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

2 March 2005

Yet another list of things that don't really count as a full fledged blog, but are fun to write about anyway

1) Just returned from premiere/party for White Noise. (Please, please, save your money, don't watch it. It's terrible. Trust me). Anyway, I noticed at the party, which was at Agni, that Rahul Bose has the cutest ass I have seen in a very long time. It just beckons--come touch me, eM, come touch me. Well, you'll be happy to know, I restrained myself, even when I was talking to him, even when he leaned way over to talk directly into my ear because the music was so loud, even when he told me he had to put on five kilos for his role in a Bengali movie and I took a good look at his perfectly chiselled abs, visible even through the black shirt he was wearing...mmmmm! You can keep your Shah Rukhs and Salmans, ask not for whom the groin flutters, Rahul, it flutters for thee.

2) Koel Purie on the other hand, despite being quite cute, is a terrible actress. I believe she and Rahul (look at me first-naming him!) were having a scene a while back. But not any more! Yay, yay. Not that I for one moment believe that Rahul and I could ever be together, but he needs to be with someone worthy of him, you know? Someone who will respect the ass, baby.

3) My cousins, of which I have six--all of them boys of assorted shapes, sizes and ages--have started a Yahoo group for the seven of us. It's really quite a sweet idea, and a great way to restore all those family ties that have been getting rather musty. And I feel all cool belonging to a Yahoo group. Actually, truth be told I belong to three, including this one. One for the boarding school alumnus, which I really must unsubscribe from because the only people posting are the ones from the batch of 78 or something and hello, if you graduated before I was even born, then I really don't think we're going to know the same people. The other one was *ahem* a Wiccan group, Wicca being something I was heavily into for a while. Ya, I can still read the tarot and I still, occassionaly cast a feel-good spell for myself. (Okay, since you asked, it's easy-peasy: Take a bath (a bucket bath will do) and dissolve some regular salt in it. Light some candles in the four corner of your bathroom (it helps if you have red or yellow candles). Then as you bathe, you chant 'Negativity is washed away, I am renewed as of today, Many heads will turn my way, Those I choose will wish to stay') Usually it works like a charm, but that could be just psychological as well. Give it a shot anyway, if you're curious. And no, I'm not crazy. Just dabbling in the occult, hee hee hee.

4) Pieces is in town! And tomorrow night we're going to TC and then I'm going to crash at her house and it'll be just like old times, only we're older. I love the gal pals. Have I mentioned that before? Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without my core group of friends. I've also been listening to a lot of Lean On Me (when you'e not strong, I'll be your friend, I'll help you cah-rree on etc) in case you can't tell.

5) Tan-tara-tara! Finally finished my SOP and though it still looks like shit, I'm hoping it's adequate enough to get me through college. Now, all that remains are writing samples--of which I have a few, only I have to turn 800 words into 3,000 per story magically. (Maybe now's a good time to brush up on the witchcraft, eh?)

6) I've been bumping into quite a few old colleagues lately, and every time I meet them I miss my old job. A former colleague of mine died recently. I didn't know her all that well, she was very new and I was quitting so I didn't really make the effort. But it was quite tragic--she was at work, then she went home and went to sleep and slipped into a coma. She died two days later--multiple organ failure, apparently. I'm sorry, this is not a funny story at all, but I'm still kinda shocked by the suddenness of it all. And she was so young, only 26. GSB, if you're reading this, email me sometime, just to let me know you're still alive and kicking.

7) But I still do enjoy my new job, when I have the energy to enjoy it. I know somewhere at the back of my tired mind is a strange serenity that comes out of job satisfaction. But oh, I'm so tired. (Time for another song I think: I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink/ I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink/I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink....)

postscript: Thank you Anurag for your sweet email and excellent suggestions about the SOP which I have followed, so I hope this works! Keep your fingers crossed for me.

13 comments:

  1. So where is it that you're applying to, again?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you... nah, just kidding, I'm actually keeping it kinda under wraps until I actually do get admission.. superstitous reasons! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi eM,
    strange...just today I saw the article "somewhere" with a photograph of Rahul (with nice ass!) and Koel Purie with hands up !..I was wondering what kind of film "White noise" would be?...later read your opinion..!

    and strangely enough ,I watched a story on NDTv about Sarika, who plays wiccan Ipsita Roy Chakraverti in a film .
    And later read your particiaption in a Wiccan group...did you by any chance do a story on Ipsita Roy Chakraverti..( for whichever magazine or newspaper group you work for?)
    Since you did dabble in OCCULT...
    I could do with some intro for a colorful "soft" TV story on her!
    nilanjanc2004@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1. Why would we be happy to know you restrained yourself ? We would have been elated to know that you lunged for it, and showed Koel how its done ;)

    2. Respect that ass. Hmmm... I see a t-shirt slogan here...

    3. OMG ! Voodoodoodoo ! I can so imagine a cupboard in your house, filled with stuffed dolls of ex-boyfriends with all varieties of needles sticking out of them ;)

    4. Girl Power !

    5. When my English prof read my SoP, he laughed. A nice big laugh, wouldn't stop for about two whole minutes. He then proceeded to tear my SoP up and ask me to write a new one. This went on for about 2 months !

    6. Sorry to hear that.

    7. Your new job, lady, involves coming temptingly close to Rahul Bose's behind. I wouldn't crib if I were you ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. "I still do enjoy my new job, when I have the energy to enjoy it..."

    This is so true, like I was telling my boss in my just concluded appraisals, 'I would love my job, if I didn't have to do it for the money!'

    :)

    Good luck with whatever you wrote the SOP for!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hola eM,

    I'm glad you found the suggestions helpful. Good luck with your admissions. With you writing style, I don't think SOP is going to be the problem for you.

    Very nice post. You have a flair for taking everyday things and giving them an interesting twist. You will make one heck of a storyteller.

    Actually I quite like Rahul Bose. He doesn't seem to have the airs of other celebrities. I saw him after the Mumbai half-marathon (he had run the 7 km celebrity run), he looked tired (he is too heavy for distance running, though I am sure he is a good sprinter), and he was walking alone!!!!! I mean, hello, Mr. celebrity without any fans or security around? I liked that attitude. I once went for a play of his called "Seascape with sharks and dancer", which he acted in along with Anahita Oberoi, and that was a very well done play. This fact is actually not related to the previous statements, but what the heck, one non-sequitur per paragraph is not exactly the sign of schizophrenia. :))

    Keep them words flowing. And next time, grab it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nilanjan: A good way to get to know a backgrounder on Ipsita is to pick up her book Beloved Witch. It's quite nice, a little far out, but good narrative structure anyway.

    Vignesh: I'm totally loving the idea of the t-shirt slogan btw. I think I'll actually get one printed :) And I think the fate of your SoP awaits mine also.

    Primalsoup: I think the money is the good part, actually, but my job does inspire me to sing many Beatles songs... like A Hard Day's Night etc :)

    EJ: Thanks for stopping by! And the powers that be that control the internet and especially Blogger are waaaay beyond my control.

    Anurag: Hmmm.. marathon running? Can you just imagine the ass running? Ooooh! *goes off to fantasise about actors with cute butts*

    ReplyDelete
  8. 'if you like it, you must grab it'

    and what more can you ask for if the thing that u like is Rahul Bose's Ass.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 'if you like it, you must grab it'

    and what more can you ask for if the thing that u like is Rahul Bose's Ass.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi eM! Many apologies for getting back to you on the SOP links. Looks like you have already sent it - have you?

    ReplyDelete
  11. comment as promised. hope all is well.
    i leave for the mumbai of mumbais today. maybe i will return one day.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AmitKen: I think in order to grab it, I'd have to be pretty drunk. Which unfortunately, despite the open bar, I was not, so all I could manage were nervous giggles.

    Sunrayz: Not a problem. Haven't sent it in yet, but will be soon.

    Samit: Yeah, yeah.. off to exciting times in Mumbai, don't ever DARE insinuate that you're a hermit anymore, okay? Especially as some of us have to sit here in City Of Boredom and Manage Our Careers. Peh is what I say to you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. New post, new post, I want a new post.

    ReplyDelete

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