How Warner Brothers & Harry Potter can learn from HBO & Game of Thrones

HBO’s hit mini-series, Game of Thrones (GoT) Season 5 was full of twists, turns and ‘heart breaks’ like every other season of the famous show, but where season 5 differs from all its previous seasons is that it no longer has a printed version of the book that it now needs to catch on to. Yes, you GoT maniacs; who have never read any of George RR Martin’s books, the series has finally caught on to its adapted counterpart.

But leaving the books aside for a second, let’s just look at the success that HBO got in these 5 seasons. One, it has gained yet another hit series which has a cult following across the world. Two, by keeping Martin in tow with their production team, they now no have so much insight into Martin’s brain that no other ‘book reader’ or publisher would ever be able to gain. Three, to be able to pull off 5 country simultaneous shoots with over 15000+ cast and crew members is a land mark feat in itself. Four, by giving Martin a visual outlet to portray his book in, HBO, in a way given him freedom to take the story to a new level of craziness, something that he continuously struggled with while getting his books published (as implied by him in his old interviews) and lastly HBO, with GoT has now been able to do something that Warner Brothers were never able do with Harry Potter, that is entrap the audience and gain new ones every week.

With GoT Book 6- ‘The Winds of winter’, nowhere in sight and not expected in 2015 at all (according to Martin’s publisher), HBO and Martin now hold a huge advantage over their TV audience, as the viewers are now so engrossed in the series that they will now desperately wait for Season 6 just to know what happens next. What is more Martin; who has always seemed to be running in two-if not twenty minds, can now completely twist the plots and can take his book in one direction, while taking the TV series in all together different direction. Martin, already seems to be going in that direction looking at how every season, he alters the mini-series a bit compared to the books.

Thus, till the anticipated ‘6’ (season or book) arrives, only Martin and few others will know what it will bring to us. But looking at the facts above, I as an avid reader and viewer who saw her beloved childhood book series ‘Harry Potter,’ turn into a nightmare of a movie, can now finally smile with glee and think, that if nothing else, GoT and Martin has been able to do one thing that Warner Bros. and J K Rowling were not able to, that is exploit its boundaries and make the series even more epic. :D       

An Ironic Parody called "Advice on Life"

Somehow in our life whether we want to or not, we all give advices. It can be a good advice or really bad one, sometimes it’s idiotic and most of the time it’s just for the heck of it. Unfortunately what’s sad is that even when we do give advice, 90% of time we know we should be the last person giving it.

It’s not that we saying the wrong things or pointing in the wrong direction, rather majority of the time when we know it should not be us saying it, is because we don’t follow it our self. It’s like a porn star giving teenagers advice about having safe sex; it just doesn’t feel or seem right.

I am not saying that it is wrong for the person in the above scenario to be giving that advice, rather to be honest no one but he/she (the porn star) understands the importance of having safe sex. It’s just that he/she is not the right role model to show the teenager the importance of it.

We all know right from wrong, and we all at some point in our lives follow the wrong path even when we do know it’s wrong. It is this following the wrong path that makes us learn from things in life and understand how valuable they are.

It’s funny how when we have done a wrong thing and have learned from it, that when we see someone else going in that same wrong direction we immediately give them the advice of NOT TO DO IT and how bad it is for them and just hope against hope that they listen to you.

What all of this has got me thinking is that is it wrong for us to give advice to others when we know we are the last person who should be giving it? Is it being hypocritical of us to wish that they listen to you and not follow the wrong path when you yourself first committed that same mistake to be able to actually understand the true value of it today? Is it not better for someone to commit that mistake and learn from it first hand and understand the true value of it than just take your word for it?

I know the thinking about the above will vary from person to person. I am not looking for much input on that here. Rather, I just am curious as to what thought, it provokes.

Are we really PRO Capital Punishment?

As many say “Justice delayed is justice denied”, and in my opinion in many cases that is the reality and a sad reality at that. There are many criminal cases I have seen in the world where this has been the case, this has been the reality and this has become the fact of the history.



I look back at my ethics classes in college and clearly remember all the heated discussion we had all the arguments we got into and how EVERY time we never reached a solid conclusion or acceptance for any topic we discussed. Capital Punishment was a just one of those many topics but it was not that we never were sure of. I have seen over the years how in a heated rage people have asked for capital punishment for the heinous crimes many have committed and how with time many of those same people have said “Death is an easy way out for these people…let them live and let them suffer every day for the crime they did”
Being an Indian and having witnessed the 26/11 terrorist attack in India in 2008 the case of Ajmal Kasaab comes immediately in my mind.

Fact: On May 3, 2010, Ajmal Kasab was found guilty of numerous charges and was sentenced to death on 4 counts.

Reality: There are over 50 more cases pending against him and he will not be “hanged” till they all have been heard and tried in court.

Fact: Kasab became the 52nd person on death row in India for killing 72 people and waging war against the state.

Reality: At least 100 people in 2007, 40 in 2006, 77 in 2005, 23 in 2002, and 33 in 2001 were sentenced to death (but not executed), according to Amnesty International figures. No official statistics of those sentenced to death have been released.

Reality: Since 1995 only one execution (in India), that of Dhananjoy Chatterjee in August 2004, took place.

Reality: As recommended by the Central Bureau of Investigation the death penalty was awarded to Santosh Singh (Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case) on October 30, 2006.

Reality: On 19th Feb 2007 The Supreme Court of India upheld the conviction of Santosh Kumar Singh in Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case but reduced the death sentence to life imprisonment, saying certain things were in his favour.

Now looking at above data and leaving everything else apart, I want to know are we really PRO Capital Punishment in India or is it a mockery and doesn’t even matter as these criminals are still alive even after being given the “death sentence.”

5 ways to Happy Life

There are certain things that I have noticed that i believe that if people follow will lead them not only to have a good time with all, but will also help them to be Happy in Life.... :) .....hear are 5 of them : -

1. Never have expectations
The biggest disappointment that people face are that the things they expected never happened or didn't go the way they wanted it to go. So the 1st thing and the most important thing that you can do is let go of the expectations, believe me you will be in for a lot of good surprises when things do happen and will not even notice them if they don't.

2. Don't think about the Past or the Future
The 2nd most idiotic thing that people have a tendency of doing is dwelling in the past or thinking about the future, learn to live in the present, remember that dwelling in the past will only lead to comparison with the present and they are not always make you happy or will lead you to disappointment, or thinking about the future will lead you to have expectations thus leading to our point no. 1. Just know that time changes people and things (its called evolution if you remember) and there is no way to predict which way it will go.

3. Don't worry about the mistakes you make or you might make
Anyone who says that they are perfect and don't make mistakes are lying, Dude you are human remember???? Mistakes are the part of life and sometimes making them gives us a reality check, rather than regretting them or dreading them look at them, learn and MOVE ON. Rather than fearing what might people say or that they might laugh at you, laugh with them, it would look hilarious to you in few years anyway, why not just look at them that way right now.

4. Be your self
Leaders don't follow they lead, why change yourself and follow others when you know that you can lead others yourself. Just being yourself will give you self respect and respect from others. There are others just like you and they will eventually follow you. Leaders are not born, they are made, and being yourself and believing in yourself will make you into that leader.

5. Learn to comparmise your Ego but not your Pride


The biggest mistake that i have seen people make is that either they become too egoistic and hurt others or they give up their pride and end up hurting them selves, you need to realize that your Pride is not your Ego....there is a thin line between them but not so thin that you don't seem to differ one from other. Your Ego will never let you do things for others but your Pride will....