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

28 May 2005

What would you think, if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me?

Don’t the days seem to be going by awfully fast? Here it is practically Saturday morning already, and the week seems like it’s just begun. I now understand the meaning of timelessness—it is this. The fluidity, the days merging into one without a beginning or an end. The sky is a hopeless blue, the traffic is just one red light. And here I am in the middle of it all--waiting for something, anything to happen. Waiting for my life to begin.

"I'm getting a reputation as a party reporter," I told my Features head the other day, "I want to do more serious stuff."

"Okay," she said, eyes twinkling, "But do you still want to do the speed dating thing?"

"Ooh, yes, please," I said, grinning, because y'know, speed dating is what I saw in Hitch and what I totally wanted to do.

So here it is, my "last" party assignment, before I hopefully move on to more serious things. Like what Delhi girls feel like after the whole Dhaula Kuan rape. Or even serious writers and their craft. Why they write what they write. Books is a beat that everyone seems to take seriously and I bask in the reflected glory, happy to be taken for an intellectual, when really I'm far from that.

Anyway, so entering Athena tonight I met many girls, all thirty-something, all a little disillusioned with the whole dating scene. They had to sit around and wait for the guys to come to them which was way not in keeping with the feminist ideals I was brought up with. I live to make the first move, baby. But I do it damn subtly and all. Looks from under lowered lashes, wide smiles, head thrown back in a laugh, I do it all. And then the guys come to talk to me. And they say stuff like, "Oh you have a cute smile." And I pretend like it's the first time I've ever heard that. Guys can be so stupid sometimes.

VJ Gaurav was there tonight, looking like Mr. Hottie Hotness himself. He's grown his hair, so it curls softly around his face, he's tall and lean, and he dresses well. AND he speaks well. What more could anyone want? I certainly didn't. When I interviewed him I was all smiles and all pulling at my fringe and then later I struck up an easy camaraderie too. He was coming over and talking to me and everything. Very smooth, eM, I told myself and took to batting my eyelashes whenever he was within a 100 metres of me. I don't know whether it worked or not, but he definitely was giving me more attention than he normally would've.


And as for the speed dating itself, the contestants were pretty sad. Definitely no one I would date. Though many boys asked me wistfully, "Are you participating?" And I had to say no, which I did most regretfully, but some of them stayed anyway, just to talk. One said, "Oh i've seen you in TC many times" and another said, "You're too pretty to be a contestant." (Sorry, but I had to put that in! No one compliments me these days!) And a third thought the most savvy move he could make was to keep bumming my smokes. (How could he know, poor old fuck, that that's the worst way to my heart. Seriously, all a guy needs to do to turn me OFF is to keep smoking my cigarettes.) And then he smiled at me and said with a lisp, "You know, if you were participating, I would definitely tick a 'yes' for you." Awww... NOT!!!

Coz that's what they did. Ticked off their cards, if they wanted to see anyone again. Please. Speed dating in my opinion is about as effective as matching horoscopes. Though it was fun to watch though.

Ooh and I met a boy. A very sweet boy who's my age, and about to do an MBA. A boy who doesn't read (but who needs more readers anyway?) a boy who looked a little naive (but who needs street smarts?) a boy who denounced religion (woo hoo!) a boy who lives in Gurgaon (bummer) and a boy who took my number and said he'd call me tomorrow. I flirted shamelessly, I might as well tell you, much to the amusement of the photographer and guessed his zodiac sign in one go. (Aquarius). Yes, it was one of those evenings.

And there was also a very hot DJ, who reminded me strongly of K., and who I batted my eyelashes at too. He's invited me to Nasha this Wednesday, and if I can drum up a crowd, I'll probably go.

Even though the days merge into one, there's always hope for tomorrow.

UPDATE, SUNDAY NIGHT:

So Athena Chappie has called a couple of times, and I realise more and more, how absofuckinglutely picky I have become. It was all very well, flirting at Athena with nice music and some alcohol and pretty boy. But later, when he's calling, I realise I really have nothing to say to him. Darn.
So, yeah, that's that then. Another one bites the dust (and is struck off my list).

14 comments:

  1. What would you think, if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? - Hmm.. no, I'd probably sing along..
    hmm.. i wonder if u'r shift to the more 'serious stuff' will bring about a change in what u write here.. I guess one of the reasons why I like coming to u'r blog time and time again is 'cause u have this ability to make the reader live through u'r experiences..
    P.S - It's not true that life is one damn thing after another, it is one damn thing over and over.
    P.S2 - Oh, its my b'day today.. and yeah, thanx..
    PS3 - think its going to give the Xbox 360 a real run for its money..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Girlfriend, I sincerely hope that it's the last party assignment for your publication and not for us. Cos you can't write all this juicy stuff and then say, "Y'know I think it's been a while since I reviewed a Vikram Seth book."

    It's just not done :-)

    Nice post babe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Invictus: Happy birthday!! Have a good day and all that. And please explain the xbox comment!

    Box: No, no, I'm pretty sure the clubbing on my own will still happen--i just feel like being less frivolous!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  5. abstract: I live to destroy smirnoff pr types.

    Binal: Please just go somewhere and get a life. Only don't bother coming back here.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey em,
    Dont you think your life is turning out to be like the protognist of 'Page 3'? She too moves out from the partying scene to cover more serious stuff...What say you?

    ReplyDelete
  7. You and serious stuff. Naah. And look at the reactions buddy:)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well, you can channel all your seriousenergies into work and leave us with the frivolous stuff. I know I'D much rather read about speed dating, hot DJs and cute boys who've denounced religion than say, a report on the socio-economic situation in downtown Delhi.

    Really.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The general fluidity of Madras 'vaen vaen' crowd, glorious parties and stellar company, have me totally relating to what you say. Its had most definitely been one of those days. And tonite promises to be better.

    Oh, do I have soooo much to tell you ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. ahem.. it was just a pj... ps3 (play station 3) and xbox 360 the microsoft alternative to the ps3..
    and thanx for the wishes :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. lavin: Ooh, I hope not! Anyway, I'm not saying I want to be a crime reporter or anything, just that I want to do less fluff.

    ab: :P

    Jay: *giggle* Promise I'll NEVER post about socio economic state!

    vignesh: So TELL no? Email is better!

    satya: Hey, Delhi rocks, okay? And I have great fun here.

    invictus: Ooh, now I get it! Funny (not!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. if u sang out of tune, i wudnt even come to know of it! :-D

    ReplyDelete
  13. I didn't wanna reveal myself to be an ignoramus earlier, but you keep repeating it so I really have to ask. What's TC?

    ReplyDelete
  14. hey Em :)
    like reading your exciting posts... theyre so full of life!!
    cant wait to see a post on dat book!

    ReplyDelete

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