Doctor of Popular Culture

Now that we are in a recession and the job scenario doesn't look that bright, people are talking about getting a PhD, I just cant get myself to think about doing so. I could never do a PhD. I have absolutely no knowledge about civil engineering. It feels so good when you tell someone that you are an engineer..
"Engineer, huh?"
"Well I am doing my Masters now"
"Masters??.. wow"
"yeah.. Environmental Engg.."
All the while you feel guilty because you know you know squat.Your counsious rolls into fetal postition and sniffs at your ineptitude. So I thought if I had to do a PhD, what would it be in? I thought and thought and then it struck me.I would do a PhD in pop culture.There are universities that offer courses on various aspects of popular culture. I know there are courses called "Harry Potter and Spirituality in the 21st Century" and "Family Values: What The Simpsons teach us".I would totally be psyched to attend classes like these. I guess I should have taken up Sociology in undergrad. I have always felt the need that we need to properly document popular culture, much like Wikipedia is doing. I know I spend hours on the wiki reading stuff about defunct cartoon shows, one hit wonders from the 80s, Hitler and the Mystic arts, fun stuff like that. What if I were to do this for a living?
Doc of Pop... that has a nice ring to it doesn't it??.. not exactly.

PS: I totally made up the course names.

Sudden Realization

I just realized something.I am incredibly lazy.So much that, the moment things start getting rough, I start thinking up of silly excuses to escape.I had for a long time refused to comply with the Indian engineering curriculum, only because they (according to me) employ antiquated teaching methods and syllabus.Similarily when I started working as a lab assistant I would dread at the idea of having to do all the work in front of me.I decided I was not meant to be an engineer, and my true calling lay in the land of moving pictures.The thing is I am just afraid of failure.I am also afraid of confrontation.I guess the only good thing about all this is that I know what my problems are.

An actor to watch out for

Hes been around for a couple of years, so its not as if this guy is debuting in the coming year or anything, but he has always been a low profile actor, even though he is a leading man and comes from a star family.I am talking about Mr.Abhay Deol, son of famous Punjabi actor Virendra Deol, nephew of Dharmendra and cousin to Sunny,Bobby and Esha.I wont say its his spectacular acting prowess that has won me over.No, he is a decent actor who I hope will break the Deol mould and actually turn in a critically acclaimed performance some day.What has won me over is his choice of films.Hes been in 6 bollywood films and they are all ek se badkar.Socha na tha, ahista ahista and Manorama 6 Ft under are all delightful films that have played outside the "box" described by Bollywood.Ahista Ahista has one of the best endings to come out of bollywood in recent years.Socha Na Tha is what a RomCom should be and Manorama Six Feet Under (remake of Chinatown) delivers as the bleak and dark thriller that it was meant to be,set in a sleepy small town in village. Maybe it is my love for the films hes been in that make me like him, but nonetheless I eagerly await his upcoming films- Dev D, a reimagining of devdas and "Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye" - the latest film from the director of "Khosla ka Ghosla". Also, two of his films are set in sadi dilli, and thats always a plus in my book.

Mallu Film Titles...

I have to say Mollywood has the best film titles out there. They are really snazzy, vibrant, and stand apart.I guess a lot has to do with some of them being actual pieces of dialogue.Like "Irrikyu, MD akathundu" which translates to "Please have a seat,the MD is inside".Some of these lose their effect when they are translated,but still I have compiled a list of some titles I could remember.

1)Manjil Virinja Pookkal- the flowers that blossomed in the winter/snow
2)novemberinte nashtam- the loss in November
3)mukundetta sumitra vilikyannu- Mukund bhaiyya,aapko Sumitra bula rahi hai
4)Aayiram Navulla Ananthan- Thousand tongued Ananthan
5)Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala - the Worrisome Shyamala
6)Deshadanakili Karayarilla - Migratory Birds do not cry/chirp
7)Ee Ganam Marakkumo -Will you forgot this song ( wow, that sounds so melodramatic)
8)Ennu Swantham Janakikkutty -Yours Janakikutty (like at the end of a letter)
9)Hareendran Oru Nishkalankan - Hareendran is a simpleton
10)Yathrakkarude Sradhakku - For the attention of the passengers
11)Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal - Once again ,some domestic matters (and I win the Horrible translation award )
12)Sathyabhamaykoru Premalekhanam - A love letter for Satyabhama
13)Sakhakkale Munnottu - Forward,Comrades