Searching for Heroes

Remember the glorious songs of yester-years: 'yeh hai reshmi zulphon ka andhera', 'zindagi ittafq hai', 'Allah yeh adaa kaisi'? Remember the actress who made these songs memorable on screen? Oh yeah! I am talking of Mumtaz. Did you know that of the 17 odd years of her career, she spent only 7-8 years as a top rated actress. Before that she struggled as an extra, heroine's friend, supporting actress, and a side-kick. Now how many actor or actresses you know who have persevered and made it the top? Rekha's name comes to mind. But she was always a lead actress - a bad one who reinvented herself, but a lead actress, nonetheless. I checked with a few of my friends; there is no such example in the South India too. Similar, but not quite. That's why she is a hero and someone to be inspired by.

You can see and hear her journey here => mumtaz-a-study-in-perseverance

To all my women readers

Today is International Women's Day (IWD).

It is almost impossible to determine its relevance to the women because of the product-marketing-like atmosphere created by the newspapers - I have nothing personal against Kareena Kapoor but I cannot see why a newspaper has to call a film actress to be the guest editor.

So, just to understand - if you could be bothered, that is: Is IWD relevant to you? How?

I once asked the women folks in my office if they knew why 8th March is celebrated as the IWD. Not one knew. Do you?

Check out the Official Website of IWD to know more.

Picture courtesy: Hilde Vanstraelen