Baby prithvi in Hong Kong

Halloween 2025

I got a big big urge to write this to both you - please read -

Dear Prithvi and Yooki,

Yesterday I was with friends and we were discussing being a  old mom to a new born and my biggest concern was not being there for you guys when you will be 120 or maybe even earlier. And I wish I could maximize my time with you not just in terms of how much I am giving you now but in terms of number of years so I could be available to you, to share milestones or just take care.

I am so proud of Yooki - she is already 9 but so responsible. She is sensitive and strong and I am realizing  they are two parts of the same coin. But prithvi is still a baby so I don't how he will shape up. I was thinking how it will be when you guys will be old and I wont be there to comfort you. Mostly I was thinking of moments that you will be alone and I want to say that even when alone know that you are not - and be strong - coz a version of me will be there with you. 

I am fortunate that for many many years I have had you guys sleeping on my hand.  Not just in nights but also in the afternoons - prithvi you are 16 months and we have consistently had 2 hour long afternoon naps snug and cozy in eachothers arms. 

For yooki I dont know if I took a pic, i dont get to hug her as much after you are born but before that we were inseparable - maybe I will one of the days hug and sleep with her and take a pic- but this is a picture of prithvi sleeping in my arms. So know that both of you there were many many moments - not moments butdays and years- you were snug in my arm and you still are - even if you are 120 years and I am in third dimension.  You both have received. so much of love, nourishment and strength and I want that echoing in you when you are low - hold my hand when you dont know what to hold. It is always outstretched for you. 

---

Now some random things: 

Do read the book - life in 3 dimensions - it speaks of psychologically rich life..its a great read -

I was reading about investing in the most authentic version of yourself. You escape competition through authenticity. That's coz I am in weird crossroads where I get lots of calls and chances to work on various scripts and I feel so confused and then I use it as my compass on deciding which film to do. 

----

Also some wisdom I found in internet/inbox:

Independence is a spectrum:

Independence is a spectrum. Independence is not something you either have or don't have, it's not binary like that.

Now, some people value independence more than others. Some people want to be higher on the spectrum than others. There's no right answers on how much you should want. But too many people don't bother chasing independence because it seems out of reach, when in fact they could easily – be improving their independence spectrum, and in turn improve their lives.

The trick is viewing every bit of savings as having actively purchased something, even if it doesn't come with a receipt: You have purchased the ability to do what you want, when you want, with whom you want, for as long as you want. And it is priceless.

Contentment is the biggest wealth: Psychological wealth is such an important concept, and with money it comes from proper expectations. Happiness is contentment. Contentment is what we have relative to what we want. All happiness is in life is just the gap between expectations and circumstances. The person who has everything but wants even more feels poorer than the person who has little but wants nothing else. The key is realizing that happiness is the state when nothing is missing, regardless of the lifestyle you're living.

Desire is a hidden form of debt that must be repaid before you get to feel any happiness. There is a Stoic saying: "Not needing wealth is more valuable than wealth itself." To be content with what you have is the deepest way to enjoy the house you've purchased, the clothes you wear, and the vacations you take.

---

"Breathe in, and close your eyes. Breathe out, and smile."

Once upon a time in Mumbai

note to self

Let grandparents spoil their grandkids.

Let them slip an extra cookie when you're not looking.

Let them tuck a dollar into a pocket or pick out a toy instead of something practical.

Let them drive across town just to take them out for ice cream on a Tuesday night.

Because truth we don't like to say out loud is this: kids are only little for a short while, and grandparents aren't around forever either.

There will come a day when your babies are too old to crawl into Grandma's lap. When they won't giggle over the magic trick Grandpa has done a hundred times before. When Happy Meals will be replaced with car keys and curfews and part-time jobs.

And there will come a day when the seat at the end of the table is empty, when the phone doesn't buzz with a "can the kids come over?"

So while kids are small and grandparents are able—let them soak each other in. Let them do the silly, sweet, extra-special things that make you roll your eyes a little but secretly smile too.

Because it's not about the candy or the toys or the treats.

It's about the memories.

It's about the joy on both of their faces.

It's about the kind of love that skips a generation and lands in the middle like a warm hug.

Let them spoil each other.

One day, those little extras will be the big things we cherish.

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.' "

Awwww

Prithvi wants to hear aww when we tell that none of the 5 ducks came back. Later then all the 5 came back he wants us to see us happy.

Yooki didi meanwhile have been doing stop motion animation and today has gone to her fashion show with meghna masi.

Here he is unwell and last 2-3 days have been immensely clingy demanding nursing … mumma loves you very much and am always always there for you 💕💕💕✨✨✨

Also yooki

Was listening to mehendi Hasan debating

Perfecting homemade pizza

I have aced home made pizza with sun-dried tomatoes (Trikhaya stocks them now), basil, pizza cheese from mooz (has 2 types of cheese) plus feta cheesE

Throwback to yooki in lockdown haircut

3 generations

Yookis birthday card to Shivani

Once upon a time

Juno and yooki ❤️

Thoughts

Historian and philosopher Will Durant on play: "Let us ask the gods not for possessions, but for things to do; happiness is in making things rather than in consuming them. In Utopia, said Thoreau, each would build his own home; and then song would come back to the heart of man, as it comes to the bird when it builds its nest. If we cannot build our homes, we can at least walk and throw and run; and we should never be so old as merely to watch games instead of playing them. Let us play is as good as Let us pray, and the results are more assured." Source: Fallen Leaves

If you want a plant to grow, you can fuss over it every day—watering, weeding, moving it toward the sun. Or you can place it in the right soil and let nature do most of the work. A seed planted in the right spot often thrives on its own. Life is much the same. Progress is not only about how hard you work, but also about where you decide to work. Where is your energy better spent right now: pushing harder or planting yourself in better ground?

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.' "

3 gens

food for thought

Yooki prithvi

Read these 

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.' "

When yooki goes to school

Filmmaking and writing

I think writing and art and filmmaking is the only job where you bring your complete humanity to page - its like that its not a page but suggestion of a person...

for 12-14 hours some people bring their best game to the film you are making - and its beautiful...

audience give 2 hrs of their life and in return you give them their own life back...

honour to have the time of others and dont want to disrespect it ...

its a beautiful magical job ...

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.' "

Prithvi

Saw this pic and kept saying mumma

james gunn and screenwriting

Best known for his reinvention of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, Gunn now finds himself at the helm of DC's newest cinematic chapter—a fresh take on Superman. His process on how he writes superhero scripts forges a bridge between structure and spontaneity, speech and silence, myth and humanity, goofiness and seriousness.

James Gunn's writing process is dynamic and deliberately flexible, designed to keep his creative juices flowing and stave off a condition worse than writers' block – boredom.

He avoids falling into writing routines by regularly changing his screenwriting approach: sometimes starting by immediately writing scenes, letting character-driven moments flow organically, and other times laboriously developing detailed treatments and outlines. He admits to sometimes "treatmenting something to death," but believes the best results come from a "treatment with freedom" that balances structure, narrative flow and spontaneity.

Advertisement

I completely relate to Superman because he's everything I am … he's somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he's Superman. 

Screenwriting James Gunn Style

James Gunn's screenwriting process is distinguished by several unique elements that consistently shape his stories:

• Injecting Himself into the Script: He emphasizes putting his own distinct sensibilities and personal style—his "weirdness," humor, and heart—into each script. Gunn learned not to dilute his voice, but to amplify it.
• Controlled Use of Improvisation: While he rehearses and allows for some discovery with actors in rehearsal, Gunn believes improvisation on set is overrated. He insists on a tight, well-crafted script before production starts, to ensures story integrity.
• Visual Planning and Color Story: He thinks visually as he writes, planning the "color story" of his films and using color swatches for each scene to match emotional and visual arc.
• Focus on the Third Act: Gunn advises writers (especially for action or spectacle films) to write a memorable climax so the third act is fast-paced, energetic, and impactful.
• Scientific Accuracy: He combines wild imagination with a "doctor-like" approach to seeing what works mechanically in a script, treating each scene as part of a machine designed to affect the audience in specific ways.
• Kill Your Darlings: Gunn uses invites iterative feedback and shares early drafts with trusted colloborators. He's prepared to cut quality pages to ensure narrative flow and conciseness.
• Tone & Texture: Hopeful Yet Grounded. Gunn balances fantasy and realism, opening with Krypto rescuing Superman in the snow to establish the tone early. He emphasized a grounded, character‑driven tone—combining seriousness, hope, humor, and warmth—without tipping into outright comedy.

James Gunn

Gunn stresses finishing scripts (resisting the urge to abandon work-in-progress too soon), learning all aspects of filmmaking, and trusting one's story instincts while refining the technical aspects of writing.

Building A Skeleton For Superman

For major projects, especially DC films, Gunn is known for creating highly detailed treatments, sometimes up to 70 pages long, which might include photographs and supplementary materials for inspiration and clarity. He likens this phase to building a skeleton for the story—a strong foundation to avoid mistakes later in the scriptwriting process. The overarching story, tone, and character arcs are clearly established before he types: FADE IN. He won't shoot before the script is tight and locked down.

When preparing to write Superman and other DC movies, Gunn drew deeply from his personal comic book history. He was determined to capture the sense of wonder, adventure, and comic-book energy that influenced him as a child, rather than just continuing tradition or defaulting to an origin story. Gunn wants to reflect the familiar "fun and community" from the comics he grew up on: a world where Superman had superhero friends, wild technology, and extraordinary adventures—not just an isolated, brooding hero contemplating the vagaries of life while saving humanity.

I was seeing a world where Superman had superhero friends and he had a Superman family. There were robots and giant monsters and he had a flying dog and technology so extreme, it seemed like sorcery.

He studied the main Superman comics, particularly those that balanced awe with heart, including All-Star Superman. He paid close attention to the mythic, imaginative, and optimistic aspects that made those stories fun and enduring. Gunn considers All‑Star Superman essential inspiration for tone of Superman, blending mythic scale with emotional realism.

Gunn advises writers to consider genre blending—taking incompatible influences and colliding them to create new, surprising story opportunities. Despite the sometimes hapahzard nature of his scripts, James Gunn's writing process for the new Superman movie was deep, thoughtful, and deliberate.

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.' "

Papa and yooki

Dunno going where
Also need to upload prithvis first birthday pics and Hong Kong 1 month trip

Old pic

On one of the most beautiful trips

Of the most beautiful part of our lives (where we are having sleepovers and playing truth and dare or u are reading Ella diaries) , you asked me to look at you for a pic. So here is me always blowing a kiss to you !

The next day was insane typhoon and I was grateful to be in a warm place with both of you.

Hong kong for a month

I mean com’on

Throwback to beautiful yooki

We have been masterchefing with yooki

Caramelized peach in olive oil, sugar, a pinch of pink salt and lemon - with mint leaves to cool it down.


Turkish egg improv
-Boil egg
-In yoghurt add minced garlic, red chilli powder, salt, coriander and whisk
-In a pan take some good amount of butter, add chilli flakes- wait for it just get smoky (the one in pic got too Smokey)

Assemble :
Yoghurt base
Boiled eggs on top
And butter drizzle
Every bite should have all 3

Some wisdom

On being good:

"Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you."


On choosing enthusiasm:
A simple rule for life that rarely fails:

Optimize for enthusiasm. Make as many choices as you can that leave you feeling energetic and interested. Pay attention to when you have the urge to pursue or participate in something and do more of it."

"There is an enormous difference between working hard on something that is a grind and working hard on something that comes easily to you.

Exceptional results almost exclusively happen when you work hard on an area where you have some natural aptitude. Play to your strengths."

Also yooki and i went for a date and ate a croissant... Yooki has been packing for HK

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"'Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a soul.' "

Found the high res

Lost the original photo but Instagram to rescue

Genz Alice

Yooki at brew matcha launch

Can we talk about

How crazy u have become about matcha after attending the breee matcha launch

What’s on the back of your mind it’s important

Papa and nana's birthday 2025

Preggo with prithvi

Papa is off to Hk

And starting a new job 🥰