Watching Particle Fever, a documentary, I experienced a visceral reaction. I was jumping out of my seat; I was animated and exhilarated. I could not wait to find out how it all came out, even as a part of me … Continue reading
In 1971, V.S. Naipaul published a short story collection titled In a Free State. The first story is about an Indian domestic servant who accompanies his diplomat master to Washington, D.C. The man bundles up his belongings in a piece … Continue reading
Go to any new-age retreat in California, and you will find young people preparing their breakfasts, not with spatulas and skillets, but with blenders. If you are eating your meal instead of drinking it, you are in danger of dating … Continue reading
As a child, Ganesh was my favorite God. I wanted, then, to have a God in my life. Most children have no such desire because they are born into families with Gods. God and religion are passed on to them. … Continue reading
In our Spanish class one day, we had an assignment to speak about what we wished to change about California. Students came up with predictable responses; less traffic, cheaper housing, better public transportation. I said that if there was one … Continue reading
This year’s Oscars, once again, reminded me of my old fantasies–to be a movie reviewer. Once upon a time I used to fantasize that I would get paid for what I love to do every weekend for free; namely, analyze … Continue reading
Ever since the movie Slumdog Millionaire was first released, many people have asked me the question, “What did you think of it?” And I have sincerely answered, “I liked it.” Alas, an Indian guy at work got outraged at my … Continue reading
While critics are still talking about Slumdog, I have been watching two old masters at work.Federico Fellini began making films only a few years before Satyajit Ray started working on his debut film, Pather Panchali (1955). Yet, as I watch … Continue reading
Driving home from work the other day, I heard an interview on NPR with a woman who had lost her job, run out of unemployment benefits, and was on the verge of losing her home. “I don’t know what I … Continue reading
Growing up in India, my ambition was to learn French, the language of the intellectuals. It seemed rather a chic thing to do. Marathi translations of Emile Zola had revealed to me a world so fascinating that I wanted to … Continue reading