asked to overlook the rulebook and resistance here means an adverse tick against the name and botching up chances of moving up the ladder. When the big question of accountability arises, it’s that ‘operations’ guy who’s found to be at fault !

Another scenario is being content with playing the second fiddle for as the axiom goes ‘Boss is never wrong’ and will protect if things go awry. Many senior officers ensure their position is not threatened by a competent junior by scuttling his/her chances in not giving key assignments or opportunities. They appear well-meaning but ‘nothing can grow under this banyan tree’ !

Over the last few years many ethical issues like the above have arisen in organizations which have led to entities like ‘whistleblowers’ – persons who expose any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public. Yet few have the courage to fight the might of institutions and the powers that be and prefer to remain silent. That’s why a film like ‘A Few Good Men’ leaves you with a sense of justice ! Ironically, it also highlights just a ‘few’ men.

Stars : Ray Miland & Grace Kelly

Watch on : Prime Video (on Rent)

Old timers and film buffs from the 1950-60s era would recall the 1954 master-class in suspense “Dial ‘M’ for Murder” with the iconic stars, Ray Miland and Grace Kelly in lead roles in a taut crime-drama that was made in the quintessential Alfred Hitchcock genre. It’s a whodunit without actually being one in the sense that one knows from the start who does it and who is the mastermind is behind the crime.

The real thrill lies in the twists and turns in a complicated plot based on a few premises : that in all such capers, even the best laid plans can go awry, the most ingenious criminal makes at least one mistake and gets caught and that the killer goes back to the scene of the crime for some earthly reason and meets his nemesis, the ace detective (or police).

This original film version had Ray Miland playing the plotting husband, who’d possibly be the most suave villain who hatches the perfect murder plan without batting an eyelid. The vulnerable wife is played by the beautiful Grace Kelly who seems to aware of the danger lurking around her and must gather her wits to save herself. The film’s pace is slow but builds up in suspense as the story unravels leading up to a fascinating climax !

Such a thriller had to be remade by Bollywood with it’s own ingredients and this came in a reasonably decent version called ‘Aitbaar’  in 1985 with Dimple Kapadia, Raj Babbar and Suresh Oberoi, had haunting music and a fine cameo by Danny Denzongpa as the eccentric detective in the Hercule Poirot mould. Yet it was a pale shadow of the original.

We’ve  then discovered that Hollywood tried out another remake ‘The Perfect Murder’ in 1998 with Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow in lead roles which we chanced upon on ‘Netflix’ recently. The storyline in the first half has been sincerely borrowed from the original but with its dose of ‘adult’ sense and foul words in keeping with times but the second half is almost rehashed into a violent thriller with blood and gore. Douglas as the  desperate, ruthless tycoon who’ll stop at nothing to achieve his ends, is a contrast to the chilling nonchalance of Ray Miland as a diabolical plotter of a murder, in the original !    

The upshot of all this remains that classics of any genre shouldn’t be remade – for, as I have coined a ‘film’ phrase myself : ‘No Holiday can be as good as ‘ROMAN HOLIDAY’ !

Stars :  Ashok Kumar, Mala Sinha & Sunil Dutt

Watch On : Prime Video

This one is a vintage classic that only people from the early 1960-70s would know about but real cinema buffs can relate to the film from the thriller-drama genre from one of the renowned film-makers of Hindi cinema. BR Chopra produced acclaimed films based on meaningful social themes of the likes of ‘Kanoon’, ‘Waqt’, ‘Hamraaz’, ‘Ittefaq’ etc and towards the end, heart-rending ‘Baghbaan’.All of them carried captivating story telling, suspense, music & drama backed by actors and performers of high calibre !

‘Gumrah’ (meaning Astray) is the dramatic story of Meena (Mala Sinha) who’s in love with singer, artist Rajendra (Sunil Dutt) and wishes to marry him. However, when her sister, Kamla (Nirupa Roy), dies in an accident, she is forced to marry her brother-in-law (Ashok Kumar) for the sake of her sister’s children. The marriage is steady without any depth due to their age difference but the upheaval takes place when jilted Rajendra returns to reclaim his lost love and restart a liaison.

This leads to their clandestine meetings, subterfuge and deceit that Meena indulges in though she’s not ready to abandon her family. Matters get more complicated when a tough blackmailer threatens to expose her illicit affair. Can she get out of her precarious state and save her honour or betray her devoted husband ? All the lead actors – Ashok Kumar as the unsuspecting husband, Mala Sinha as one who’s in a tricky adulterous relationship and Sunil Dutt as her attractive, persuasive paramour are at their sterling best. Shashikala is brilliant in a cameo as an antagonist in a superbly crafted screenplay.

However, the film is best remembered for the hauntingly unforgettable music by Ravi with lyrics by the great Sahir Ludhianvi and all songs sung by Mahendra Kapoor which catapulted him into ranks of the great playback singers. ‘Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi’ is considered a classic for its rendition and lyrics. One of the song’s poignant lines convey ‘If a story (relationship) cannot have an outcome, it’s best left at a stage that has grace’. In my opinion, all the songs are excellent but last song sung for unrequited love is best.

Here I ‘m making a humble attempt to sing ‘Aap aaye toh khayale..’ originally sung by Mahendra Kapoor with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi and beautifully composed by Ravi !

The 5th day of September is called ‘Teacher’s Day’ since 1962 ,when on his birthday, the then President Sri S Radhakrishnan advised visiting students to celebrate the day to honour and respect the ‘teachers’. This has resonated in our country which has a great heritage of revering the ‘Guru’ as first source of learning & knowledge that we acquire. Many of us not only remember our school teachers’ names but wisdom they imparted & valuable lessons we learnt that left indelible impressions even after a span of decades. In course of time some became teachers, professors, mentors and training professionals.

If one were to pose the question ‘Who was your best teacher’ to ‘God of Cricket’ Sachin, he’d easily name RVAchrekar Sir, his famed Coach but ask ‘what was your best innings ever’, he’d be hard put to answer. Maybe it was the skill, power, maturity he gained with time while facing the best bowlers and often getting out early to some were lessons on technique & temperament which he mastered in his great journey of 100 centuries !

That’s why we often hear, ‘Experience is the best teacher, but that’s only true if you reflect on it and extract its lessons’. If I were asked the question at the age of twenty, my favourite teachers were parents first, then school teachers, professors and clever friends.    Another decade later, they would be my versatile spouse and her parents whom I got to know better. In four decades of service, achievements and setbacks apart, it was gradual coming to terms with realities of life, being patient & persevering & learning the ropes from seniors and co-workers. Best lessons were learnt in edgy moments of crises and also from experience of others.‘To do or not to do’ as a ‘Banker Hamlet’ would ponder…  

I must acknowledge that two sons later became my best ‘IT’ trainers. When I wanted to start a blog I’d no clue, so it was set up by the elder one. A slow 40 + computer learner, I struggled initially and my younger son had strict rules for regular ‘hands on’ sessions. For a special occasion I’d visualized a video presentation – pics, commentary and songs but was helplessly incompetent. IT Whiz-kid nephew then came to my rescue in style !

Yes, it’s never to late to learn – in fact with age comes maturity and rationality and a quest to learn more (82 yr old Big B quizzes KBC contestants to know about their lives !) and our old friends by inspiring deeds motivate us to the bigger goals. My ‘good news’ story is about a retired friend, who’s devotion to nursing and caring for his 92 year old father (a widower) is so exemplary & it reminds me of my Dad’s devotion for his Dad !  I have always felt that the best teacher doesn’t talk, tell or teach. He just does things & inspires.