Random list of things to smile about

Delhi roads engulfed in green

headaches disappearing magically after naps

voice notes saved on my phone - songs I listen to when I'm low (songs by people I love)

people who take you by surprise and exceed your expectations

hummus made well

Punjabi nickname pronunciations: bobby = boBBy, sunny = suNNy (names of two Deols, also actual nicknames of two of my favourite people)

unintentional rhymes

instinctively knowing the time, but still glancing at your watch to make sure

lying about something mundane, and getting caught in a smile

picking the tails off sprouts and eating them separately

'vandalism

The first time I saw him on stage was for an audition for a narrator. He was clumsy, nervous, and stuttered 18 times in the first three sentences. And I remember thinking to myself, "A dramsoc definitely isn't the right place for this guy!"

(No, this is not the moment I admit I was wrong)

He has kept in touch, despite the fact that I ignore his calls. When I do pick up the phone, I insult him and he just laughs loudly. He forgets my birthday almost every year, but the years he does remember - the gifts are iconic.

The best thing about him is not his sense of humour. It is the fact that he is self-made. Made up of many things, too. Sensitivity for the ladies in his life, loyalty for his family, and courage for himself. I say this because I have only known him off-stage for many years.

On-stage, however, he is a person I do not recognize. (The moment would be... right about now.)
Raghav Mandava, I am happy to admit, is a star. A dynamic, confident, and hilarious stand-up comic.

And a friend.

Clownfish

My eyes see this:





But my brain sees this: