February 2005
I happened to receive an email from my long time buddy Bharati, the subject line of which screamed’My article!’. Well, we had had long history of torturing each other with our write-ups as we could find no one else to laugh, cry or do whatever after reading them. So, after getting this email of her’s, I thought that Bharati finally found an elite audience for herself. The very word’my article’ sounded as if it had been published by’Time’ or’Fortune’ or’Rediff.com’ or at least’Santabanta.com’.
So I clicked egerly and it took me to Mouthshut.com. Mouthshut.com? Hadn’t I heard that name before? Hmmmmmm.Yes, I thought. You know with that ’Haven’t I seen or read that before?’ feeling. There it lay under her ID(bharatis). She had written about the Star One serial Remix and was a long detailed one. I didn’t know what to do with it. So I went back and I replied to the email she had sent, not realizing that it was sent through’Email this review’ button(Now I know!) and my reply was sent to’support@mouthshut-inc.com’ instead. Needless to say, my comments went down the drain to that ID.
Later of course, I created my own ID’main_chup’ and scribbled something on what I used to watch at that time very often -’The Manish Malhotra Show’ on Zoom Channel.And within a few moments of my posting it, an email popped up in my inbox, something which holds the dearest to every member on the site(Now I know!): Comment added to your review - MouthShut.com. Did someone actually read it? And commented on it too? Who could it be? Any guesses?! Cousin2 of course.(Now I know!).
A few hours later, Criminal added his comments. Later, I realized why he called himself Criminal. Because he is amongst the’most wanted’ among the comment seekers on MS(Now I know!).
My subsequent brushes with MS brought about many amazing people like zuludancing(Adi Bhai), Cticize(Pras), Rohitthebest(Rohit), Parikhmunir(Munir), Afrank(Sujata), Ekta_unity(Ekta) and many more who made an effort to read and rate and most importantly comment whole heartedly.
I thank Bharati for indirectly pulling me to the site, though it was for her own’selfish’ means:-). Don’t blame her though.The writers on MS are ever comment hungry. The twist in the tale is Bharati being on the site longer than me of course is stuck on 9 reviews(she tells me she has her 10 unreleased reviews simulataneously being waiting to be finished and released)as her work keeps her ever busy or she just can’t sit down to write. I take this opportunity to declare that she is amongst the most talented and prolific writers on the site and writes with a heart!
Six months down the line, I know a few basic facts about MS:
It is very easy to write here. You have an option to just spam the site. Sad, but true. On the positive note, it helps you voice your opinion about a product.
Nothing beats the feeling of reading a comment added to your review.
3.It takes a great deal of effort and selflessness to read(thoroughly) someone else’s work and rate and comment(honestly).
4.You discover Mouthshut everyday.Its your alter ego.