Just like wine which tastes better when it ages, same is the case with some people. Take for instance Richard Gere with his salt and pepper hair or George Clooney. They can give any young men a run for their money. Richard Gere is 60, however still looks hot. BTW I am not gay..:)

Yesterday I was watching the movie "Red Corner" starring Richard Gere. It's a story of how Richard Gere who is on a trip to china to meet his girlfriend gets framed in her murder. The rest of the story is about how Richard fights to proves his innocence. He has a chance to escape when after a riveting chase he reaches the U S Embassy in Beijing. As per diplomatic norms the embassy is considered private property and as Richard is an American Citizen he can safely be escorted back to his home country.

However Richard does what some may think a foolish act when he comes out of the Embassy premises to protect his chinese counterpart who was trying to prove his innocence. He is immediately bundled into a waiting police van, stripped naked and dumped into a dark dungeon. This movie had won rave reviews from the critics. It shows the powerful chinese army which overshadows everything.

Imagine being in an alien country where most of the people don't even speak English and facing a prosecution and judge trying to get you convicted by sidelining whatever evidence or any witness has to say in favour of the accused. The phrase "Innocent until proven guilty" is turned on its head. You feel helpless coz everything is loaded against you. How can an individual battle a state, judge and the prosecution hell bent on sending you to the gallows.

I have met a cross-section of chinese students when I was studying @ Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. Whenever I asked them about their government there used to be a deafening silence. They either didn't wish to talk or were more circumspect talking to me. Such is the fear that pervades that most of them even though they are miles away from their home dare not criticise or say anything about their government. No doubt China has achieved great economic strides and is a force to reckon with, however it has come at a price.

So we as Indians should consider ourselves lucky and value our freedom.