Clancy Tucker's Blog: VIJAY NALLAWALA

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1 September 2015 - A BIPOLAR'S JOURNEY AND ITS ORIGIN

A BIPOLAR'S JOURNEY

AND ITS ORIGIN

G'day folks,

I am pleased to introduce a good friend of mine who lives in India. Vijay is about to release his well-written book about Bipolar. Here is his guest feature article.

This love child was conceived fourteen months ago, various threads lead to it over the last three years. Blogging was the first thread. One post on it aroused a lot of interest and feedback: it was my sharing of my own experience with managing Bipolar Disorder. My Mentor, Puneet Bhatnagar spotted my ability to express myself with conviction. He set up a website which was the genesis of this Book. Born on May 23, 2013, this community website, the first such by an India bipolar, now has a global following and has encouraged many Indians to share their problems openly.

What I noticed was that an overwhelming majority of the site's visitors were from outside India, not a bad thing in itself at all, for pain and compassion know no boundaries. However, was I effectively getting the message across to vast numbers in India who had had no internet access or were hampered by poor network reach?

I also realised that in my times of greatest turmoil, it was books, not websites which really helped change course of my life. The ability of a well told story in the form of a book to inspire and transform is quite incomparable.

The idea of penning my turnaround story thus firmed up.

Puneet then gave me the critical initial thrust. "Write down a couple of pages on exactly why are you writing this book. This will define your purpose." he said with his understated wisdom.

"Well begun is half done!" they say.
Aha! Let's not forget the middle and conclusion of the task. We creative types get bored easily and also constantly need to be motivated to stay on track. Mid way through the project, I developed cold feet.
'Am I really cut out to be an author? Have I over-reached and am just blogger material?'
Doubts, doubts and more doubts.

When the cause is for a common good, unbelievably radiant souls step in to inspire, guide and get you back on track. Jennifer Sertl, who is sympathetic to the cause of mental health awareness, is one such angelic being. She has supported me all through in this project, now in marketing it and beyond that in my Mental Health Awareness crusade in India- her inspiring mentoring is a blessing perhaps arranged by the universe. (Well, I actually owe you, Dr. Amit Nagpal, for this synergetic link).

"Let your hand write what your soul wants to say"

Jennifer, a woman of incredible intellect and profound insights, has been instrumental in my being a proud author today. For instance at the outset of our coaching series, I expressed to her my hesitation in centering the book on my journey. Wouldn't it be attention hogging? What if I broad-based it to make it community focused rather than in an autobiographical form?
"It is your intention that matters. Consider yourself as a lighthouse for bipolars in your part of the world. Stories inspire, allow your story to do just that."

If her coaching and mentoring wasn't enough, she has written Book's Foreword- the most beautiful and evocative foreword one could ever wish for! In fact living upto her magic in the body of the book is some challenge!

I doubt without your selfless, active involvement through and after the Book writing, I'd have accomplished anything of note, Soul Sis, Jennifer!

Dr.Amit Nagpal, has been a key instigator behind the scenes: my first published story was through his e-Book. Besides being my Career Coach, he has actively encouraged my social initiative. Being both appreciative and critical, he has raised my standard of creative writing. Most importantly, he has imbibed in me his rare skill of connecting with the hearts of the readers.

Puneet had uncannily predicted right at the very beginning that the website and book would set me free. Yes, it has indeed been a cathartic journey, from the inception to delivery of the love child! The Book is now available on online bookstores globally.

Be truthful, you might begin believing in yourself
Express your truth, maybe other might buy into it?

Write down your truth
Maybe you might fall in love with it

Keep writing, keep writing
And one fine day you are an author

If you have been truthful,
You might touch people's lives

And maybe, just maybe
Help them discover their truths.

Our journey continues, as we live up to our collective vision of
"Let's Walk Together, with purpose and zest..onward"

Vijay Nallawala is a Personal Branding Coach, Digital Storyteller and Blogger based in Mumbai.

"Writers are wired differently and in that respect, I am no different", he says.

Connect with Vijay on his

Blog

Clancy's comment: I have often stated, 'If you are not born with a disability, you will probably pick up one along the way.' It's true. I would highly recommend this book to any of you who may suffer from bipolar, or know someone who does.

Love ya work, Vijay! A book like this takes a lot of courage to write. I am most impressed, and I'm not a man who is easily impressed.

I'm ...

6 May 2014 - A BRAVEHEART

A BRAVEHEART

G'day folks,

Today I feature an article written by another author, creative writer and blogger from Mumbai, India - Vijay Nallawala. It is a great story.

Take it away, Vijay ...

Thirty seven years ago, on Oct. 22, 1976, the small town of Vasai was for the first time privy to the joy of a modern cinematic experience. The Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna starrer Hera Pheri was the popular film with which Sapna Cinema was thrown open to the eager audience of Vasai.

The Cinema theatre was leagues ahead of any other in this far flung Western satellite town of Mumbai (then Bombay). In fact, it was the first of its kind in the entire region: what set it apart was the giant 40 feet wide screen which suited the ‘Cinemascope’ projection format which was such a rage in those days. The state of the art Auditorium was, even in those days, acoustically designed for minimum of sound distortion. Vivid graphics greeted its patrons in the main lobby and foyer areas. Strikingly, it had a single level seating arrangement (which is now the standard in most of the new Multiplexes) in order to optimise the projection quality.

Sapna Cinema brought to its adoring fans a string of Blockbuster Movies of the 70’s and 80’s : Sholay, Dharamveer, Star Wars, The Ten Commandments, Amar Akbar Anthony, Sargam, Don, Kranti, Aasha, Chota Chetan (in 3D). The people of Vasai, until then, starved of such a magnificent Cinema viewing experience, flocked to Sapna Cinema in droves.

Many years before this state of the art Cinema theatre was commissioned, this daring entrepreneur had embarked on a riskier venture. This visionary, the late Ramesh P. Sonawala, had set up a Offset Printing Press in the remote village of Achole, Vasai (E). Catering to the Film publicity material requirements of Producers based primarily in Bombay was a radical and risky move.

To put things in perspective, we are talking of an era when telecommunications and road connectivity were primitive. A call between Vasai (W) and (E) was a ‘Trunk call’ placed through an operator over a manual telephone exchange!!

Such hurdles and obstacles hinder only lesser people. This printing press, set up as a Partnership firm with Shri Prakash B. Apte, thrived against all odds. Aar Pee Reprotechnik became the primary Poster printing vendor for reputed production houses such as Rajshri Productions, NFDC, the Nadiadwalas, Kapur Films, N.N.Sippy and Children’s Film Society.

Posters of hits like Dosti, Maine Pyar Kiya, Nadiya Ke Paar, Ghazab, Taraana and a host of English films from the stable of NFDC rolled off it's press, giving the established competitors a run for their money. His abilities as a daring, visionary entrepreneur and resourceful management of finances were only part of his legend.

Forty years ago, when break-up of marriages were taboo and attracted social stigma in a small town like Vasai, he decided that his younger sister, Indumati, should no longer continue with the traumatic relationship of her marriage. Although financially he was yet to find his footing, he took the courageous decision of taking his sister alongwith her two young children home with him. What this entailed was providing financial and emotional support for not a month or a year, but for fourteen years, until his niece and nephew, who had been brought up him, with the same standard of living as his own two daughters, became financially independent.

This family of nine comprised his equally visionary parents Parmanand and Shanta, wife Shobhana, two daughters Namrata and Sapna, his sister with her two children. Ramesh Bhuvan, the magnificent, sprawling Bungalow built by his father, Parmanand is where everybody lived together as one.

A businessman has to confront the possibility of ups and downs in business cycles and the financial hardships that the tougher times entail. This lionhearted man not once during all these years allowed the family members to get a whiff of the financial hardships that he had to overcome from time to time. He manfully continued to provide his expanded family of nine, all the comforts they were accustomed to. His sunny disposition spread to all of us. Having been a rebel himself, he inculcated the same spirit of freedom and adventure in the quartet of youngsters. Rarely would a Sunday pass by without the mandatory picnic or outing with the entire gang of nine! There were, of course, the pleasant weekend getaways which sprung up without any prior planning!

He had a huge liking for cars and travelling was his passion. Over the years, he must have owned at least 15 different car models at various times! More than eating out, making sure that everybody ate to their hearts' content was what pleased him. His kindness and generosity was extended to not only other relatives but also many other people from Vasai, in times of their need. This ever giving nature of his had created a halo around him, leading him to be looked upon as a father figure by many people who benefited from his largesse.

The burden of running the enterprise, the poor infrastructure that added to the stress, archaic economic policies that throttled business.. all this naturally took a toll on his health. The repercussions on his mind and body were serious and affected him at an early age. He suffered his first heart attack when he was not even 40. The second one at his age 51 was a massive and crippling one.

This setback and the resultant bypass surgery would have forced an early retirement on most mortals. Ramesh Sonawala, the man with tremendous determination, ploughed on courageously. He continued the arduous train commute from Vasai to faraway Naaz Cinema at Lamington Road regularly. This was the office building, boasting of the big names of the Indian film industry were based, where he ran his office for the best part of three decades.

The marriages of his two daughters behind him, he had reason to be content. However, even poor health failed to stop him from implementing his ambitious growth plans. His health kept on deteriorating and he underwent the third surgery on his already overburdened heart in 2007. Sadly, this time even his willpower was not enough.

I am the nephew who, along with my mom and sis, he magnanimously took under his wings. He spent his last three days at our home before he was snatched away from us on March 06, 2007, the very day he returned to his own home. Rarely does a day go by without your thought crossing my mind, Mama. You were one of the greatest influences in my life. We cherish the days spent with you.

Many great heroes on celluloid have graced the screen of Sapna Cinema in 'reel' life.

Few can the match the valour, dynamism and benevolence exhibited by my uncle, late Shri Ramesh Sonawala in real life.