ABOUT SLUM DOG & OTHER DOGS

I dont intend to see the film. Atleast not now.

I have not taken sides with the opposition to 'The Slum Doggers'. No. Also I dont know much about the issues, controversies and mud slinging matches going on. In fact Iam wearing a glazed look of boredom , tired of yet another story of yet another man rising up from rags to riches. Its like - While Jesus remains the same , photographs differ. Iam not for watching the crucification picturised in a trendy way - a recrucification and a much oscarified re-resurrection of the theme.

The usage 'Slum Dog' is for accentuating the penury- ofcourse, I understand.

But what about the real dogs? Do they differ? I mean - are the slum dogs different from the Posh South Mumbai dogs. I dont mean the Rottwielers and Alsatians guarding those mansions nor the poodles and poms helping the matrons exhibit their care and concern by just the rub of a mane along with an upmarket "Watchooo doing"? "How Cho-Chweeeet" to the pom who has a bit of its toungue hanging outside.

I refer to those breed- less, non- pedigreed, short haired, available in a few non-mettallic basic colours, omni present and four legged things. Does it matter to them whether they wait outside the 'Khan-ka- kabab' on the mud sloshed street with pan stains on the walls or outside the spanky "Oberoi trident"?

True- the interclass comparisons between the privileged poodles , Daschunds or Dalmatians with that of their under privileged brethren does make some sense about the forbes listed dogs and the BPL dogs. But apart from that, does it really matter if , say for example, a middle class dog stays at Bandra or Dharavi? It complicates matters that we just cant ask any dog for its opinion. More over they are least bothered of what we think of them.

Out of the three unavoidables for our politicians , Roti, Kapda and Makan , dogs dig for only one - the first one - thats liberating I should say.

That makes me examine their food habits. Ofcourse the forbes fellows get their specially prepared food. But the BPL guys are not too worse off either, with their kind of- 'off the street fast food'. Mind you both groups wouldnt mind eating from each others plates - food is food. Branding is not an issue. I mean, Pizzas are not preferred above Idlis. They sort of go as per - first served first eaten basis , dont they? With the exception that a bone in the dish, anywhere, can become a bone of contention among them.

Coming next is the breed thing. Daschunds, Labradors and their kind, survive and thrive anywhere 'if well looked after', though ideally speaking they look real good along side the lovely ladies . The local 'hounds' who roam the street can survive anywhere i guess. well dressed ladies dont attract them as much as ladies in the kitchen do.

Thats a lot of non-stop nonsense I guess.... So let me stop now. Let the posh dogs, the slum dogs and all other types of dogs lie as they are and let me also take my quota of shut eye plus dreams.

Tongue hanging out , ears half upright, nose slightly twitching , tail in the auto-swat-fly mode; the blogging dog sleeps.

...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......