Zendagi Migzara

ग़म में डूबे खुदी को अब ग़म ही नज़र नहीं आता तुम्हारे होने न होने का अब निशाँ नज़र नहीं आता शिद्दत से तुम्हे भूलाने का वक़्त नज़र नहीं आता और वक़्त आ  भी जाए तोह लम्हा नज़र नहीं आता अपने आप से तुम्हारी बातें किया करते थे अब वोह जूनून नज़र नहीं आता तुम्हारे नाम पे झूम उठा करते थे अब वोह सुकून नज़र नहीं आता तुम्हारे अधूरे सपनों का लाल रंग नज़र नहीं आता जिस चाहत से रंगा था ज़िन्दगी को खुद ही में चिप्पा वोह रंगरेज़ नज़र नहीं आता बेवजह फूलों को चूमने का फितूर नज़र नहीं आता जहान को महकाने वाला अब वोह इत्तर  नज़र नहीं आता दिवाली के दिए  सा रोशन वोह इश्क़ नज़र नहीं आता अब चाहे किसी भी आसमान में ढूंढे ईद का चाँद नज़र नहीं आता एक और रंजिश ही सही कहते  हैं पर तुम्हारा ज़िक्र  नज़र नहीं आता फिर भी तुम्हरी मोहब्बत से निकलने का अब कोई फ़िक्र नज़र नहीं आता 

यह कैसा कश्म-कश हैं ना तुम चुप हो ना  हम चुप हैं पर जो दरमियाँ ख़ामोशी गूंजती हैं उसको ना तुम सुनो ना हम सुने आओ इनको सुनकर भी अनसुना कर दे वह जिसके परछाई तले हम झूम रहे हैं उस धीमे  इज़हार को अनकहा कर दे क्यूंकि जिन लफ़्ज़ों की बाहों में हमारी बातें बोल जाए उन्हें तलाशने की ज़ेहमत ना तुम में हैं ना मुझ में "हमे प्यार हैं" यह कहने की नज़ाकत ना तुम में हैं ना मुझ में फिर भी चले जातें हैं आग से खेलने की शायद कोई तूफ़ान बारिश  गिरा दे की शायद कहीं से कोई फर्याद हमे मिला दे तोह चलो फिर जुड़ जाते हैं इस कारवाँ से जिनकी  रातें में हीर-रांझा के किस्से भी हैं और लैला-मजनू की तड़प भी जहां कहीं पर कभी कभी  मिले सन्नाटे कभी मेले चलो चलते हैं इन राहों पे तुम्हारे साथ मैं और मेरे साथ तुम फिर भी दोनों ही अकेले

The answer to the title is a resounding no. I'll love Shah Rukh Khan until my dying day. But Shah Rukh Khan, the actor? It's been a week since I watched Shah Rukh Khan's Jab Harry Met Sejal. Almost all the work Shah Rukh has done in the last few years has been disappointing. So much so that I've been hurt, I've been angry, I've screamed at friends who have said stuff about those movies, only in my need to defend shah rukh - little knowing that I too was very slowly but surely getting disenchanted with what he was doing onscreen. Offscreen he continued to be witty and charming - but an actor is defined by his craft - a craft at which Shah Rukh had been steadily failing since his antics in Ra.One. With every release I'd wait until tickets opened for advance booking and walk into halls anxiously, trying to keep my expectations low - but I've never been good at that with Shah Rukh. And each time I would come out of the hall dreading the onslaught on

she sat by the side of the pool listening to the breeze flow through the rice fields. The wooden balinese wood chimes beat about wildly - filling the evening with the sounds that meant bali to her - all of it's sacredness, all of it's purity, all of it's strength, all of music and all of it's mystique undulating from the corner of the kitchen where the chimes hung, all the way to the end of the pool, where she sat watching the stars.  she lay on her back to see them clearer without having to crane her neck. Her feet dangled at the edge of the swimming pool. And her toes danced coming in contact with water. The ripples from that movement, making their own music with the chimes. Nothing could've made the moment any more complete. There was nothing on her mind - her eyes were open but they might as well have been closed - for all they saw were a clear night sky with a million stars, also dancing along with her toes. And yet as soon as she said - this is perfect

Secret Mermaid. She crossed this tiny little hole-in-the-wall whiskey bar everyday, and her steps would slow down automatically, she would try to peep in and never be able to see anything because of the cloth flap/curtain that covered the entrance, like a japanese restaurant. The lights were always dimmed and the music very light, almost quiet.  She would remember him for a split-second. And how he had diverted her from her path to the MRT and asked her if she was up for a drink. It was 9 PM and she wanted to go home, but also wanted to be with him, so it really wasn't a hard decision to make and so she followed his lead and stepped into this tiny place and loved it instantly. It was cozy, they got a seat at the bar and the bar tender educated them on the american craft spirits they keep. The setting was perfect for after dinner drinks and a quiet little intimate chat.   They were still very new to each other, and there was so much to learn, so many things to explor

It's amazing how every time I sign into this blogger account - i look at my sad state of blogging all through this year and maybe even my pitiful contributions last year and promise myself to write more. And those promises like many many ones that i make to myself, fall by the side while absolutely pointless and mundane happenings in life take their place instead. Today, immense sickness and the absolute unwillingness but mostly incapability of moving from my couch led me to open this page. Giving my thoughts a little freedom to flow and giving my words a little courage to just be. I just celebrated my 29th birthday last week - and I realised it was the last year in my twenties. I have never been one to worry about my age - I have felt 60 years old for the last 10 years anyway - so my body is finally catching up with my mind. However, in spite of age not being a factor that defines anything I do or plan to do - i did realise that if there's one thing that has happened wit