1 year on ...

As of today, it's been exactly 1 year 1 month and 21 days since I have arrived in the US. So how has the journey been so far...To begin with, it was a first for me to work directly at the client location in US and that too on a contract. Working alongside the americans in my team was an experience by itself.

In my earlier assignments, I did interact with the clients in the US but then it was mainly done over the phone. Offshoring as the phenomenon is called which is what India is famous for and the bugbear which riles the west. So here I am working with the same people in their country, getting to know them and their culture.

Mind you, it's been a very cherishing and rewarding experience so far but then it also has been a painful one. In terms of knowledge, I have learned things which I never thought I would. The first 2 months were really hard but then I persisted. There were times when I just wanted to let it go. So what were my options? It was either a fight or a flight syndrome.

I decided to chose the latter for I believed that fortune favors the brave. I had to learn to take on my fears headon .I worked on my weaknesses with the ultimate aim of converting it to my strengths. It wasn't an empty rhetoric but it wasn't easy either. When you start working through this maze you start believing in yourself.The maze, yes that's the word I have used coz I felt lost and had to find a way out of it.

So where do I stand today. Honestly, I don't have an answer but yes it's definitely a lot better than what it was when I started. As the new year rolls by, I fervently hope and pray that this new found spirit will guide me and stays with me :)

(Image courtesy: http://www.kiplinger.com/kipimages/special_report_ledes/investing-outlook-2011.jpg)

No One Killed Jessica

If Mumbai is about Money then Delhi is about Power. So what happens when you mix Power with Money. The result is a lethal cocktail.

No One Killed Jessica (NOKJ) tells one such tale.

The film is based on the real life story of a model Jessica Lal who was killed one night while serving as a celebrity bar attender at a happening night club in Delhi. All because she refused to serve drinks to a brash customer who then shoots her with a gun.

I liked Rajendra Gupta's first movie Aamir and that was an incentive for me to not miss his next directorial stint. Vidya Balan as the sober Sabrina who carries on a determined fight for justice does justice to her role and portrays the trials and tribulations of someone who lost her loved one admirably. Rani Mukherjee as Meera Gaity makes a strong comeback as a television journalist.

The title music with "Kat Kaleja Dilli Dilli" sets the mood for one riveting journey. I liked the character of the cop (Rajendra Sharma) who candidly confesses that he took money for not raising his hands against the accused. Stand out scenes include the accused Manish's politican dad undertaking a thanksgiving trip to Vaishno Devi temple which is juxtaposed by the critical condition of Jessica's mom, Manish's dad and mom visiting the Lal's to pay their homage to Jessica and the Lal's are decent enough to offer them tea knowing very well that Manish's parents are doing all they can to protect their son.

But some things like Meera lecturing Sabrina about giving up the fight or the overdone scenes of candle light vigil are a bit jarring. To conclude inspite of its flaws if this movie sends out a strong social message it's well worth the effort.

(Image courtesy: thehindu.com)