Now that the intricacies of Indonesian democracy lie behind me - although I will have to revisit it once again shortly - I began watching a film from some years back. Dil to Paagal Hai. I remember watching it one afternoon when school life had come to an end and college was yet to begin. There was a telephone conversation. I said I was watching the film and the voice on the other side asked me whether it had a significance in my own life. Strangely, it did. That voice found a strong resonance in one of the characters. I knew it then. Then on the film felt very different...

Now the film feels like pure mush - sickeningly. This obsession with love is seriously over rated and I think I am in a position to claim that I know some amount about the subject. The idea of love perhaps is so overwhelming that it overshadows reality - willing suspension of disbelief at its best (or maybe worst!).

But that afternoon's conversation and what the voice said still makes sense.