Through the ‘90’s and up till three years ago, the K factor automatically referred to Balaji head honcho Ekta Kapoor’s obsession with the alphabet with which she started the titles of all her television soaps – ridiculous in the main but money-making machines all the same. The whole world, it would seem, identified with the saases, the bahus, the scheming sisters-in-law, the murderous ghar jamai, households where everyone was dressed for a wedding every minute of the day or night and the most tedious camerawork you can imagine.

The times and New Age requirements have caught up with all that, and high time. But here we are referring to another K factor that seemed curiously at work on the day that Mumbai will never forget – 26/11.

Notice how so many of the protagonists had names beginning with K? Kasab for one. Then Hemant Karkare, and Ashok Kamte, the men, who, along with Vijay Salaskar, were killed by him. In the Taj Mahal hotel, the family of Karambir Kang died as Kasab’s colleagues rampaged around, burning and shooting. And then there was his lawyer, another K, Abbas Kazmi, who did his best to defend him and was finally sacked for his pains. All of which means nothing, unless astrologists and numerologists would like to read something into it.