Earlier this week I was in Delhi to launch Gajra Kottary’s book Broken Melodies about a girl growing up in a broken family, and going through trying times with nothing much to help her but hope and faith in life. I agreed to be associated with the event as I felt the characters were well portrayed and novel itself had a cinematic quality

People often ask me about Sikander’s future in Bollywood. While he is the best person to answer the question, from a teacher’s approach, there are some tips I would give him and other actors his age.

Last week, I was discussing the Change Within concept with someone who has made it a
profitable business to make people laugh. And it took me to the kernel of our philosophy of what really sets our programme apart from the others.

Strange as it may sound, sometimes the eye cannot register what it sees. Or the ears do not hear the sounds they listen to. There are many surprises and contradictions in our sensory perceptions which we should understand as we get older. For example, one would expect several eyewitness accounts of the same incident to concur on

The seven days which ended Tuesday this week have been remarkable, with me being on a swing between one end of the spectrum to the other in terms of activism. What started as my participation in a non-violent crusade ended up with me being the target of violence. The period has also been perhaps the stormiest time I have ever

When I grew up in a large family in a small house, the underlying theme of our existence was one of sacrifice. Apart from my family circumstances, those were truly trying times for everyone and self-denial and self-abnegation were the hallmarks of family life everywhere. Parents routinely sacrificed their dreams and desires for their children and elder brothers and sisters put their ambitions on hold for their younger siblings.

Anupam Kher

All of us have certain pet positions that we are reluctant to let go of. I do not mean in terms of physical space, but certainly in terms of mental attitudes. At some time or the other, we have had pre-conceived notions about certain people, communities, faiths and nationalities. These are not based on experiences, but they are stereotypes which we may have picked up from our families and our environs, but they later on lead to prejudices.

Too much emphasis on a good thing can turn out to be a bad thing. I know this sounds like a contradiction but if you reflect a bit on what I have said, it makes eminent sense. For an everyday example, think of your favourite dessert. One piece of it and you will love it. You will perhaps be motivated to ask for one more piece. But many servings will not add to your enjoyment; they will only make you sick and you will realise the meaning of the word gluttony.

These are troubled times when everything is up for scrutiny and analysis; even home truths and things as sacrosanct as motherhood. Consequently, it is a time when there are too many questions and too few answers. Mind you, I am not against questioning the basic concepts at all; if anything, it makes you understand the truth better. But the point is we often do not wish to tell others the truth as we perceive it; we hide the truth or skirt around it.

There is a new-age crisis on the horizon these days and it is common discussion where the young and trendy meet. It is what I call the ‘quarter-life’ crisis afflicting many of our bright and restless youth. For over a decade, we have been hearing and seeing — if not experiencing — the mid-life crisis. That was when people in their forties