Mavrix: Music + Data
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We will not touch your junk
Indians aren’t private people. We are conditioned by years of living in joint families or crowded communities, a throng of relatives visiting us or calling us over, and lots and lots of people all around us everywhere we go. So while, Americans demonstrate outrage at being patted down (and by the way, not even the…
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5 suggestions to recognize film music’s “extras”
Ever wondered who played the violin in Yeh Ab Aap Sochiye (Mere Sanam); the sitar in Deewana Hua Baadal (Kashmir Ki Kali); the harmonica in Ye Dosti (Sholay); the accordion in Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega (Sangam); the guitar in Ilaya Nila (Payanangal Mudivadhillai); or even who whistled in Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (Nau…
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What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?
I saw The Social Network recently. It’s sharp, smart, funny and very entertaining. One fascinating scene in the movie got me thinking about what it means to be an entrepreneur. The scene involves Sean Parker, who is like the sidekick in this movie but could easily be the hero in another movie. Sean Parker is…
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6 questions for NRIs considering returning to India – The Decision
[Part 3 of a 3 part post. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.] It’s not as if you call a family meeting and start discussing if returning to India is right for you. These questions need to be part of ongoing conversations in your family, regardless of how far out the eventual decision…
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6 questions for NRIs considering returning to India – The Questions
[Part 2 of a 3 part post. Part 1 is here.] While the choice of returning to India or staying is personal and depends on each family’s unique circumstances, the answers to the following questions lead us to a decision we can live with. How important are your Indian roots to you? How important is…
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6 questions for NRIs considering returning to India – The Dilemma
[This is first part of a 3-part post – The Dilemma, The Questions, The Decision.] It is a well-known fact that all Indians in the US consider moving back to India at one point of time or the other. We discuss and debate about it, all the while putting off the final decision. The reason…
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Is Bollywood Overdose killing Indian music?
I love Bollywood music. It forms about 35% of my music collection, only because I follow four languages, like a number of genres and most importantly – I research and buy music I like and I buy a lot of it. Most Indians find it easy to just succumb to Bollywood Overdose (BO). Although regional…
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Bollywood or MumFI?
Amitabh Bachchan tweeted this last night – “T180 – FI : Film Industry, InFI : Indian Film Industry … a much recommended and apt name than the other plagiarized often used euphemism !”. I respect Mr Bachchan and am struck by his deep love for Bollywood. This is not the first time he has stood…
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Mallus and booze
True story. A group of friends are making plans to go out bar hopping. Someone asks the new guy in the group if he drinks. Pat comes the reply “What question are you asking, da? I am a Mallu!”. The Mallus’ fondness for hooch is well-known. At dusk, after a hard days work, hordes of…
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The Big Leap
Till December 2009, I had a nice job in a big company. I had a beautiful home in a quiet Chicago suburb, two cars and was living the American dream. And one fine day I lost my head – I quit my job, sold my house, returned to India and bootstrapped a startup. Or so…
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