India Vs Pakistan: Enemy Vs Patriotism Vs Cricket!

What happened in Pahalgam on 22nd April, 2025 is beyond words that can condemn the terrorist act enough. It rages through your blood stream, it tortures your mind and infuriates you with helpless wrath. India mirrored that rage through Operation Sindoor, striking the terrorists' hubs inside Pakistan. The Government of India mentioned time and again that the Operation was aimed at destroying terror, and that it was not a strike against the country or its people. And the Indian Army did exactly that. 

The problem is that the terrorists there have always been proven to be actively in league with the Pak army and this unholy alliance controls and directs effectively the Government policy and political strategy. An elected government technically represents the people and therefore the people of Pakistan need not necessarily think about India any differently than their government, and this means that the Indian fury cannot get limited only against the terrorists. It encompasses the whole of Pakistan as an enemy state and normal relations are never maintained between enemy countries. Normal relations definitely have to include sports which includes cricket too. 

Therefore, although people to people relations or thoughts may not emit enmity of the highest order, as two neighboring but enemy states India and Pakistan cannot maintain cricket relations either. In fact, it has been India's strategy to stop all bilateral cricket matches since 2008 after the horrific Mumbai terror attack. The situation becomes complex in regard to international tournaments where there is no choice to choose your rivals--either you play per the schedule or don't participate at all. As a major cricketing nation of the world India cannot possibly stay away from the ICC tournaments: first, the competitive international ranking and position issues; the ardent fans of both the countries who constantly rue the fact that there haven't been many matches between the celebrated archrivals; and last but the most crucial is the big money involved in these sought-after encounters that the two cricket boards and the ICC too cannot afford to miss out on.

A solution to the issue was found through the concept of neutral venues where the two rivals can meet and the millions of fans can also enjoy on their TVs/Computers/mobiles and the cricket boards can rake in the dough. However, in the ICC World Cups the host nations, whoever that may be, must have all the teams playing there; and in fact, Pakistan came to India in 2023 and played all their matches including against India while India never went to Pakistan since 2008 which is due more to the security concerns there than the enmity between the two countries. Thanks to the same concerns the ICC had to shift Ind-Pak matches in the Champions Trophy-2025 to neutral venues even as the host nation Pakistan fretted and fumed. Our point here is that there'd always been a way out to hold the encounters between the archrivals. 

The Pahalgam carnage changed all that. Fury gave rise to a sense of poignant and almost a jingoistic patriotism that shows zero tolerance to any sort of relations with Pakistan including cricket, seemingly riding over their own cricket fandom. The patriotism got reflected in a cricket league recently where the Indian cricketers refused to play with the Pak players. 

And yet, the cash-powered Indian cricket board, BCCI, decided to go ahead with the India-Pakistan matches in the upcoming Asia Cup-2025 with the host nation India judiciously selecting UAE for the tournament. Accordingly, the media has taken up their usual practice of hyping up the matches with spicy promos and all that. In recent years we often came across ads/headlines describing Ind-Pak matches as 'War' or even cricket 'World War'. But at this delicate juncture the Indian fans are not at all reacting to this kindly or with spirit.

Opposition against the archrivals' matches has been rising to a crescendo among the public in India: the BCCI is being condemned and shamed; divisions being created across cricketers & veterans; and the Indian fans threatening to boycott the whole tournament. 

It is often felt that politics and sports should never be mixed up. However, as we argued earlier, the feelings in India are far from being any part of their country's politics. It's the hurt and the patriotic fervor that's been driving them to vehemently shun what they like most under tolerably normal circumstances. So, we feel the sentiments of the people should be respected, and the BCCI must act accordingly, looking away from the 'big-money' angle for once or the Indian Government must come into the act forcing the autonomous board to comply. We also hope Pakistan sees sense in moving away from terror permanently, thus paving the way for normal relations in the near future. 

And in case, the Asia Cup 2025 does unfold as scheduled, it'd be immensely interesting to observe if the patriotic fans do finally manage to go ahead with their boycott threat or fall prey to the high-voltage 'war' of cricket. As if the Trump Tariff madness were not enough! 

OTT Platform Watch: Movie ‘Bell Bottom’ Disappoints, Series ‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ Well Made, And More!

 

I have been a movie buff since my childhood days, also so passionate about it that I wanted to be a filmmaker and did indeed try in that direction to some extent, still nurturing that ambition. And I always enjoyed the movies on the big screens including those silver screens of the traditional single-screen cinema halls of yore that fitted ideally the 35mm film format and whenever the occasional 70mm films came the frames used to spill over to the sides. I find this very tragic, of course no match to the horrors and sufferings of people due to the pandemic, that for over 18 months now I’ve been deprived of the normal cinema theatre visits and really missing the action. The OTT (Over the Top) streaming platforms thus have become the only alternative, for people like me who puts the entire focus on COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and safety. Therefore, I’ve been watching a lot on such a platform since the first lockdown—always selecting the best of movies available and the most-talked about Series—but limited to only one platform as I don’t want to harm my ears with constant use of headphones. Quite a few of movies are of the golden era and most of the modern ones need no special mention. However, recently I had seen three modern movies and web series of which I’d like to talk about a bit. Latest Bollywood movie Bell Bottom (2021) is one of them which attracted me because of the name that was a craze in our college days, and that the movie was in the lines of effective Indian spy thrillers I enjoyed greatly in the last few years in the modern theatres.

 

The hero of the movie Akshay Kumar is one more attraction as he was cast in several successful thrillers made by filmmaker Neeraj Pandey like Special 26 (2013), Baby (2015), Rustom (2016) and Naam Shabana (2017). Of course, this movie Bell Bottom is not one of his, but as I said the format seemed to be exciting. Watching the movie I was disappointed in the overall sense: it had an explosive plot that got terribly affected by an inept script. The basic theme of the film, a hijack drama of an Indian Airlines plane (based on a true event during the last term of the then Prime Minister of India, late Indira Gandhi.), got impaired unnecessarily by the prolonged flashbacks, and finally when the plot seemed to be picking up there was not enough time to bring it to a worthy climax. Although the film has similarities with another successful hijack thriller, Zameen (2003) directed by Rohit Shetty, its ultimate climax turned out to be very simplistic and sort of rushed through.

 

The film no doubt has its high octane moments with the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent, played by Akshay Kumar whose code name is Bell Bottom, going through the investigations and raids on the terrorists’ dens. His RAW boss, well played by Adil Hussain, is but a pale shadow of the intelligence boss in Baby played by Danny Denzongpa who almost lived through the supercharged drama and action. The characters of the hijackers were also not given sufficient attention with all of them failing to scare the viewers like they did in movies like Baby and Neerja (2016), the latter being very ably directed by Ram Madhvani. The Pakistan intelligence counterpart was also shown half-heartedly. The last twist involving Akshay’s wife, played by Vaani Kapoor, sharing a secret with the RAW boss was only superficial. Some critics are also pointing toward factual errors, but those can be overlooked as ultimately this is a work of fiction. Therefore, the movie Bell Bottomdirected by Ranjit Tiwari, though handled well to some extent, fails to be as engrossing and gripping like those movies of the same genre mentioned here.

 

A surprise was in store when the new OTT web series Mumbai Diaries 26/11, made by known filmmaker Nikhil Advani, became available on air. Having lived through every agonizing moment of that horrific Mumbai Terror Attack on 26^th November 2008 through my work in the media, anything about that attack always caught my attention. However, all of the films made on the attack so far were lame attempts, failing to do justice to the terror unleashed. So I started watching the 9-episode Mumbai Diaries 26/11immediately, and to my great surprise found it very engrossing and doing full justice to the genuine scare still felt by both victims and general people, for the first time. Although it is made from the medical point of view, narrating the story of a Mumbai hospital that finally came under the terror attack, almost all of the horrific moments of the actual three-day reign of fear are being ably captured and presented. Aided by a powerful script the characters, including most prominently the doctors and staff of the hospital, are portrayed with excellent ease and brilliant performances by all actors.

 

The web series also pointed out the much-discussed ‘media involvement’ that was giving constant leads to the Pakistan control room of terror who thus guided the terrorists in action in Mumbai, and the tragedy unleashed by an overzealous news reporter in this work of fiction was shown with honesty and efficiency. If the chronology of the actual series of events was not followed to details, this was never felt while watching, and again, finally it being a work of fiction such complaining is not necessary. More positively, the Series does not indulge in any gory violence or the glorification thereof and explicit sexuality that have been the hallmark of almost all OTT Web Series streamed in India. In all, the Mumbai Diaries 26/11 is thoroughly watchable for all types of viewers of any age who want to feel the reality of the dastardly terror attack again.

 

Finally, a Hollywood movie Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021), directed by Taylor Sheridan. With Angelina Jolie in the lead and an interesting storyline of smoke-jumpers for forest fires I watched the movie as soon as it was streamed on my subscribed OTT platform. To my surprise again, I enjoyed it thoroughly, finding not a single slack moment in this slick thriller. What I found refreshing is that the film followed the thriller-genre of the nineties religiously and to exactitude with an immaculately tight script. Of late, most of the Hollywood movies have been devoted to the super visual effects treatment—either showing all-destroying monsters or catastrophe or unimaginable sci-fi stories mostly covering the outer world and the universe. It kind of vindicated my wish, nourished for long years, that Hollywood should come back to basic human dramas which are always acceptable the world over. All the people with a mind-set of this ordinary mortal should, therefore, not miss watching Those Who Wish Me Dead at any cost. Those who can visit the theatres in full safety are the luckiest. (All photos: wikipedia.org)

Terrorist Ajmal Kasab Hanged: India Send Out A Strong Message!

Just four days before the 4^th anniversary of the horrific 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack that led to killings of 166 innocent citizens people of the nation woke up this morning to the welcome news of lone captured LeT terrorist Ajmal Kasab hanged to death.  In a secret operation by the Government of India Ajmal Kasab was hanged at 7.20am today in the high security Yerawada Jail in Pune, three hours drive from Mumbai. The dreaded terrorist lodged in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai for nearly three years was shifted to Yerawada jail in the wee hours of the 19^th November, 2012. The government maintained utmost secrecy considering the sensitive nature of the operation and the eager-to-sensationalize private news channels got no whiff about it. Overzealous media coverage of the 3-day long 26/11 Attack nearly compromised the military operation and this time the news channels had no chance of going on a crazy countdown or taking the execution live. The Government of India has thus sent out a strong message across the world that India is not going to tolerate anybody trying to attack its sovereignty or to hamper its growth with dastardly terror activities.

Ajmal Kasab was directly responsible for killing scores of innocent passengers in a railway terminus and three top police officers along with three constables. He killed one more police sub inspector while being captured. His scary image with sophisticated guns captured by CCTV cameras went viral across the traumatized nation.   Relatives of the victims, the survivors and the people at large wanted the murderer of innocents punished immediately.

The opposition political parties too have been assailing the Government for the delay in the execution of the terrorist and the costs incurred thereby. But in the largest democracy of the world there are legal remedies that every accused can take resort to and Ajaml Kasab could not be treated as an exception. A lower session court in Mumbai convicted him and awarded the death sentence in 2010. Resorting to the next option Kasab appealed to Bombay High Court which upheld the verdict in 2011. Then appeal went to the Supreme Court of India which confirmed the sentence in 2012. The final mercy petition to the President still remained open and Kasab sent his petition to the President of India on September 18, 2012 for mercy.

It was thanks to the tremendous resolve of the new President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, that the mercy petition was rejected most immediately on 5^th November whereas at least 12 other mercy petitions including that of the dreaded attacker of Indian Parliament Afzal Guru (in 2001) have been pending since almost a decade. The President’s clearance was sent to the Government of Maharashtra on 8^th November and the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan signed it on the 13^th and accordingly the execution date of 21^st November was decided upon. As per arrangements Kasab was shifted to Yerawada.

The people of India, particularly of Mumbai, have welcomed and rejoiced over the final justice done to the offender of India and humanity. They do not bother too much at the moment about the topic of capital punishment being justified or not, because at the moment they want to see one worst criminal of mankind punished.

The Indian Home Minister has said that Pakistanand relatives of Kasab had been informed in advance about the execution. But Pakistan, as usual, denied about receiving or acknowledging any communication from Indiain this regard. The Indian authorities also waited for burial request, but since none came the body of Ajmal Kasab was buried in the Yerawada Prison campus. 

Terror Hits Mumbai Again!

The terrorists just cannot leave Mumbai, the sparkling business hub of India, in peace. After the 26/11 attack in 2008 the terrorists had been venting their venom inside Pakistan making blasts the order of the day in an already devastated country. Now, they have managed to hit Mumbai again.

Today at around 7pm when people return home or sip a leisurely cup of tea or shop a little, three blasts went off in a well coordinated serial attack. The first one of high intensity blasted the congested jewellery market, Jhaveri Bazaar. The second one at the diamond district of the city, Opera House. And, the third one near Dadar railway station on the western side. Fortunately the third one was of low intensity, otherwise it could have created havoc at Dadar, the busiest place in town where commuters, shoppers and vendors congregate in huge numbers particularly in the evening. Nearly twenty innocent people have died so far with about hundred injured.

Terror has come back to haunt Mumbai and possibly India again. Nobody knows where these enemies of people are hiding lurking and waiting to kill more innocents. High alert has been sounded in Mumbai and in all other major cities of India.

Let's pray for peace and help the government defeat the Enemy once and for all. Let's pray for the Mumbaikars who have again fallen prey to terror.

His Name Is Terror!

When you quarrel argue and fight over petty issues like whose name is what or which part of mother earth belongs to which humans the one whose name is terror finds it ideal to strike and hit you the hardest.

Get united and neutralize the next terror attack.

Terrorize terror with your integrated might.

Appreciate the efforts and pains taken by our Home Minister P Chidambaram and all security personnel and offer unconditional support.

Strengthen the global mass movement against terror.

Isolate the destructive elements.

Jai Maharashtra! Jai Hind! Jai Planet Earth!

Yes, Let Democracy Win!

I agree with Shraddha's( www.mindmatterz.net) strong views on the political circus that is unstoppable as ever. This is despite the public outrage against politicians post 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. When would they understand the reality and be accountable? We have also seen people getting fed up with the false promises of politicians and planning to boycott voting in different parts of Maharashtra. This could well be a trendsetter, lets hope.

Democracy must win at all costs.