My latest book is The One Who Swam With The Fishes.

"A mesmerizing account of the well-known story of Matsyagandha ... and her transformation from fisherman’s daughter to Satyavati, Santanu’s royal consort and the Mother/Progenitor of the Kuru clan." - Hindustan Times

"Themes of fate, morality and power overlay a subtle and essential feminism to make this lyrical book a must-read. If this is Madhavan’s first book in the Girls from the Mahabharata series, there is much to look forward to in the months to come." - Open Magazine

"A gleeful dollop of Blytonian magic ... Reddy Madhavan is also able to tackle some fairly sensitive subjects such as identity, the love of and karmic ties with parents, adoption, the first sexual encounter, loneliness, and my favourite, feminist rage." - Scroll



Sign up for my newsletter: The Internet Personified

25 February 2005

That's Ms. Teeny-bopper to you

Okay, I'll admit it. I used to be a teeny-bopper. Used to be? I can hear some of you asking. Well, shut up. Let me finish. When I was about 19, I had all the makings of a classic teeny-bopper. For one thing, duh, I was a teenager. I had very. very long hair at the time, almost waist-length, which I ironed every couple of weeks and swished around, I wore skirts when I went clubbing, little ones that could have doubled as handkerchiefs and these huge pencil heels, I laughed a lot, painted my eyelids and mascara-ed my eyelashes so I could gaze seductively from under them. My friends and I were a snotty bunch, we didn't talk to anyone, or even if we did, they were objects of ridicule once they left. (Oh my god, I was a horrible person! Though in my defence, I never really said the bitchy stuff, just laughed when other people did.) Anyway, we clubbed constantly, I'm talkign Tuesday nights--Mezz, Wednesday night--Djinns, Thursday nights--the Gymkhana club, Friday night--DV8 and Saturday, was a free-for-all. Of course, being in a girl's college and all, it was evident that we had a little posse of male friends and/or boyfriends who picked us up, dropped us home and acted as arms from which we could hang off. This was during the summer vacation, if you're wondering, we didn't go out on weeknights during college.
Anyway, that's what I used to be like, so even if I'm slightly the "hectic teeny-bopper" now, you have to realise where I'm coming from. The reason I'm mentioning it, is because yesterday I went for Siddhartha Tytler's Spring/Summer showing at Decibel. Strictly a work thing and all, and since I was going straight from office, I went as I was, dressed in a bulky coat, a cardigan, blue jeans and sneakers. I smelt of coffee and smoke and tiredness, my hair was in its final I-give-up stage and I carried a huge jhola with various notebooks and pens and Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent sticking out of it. The photographer and I were joking about how it was always easy to spot journos at these dos because they would be the worst dressed. (Not the TV journalists. Bitches. They're always so made up and so put together and they have this certain authority with holding that mic and sticking into people's faces that I definitely can't conjure up, even with a Parker pen.) Anyway, it was all very funny and all run-of-the-mill because I had done it a hundred, thousand times before, right?

So then we watched the show and then as good little p3p reporters do, we circulated. And it was incredible! Every second person I bumped into was from LSR, people I used to hang out with and hair-swish with and people who were now regarding me with the same expression I used to give..well.. people who turned up at nightclubs in jeans and sneakers. Wow, am I getting my come-uppance, huh? Of course, the first few people I met didn't bother me, even one skinny cow, who smiled at me and when I asked her what she was doing there, she said, "Oh, Sid and I are good friends." Sid. God.

Then there was this old school-acquaintance of mine, who has turned into an Elite model, very glamorous with big hair. And then there was this fat girl, a year junior to me in college, who I usually felt good around, but she was all dressed in a blue halter top and she was all like, "Catch you." Peh. Well, she looked fat in her blue halter anyway. And I stood there, in the midst of this party, feeling my heart beat in my ears, not even fortifying myself with alcohol because the bar was so crowded and feeling people staring at me, no doubt because of the way I dressed and seriously, at that moment I felt like a has-been. I felt old and wrinkled and ugly and it was horrible because I used to be one of those shiny people. I have halter tops that are languishing in my cupboard. I think I should just quit my job and go back to being a socialite.

So I staggered out and into the lobby, where I met the brother of a friend who was very nice and sweet and gave me cigarettes and I felt better.

Moral of the story: Next time, don't volunteer to cover a party at a nightclub, even if you haven't been there before.

9 comments:

  1. why does it always show a 12 hour difference on all the posts..like my comment will be posted @ 1:35 pm but on the blog it shows 1:35AM...strange....isnt it!!!!!
    Moral of my story:"one halter top in the bag, is better than 10 in the cupboard."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Because Blogger is on American time, unfortunately. And yeah, should pull those halters out of the cupboard already! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Being a socialite is boring...atleast you have interesting things to talk and write about...they are just air head bitches. And more power to you journos...thats what I think! You would be a very interesting person to meet...do you plan to come to the states for future studies??

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anon1 Notification:
    Whereas it appears that the abovementioned Anonymous has interesting things to comment butthe aforesaid Anonymous has nothing to do with Anon1,which is a certified trademark signature of Anon1.
    The notification is made , under the provision of Subsection 12567 of Anon1 Acquisition Act, 1757, to all whom it may concern.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anon 2: More power to journos is all very good, but it wouldn't hurt to be a little fancier dressed. As for the US for higher studies.. hmm.. it bears thinking about.

    Anon 1: See, now's a good time as any, to use a real name! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. M, nice article, as usual. Thanks for your comment on my blog. God bless you with more opportunities to wear them halter tops.

    BTW, all my teenage I was probably one of the people who your and your friends made fun of. Thankfully, I didn't realize it. :)) But look at me now, I'm Sandra Dee. Ow! Didn't come out the way I wanted it to. Anyhow, the use of backspace key is against the philosophy of blogging (and the society of born again lazy slobs). So there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anon1 to eM:would september be a good time for US?....hmmmmmmmm...maybe!annd as for more power to Journos.....NEVER...EVER! we are corrupt enough with all the "power" we have!And I see most journos well dressed...not for a party but good enough .And it is those TV "bitches" who stick out like sore thumbs and their questions they stick out worse like a Bloody sore thumb!
    whats in a name anyway..Anon1 is good enough!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Since when did Blogger take away my priveleges to delete multiple comments? Hello??? Can someone give me a hand here?

    Anon1? Are you like the same Anon that commented on the last post? Anyway, ya, probably to the States this Sept., if all goes well.

    Anurag: Thanks as always for your sweet comments. And I don't think I would've made fun of you in college.. but if a bunch of teeny-boppers did, I apologize on their behalf. And again.. it's eM!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. sorry eM...yeah...am the same Anon1!..and my impatience with my comp made me click couple of times on "publish" which left the mess on your site..sorry once again about that!i have no clue how to undo what i have done...some techie reader should help!!!

    eM... it was you who gave the info about US studies in one of the earlier posts...i just remembered!(i told you that i read the archive...and i try to remember everything i read.)
    anyway all the best for September!
    eN

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your feedback! It'll be published once I approve it. Inflammatory/abusive comments will not be posted. Please play nice.