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Ring in the new
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There are loads of Hyderabadis feverishly downloading mobile ring tones. DEEPSHIKHA MEHTA reports on this big time mania
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Photo: K. R. Deepak
AAH! THE sheer luxury of being seated in a multiplex, eyes glued to the screen, mouth guzzling Coke and chewing moodily on popcorn when suddenly in the midst of all that mush (onscreen and off) Cheliya cheliya loudly cuts in. You ignore the Telugu song accompanying di Caprio's flight of fancy and munch on. Bravely. The difference of perception might however come in when the movie you are watching is insidiously threatening to turn into a migraine. The same melody might cause a pleasant landing on good earth and give you enough sense to leave. The same melody could cheer you, annoy you or help you cut loose. So much for mobile ringtones.
Variety galore
There is a flood of ring tone options for the music-crazed population. The reasons for the effort and money dedicated to the cause of downloading ring tones are many. For some it is the pleasure of listening to one's favourite tunes and for others it's the thrill of breaking the daily life ennui. For the romantics it's better than cutting a mixed tape for their beloved while for others it's simply cool.
"Regular ring tones that come with the handsets are extremely monotonous and annoying," says Alok, a copy-writer with an ad agency. "When you download a ring tone you can choose a tune that is softer and belongs to your favourite song or singer."
There are those who like to let their cell phones ring just enough to get their fill of the tune that they have downloaded. "I can download my girlfriend's favourite tunes and play them for her," gushes Ashish, a hotel management student. " Dhoom macha de adds a skip to my day and helps me add a non-serious note to it," says Radhika, a call centre employee. "I like my phone to look and sound different from others' and my chosen ring tone can help me personalise my phone. I don't head for my bag every time I hear a phone ringing."
"I could not afford the time and money to attend the Mark Knopfler show, it felt nice to be able to download ring tones of his numbers," says Amit Aggarwal.
Dizzy about downloads
For the buffs as also the uninitiated, there are full-fledged online ring tone stores. From payment per download to a monthly flat rate for numbered downloads, the ring tone industry is a craze that rakes in the moolah. "The ring tones can be downloaded as polyphonic and monophonic tones," informs Rajneesh Roy, a senior manager with a brand management company who also worships hard rock and alternative music. "Polyphonic ring tones comprise multiple tones and therefore sound better." Says Alok, "Usually your cell phone operators offer you enough choice and you don't have to go to an online store especially when it comes to the latest Bollywood hits' ring tones."
There is however a flip side to the story. "Ring tones are all that you hear around you nowadays," says a peeved Dr. Varsha. "Switch on the TV and you hear ring tones. It's difficult to get a quiet moment even in a park or at a restaurant no matter what time of the day it is." There are those who are don't mind ring tones `as long as the volume is meant only for the owner of the phone to hear' says Jagriti, an executive with a local NGO. "One can't assume that the junta shares your passion for the loud distilled mechanical renditions of Bollywood numbers."
The chilled out, true blue ring tone buffs however are busy hip hopping, waltzing or be-bopping to the ring tone every time they get a call. Music is said to alleviate one's worries, which explains the ring tone mania. If followed with a sense of respect for others, the propitious trend is all that you may need to follow to add a skip to your day.
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