India beat Australia very comfortably in the 4th test to win the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a 2-0 series win in Nagpur today, to hand Saurav Ganguly an unbeatable farewell gift :)
Among a lot of other things, this series will be remembered for awesome reverse swing bowling by Zaheer and Man-of-the-Series Ishant Sharma, some awesome display of batting by Gautam Gambhi, Sehwag, Tendulkar, VVS and Dada - one or the other firing when it mattered the most, some awesome captaincy by Dhoni, and some shockingly inexplicable tactics by Ponting when he preferred to get through some quick overs by his part-time bowlers to make up for a low over rate and avoid getting a one test ban, when he should have gone all out to get India bowled out on the 4th day of the final test.
But the most beautiful moment of the series was undoubtedly when Dhoni handed over the captaincy of the team to Dada for the final moments of the test, when Australia were nine down, letting Dada lead the team to the series victory. Such a beautiful gift for a man who gave his everything to the team for over a decade.
And Dada didn't disappoint his fans, coming up with a century earlier on, and then a fighting 85 in his last test. And though his last innings ended up being a first ball duck, in the grand tradition of Bradman, he certainly couldn't have asked for a better way to go out... and of course, he did get time, one last time, to take off his shirt in the galleries for his fans!
It may not be the end of the Aussies, and India may still have some way to go before they can be crowned the number one test team in the world, but one thing is certain... the invincibles have lost their crown! A new India can certainly aspire to lay claim to that throne!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
History in the Making?
As Barack Hussein Obama anxiously awaits the results of the US Presidential Election, expected in less tha 24 hours from now, celebrations have already begun in his camp predicting an easy victory...
I wonder - will America vote for him for his policies, or will it vote for him because of his color?
Will it vote for him because he is good, or will it vote for him because McCain is no better?
Are these the two best people in America for this position, a position in which the future of the world is essentially in their hands?
Will Sarah Palin, with all her inexperience and expensive make-up make it to the White House as the Vice President?
Is the American model of Presidential democracy better than our Parliamentary model?
Is a campaign worth more than a billion dollars over 2 years "right"?
What do you think?
I wonder - will America vote for him for his policies, or will it vote for him because of his color?
Will it vote for him because he is good, or will it vote for him because McCain is no better?
Are these the two best people in America for this position, a position in which the future of the world is essentially in their hands?
Will Sarah Palin, with all her inexperience and expensive make-up make it to the White House as the Vice President?
Is the American model of Presidential democracy better than our Parliamentary model?
Is a campaign worth more than a billion dollars over 2 years "right"?
What do you think?
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Narkasur 2008
Our Eemays Resammiya Narkasur and the rest of the gang, just before we left for a night in town, on Diwali eve...
And at 2.00 am in the morning, after a grand parade through town, he meets his fate... but I am sure there will be a Karzzzz to chukaofy next year :)
And at 2.00 am in the morning, after a grand parade through town, he meets his fate... but I am sure there will be a Karzzzz to chukaofy next year :)
Chandrayaan - 1
Found this beautiful picture on the Twenty22 blog, an awesome blog I love for it's coverage of India... just couldn't stop my self from putting this up.
Makes me feel so proud to be Indian!
Makes me feel so proud to be Indian!
Movie Review: Golmaal Returns
Golmaal Returns, and I am still trying to figure out if I liked it more or less than the earlier one...
There are some good laughs, and one hell of a choreographed number that does deserve special mention - if not for the music or the lyrics, then definitely for the sheer effort and imagination that has gone into it's making! Shreyas does a decent job replacing Sharman from the earlier cast, Arshad displays his ever-awesome comic timing but is terribly under-used and Ajay looks listless. Tushar is a mixed bag as the dumb guy - his intonations are funny at times and does add to the movie, but for the most part, border on the pretty irritating! In the ladies department, Kareena looks totally lifeless and is way out of her league as the Ekta-serial-watcher. Amrita Arora and the good looking Anjana Sukhaani are hardly ever on screen, and would have good reason to be upset at being sidelines. Celina looks good at times, and has done a decent job.
Overall, a good way to break off the shenanigans at the end of a very tiring day in office... as long as you do not expect too much, and do not pay through your nose for a front row seat!
There are some good laughs, and one hell of a choreographed number that does deserve special mention - if not for the music or the lyrics, then definitely for the sheer effort and imagination that has gone into it's making! Shreyas does a decent job replacing Sharman from the earlier cast, Arshad displays his ever-awesome comic timing but is terribly under-used and Ajay looks listless. Tushar is a mixed bag as the dumb guy - his intonations are funny at times and does add to the movie, but for the most part, border on the pretty irritating! In the ladies department, Kareena looks totally lifeless and is way out of her league as the Ekta-serial-watcher. Amrita Arora and the good looking Anjana Sukhaani are hardly ever on screen, and would have good reason to be upset at being sidelines. Celina looks good at times, and has done a decent job.
Overall, a good way to break off the shenanigans at the end of a very tiring day in office... as long as you do not expect too much, and do not pay through your nose for a front row seat!
Madhosh's Going To Goa!
After a decade in Pune, my dear Madhosh is finally going back to her beloved Goa :) With the maddening traffic and the chaos here, and of course, the pollution, taking her out wasn't fun in Pune any more... besides being extremely dangerous, and I thought this was as good a time as any to send her back... atleast we can enjoy her company whenever we visit Goa!
Movie Review: Fashion
Strong, yet not too intense, Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion, unlike most of his previous movies, doesn't shock and scare you. It does touch you, it might make you cry a little at times, but you leave with a smile and lighter heart.
Priyanka plays the role of a small town (Chandigarh?) girl, Meghana Mathur, in Mumbai to pursue her dreams of being a super-model. Her spark, some good connections, and some luck, instantly propels her right to the top of Mumbai's glamour world of high fashion. However, power corrupts her - her attitude slowly but surely becomes her arrogance, old friends and contacts are forgotten, then cut out, and the spark in her eyes is slowly replaced by the lost glaze of a cocaine user. And then, just when it looks like it's too late... she gives herself a second chance.
The movie is all about Priyanka. She's looking her best ever, and she's acted very well - although, I guess the real strength is in the way her character has been developed - her transition from a sweet small town girl to the diva of fashion. Mugdha Godse from aamchi Pune has a great debut as the cattish but good-at-heart Janet Sequiera, coming across as extremely confident and comfortable with the camera. Kangana does a beautiful cameo as the showstopper who's replaced by Priyanka as the face of their fashion brand Panache, her drug-abused life slowly catching up with her. She's perfected this role in multiple films including Gangster and Woh Lamhe, but I do hope the girl can do other stuff just as well! The guys - well, they really don't have much of a role, but Sameer Soni looks handsome and will win some hearts!
The movie does lose steam in the last half an hour, and could have edited by 15-20 mins. The music is good, with a couple of very high-energy numbers that will stay in your memory for a long time...
I cannot comment on the authenticity of the life in the fashion industry of course, my only claim to membership being that I just learnt to get my hair colored, but it does reinforce all the stereotypes I've had in my mind... does the fashion industry really have so many gays, and if so, why?
My recommendation - do watch it once!
Priyanka plays the role of a small town (Chandigarh?) girl, Meghana Mathur, in Mumbai to pursue her dreams of being a super-model. Her spark, some good connections, and some luck, instantly propels her right to the top of Mumbai's glamour world of high fashion. However, power corrupts her - her attitude slowly but surely becomes her arrogance, old friends and contacts are forgotten, then cut out, and the spark in her eyes is slowly replaced by the lost glaze of a cocaine user. And then, just when it looks like it's too late... she gives herself a second chance.
The movie is all about Priyanka. She's looking her best ever, and she's acted very well - although, I guess the real strength is in the way her character has been developed - her transition from a sweet small town girl to the diva of fashion. Mugdha Godse from aamchi Pune has a great debut as the cattish but good-at-heart Janet Sequiera, coming across as extremely confident and comfortable with the camera. Kangana does a beautiful cameo as the showstopper who's replaced by Priyanka as the face of their fashion brand Panache, her drug-abused life slowly catching up with her. She's perfected this role in multiple films including Gangster and Woh Lamhe, but I do hope the girl can do other stuff just as well! The guys - well, they really don't have much of a role, but Sameer Soni looks handsome and will win some hearts!
The movie does lose steam in the last half an hour, and could have edited by 15-20 mins. The music is good, with a couple of very high-energy numbers that will stay in your memory for a long time...
I cannot comment on the authenticity of the life in the fashion industry of course, my only claim to membership being that I just learnt to get my hair colored, but it does reinforce all the stereotypes I've had in my mind... does the fashion industry really have so many gays, and if so, why?
My recommendation - do watch it once!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
What's Up?
1) India beat Australia by a huge 300+ margin in the second to take a 1-0 lead in the 4 test series, the third test starts tomorrow
2) ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 moon mission was successfully launched a week back, propelling India into the exclusive club of space faring nations... a few days later, Chandrayaan-1 is expected to be put into the lumar orbit, and then send across a moon lander with an Indian flag to the moon!
3) The world economy continues to nosedive, the Sensex crashing down to below-8K levels from it's peak of 25K just a few months back. FII selling pressures have also pulled the Rupee below the 50 mark against the dollar. Oil has crashed to less than half it's peak of around 120 a few weeks back!
2) ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 moon mission was successfully launched a week back, propelling India into the exclusive club of space faring nations... a few days later, Chandrayaan-1 is expected to be put into the lumar orbit, and then send across a moon lander with an Indian flag to the moon!
3) The world economy continues to nosedive, the Sensex crashing down to below-8K levels from it's peak of 25K just a few months back. FII selling pressures have also pulled the Rupee below the 50 mark against the dollar. Oil has crashed to less than half it's peak of around 120 a few weeks back!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Movie Review: Body of Lies
Great action, some never before used camera positions, excellent cinematography, a rivetting story, and a great cast make Body Of Lies a must-see action flick.
Di Caprio is a CIA operative on the ground in the Middle East, Russel Crowe his handler in Washington. The mission - go after Al Qaeda's Al-Saleem. In the CIA's battle against the terrorists, the movie brings out the human angle... the importance of HUMINT when the best and most expensive technology meets its match.
Totally worth it!
Di Caprio is a CIA operative on the ground in the Middle East, Russel Crowe his handler in Washington. The mission - go after Al Qaeda's Al-Saleem. In the CIA's battle against the terrorists, the movie brings out the human angle... the importance of HUMINT when the best and most expensive technology meets its match.
Totally worth it!
ICL?
Just curious... has anyone here watched the ICL?
Compared to the thrill and excitement behind the IPL, the ICL does feel like a damp squib. Is this only because the BCCI didn't back the ICL? Or something else?
Compared to the thrill and excitement behind the IPL, the ICL does feel like a damp squib. Is this only because the BCCI didn't back the ICL? Or something else?
CYG Signs Off
The Commonwealth Youth Games finally signed off with an impressive closing ceremony last night... Pune proved beyond doubt that when push comes to shove, even our politicians and civic bodies can all come together to make it happen!
The best part - India won a cool 33 golds and an even larger number of silver and bronze medals to top the tally!
Way to go!
The best part - India won a cool 33 golds and an even larger number of silver and bronze medals to top the tally!
Way to go!
Dada's Ton
Dada completed yet another fighting century, in the second test of the Australia tour to India... just hope he rethinks his decision to quit after the tour... this team and this country will really miss him!
Movie Review: Hello
Based on Chetan Bhagat's book, One Night At The Call Center, Hello is about a bunch of 20-something call center employees and their "call" with god, and how it makes them open their eyes to a whole new way of looking at life. The first half has some good moments, but the story line has nothing exciting to offer, and the second half really disappoints. The comments about the goras smack of racism, and the "solution" they find for saving their jobs probably crosses the line from extreme stupidity into crime! The cast is weak, the songs do not fit in - although, I must admit, one of the songs has pretty innovative cinematography - inspired from Crouching Tiger...
Overall, not a bad one to miss! Didn't like Chetan's writings much anyway...
Overall, not a bad one to miss! Didn't like Chetan's writings much anyway...
Monday, October 13, 2008
Better Roads :)
Check this road - less than a week back, this was just a two laned throughfare, undistinguished by those millions of kilometers of ashphalt criss crossing every town in this country.
A week later, the road had a fresh smooth topping, reflective pads on the divider, clearly marked lanes, a beautiful foot path on either side, shrubs and trees lining it, decorative lamps, and excellent signages...
And this one, near Symbiosis, sports a beautiful red lane - I am still to figure out what it symbolizes - I am assuming it is for the BRTS lane. Also notice the pedestrian crossing/signal with the super large signages announcing the same. It also has a (non-functioning) press-to-stop signal!
I think it's time we stood up and gave a standing ovation to the dedicated and hard working engineers and workers of the PMC! Clap Clap!
CYG - A Rousing Start!
The 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games got off to a rousing start yesterday, in the face of tremendous pessimism about whether the PMC and the organizers would be able to get all the infrastructure ready in time, and some last minutes hiccups including a huge downpour minutes into the opening ceremony. However, true to the spirit of the games, these problems were quickly dispensed with, and Pune treated the world to a beautiful spectacle showcasing the spirit, the warmth, the culture, the diversity and the harmony of our lovely country.
After a scintillating display of motor cycling, helicopter and para-trooping skills, Hema Malini opened the games with a lovely rendering of Ganesh vandana. Sunidhi Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan and Shreya Ghoshal entertained with music, while Urmila and Saif dazzled with their dance. A pulsating laser and lights display accompanied a beautiful fusion of various drums and beats of India. A huge procession of the Janta Raja, lezin, mallkhamb and other displays of skill and talent, and a colorful flag march of all the 71 participating countries added to the dazzle of the evening, accompanied by a huge firework display in the skies over Pune.
An interesting aspect of the games was that the torch was replaced by a baton containing water. In keeping with the green theme of the games, water from all participating countries, and over 200 towns and cities in India was collected in a giant kalash and added to the Fountain of Youth at the games venue... symbolic of the need for water preservation.
Competitions continue for the next 8 days... and Pune eagerly looks forward to it!
After a scintillating display of motor cycling, helicopter and para-trooping skills, Hema Malini opened the games with a lovely rendering of Ganesh vandana. Sunidhi Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan and Shreya Ghoshal entertained with music, while Urmila and Saif dazzled with their dance. A pulsating laser and lights display accompanied a beautiful fusion of various drums and beats of India. A huge procession of the Janta Raja, lezin, mallkhamb and other displays of skill and talent, and a colorful flag march of all the 71 participating countries added to the dazzle of the evening, accompanied by a huge firework display in the skies over Pune.
An interesting aspect of the games was that the torch was replaced by a baton containing water. In keeping with the green theme of the games, water from all participating countries, and over 200 towns and cities in India was collected in a giant kalash and added to the Fountain of Youth at the games venue... symbolic of the need for water preservation.
Competitions continue for the next 8 days... and Pune eagerly looks forward to it!
A Magnetic Lunch
Two days back, Sanam gobbled up a pretty big magnetic ball... and inspite of all our efforts to coax it out, it spent a couple of days in her stomach! Here's the X-ray showing it nice and clear... and the next pic, the same ball after it exited and was duly retrieved by her dad :)
Another addition to her long list of achievements - from washing her face with the residue water left from Lisa's bath, to eating Prince's left-over chapatis, getting lost at Central Mall, and of course, getting her hand stuck on our Jaguar tap with super-glue!
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Movie Review: 1920
1920 is yet another of those horror movies "inspired" by Exorcist. Not too bad. A couple of scenes are good, although most of the "happenings" have been used so frequently now, that they have lost their appeal. Adah Sharma is beautiful, and adds that extra something to an otherwise boring cast. And yes, after a good start, the movie loses it in the middle with a very long and boring flashback. It picks up again towards the end though, with exorcism in full flow ;)
Should you watch it? Maybe - but don't bother to get a DVD. It'd be fun only in the theatres, and with someone who's likely to get scared to death while you yawn...
Should you watch it? Maybe - but don't bother to get a DVD. It'd be fun only in the theatres, and with someone who's likely to get scared to death while you yawn...
Dada Retires
Dada, the man who never stopped fighting, has finally called it a day. This country will miss him. An icon of leadership, fighting spirit and determination, Dada has inspired millions around the globe. I'm looking forward to him signing out with a bang in the Australia series... and I really hope he continues to inspire and lead the country in the years to come...
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Reading...
I am currently reading an interesting mix of books I bought the other day...
Robert Ludlum's latest Bourne novel, the Bourne Sanction, written by Eric Van Lustbader... isn't it interesting, after your death, someone else writes using your characters, and kinda uses your name and reputation to drive it? Anyway, the plots and the narrative is pretty much similar, and I enjoy reading it, so it's fair, I guess
The Mahabharata by C. Rajagopalachari. Interesting book, nice, clean narrative. He starts with a background of the epic, how it was narrated by Vyasa to Ganapati on the promise that he wouldn't take breaks or pauses, unless Ganapati himself needed time to absorb and understand what he was dictating, and how he used some complicated stanzas to slow down Ganapati when he needed time to compose upcoming stanzas :) He also talks about how other reciters and learned men used Mahabharata to propogate their own teachings, knowing that they would survive only when amalgamated with something as big as the epic...
What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School by Mark McCormack. I have always loved this book, it's anecdote based style and easy language making it a beautiful experience, compared to some of those dull, long winded management books. I had last read this book almost a decade ago, and thought it was worth a relook. I am looking forward to seeing how different my perspectives are now, after all this time in the industry.
And finally, a book Cognitive Psychology. Psychology has always fascinated me, the science of how our mind works and why we do what we do. And from all the branches of psychology, I think cognitive psychology is the most exciting. I know I cannot imagine to fathom all of it, but this is one book I am definitely very excited to explore!
Robert Ludlum's latest Bourne novel, the Bourne Sanction, written by Eric Van Lustbader... isn't it interesting, after your death, someone else writes using your characters, and kinda uses your name and reputation to drive it? Anyway, the plots and the narrative is pretty much similar, and I enjoy reading it, so it's fair, I guess
The Mahabharata by C. Rajagopalachari. Interesting book, nice, clean narrative. He starts with a background of the epic, how it was narrated by Vyasa to Ganapati on the promise that he wouldn't take breaks or pauses, unless Ganapati himself needed time to absorb and understand what he was dictating, and how he used some complicated stanzas to slow down Ganapati when he needed time to compose upcoming stanzas :) He also talks about how other reciters and learned men used Mahabharata to propogate their own teachings, knowing that they would survive only when amalgamated with something as big as the epic...
What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School by Mark McCormack. I have always loved this book, it's anecdote based style and easy language making it a beautiful experience, compared to some of those dull, long winded management books. I had last read this book almost a decade ago, and thought it was worth a relook. I am looking forward to seeing how different my perspectives are now, after all this time in the industry.
And finally, a book Cognitive Psychology. Psychology has always fascinated me, the science of how our mind works and why we do what we do. And from all the branches of psychology, I think cognitive psychology is the most exciting. I know I cannot imagine to fathom all of it, but this is one book I am definitely very excited to explore!
Saturday, October 04, 2008
New Sensitivities
After drugs in the late eighties and AIDS in the nineties and early 2000s, we now have a bunch of new sensitivities - and thanks to cable and satellite TV, it's more pronounced than ever before...
1) Ill-effects of smoking... I remember when we were young, it was common to find people smoking in buses, restaurants and theatres... doesn't happen any more! And with the smoknig ban in effect, it will only get better!
2) Green - from IT companies, to auto makers, to public transport, being green is in fashion like never before. And it's not just about planting trees - we are now sensitive about carbon emission, plastic, and all kinds of pollutions and conservation
3) Security - body frisking, the beeps of metal detectors, boot searches... not just in air ports, we have now come to expect it in malls and theatres too! Frankly, I would now be a little hesitant going to places which don't have it!
4) Traffic discipline - specifically in Pune, I think the Pune Mirror has done a great job of sensitivizing people to this problem... with their sustained campaign against poor traffic discipline, I can see a visible change in the attitude of people, especially at traffic signals.. zebra crossings are now respected, and lane discipline too, seems to be improving!
1) Ill-effects of smoking... I remember when we were young, it was common to find people smoking in buses, restaurants and theatres... doesn't happen any more! And with the smoknig ban in effect, it will only get better!
2) Green - from IT companies, to auto makers, to public transport, being green is in fashion like never before. And it's not just about planting trees - we are now sensitive about carbon emission, plastic, and all kinds of pollutions and conservation
3) Security - body frisking, the beeps of metal detectors, boot searches... not just in air ports, we have now come to expect it in malls and theatres too! Frankly, I would now be a little hesitant going to places which don't have it!
4) Traffic discipline - specifically in Pune, I think the Pune Mirror has done a great job of sensitivizing people to this problem... with their sustained campaign against poor traffic discipline, I can see a visible change in the attitude of people, especially at traffic signals.. zebra crossings are now respected, and lane discipline too, seems to be improving!
No Smoking!
2nd October marked a historic step for India towards a more healthy nation - the Health Ministry put in effect a complete ban on smoking - from bus stops and train stations, to restaurants, pubs and discos, from office complexes to government buildings, smoking is now banned in public places!
Yes, it will take time, and there will be violations, and a stretched police force will not find the time and resources to enforce this completely... but as citizens, we now have a right to complain and do our bit to enforce it...
Yes, it will take time, and there will be violations, and a stretched police force will not find the time and resources to enforce this completely... but as citizens, we now have a right to complain and do our bit to enforce it...
CYG - 8 Days Away
It's 8 days away now... and the city is looking real sexy already! The University Circle is really shaping up well, with the traffic circles being adorned with decorative plants and lawn, and some pretty interesting sculptures. Most of the major roads are also looking super cool - the concreting is almost finished, pretty footpaths and signages adding the ooomph factor. Baner Road and Pashan Road are almost ready, and today, the new Balewadi flyover is also open to the traffic. I also saw a bank of cameras mounted on top of the main road from the airport, opposite Le Meridien, catching all the traffic passing below...
The PMC has done a great job, I must say... even a fortnight back, newspapers and critics were screaming at the top of their lungs on how all deadlines have been missed... today, there's only shock and awe. Goes to show, where there's a will and a serious government in place, anything's possible!
The PMC has done a great job, I must say... even a fortnight back, newspapers and critics were screaming at the top of their lungs on how all deadlines have been missed... today, there's only shock and awe. Goes to show, where there's a will and a serious government in place, anything's possible!
Quote for the Day
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, covered in scars, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming yahoo!, what a ride." Bear Grylls.
http://beargrylls.blogspot.com
http://beargrylls.blogspot.com
Movie Review: Flashbacks of a Fool
Daniel Craig shows a lot of butt. And remembers his youth. That's all there is to it. Really.
If you still wanna hear it... Daniel plays a Hollywood actor, now past his prime, doing crazy things and showing his butt. One day, his mom calls him to tell him his best friend Boots has died.
We now switch to a beautiful English coast, a small cluster of houses by an angry and beautiful sea. Two boys, pleasuring themselves in a tunnel of horrow. Daniel's affair with his married neighbour. His brush with Ruth, a pretty girl, and their first kiss. However, that relationship is nipped when he turns up late for his date with love bites from his neighbour on his neck. Then a disaster when his neighbour's young daughter dies in an accident while she's making out with him. And Daniel leaves home for the US, to get away from it all.
Back to the present. He's late for the funeral. His sister takes him to meet Ruth (now Boot's widow). She also shares some news, including his lover neighbour's subsequent life and gruesome death. Daniel leaves a note and a cheque for Ruth, and returns to America.
And that's it.
I am not sure whether I liked it or not. It was strange. Even at half time, I wasn't sure what the theme of the movie was. It's slow. There's a lot of butt and boobs. A couple of pretty women. Some awesome locales. Some interesting dialogues. It's slow, though. At times, you just want it to move at least at thrice it's pace. But overall, not too bad, really. Especially the ending.
If you still wanna hear it... Daniel plays a Hollywood actor, now past his prime, doing crazy things and showing his butt. One day, his mom calls him to tell him his best friend Boots has died.
We now switch to a beautiful English coast, a small cluster of houses by an angry and beautiful sea. Two boys, pleasuring themselves in a tunnel of horrow. Daniel's affair with his married neighbour. His brush with Ruth, a pretty girl, and their first kiss. However, that relationship is nipped when he turns up late for his date with love bites from his neighbour on his neck. Then a disaster when his neighbour's young daughter dies in an accident while she's making out with him. And Daniel leaves home for the US, to get away from it all.
Back to the present. He's late for the funeral. His sister takes him to meet Ruth (now Boot's widow). She also shares some news, including his lover neighbour's subsequent life and gruesome death. Daniel leaves a note and a cheque for Ruth, and returns to America.
And that's it.
I am not sure whether I liked it or not. It was strange. Even at half time, I wasn't sure what the theme of the movie was. It's slow. There's a lot of butt and boobs. A couple of pretty women. Some awesome locales. Some interesting dialogues. It's slow, though. At times, you just want it to move at least at thrice it's pace. But overall, not too bad, really. Especially the ending.
Movie Review: Tortured
"Tortured" is the story of an FBI agent who inserts himself into a dreaded gang and over six months, tries to win the confidence and trust of the gang leader by being one of them, performing tasks that include the torture and interrogation of the gang's accountant. As the mind games go on, it slowly becomes obvious that he's just a pawn in the game, and someone else is calling the shots.
A pretty mediocre movie, best avoided.
A pretty mediocre movie, best avoided.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Movie Review: Kidnap
After a fantastic debut in Jaane Tu, Imran Khan delivers a knock out punch. Kidnap will leave you stunned, shocked, sometimes terrified, sometimes bending over with laughter. Unfortunately, for the wrong reasons and at the wrong times!
Sanju baba plays a 57.1 billion dollar net worth businessman, with a daughter who's just turned 18 and spends her life in white bikinis swimming alone in the sea. And one day, yes, you guessed it - she gets kidnapped. By someone who doesn't want money, and instead, wants to take revenge by playing games with Sanju baba. The devil is in the details though, and in such a movie, it's everything! And the movie falls completely flat there. The screen play is terrible, the dialogues are very amateurish, and the "tasks" given play out so childishly, it makes you wonder if they employed a story writer at all! The songs are forgotten the moment they get over, and have really been squeezed in, completely messing with the flow of the main plot.
My list of the worst moments in the movie:
1) Sanjay Dutt roaring through Panaji's streets, then onto a ferry, and finally on a train track while going to Panvel station to catch a train!
2) Sanjay Dutt looking at his skimpily clad daughter and going, tum kitni badi ho gayee ho!
3) The introduction of Minissha, her mother and her grandmother
4) The introduction of Imran Khan and the tea cup scene
5) The jail break scene
6) The "I want to have a bath" scene
7) The "confession" scene in front of the lighted cross
8) All the songs
9) The rest of the movie
Imran is a real disappointment. After Jaane Tu, I had predicted this guy had it in him to be the next King Khan, but today I really have to eat my words. He's stony faced, shows neither pain nor anger, and you almost laugh at his attempts to be the cool bad guy. There's not a single scene in which you would want to look at him and like him or hate him - he's just invisible. Sanjay Dutt is getting old, and looks so. The saving grace - a super sexy Minissha Lamba, with her super short skirts, sports bras and white bikinis, she takes all your attention when she's on screen. But frankly, she wasn't good enough reason to purchase those Rs 180 tickets!
Sanju baba plays a 57.1 billion dollar net worth businessman, with a daughter who's just turned 18 and spends her life in white bikinis swimming alone in the sea. And one day, yes, you guessed it - she gets kidnapped. By someone who doesn't want money, and instead, wants to take revenge by playing games with Sanju baba. The devil is in the details though, and in such a movie, it's everything! And the movie falls completely flat there. The screen play is terrible, the dialogues are very amateurish, and the "tasks" given play out so childishly, it makes you wonder if they employed a story writer at all! The songs are forgotten the moment they get over, and have really been squeezed in, completely messing with the flow of the main plot.
My list of the worst moments in the movie:
1) Sanjay Dutt roaring through Panaji's streets, then onto a ferry, and finally on a train track while going to Panvel station to catch a train!
2) Sanjay Dutt looking at his skimpily clad daughter and going, tum kitni badi ho gayee ho!
3) The introduction of Minissha, her mother and her grandmother
4) The introduction of Imran Khan and the tea cup scene
5) The jail break scene
6) The "I want to have a bath" scene
7) The "confession" scene in front of the lighted cross
8) All the songs
9) The rest of the movie
Imran is a real disappointment. After Jaane Tu, I had predicted this guy had it in him to be the next King Khan, but today I really have to eat my words. He's stony faced, shows neither pain nor anger, and you almost laugh at his attempts to be the cool bad guy. There's not a single scene in which you would want to look at him and like him or hate him - he's just invisible. Sanjay Dutt is getting old, and looks so. The saving grace - a super sexy Minissha Lamba, with her super short skirts, sports bras and white bikinis, she takes all your attention when she's on screen. But frankly, she wasn't good enough reason to purchase those Rs 180 tickets!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Movie Review: Phoonk
This is a delayed review - but what the heck, I am sure not too many missed it anyway! :)
RGV tries an Exorcist with Phoonk, and only ends up giving us a blow, double meaning intended! There are a couple of moments, but most of it is loud hamming, and some very predictable stuff, reminiscent of the Ramsay's Zee Horror Show. Wonder how much more of this fare will continue getting dished out from the RGV stable...
RGV tries an Exorcist with Phoonk, and only ends up giving us a blow, double meaning intended! There are a couple of moments, but most of it is loud hamming, and some very predictable stuff, reminiscent of the Ramsay's Zee Horror Show. Wonder how much more of this fare will continue getting dished out from the RGV stable...
The Carnage on Wall Street Continues
After Washington Mutual sold off it's banking operations to JP Morgan Chase, and filed for bankruptcy, and with Wachovia also in trouble and looking for buyers, we now have JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America at the top followed by Wells Fargo, our sexy customer, in third spot :)
I just hope the traditional and conservative approach of Wells Fargo takes it through this crisis - I have a lot of my target revenue at stake here!
I just hope the traditional and conservative approach of Wells Fargo takes it through this crisis - I have a lot of my target revenue at stake here!
CYG is coming to Pune!
As Pune gears up for the Commonwealth Youth Games, Shivajinagar, Aundh and Baner is getting a major facelift. The road widening and concreting work is in its final sprint, beautiful signages adorn the sides, footpaths springing up along with saplings and plants in traffic islands, the dividers getting a fresh coat of paint... and the new stadiums in Balewadi standing proud and happy, waiting for the big day, now less than a month away!
Wish you all the best, Pune! Let's rock!
Wish you all the best, Pune! Let's rock!
Paintball
A couple of days back, we had our team quarterly party, and this time, we had decided to do something different: Paintball. A fascinating extreme sport in which you don army fatigues, protective face masks, an air-powered rifle with paintball bullets, and then form teams that take on each other across an obstacle course with the objective of defending your flag while you go for the opposition's.
We all started tentatively, trying to get a hang of the gun and it's firing power and range, getting shot and figuring out how painful it can be, clueless about how to strategize. But as we got into the "league", teams with names like Pink Stockings, Huggies, Bathroom Rockers and Layoff Brothers, finally got their acts together. As bullets whizzed about, we figured out how to defend the flag, how to use the obstacles to our advantage, how to attack in a V formation, instructions ringing out load and clear from the base, urging the troops forward.
And as the battle-bruised veterans finally called it a day after three hours of bloody fighting, one thing was certain - we would all be raring to come back and fight another day!
Highly recommended as a team building event, or simply for fun. However, this is not something for kids... and yes, be prepared for some sweat and grime, and some red and blue bruises if you are shot! I am still carrying mine!
We all started tentatively, trying to get a hang of the gun and it's firing power and range, getting shot and figuring out how painful it can be, clueless about how to strategize. But as we got into the "league", teams with names like Pink Stockings, Huggies, Bathroom Rockers and Layoff Brothers, finally got their acts together. As bullets whizzed about, we figured out how to defend the flag, how to use the obstacles to our advantage, how to attack in a V formation, instructions ringing out load and clear from the base, urging the troops forward.
And as the battle-bruised veterans finally called it a day after three hours of bloody fighting, one thing was certain - we would all be raring to come back and fight another day!
Highly recommended as a team building event, or simply for fun. However, this is not something for kids... and yes, be prepared for some sweat and grime, and some red and blue bruises if you are shot! I am still carrying mine!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Post No 35 :)
This post makes Sept 08 the month with the most posts so far :) Well, yes, I do cheat a little bit with these status posts... but heck, that's the cool thing about being the master of your own blog... anyone with a problem can go fish :)
Chak De, Once More
Saw Chak De, yet again... and thoroughly enjoyed it, yet again! Amazing movie, with an amazing cast, a beautiful script, and some fantastic moments. SRK shows why he is the King - the movie would have probably been a whimper without the passion and energy he brings to the field.
My favourite scenes, in no specific order:
1) His first meeting with the team, when he says, And I am the coach of Indian Women's Hockey Team!
2) The "only one goonda in a team" dialogue
3) The girls and boys teams saluting each other scene
4) The girls' flight to Australia and their first moments there
5) The party, and the girls' entry in those beautiful sarees
6) The scene where he watches the "gora" unfurling the Indian flag
7) The scene at Intermission, just after the fight at MacD when he wears his shades and says, tomorrow, 5.00 am, at the ground!
I remembered last year, when India won the T20 World Cup, and all of us, including Siddha and Shweta went out celebrating over town, the Chak De song blaring full volume from Lisa's speakers... just so awesome!
I can probably go on and on... but one thing's sure, next time I watch it, I will want to blog about it, yet again!
My favourite scenes, in no specific order:
1) His first meeting with the team, when he says, And I am the coach of Indian Women's Hockey Team!
2) The "only one goonda in a team" dialogue
3) The girls and boys teams saluting each other scene
4) The girls' flight to Australia and their first moments there
5) The party, and the girls' entry in those beautiful sarees
6) The scene where he watches the "gora" unfurling the Indian flag
7) The scene at Intermission, just after the fight at MacD when he wears his shades and says, tomorrow, 5.00 am, at the ground!
I remembered last year, when India won the T20 World Cup, and all of us, including Siddha and Shweta went out celebrating over town, the Chak De song blaring full volume from Lisa's speakers... just so awesome!
I can probably go on and on... but one thing's sure, next time I watch it, I will want to blog about it, yet again!
Movie Review: Welcome to Sajjanpur
After being disgusted and shocked out of our wits with a very dark Captivity, we really needed a light, fun movie - and Shyam Benegal's Welcome to Sajjanpur is exactly that. Light hearted, fun and a great way to spend a weekend.
Sajjanpur is a typical village in the new rural India - innocence laced with a dab of modernity, superstitions and illiteracy jostling with PCOs and mobiles, that one motorbike or jeep wading through the herds of cattle and the tring tring of bicycles.
Mahadev (a good-once-again Shreyas Talpade) is one of the few literates in the village. His profession: letter writing, under the shade of a tree beside the post office. From helping the snake charmer find his lost father, to bringing lovers together, Mahadev has a special way with his words and letters - until he meets and falls in love with his primary school sweetheart from two decades back, Kamala (the beautiful Amrita Rao in yet another understated but very commendable role), now married and waiting for her husband who's been working in Mumbai for the last 4 Diwalis. His emotions and feelings start interfering with his profession, his dreams overriding his reason, until one day he finds his true calling.
The strength of the movie is in its simplicity. The humour is good natured and easy, the characters lovable. The village seems an oasis of peace and bountiful existence (especially when compared to the dark cellars of Captivity :)) and will definitely evoke fond memories of that native village you hail from! The characters are interesting, and Ila Arun deserves special mention, along with the amazing Putrurao :) The music too, is simple but beautiful... you won't remember it a few days later, but definitely adds character to the movie!
The only negative for me, were two unnecessary scenes of violence and death... those 2 mins prevent me from recommending this movie strongly as family entertainment! Other than that, I would strongly recommend that you do not miss this one!
Sajjanpur is a typical village in the new rural India - innocence laced with a dab of modernity, superstitions and illiteracy jostling with PCOs and mobiles, that one motorbike or jeep wading through the herds of cattle and the tring tring of bicycles.
Mahadev (a good-once-again Shreyas Talpade) is one of the few literates in the village. His profession: letter writing, under the shade of a tree beside the post office. From helping the snake charmer find his lost father, to bringing lovers together, Mahadev has a special way with his words and letters - until he meets and falls in love with his primary school sweetheart from two decades back, Kamala (the beautiful Amrita Rao in yet another understated but very commendable role), now married and waiting for her husband who's been working in Mumbai for the last 4 Diwalis. His emotions and feelings start interfering with his profession, his dreams overriding his reason, until one day he finds his true calling.
The strength of the movie is in its simplicity. The humour is good natured and easy, the characters lovable. The village seems an oasis of peace and bountiful existence (especially when compared to the dark cellars of Captivity :)) and will definitely evoke fond memories of that native village you hail from! The characters are interesting, and Ila Arun deserves special mention, along with the amazing Putrurao :) The music too, is simple but beautiful... you won't remember it a few days later, but definitely adds character to the movie!
The only negative for me, were two unnecessary scenes of violence and death... those 2 mins prevent me from recommending this movie strongly as family entertainment! Other than that, I would strongly recommend that you do not miss this one!
Movie Review: Captivity
Captivity is a pretty old movie, almost an year old, but just hit Indian theatres this week... with the sexy Elisha Cuthbert in the lead role, this is one of those blood and gore genre of horror movies that will disgust you with scenes of a masked man making a gooey drink of eyeballs and ears and pouring it through a funnel into the mouth of his thrashing victim, and then using a ear bud to wipe off the mess and use it as lipstick! Or how about a dog being blown into shreds dripping on the victims face, or using a wrench to pull off teeth... you get the picture.
Avoid it, unless you are really looking for it. Definitely not for the weak hearted.
Avoid it, unless you are really looking for it. Definitely not for the weak hearted.
Hat-Trick
Hat-trick of movies today :)
Started the day with the blood and gore horror movie Captivity, which really gave us a pretty dark mood. So followed it up with the perfect foil - the light-hearted and fun creation by Shyam Benegal, Welcome to Sajjanpur. And what better way to end a good day than with Chak De?
Actually, we also wanted to catch Hari Puttar, but getting out of the comforts of home later in the evening wasn't as appealing as popping in a DVD and curling up with the cat!
Started the day with the blood and gore horror movie Captivity, which really gave us a pretty dark mood. So followed it up with the perfect foil - the light-hearted and fun creation by Shyam Benegal, Welcome to Sajjanpur. And what better way to end a good day than with Chak De?
Actually, we also wanted to catch Hari Puttar, but getting out of the comforts of home later in the evening wasn't as appealing as popping in a DVD and curling up with the cat!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Morning at E7
Mother cat went for a morning walk today... and the entire machinery got into action. Kittens were shifted out from the bed, fresh new towels (Sanam suddenly realised her favourite pink towel had been called for duty) were laid out, old towels taken for washing... all while the kittens did their best to out do each other in screaming their lungs off...
Fifteen mins later, the chaos had subsided and the maternity ward was calm again.. and then mom came back...
It's just been 3 days, and the kittens are already learning to walk around a bit on their feeble legs and tiny tiny toes... and to push each other out of the way, and climb on top of each other... I wonder why 3 jostle for 1 when there are 8? :)
By the way, current "indications" are that Chocobar is a gonna grow up big and strong, while Mango and Casatta will be pretty and sweet :)
Fifteen mins later, the chaos had subsided and the maternity ward was calm again.. and then mom came back...
It's just been 3 days, and the kittens are already learning to walk around a bit on their feeble legs and tiny tiny toes... and to push each other out of the way, and climb on top of each other... I wonder why 3 jostle for 1 when there are 8? :)
By the way, current "indications" are that Chocobar is a gonna grow up big and strong, while Mango and Casatta will be pretty and sweet :)
I Wish...
...Raj would target corruption instead of Bihari workers
...people would maintain traffic discipline
...Shilpa could be voted out of hosting Big Boss
...kittens and cats could be toilet trained more easily
...there was a 360 km/h bullet train between Pune and Goa
...I could have "masoorche tonak with sungta ani uno" for breakfast today
...people would maintain traffic discipline
...Shilpa could be voted out of hosting Big Boss
...kittens and cats could be toilet trained more easily
...there was a 360 km/h bullet train between Pune and Goa
...I could have "masoorche tonak with sungta ani uno" for breakfast today
Movie Review: The Peacemaker
This review is around a decade late :)
I first saw The Peacemaker in 1996-97 at IIT Bombay's theatre with my friend Merlyn, and then a couple more times, and then again today on HBO. An excellent action movie based on the theft and use of nuclear weapons by terrorists, it's interesting how it's still very much relevant today! George Clooney looks his sexiest best as the decorated US army officer, with a smart and sexy Nicole Kidman for company.
Check out for the dialogue between Clooney and the driver of the van, the interception of the truck on the bridge, and one of the best car chase scenes in Hollywood (the sequence in Ronin comes very close too)... and yes, the scene of the train accident, and the way the mushroom engulfs the farmer and his wife, and the seamless transition into the cold blue of the swimming pool. Very sexy.
I first saw The Peacemaker in 1996-97 at IIT Bombay's theatre with my friend Merlyn, and then a couple more times, and then again today on HBO. An excellent action movie based on the theft and use of nuclear weapons by terrorists, it's interesting how it's still very much relevant today! George Clooney looks his sexiest best as the decorated US army officer, with a smart and sexy Nicole Kidman for company.
Check out for the dialogue between Clooney and the driver of the van, the interception of the truck on the bridge, and one of the best car chase scenes in Hollywood (the sequence in Ronin comes very close too)... and yes, the scene of the train accident, and the way the mushroom engulfs the farmer and his wife, and the seamless transition into the cold blue of the swimming pool. Very sexy.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Unsung Heroes
Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma of the Delhi Police gave up his life today in the line of duty, taking four bullets in his stomach, arm, thigh and shoulder, in an intense encounter that ended with two terrorists killed and one arrested in a crowded locality of Delhi.
The first reaction of the media to the encounter was that it's fake. Until news of the death came in. If the Inspector hadn't died, we would have the media and the public screaming at how the Delhi Police faked an encounter to show success after the blasts. Are we really being fair to those heroes who give up their lives to keep us safe? We had a very safe Ganesh Chaturthi - do the police get credit for that? A hero dies, giving up his life for our safety? How many will remember his name tomorrow? What about those bomb disposal squad members who put their lives in grave danger every time they defuse those bombs?
For the last week, I have heard time and again, how the government needs to do more to stop terror. How the police is helpless, how our intelligence needs to be strengthened. Really? And how do we do that? Scan every nook and corner every minute? Someone suggested we should make sure no one enters through the border? Really? So what's a border? How do we "seal" it? How many thousands of kilometers? It's easy to criticize and make motherhood statements, but are we thinking straight? I am sick of hearing the news anchors screaming - why don't we declare an all out war against the terrorists? When will the government wake up? Damn it, shut up, and stop this drama!
Does it mean we can do nothing, that we will always have to live in fear? No. We can do more. But it will be a long and bloody battle. We need to accept that. We need to be strong, but patient. Governments need to go after the funding for these organizations. We need to strengthen security drills, get more CCTVs, more budget for the police and intelligence agencies. But probably, most of all, we need to be sensitive. We need to make sure our fight against terror doesn't become a fight between two religions or communities! We cannot afford to alienate our people!
The first reaction of the media to the encounter was that it's fake. Until news of the death came in. If the Inspector hadn't died, we would have the media and the public screaming at how the Delhi Police faked an encounter to show success after the blasts. Are we really being fair to those heroes who give up their lives to keep us safe? We had a very safe Ganesh Chaturthi - do the police get credit for that? A hero dies, giving up his life for our safety? How many will remember his name tomorrow? What about those bomb disposal squad members who put their lives in grave danger every time they defuse those bombs?
For the last week, I have heard time and again, how the government needs to do more to stop terror. How the police is helpless, how our intelligence needs to be strengthened. Really? And how do we do that? Scan every nook and corner every minute? Someone suggested we should make sure no one enters through the border? Really? So what's a border? How do we "seal" it? How many thousands of kilometers? It's easy to criticize and make motherhood statements, but are we thinking straight? I am sick of hearing the news anchors screaming - why don't we declare an all out war against the terrorists? When will the government wake up? Damn it, shut up, and stop this drama!
Does it mean we can do nothing, that we will always have to live in fear? No. We can do more. But it will be a long and bloody battle. We need to accept that. We need to be strong, but patient. Governments need to go after the funding for these organizations. We need to strengthen security drills, get more CCTVs, more budget for the police and intelligence agencies. But probably, most of all, we need to be sensitive. We need to make sure our fight against terror doesn't become a fight between two religions or communities! We cannot afford to alienate our people!
Movie Review: You Don't Mess With The Zohan
This typical Adam Sandler movie will have you in spilts with it's outrageous acts and adult humour, but you need to have the taste for that stuff :)
Zohan is an Israeli counter-terror officer, who takes on the Palentinians with his Rajnikant-like skills, until one day he decides enough is enough and comes to the US to chase his real passion - hair styling, with his very own brand of "service"! There are some outrageous dialogues, and some even more outrageous acts. Warning: do not try this at home!
As a bonus, you can feast your eyes on the very beautiful and sexy Emmanuelle Chriqui, a seductive combination of Salma Hayek and Amrita Rao :)
Go enjoy the movie, but keep your kids home!
Zohan is an Israeli counter-terror officer, who takes on the Palentinians with his Rajnikant-like skills, until one day he decides enough is enough and comes to the US to chase his real passion - hair styling, with his very own brand of "service"! There are some outrageous dialogues, and some even more outrageous acts. Warning: do not try this at home!
As a bonus, you can feast your eyes on the very beautiful and sexy Emmanuelle Chriqui, a seductive combination of Salma Hayek and Amrita Rao :)
Go enjoy the movie, but keep your kids home!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Cuties
Here they are.. the three most beautiful kittens in the world :) Miyou transferred them from the tent on the terrace to the "pull out" diwan under Sanam's bunk bed in the morning today, with a little help from me to remind her that she had forgotten one behind! When I picked the third one, man, the way she screamed - that chhotti si jaan packs so much punch :) As I cupped her in my palm and held her against my stomach, she suddenly quietened - searching for dudu :)
It's now time to find names for them... can you help me decide? Some options I have now:
Mango, Chocobar and Casatta - based on their color
Shah, Rukh and Khan - well, no explanations required here!
Amar, Akbar and Anthony - tch, I don't like these names actually
Microsoft, Wells Fargo and Bridgestone - my favourite customers
or simply
Pinky, Sweetie and Munni :)
Oh, I don't know their sex yet.. so... keep that in mind!
It's now time to find names for them... can you help me decide? Some options I have now:
Mango, Chocobar and Casatta - based on their color
Shah, Rukh and Khan - well, no explanations required here!
Amar, Akbar and Anthony - tch, I don't like these names actually
Microsoft, Wells Fargo and Bridgestone - my favourite customers
or simply
Pinky, Sweetie and Munni :)
Oh, I don't know their sex yet.. so... keep that in mind!
Babies :)
Miyou gave birth today to an "as yet unknown and unseen" number of babies :) She's right now inside a tent of wooden planks, a tree trunk, some pots, and some towels, that I build for her against the corner of our terrace, where she had settled down with her litter.
Dying to see the tiny tots, can hear their feeble meows :)
Dying to see the tiny tots, can hear their feeble meows :)
Wall Street Carnage...
A man on Wall Street asked on CNN, why are you the only man smiling here today? Answer: I am just happy to be alive!
After Lehman Brothers, will it be AIG next?
Where will this end?
After Lehman Brothers, will it be AIG next?
Where will this end?
September 1752
Did you know that nothing happened between 3 and 13 September 1752?
In September 1752 the Julian calendar was replaced with the Gregorian calendar in Great Britain and its American colonies. The Julian calendar was 11 days behind the Gregorian calendar, so 14 September got to follow 2 September on the day of the change. The result was that between 3 and 13 September, absolutely nothing happened!
In September 1752 the Julian calendar was replaced with the Gregorian calendar in Great Britain and its American colonies. The Julian calendar was 11 days behind the Gregorian calendar, so 14 September got to follow 2 September on the day of the change. The result was that between 3 and 13 September, absolutely nothing happened!
The US Economy by Mark Faber!
Dr. Marc Faber concluded his monthly bulletin (June 2008) with the following:
The federal government is sending each of us a $600 rebate. If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money goes to China. If we spend it on gasoline it goes to the Arabs. If we buy a computer it will go to India. If we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. If we purchase a good car it will go to Germany. If we purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan and none of it will help the American economy. The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes and beer, since these are the only products still produced in US. I've been doing my part.
The federal government is sending each of us a $600 rebate. If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money goes to China. If we spend it on gasoline it goes to the Arabs. If we buy a computer it will go to India. If we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. If we purchase a good car it will go to Germany. If we purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan and none of it will help the American economy. The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes and beer, since these are the only products still produced in US. I've been doing my part.
Worth It
When someone terribly injured and barely conscious finds the energy to get a smile on her face on seeing you, and struggles to say, thanks for coming, it was such a pleasant surprise, and makes a real attempt to touch you... you know it's been worth all the taunts, the snide remarks... you know you have made a real difference to someone!
Help Bihar
In some sense this might be encouraging hoaxes and spam mail, but I thought the cost and irritation it will cost you was worth the possible upside for the flood victims in Bihar.
You just have to answer 4 simple questions at http://www.helpbihar.in, and the sponsors will pay to the NGO http://www.planindia.org/ on your behalf.
And by the way, the answers are:
Patna
Kosi
25 Lakh
Drought
All it takes is a few seconds, and it’s possible nothing will come out of out it, but who knows – it might be worth it!
You just have to answer 4 simple questions at http://www.helpbihar.in, and the sponsors will pay to the NGO http://www.planindia.org/ on your behalf.
And by the way, the answers are:
Patna
Kosi
25 Lakh
Drought
All it takes is a few seconds, and it’s possible nothing will come out of out it, but who knows – it might be worth it!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Wall Street Massacre
Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy, Bank of America buys a struggling Merill Lynch, and AIG asks for a emergency loan. Could it get any worse for the world's financial markets?
Interestingly, on the same day, crude crashed to a long-time low of less than 100 USD/barrel. The dollar has also risen to more than 46 per rupee, when just a few months back, we were worrying about it going up to around 36!
Makes no sense to me frankly!
Interestingly, on the same day, crude crashed to a long-time low of less than 100 USD/barrel. The dollar has also risen to more than 46 per rupee, when just a few months back, we were worrying about it going up to around 36!
Makes no sense to me frankly!
Chicken Olivali
First, take 4-5 medium sized chicken pieces, and marinate in a large amount of dahi and chicken masala for around 15-20 min. Chop 2 onions and 3 tomatoes. Take a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, heat it, then brown the onions, add the tomatoes and some ginger-garlic paste and stir for some time. For the extra something that gives my dish it's name, add 7-8 olives with red pepper fillings, and then whip it in the mixer for a few seconds to give a grainy paste. Add back to the kadhai, add salt to taste, and let it simmer for 15-20 mins.
Serve hot and say thanks to me! :)
Serve hot and say thanks to me! :)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Cats Have Eight
Cats have 8 dudus... Sanam just showed me the fourth pair, hidden under the front legs... sigh...
Wear a Helmet, Please!
A personal request from me to all of my readers... please, please drive/ride safely, and for god's sake please wear a helmet, even if it's for a very short distance. I know it's cumbersome and irritating, but it's definitely worth the cost! Trust me!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Want a BMW?
Just buy an apartment in Noida! Yes, saw this ad in the Times of India today... You get a free BMW with every apartment you book!
Movie Review: A Wednesday
There have been many movies on terrorism and bomb blasts, and A Wednesday continues with the theme...
Mumbai's police commissioner Prakash Rathod, played by Anupam Kher, receives a call on his mobile - deliver India's 4 most-wanted terrorists to me, or else... The "controller" - Naseeruddin Shah, a 50-something "common man", operating his hi-tech operation from the terrace of a building under construction.
The police machinery kicks off, desperately playing catch up but the controller is always one step ahead... the terrorists are delivered as demanded, and then the movie takes a very interesting twist!
The action is fast paced, aided by a great sound track, and power packed performances by Anupam and his "officers". Naseeruddin is at his best too, his "bhashan" at the end earning claps from the audience.
A small budget movie, but should do well! A good option this weekend!
Mumbai's police commissioner Prakash Rathod, played by Anupam Kher, receives a call on his mobile - deliver India's 4 most-wanted terrorists to me, or else... The "controller" - Naseeruddin Shah, a 50-something "common man", operating his hi-tech operation from the terrace of a building under construction.
The police machinery kicks off, desperately playing catch up but the controller is always one step ahead... the terrorists are delivered as demanded, and then the movie takes a very interesting twist!
The action is fast paced, aided by a great sound track, and power packed performances by Anupam and his "officers". Naseeruddin is at his best too, his "bhashan" at the end earning claps from the audience.
A small budget movie, but should do well! A good option this weekend!
Movie Review: Righteous Kill
"Righteous Kill" tackles the question of whether encounter killings are justified when the law is helpless in bringing criminals to justice. A powerful cast consisting of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, though, disappoints - the movie is not recommended. It's slow, the actors look too old to be policemen, and the plot lacks originality, except for a feeble attempt at a twist at the end...
Skip it and you won't regret it.
Skip it and you won't regret it.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Wild Mushrooms
Saw these awesome, huge mushrooms in my garden...
Click on the first pic below to see the beautiful colorations! The second pic is even more interesting. If you click on it to blow it up, you will notice a small plant actually growing through the mushroom's body! As the mushroom expanded, it just left the plant in it's place, easily encircling it and then closing around it!
Click on the first pic below to see the beautiful colorations! The second pic is even more interesting. If you click on it to blow it up, you will notice a small plant actually growing through the mushroom's body! As the mushroom expanded, it just left the plant in it's place, easily encircling it and then closing around it!
The Ritz Classic
If you are ever in Goa, don't miss the Ritz Classic off 18th June Road for some absolutely awesome seafood. The night after Chaturthi, we gorged on a huge plate of crab dry fry, a must-try when you are there. Another fantastic option that you can't miss is squid rava fry. We also had finger licking squid masala, kingfish rava fry, chicken tandoori and a complimentary dish with grilled crab and shark.
Before:
After:
The bill for all that, and soft drinks, for 7 persons: Rs 850!
ps: Britto's in Baga is another great option, try the crab-encrusted prawns!
Before:
After:
The bill for all that, and soft drinks, for 7 persons: Rs 850!
ps: Britto's in Baga is another great option, try the crab-encrusted prawns!
Interesting Signboard
Guess what this means?
Clue: you'll find this as you enter Amrutyog's Pune-Goa sleeper bus...
Clue: you'll find this as you enter Amrutyog's Pune-Goa sleeper bus...
EMRI 108 Launched in Goa
After Gujarat, Uttarakhand and AP, Goa became the 4th state in the country to launch the super-sophisticated integrated emergency response service, with a single emergency number 108, accessible from any land line or mobile service, for police, fire as well as medical emergencies.
Equipped with GPS/GIS systems, and backed by a control center that will take your call and immediately dispatch the closest ambulance to the spot, these ambulances can attend to everything including hypertension, poisoning, drowning and accidents, providing critical care in those initial moments.
Check http://www.emri.in for more details on EMRI and it's work in India.
India, The New-Clear Power!
Finally, the suspense is over! After hectic diplomatic parleys and intense negotiations, India has got the critical NSG waiver in Vienna, signalling it's emergence and acceptance as a world power, dehyphenated from Pakistan forever. Remember, we are the only country in the world for whom, and for whom only, this powerful international body has bent it's rules, the very rules that were framed to stop us after our 1974 nuclear blasts. The US worked overtime on our behalf, signalling a deepening strategic relationship between the world's most powerful democracies...
What does this mean for India? It means access to high tech dual-use technology that will have major implications for our growth in pharma, IT and space research. It will mean access to uranium to fuel our nuclear reactors, and to the latest technology in nuclear plants, enabling our unsatiable quest for power. And interestingly, it means our own internal nuclear fuel supplies can be diverted for making weapons.
So what next? Bush will have to try and push the Indo-US deal in the house, and he has very little time for it. But France and Russia will probably be looking at signing their own deals very soon! After all, there are billions of dollars to be had...
What does this mean for India? It means access to high tech dual-use technology that will have major implications for our growth in pharma, IT and space research. It will mean access to uranium to fuel our nuclear reactors, and to the latest technology in nuclear plants, enabling our unsatiable quest for power. And interestingly, it means our own internal nuclear fuel supplies can be diverted for making weapons.
So what next? Bush will have to try and push the Indo-US deal in the house, and he has very little time for it. But France and Russia will probably be looking at signing their own deals very soon! After all, there are billions of dollars to be had...
Movie Review: Rock On
After Dil Chahata Hai and Don, here's another stunner from Farhan Akhtar, this time as producer, actor and singer!
Rock On is the story of 4 friends and their rock band, Magic, which wins a Channel V talent hunt, before misunderstandings and ego clashes ruins it all for them. A decade later, life brings them back together, giving them another chance at recreating the magic in music. Will they bury their misunderstandings and pull it off? Can they still pull it off, after all these years?
The cast, including Farhan, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny are fantastic, especially Farhan who's really sexy in both his avataars. Prachi Desai makes a decent debut on the big screen, but could have done with subtler make up and a better hair style! The surprise package is Shahana Goswami, as Debbie (Arjun's girlfriend and later, wife). Koel Purie is a bonus :)
The sets are typical Farhaan, contemporary and stylish. The rock shows are extremely well shot, but the real magic is in the music. Rock never sounded so good! The album is a definite must-have. Socha Hai and Tum Ho Toh are two of my absolute favourites, and will get your head swinging to the rhythm as you sing along. Yeh Tumhari Meri Baatein is a beautiful rendition of soulful music with a rock base. Awesome! And yes, the songs definitely grow on you...
Overall, a must see 2-3 times :)
Rock On is the story of 4 friends and their rock band, Magic, which wins a Channel V talent hunt, before misunderstandings and ego clashes ruins it all for them. A decade later, life brings them back together, giving them another chance at recreating the magic in music. Will they bury their misunderstandings and pull it off? Can they still pull it off, after all these years?
The cast, including Farhan, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny are fantastic, especially Farhan who's really sexy in both his avataars. Prachi Desai makes a decent debut on the big screen, but could have done with subtler make up and a better hair style! The surprise package is Shahana Goswami, as Debbie (Arjun's girlfriend and later, wife). Koel Purie is a bonus :)
The sets are typical Farhaan, contemporary and stylish. The rock shows are extremely well shot, but the real magic is in the music. Rock never sounded so good! The album is a definite must-have. Socha Hai and Tum Ho Toh are two of my absolute favourites, and will get your head swinging to the rhythm as you sing along. Yeh Tumhari Meri Baatein is a beautiful rendition of soulful music with a rock base. Awesome! And yes, the songs definitely grow on you...
Overall, a must see 2-3 times :)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
On Independence Day...
I know most of us tend to be pretty pessimistic about our country, and we tend to have attacks of patriotism only when India wins a T20 match or Abhinav gets a gold medal. And while we do have our problems with infrastructure, poverty and corruption, and every other evil that befalls a 1.1 Billion Third World country like ours, we need to take some time to thank this country and its people for what is awesome – in spite of all the diversity, and the hundreds of languages and dozens of relations, we are still very much united – compared to what’s happening in Eastern Europe, for example. We still have very clean and clear change of governments, our ex-Prime Ministers and Presidents are not killed and hung on lampposts. The day our government wins a trust vote, every TV channel runs excellent, bare-all debates between government and the opposition on one platform. The judiciary and press is still very free and not under government influence. We still have the rights to do dharnas and morchas without the government calling in tanks to quell the mob. Most of us have got very high quality education almost for free all our childhood and adult life.
Let us take this opportunity to ask ourselves, how can we do our little bit for our country? It’s not just that we pay some income tax (which, most of us do, very grudgingly!)
Let us save power and water. Let us do our bits to not litter the streets and our surroundings, let us help in segregating garbage and recycling. Let us plant one tree. Let us not encourage corruption by passing along that fifty rupee note to the hawaldar. Let us respect the traffic lights, and let pedestrians cross safely. Let us encourage our kids to be better social citizens too!
At this age, and in the IT industry, we have the power to do and influence a lot more. Let’s do our bit.
Happy Independence Day!
Let us take this opportunity to ask ourselves, how can we do our little bit for our country? It’s not just that we pay some income tax (which, most of us do, very grudgingly!)
Let us save power and water. Let us do our bits to not litter the streets and our surroundings, let us help in segregating garbage and recycling. Let us plant one tree. Let us not encourage corruption by passing along that fifty rupee note to the hawaldar. Let us respect the traffic lights, and let pedestrians cross safely. Let us encourage our kids to be better social citizens too!
At this age, and in the IT industry, we have the power to do and influence a lot more. Let’s do our bit.
Happy Independence Day!
Aye Dil Hai Mushkil
Rafi - Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
aa ha ha ho ho ho, hee ha haha
humh humm....
Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Kahin building, kahin tramein, kahin motor, kahin mill
milta hai yahan sab kuchh, ek milta nahi dil
Kahin building, kahin tramein, kahin motor, kahin mill
milta hai yahan sab kuchh, ek milta nahi dil
insaan ka nahi, kahin namo nishan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
ae dil hai mushkil - -
kahin satta kahin patta, kahin chori kahin race
kahin daaka khain faaqa, kahin thokar kahin thes
kahin satta kahin patta, kahin chori kahin race
kahin daaka khain faaqa, kahin thokar kahin thes
bekaaro ke hain, kai kaam yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
ae dil hai mushkil - - -
Beghar ko aawara, yahan kahate hans hans
khud kaate gale sab ke, kahein is ko bizness
Beghar ko aawara, yahan kahate hans hans
khud kaate gale sab ke, kahein is ko bizness
ek cheez ke hain, kai naam yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
ae dil hai mushkil - - -
Geeta Dutt - Bura duniya ko hai kahata, aisa bhola to na ban
jo hai karta woh hai bharta, hai yahan ka yeh chalan
Bura duniya ko hai kahata, aisa bhola to na ban
jo hai karta woh hai bharta, hai yahan ka yeh chalan
dadagiri nahi, chalne ki yahan
yeh hai bombay yeh hai bombai, yeh hai bombai meri jaan
Rafi - Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Geeta Dutt - Aye dil hai aasan, jeena yahan
suno mister suno bandhu, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Rafi - Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
aa ha ha ho ho ho, hee ha haha
humh humm....
Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Kahin building, kahin tramein, kahin motor, kahin mill
milta hai yahan sab kuchh, ek milta nahi dil
Kahin building, kahin tramein, kahin motor, kahin mill
milta hai yahan sab kuchh, ek milta nahi dil
insaan ka nahi, kahin namo nishan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
ae dil hai mushkil - -
kahin satta kahin patta, kahin chori kahin race
kahin daaka khain faaqa, kahin thokar kahin thes
kahin satta kahin patta, kahin chori kahin race
kahin daaka khain faaqa, kahin thokar kahin thes
bekaaro ke hain, kai kaam yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
ae dil hai mushkil - - -
Beghar ko aawara, yahan kahate hans hans
khud kaate gale sab ke, kahein is ko bizness
Beghar ko aawara, yahan kahate hans hans
khud kaate gale sab ke, kahein is ko bizness
ek cheez ke hain, kai naam yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
ae dil hai mushkil - - -
Geeta Dutt - Bura duniya ko hai kahata, aisa bhola to na ban
jo hai karta woh hai bharta, hai yahan ka yeh chalan
Bura duniya ko hai kahata, aisa bhola to na ban
jo hai karta woh hai bharta, hai yahan ka yeh chalan
dadagiri nahi, chalne ki yahan
yeh hai bombay yeh hai bombai, yeh hai bombai meri jaan
Rafi - Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Geeta Dutt - Aye dil hai aasan, jeena yahan
suno mister suno bandhu, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Rafi - Aye dil hai mushkil, jeena yahan
jara hat ke jara bach ke, yeh hai bombay meri jaan
Closure
Isn't that what we all look for? Driven by an inherent need to move on, because time waits for no one and life goes on.
My diary (yes, I have a daily account of everything in my life.. all the way back from 1987) and now my blogs, allow me just that. Closure.
My diary (yes, I have a daily account of everything in my life.. all the way back from 1987) and now my blogs, allow me just that. Closure.
Miyou Gets Visitors
Neighbours kid, and her two cousins from Chicago. Wow, exclaimed the little girl, I have never touched a cat before. Check her sponged feet, pointed out the elder one. Will it bite, the 3 year old boy wanted to know, before he realised we had 10 different phones and mobiles in the house. Is that a live phone? he asked, pointing to the instrument lying on the bed.
Movie Review: Mumbai Meri Jaan
This is not a review, this is a tribute to a beautiful movie, undoubtedly the best I have seen and connected with, a work of art that's going to remain with me forever.
Mumbai Meri Jaan is about the people of this beautiful city, whose name has become synonymous with the undying human spirit. Set against the backdrop of the 7/11 train blasts in Mumbai, the movie will connect with every Indian with it's amazing depth and treatment of issues that concern us today - acceptance of corruption, fear of terrorism, religious discord, aspirations of a comfortable life in the US, consumerism, the rapidly deteriorating morality in search of TRPs, and in the midst of all that, the wish to live life happily, borrowing heavily on every little bit that gives us that happiness and security. It's about emotions - joy, fear, suspicion, jealousy, deprivation, achievement, aspirations. It's about everyday lives, it's about the big events and small that touch us, and change us forever. It's about our fight to come to terms with what life throws at us, and our attempt to hit back. Most importantly, it's about achieving closure and moving on.
The train blasts of 7/ll is the core event around which the movie revolves, and is shot brilliantly and will shock you with it's graphic scenes. This is not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for kids. After the initial blast, when bodies are hurled out of the tain, smashing into track-side signal poles, the scene calms down... a victim gingerly tries to get back on his hands and knees... I still get a shudder when I think about what happens next...
Kay Kay plays Suresh, an unemployed 30-something trying to push his computer hardware supplier business, with an ever-so-deepening suspicion and hatred of Muslims. After the blasts, he is fully convinced that the bunch of Muslims that always frequented their adda (a Muslim-run hotel) are terrorists, following them, trying to nail them down. His prejudices refuse to let him accept that there might be a different angle to it after all. When one of them he's following picks up his girlfriend in a burkha, his friend says, let's go now, he's just meeting his girlfriend. Suresh retorts, how do you know it's a girl? They are trained to walk like this!
Irrfan is a living-by-the-day South Indian roadside tea vendor, whose aspirations and adventures including taking his wife and kid to the mall, and "testing" 10000 rupees-per-bottle perfumes, until one day he is kicked out from the mall, with his crying wife and kid in tow. The fear psychosis in the city provides him the ultimate weapon to hit back - hoax calls. The transformation in him is stunning. He now has the power to hit back at the malls which threw him out. All it takes is one rupee and a phone call. His chest is out, the glint in his eyes says it all. I am the King, and the sky is the limit.
Soha Ali is a prep school bred reporter, who works for one of the countless news channels for whom human tragedy is just a way to get more TRPs. However, when her own fiance is killed in the blasts, she turns from reporter to the reported! Rupali Bani Rudali, screams the program headlines. SMS Y RBR if you agree, and N RBR if you don't! And don't forget to send us your name! Check out the scene where they walk over her reflection in the marble flooring - such a stunningly delivered message. A fitting portrayal of todays Aaj Tak and India TV, I wonder though if it will make any difference to those who take pride in stripping bare a dead 14 year old today in the name of news reporting!
Madhavan plays a rich white-collar professional, with idealism and patriotism running in his blood. He hates plastic, and takes the train. He doesn't want to settle in the US, he prefers paying income tax in India, and doing his bit here. The blast changes it all. He survives luckily, but his friend loses a hand and probably his chance in life. The scene where Madhavan talks to his visiting-from-America guests is so real and replayed in Indian homes millions of times. Remember, by now, Madhavan is preparing himself to move from India, encouraged by pictures of safe and secure havens courtesy Google Earth. And he's looking for reaffirmation and reassurance. When his friend talks about missing those simple pleasures they had in India, Madhavan retorts that things are no longer the same, with bombs and terrorists and everything. Well, 2 small airplanes changed the world, says his American guest. Are you happy, Madhavan asks. Yes, I am good, comes the reply.
And finally Paresh Rawal. A symbol of the countless millions of urban Indians, in search of a life different from their rural beginnings, idealism and morals compromised and then having come to terms with it, a live-and-let-live philosophy that makes you a part of the system which you do not want to fight any more. And even in this despairing situation, he finds reasons to smile.
But time heals, and life brings about moments that change perspectives. Kay Kay overcomes his prejudices, Madhavan his fears and doubts, Irrfan too gets closure, Soha Ali finally refuses to become a story, and Paresh - well, it's too late for him in life to change, but he does have hope to redeem himself back in his village.
And the city moves on.
The cast is absolutely wonderful. Soha Ali Khan proves yet again what a fine actress she is, something her mother will be very proud of. This is one girl who stands way above her peers. The scene in the morgue is simply outstanding. Madhavan's portrayal of the white-collared patriotic Indian upper middle class 30-something whose life is changed by that one event will connect 100% with most of us. I think Kay Kay was a wee bit wasted in a role that did not allow him much, but Irrfan is outstanding as the South Indian roadside tea vendor. The best though, comes from Paresh Rawal as the about-to-retire Mumbai policeman, and he typifies the spirit of the city and it's inhabitant's tryst with destiny to the hilt!
When the closing credits started rolling on the screen to the background score of Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan, the theatre erupted in spontaneous applause, and this was not because India scored that winning goal in the dying moments of Chak De - it was simply because we probably had no other way to stop those tears of emotions, get closure, and get back to life.
Nishikant Kamat, hats off to you, you have given us an absolutely invaluable treasure! And in me, you have a fan for life!
Mumbai Meri Jaan is about the people of this beautiful city, whose name has become synonymous with the undying human spirit. Set against the backdrop of the 7/11 train blasts in Mumbai, the movie will connect with every Indian with it's amazing depth and treatment of issues that concern us today - acceptance of corruption, fear of terrorism, religious discord, aspirations of a comfortable life in the US, consumerism, the rapidly deteriorating morality in search of TRPs, and in the midst of all that, the wish to live life happily, borrowing heavily on every little bit that gives us that happiness and security. It's about emotions - joy, fear, suspicion, jealousy, deprivation, achievement, aspirations. It's about everyday lives, it's about the big events and small that touch us, and change us forever. It's about our fight to come to terms with what life throws at us, and our attempt to hit back. Most importantly, it's about achieving closure and moving on.
The train blasts of 7/ll is the core event around which the movie revolves, and is shot brilliantly and will shock you with it's graphic scenes. This is not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for kids. After the initial blast, when bodies are hurled out of the tain, smashing into track-side signal poles, the scene calms down... a victim gingerly tries to get back on his hands and knees... I still get a shudder when I think about what happens next...
Kay Kay plays Suresh, an unemployed 30-something trying to push his computer hardware supplier business, with an ever-so-deepening suspicion and hatred of Muslims. After the blasts, he is fully convinced that the bunch of Muslims that always frequented their adda (a Muslim-run hotel) are terrorists, following them, trying to nail them down. His prejudices refuse to let him accept that there might be a different angle to it after all. When one of them he's following picks up his girlfriend in a burkha, his friend says, let's go now, he's just meeting his girlfriend. Suresh retorts, how do you know it's a girl? They are trained to walk like this!
Irrfan is a living-by-the-day South Indian roadside tea vendor, whose aspirations and adventures including taking his wife and kid to the mall, and "testing" 10000 rupees-per-bottle perfumes, until one day he is kicked out from the mall, with his crying wife and kid in tow. The fear psychosis in the city provides him the ultimate weapon to hit back - hoax calls. The transformation in him is stunning. He now has the power to hit back at the malls which threw him out. All it takes is one rupee and a phone call. His chest is out, the glint in his eyes says it all. I am the King, and the sky is the limit.
Soha Ali is a prep school bred reporter, who works for one of the countless news channels for whom human tragedy is just a way to get more TRPs. However, when her own fiance is killed in the blasts, she turns from reporter to the reported! Rupali Bani Rudali, screams the program headlines. SMS Y RBR if you agree, and N RBR if you don't! And don't forget to send us your name! Check out the scene where they walk over her reflection in the marble flooring - such a stunningly delivered message. A fitting portrayal of todays Aaj Tak and India TV, I wonder though if it will make any difference to those who take pride in stripping bare a dead 14 year old today in the name of news reporting!
Madhavan plays a rich white-collar professional, with idealism and patriotism running in his blood. He hates plastic, and takes the train. He doesn't want to settle in the US, he prefers paying income tax in India, and doing his bit here. The blast changes it all. He survives luckily, but his friend loses a hand and probably his chance in life. The scene where Madhavan talks to his visiting-from-America guests is so real and replayed in Indian homes millions of times. Remember, by now, Madhavan is preparing himself to move from India, encouraged by pictures of safe and secure havens courtesy Google Earth. And he's looking for reaffirmation and reassurance. When his friend talks about missing those simple pleasures they had in India, Madhavan retorts that things are no longer the same, with bombs and terrorists and everything. Well, 2 small airplanes changed the world, says his American guest. Are you happy, Madhavan asks. Yes, I am good, comes the reply.
And finally Paresh Rawal. A symbol of the countless millions of urban Indians, in search of a life different from their rural beginnings, idealism and morals compromised and then having come to terms with it, a live-and-let-live philosophy that makes you a part of the system which you do not want to fight any more. And even in this despairing situation, he finds reasons to smile.
But time heals, and life brings about moments that change perspectives. Kay Kay overcomes his prejudices, Madhavan his fears and doubts, Irrfan too gets closure, Soha Ali finally refuses to become a story, and Paresh - well, it's too late for him in life to change, but he does have hope to redeem himself back in his village.
And the city moves on.
The cast is absolutely wonderful. Soha Ali Khan proves yet again what a fine actress she is, something her mother will be very proud of. This is one girl who stands way above her peers. The scene in the morgue is simply outstanding. Madhavan's portrayal of the white-collared patriotic Indian upper middle class 30-something whose life is changed by that one event will connect 100% with most of us. I think Kay Kay was a wee bit wasted in a role that did not allow him much, but Irrfan is outstanding as the South Indian roadside tea vendor. The best though, comes from Paresh Rawal as the about-to-retire Mumbai policeman, and he typifies the spirit of the city and it's inhabitant's tryst with destiny to the hilt!
When the closing credits started rolling on the screen to the background score of Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan, the theatre erupted in spontaneous applause, and this was not because India scored that winning goal in the dying moments of Chak De - it was simply because we probably had no other way to stop those tears of emotions, get closure, and get back to life.
Nishikant Kamat, hats off to you, you have given us an absolutely invaluable treasure! And in me, you have a fan for life!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Main Toh Mama Ban Gaya!
Siddha and Shweta became proud parents of a beautiful baby girl early in the morning today, the perfect kid sis for Sanam :)
What else can I say... Samah hai yeh suhana, koi kisi ka deewana...
What else can I say... Samah hai yeh suhana, koi kisi ka deewana...
Post No 500!
Ye Ye Ye, I have done it...
Now, I can take a lonnnggggggggg break from this difficult job and enjoy my life!
Now, I can take a lonnnggggggggg break from this difficult job and enjoy my life!
Joke..
OK, here's a joke for you... (for Marathi lovers only :))
A marathi manoos goes to Dharmendra's house for chori. Dharmendra wakes up, and screams, "Kameene...."
Chor goes, "Ho re baba, kameech neto"
lol rofl
A marathi manoos goes to Dharmendra's house for chori. Dharmendra wakes up, and screams, "Kameene...."
Chor goes, "Ho re baba, kameech neto"
lol rofl
Only 2 Left Now...
:)
And the best part is, you can simply add a few posts like these and you can't even be run out :)
And the best part is, you can simply add a few posts like these and you can't even be run out :)
The Good Thing...
...about having your blog is that no one can stop you from writing whatever you want to write there :)
Song of the Week
Mumbai se aaya mera dost, dost ko salaam karo
Raat ko khao peeo, din ko aaram karo...
:)
Raat ko khao peeo, din ko aaram karo...
:)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The World This Week..
153 killed in Madrid plane crash
60 killed in Pak Taliban attacks
India wins shooting gold, wrestling bronze, and at least a bronze in boxing at the Olympics
India and Sri Lanka tied 1-1 in the 5 match one day series
Critical NSG vote coming up on India's nuclear deal
iPhone being released in India at 3 times the price in the US
In the age of global warming, this year turns out to be the coolest this century
Life goes on
60 killed in Pak Taliban attacks
India wins shooting gold, wrestling bronze, and at least a bronze in boxing at the Olympics
India and Sri Lanka tied 1-1 in the 5 match one day series
Critical NSG vote coming up on India's nuclear deal
iPhone being released in India at 3 times the price in the US
In the age of global warming, this year turns out to be the coolest this century
Life goes on
Monday, August 18, 2008
Calizz
Calizz (Heart in Konkani) is an interesting museum in Siquerim, showcasing life in Goa in the Portuguese era. A pretty large compound hosts a bunch of authentic houses, some originally acquired and maintained, others specially built for the purpose, exhibiting some very interesting artifacts showcasing life from centuries ago... My personal favourite - the Kamasutra toy in Laxmi Bai's house :)
Do check it out when you are in Goa next - rates are a little on the higher side, but definitely worth it!
What To Do When In Goa...
Meditate on the beach
Rescue stranded ships
Dig tunnels
Explore the tunnels
Get rebootedOur Encounter with the Mongoose...
We got to do our own bit of Steve Irwingiri... check out this beautiful mongoose, in two sexy poses...
Please ignore the grainy nature of the photos, these were taken from almost 100 meters away, the guy just refused to let us come close to kiss him! Maybe he wasn't gay... :)
Goa in the Rains
Need I put up any captions? If you haven't seen Goa in the rains, and have been restricting yourself to the sun and the sand, you are missing something beautiful! Take a weekend off, brave the monsoons, and get immersed in a whole new experience...Saturday, August 16, 2008
Movie Review: Bachna Ae Haseeno
OK, let me be blunt here. I didn't have much hopes from this movie, and I went with a pretty open mind, But it was hard to find something I enjoyed :( Given that this was a movie with Deepika in it, that says a lot, I would think!
Let's start with the story. Well, it's a no-brainer, really. It might have well been one of those Kserials - you know, where things just go on and on? Raj (Ranbir) spends the first 30 mins of the movie missing a train, taking a scooter ride (yes, an unabashed take off and tribute to DDLJ), and finally succeeding in kissing the maiden, a very wierdly made up Minissha Lamba, in definitely her worst appearances ever, then breaks her heart. Cut to Mumbai a few years later, and he is living in with and kissing another dame in hot pants, Biapasha Basu, before he ditches her on the day of their marriage and goes to Australia in search gori babes and glory. And then he falls in love with an Indian student-by-day-taxi-driver-by night, Deepika Padukone. After singing and dancing and romancing, she refuses to marry him - she doesn't believe in marriage because she wants to live life on her terms, she's told him that right at the beginning! Suddenly, Ranbir realizes he has to say sorry to those maidens from his past, and then goes in search of them. Minissha is married with two kids, and after getting punched and beaten, he opens her heart to the true love of her husband, again, borrowing heavily from DDLJ, and hoping to trick the audiences into falling in love with this new Raj. Then, off to Mumbai where Radhika has become a top-model Shreya, and loves treating people like dirt. She makes him a condition, serve me as my PA and work hard, if you need my forgiveness. Then follows another 30 mins of silly antics as her PA, before she bursts with her hatred, then inexplicably decides enough is enough, and forgives him. He comes back to Australia, finds a pile of love letters from his Deepika, catches another of her taxi rides, and finally relieves you from the torture.
I don't like Ranbir. He's a fair dancer, but that's pretty much it. He cannot act for nuts, not even simple and easy roles like these! He tries hard to borrow from Raj in DDLJ, but hello, you probably are from a different planet than the King Khan, and it's better you stick to basics first! And yes, throwing away towels and baring your chest might get you a few female fans, but it definitely is not going to be enough! If I were Minissha, I would fire my make up artist and not feel I have redeemed the injustice done to me to some extent. I have nothing against Bipasha, and to be fair to her, she looks good sometimes, and is not too bad at her acting either. Deepika looks good in some scenes, and has her moments, but this is definitely a big let-down after the start she got in OSO. She has a good body but a pretty ordinary face with some hard features which need softer treatment by the camera. In any case, I just hope she has more substance to her than she's exhibited recently - one hit and 3 link ups do not take you to number one, dear! And I really hope you aren't in some holy alliance with your beau, promising to do movies with him and only him! Remember a one-hit wonder called Bhagyashree? And yes, fire your dress designer.
Khuda Jaane is a good number, and is shot in stunningly beautiful locales (cliffs of Dover?), but I wish the dance director had some more steps up his sleeve - just seeing skin gets boring after some time! The title track is OK, the rest is completely forgetable!
Overall, you might want to check it once, especially if you are a die-hard fan of Deepika and want to help her career, but make sure you have good company and some popcorn for all those moments you will wish you had opted for something better...
A second time? He he, you need to do a real good job to convince me!
Let's start with the story. Well, it's a no-brainer, really. It might have well been one of those Kserials - you know, where things just go on and on? Raj (Ranbir) spends the first 30 mins of the movie missing a train, taking a scooter ride (yes, an unabashed take off and tribute to DDLJ), and finally succeeding in kissing the maiden, a very wierdly made up Minissha Lamba, in definitely her worst appearances ever, then breaks her heart. Cut to Mumbai a few years later, and he is living in with and kissing another dame in hot pants, Biapasha Basu, before he ditches her on the day of their marriage and goes to Australia in search gori babes and glory. And then he falls in love with an Indian student-by-day-taxi-driver-by night, Deepika Padukone. After singing and dancing and romancing, she refuses to marry him - she doesn't believe in marriage because she wants to live life on her terms, she's told him that right at the beginning! Suddenly, Ranbir realizes he has to say sorry to those maidens from his past, and then goes in search of them. Minissha is married with two kids, and after getting punched and beaten, he opens her heart to the true love of her husband, again, borrowing heavily from DDLJ, and hoping to trick the audiences into falling in love with this new Raj. Then, off to Mumbai where Radhika has become a top-model Shreya, and loves treating people like dirt. She makes him a condition, serve me as my PA and work hard, if you need my forgiveness. Then follows another 30 mins of silly antics as her PA, before she bursts with her hatred, then inexplicably decides enough is enough, and forgives him. He comes back to Australia, finds a pile of love letters from his Deepika, catches another of her taxi rides, and finally relieves you from the torture.
I don't like Ranbir. He's a fair dancer, but that's pretty much it. He cannot act for nuts, not even simple and easy roles like these! He tries hard to borrow from Raj in DDLJ, but hello, you probably are from a different planet than the King Khan, and it's better you stick to basics first! And yes, throwing away towels and baring your chest might get you a few female fans, but it definitely is not going to be enough! If I were Minissha, I would fire my make up artist and not feel I have redeemed the injustice done to me to some extent. I have nothing against Bipasha, and to be fair to her, she looks good sometimes, and is not too bad at her acting either. Deepika looks good in some scenes, and has her moments, but this is definitely a big let-down after the start she got in OSO. She has a good body but a pretty ordinary face with some hard features which need softer treatment by the camera. In any case, I just hope she has more substance to her than she's exhibited recently - one hit and 3 link ups do not take you to number one, dear! And I really hope you aren't in some holy alliance with your beau, promising to do movies with him and only him! Remember a one-hit wonder called Bhagyashree? And yes, fire your dress designer.
Khuda Jaane is a good number, and is shot in stunningly beautiful locales (cliffs of Dover?), but I wish the dance director had some more steps up his sleeve - just seeing skin gets boring after some time! The title track is OK, the rest is completely forgetable!
Overall, you might want to check it once, especially if you are a die-hard fan of Deepika and want to help her career, but make sure you have good company and some popcorn for all those moments you will wish you had opted for something better...
A second time? He he, you need to do a real good job to convince me!
Movie Review: Singh is King
"Singh is King" is Akshaye Kumar's step in Govinda's world of senseless, loud slapstick comedy, and I am not sure that's the right step to take. I think his fans have enjoyed him a lot more in more subtle roles like Bhool Bhulaiyya and Mirch Masala!
Happy Singh is a small-town sardar, always ready to do good, but causing huge collateral damage in the process (remember Hancock?). Tired of him, the villagers send him on an impossible mission to Australia to get back the village-boy-turned-don Lucky Singh to see his "dying" father, hoping this will get rid of Happy forever. After stumbling and bumbling his way from India to Egypt and then to Australia, Happy somehow ends up becoming the King
himself, and "tranforms" the evil empire into holy do-gooders.
The movie starts with a good-but-could-have-been-much-better Happy-chasing-hen scene, which the director promises is computer animation (with a "no animals were hurt in the shoot" disclaimer), but if I were Maneka, I would be sceptical of that! The marriage song is silly, boring, loud, and definitely avoidable! The movie has it's moments, of course. Some silly but well shot action sequences, breath-taking locales in Egypt and Australia, a beautiful song (Teri Oar Teri Oar wins it hands down), and of course, the oh-so-worth-it Katrina Kaif who truly looks like an Egyptian goddess!
Overall, just about average - although, if you are a Kat fan, you will not regret it!
Happy Singh is a small-town sardar, always ready to do good, but causing huge collateral damage in the process (remember Hancock?). Tired of him, the villagers send him on an impossible mission to Australia to get back the village-boy-turned-don Lucky Singh to see his "dying" father, hoping this will get rid of Happy forever. After stumbling and bumbling his way from India to Egypt and then to Australia, Happy somehow ends up becoming the King
himself, and "tranforms" the evil empire into holy do-gooders.
The movie starts with a good-but-could-have-been-much-better Happy-chasing-hen scene, which the director promises is computer animation (with a "no animals were hurt in the shoot" disclaimer), but if I were Maneka, I would be sceptical of that! The marriage song is silly, boring, loud, and definitely avoidable! The movie has it's moments, of course. Some silly but well shot action sequences, breath-taking locales in Egypt and Australia, a beautiful song (Teri Oar Teri Oar wins it hands down), and of course, the oh-so-worth-it Katrina Kaif who truly looks like an Egyptian goddess!
Overall, just about average - although, if you are a Kat fan, you will not regret it!
The Journey
Our bus trip was awesome. The rain gods were merciful, the roads were clear of landslides
and fallen trees, and we reached pretty decently at 8.30 - after a wonderful sleep... and
some excitement :)
It was around 3.30 am, the bus had stopped for a couple of passengers to take a leak, and I needed it too! I was a few meters behind the bus, enjoying the eerie stillness of the lonely highway punctured by the gentle purring of the idling engine, the fields and the tress billowing in the wind and the gentle rain, enjoying the calm and peace, and wondering how far we were from civilization - when I heard the engine change it's rhythm - the driver had put the bus into gear, and released the brakes. Oh come on, I thought, give me a minute here - and started walking back... then I realised with horror, he didn't remember I was still down there! The thought of spending the night walking down that highway wasn't comforting at all, and I guess that pumped the adrenalin I needed to catch up and hop on!
I wouldn't even have been able to make a call - my cell, for once, was not with me. Not that it would have helped - there was probably no range there anyway. Madhavi and Sanam would have found my berth empty around 8.00 am :)
Next time, I am gonna take the driver along with me!
A few minutes later, we were on the Gaganbavda ghat section. A few days back, the road was closed - courtesy the rain which brought down big boulders crashing onto the road. It's always thrilling here - the hair pin curves, the mists rolling in from the plains below, the rain, the bus headlights trying to pierce the vast darkness of the valley below, the driver straining against the inertial forces, steering the vehicle and it's blissfully unaware and sleeping passengers back on course, in time for the next big curve.
Safely down into the Konkan plains, I finally settled into the cozy upper berth - hugging the pillow tight, wrapping the rug around me, and looking forward to the Goan vacation! Prawns, crabs, the rain... mmmmmmmmmmmm zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz
and fallen trees, and we reached pretty decently at 8.30 - after a wonderful sleep... and
some excitement :)
It was around 3.30 am, the bus had stopped for a couple of passengers to take a leak, and I needed it too! I was a few meters behind the bus, enjoying the eerie stillness of the lonely highway punctured by the gentle purring of the idling engine, the fields and the tress billowing in the wind and the gentle rain, enjoying the calm and peace, and wondering how far we were from civilization - when I heard the engine change it's rhythm - the driver had put the bus into gear, and released the brakes. Oh come on, I thought, give me a minute here - and started walking back... then I realised with horror, he didn't remember I was still down there! The thought of spending the night walking down that highway wasn't comforting at all, and I guess that pumped the adrenalin I needed to catch up and hop on!
I wouldn't even have been able to make a call - my cell, for once, was not with me. Not that it would have helped - there was probably no range there anyway. Madhavi and Sanam would have found my berth empty around 8.00 am :)
Next time, I am gonna take the driver along with me!
A few minutes later, we were on the Gaganbavda ghat section. A few days back, the road was closed - courtesy the rain which brought down big boulders crashing onto the road. It's always thrilling here - the hair pin curves, the mists rolling in from the plains below, the rain, the bus headlights trying to pierce the vast darkness of the valley below, the driver straining against the inertial forces, steering the vehicle and it's blissfully unaware and sleeping passengers back on course, in time for the next big curve.
Safely down into the Konkan plains, I finally settled into the cozy upper berth - hugging the pillow tight, wrapping the rug around me, and looking forward to the Goan vacation! Prawns, crabs, the rain... mmmmmmmmmmmm zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz
Friday, August 15, 2008
Taking a Break..
Going to Goa... I promised myself no mails and work, it's just been 3 hours in the bus though - kya karein, Tata Indicom ki jai!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Subah Subah
Another beautiful song playing on TV these days...
subah subah ye kya huva
na jaane kyon ab main hawaayon mein chal raha hoon
nayi subah nayi jagah
nayi tarah se nayi dishaayon mein chal raha hoon
nayi nayi hain meri nazar ya hain nazaarein naye
yaa dekhate khwab main chal raha hoon
subah subah ye kya huva
na jaane kyon ab main hawaayon mein chal raha hoon
nayi subah nayi jagah
nayi tarah se nayi dishaayon mein chal raha hoon
nayi nayi hain meri nazar ya hain nazaarein naye
yaa dekhate khwab main chal raha hoon
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bear Gryll
Have you watched "Man vs Wild" on Discovery? One of the most exciting reality shows on TV today, Bear takes you on wild escapes from tough situations in nature, showing how to survive in the most difficult and hopeless conditions.
Yes, he has his support crew and I am sure medical help nearby, but it's still scary, deadly and very exciting!
What I like most - the food he finds and eats! From raw fish, to grubs and snakes and spiders and scorpions and lizards, to left-over Zebra meat from a Lion's kill, it's amazing how he can find proteins and energy in the most yucky creatures on earth :) And as for water, well, from his own pee, to water from a dead camel's guts, to fluids from elephant's dung - I wonder if his stomach can actually relish some of the normal food we people eat!
While watching the program over some crabs and fish, Sanam suddenly remarked - this must be how our cat's like is na? Eating raw stuff... lol...
Yes, he has his support crew and I am sure medical help nearby, but it's still scary, deadly and very exciting!
What I like most - the food he finds and eats! From raw fish, to grubs and snakes and spiders and scorpions and lizards, to left-over Zebra meat from a Lion's kill, it's amazing how he can find proteins and energy in the most yucky creatures on earth :) And as for water, well, from his own pee, to water from a dead camel's guts, to fluids from elephant's dung - I wonder if his stomach can actually relish some of the normal food we people eat!
While watching the program over some crabs and fish, Sanam suddenly remarked - this must be how our cat's like is na? Eating raw stuff... lol...
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Religion Anyone?
Times of India, top 3 headlines on the net right now...
120 killed in Naina Devi stampede
37 hurt during Amarnath protests in Jammu
Class 9 student killed fellow inmates in Asaram Ashram
And of course, bombs in Surat and Ahmedabad, terror strikes in Afghanistan, SIMI activists rounded up.. it goes on and on...
We just concluded our year long Arjuna program in Persistent - the three qualities Arjuna had were knowledge, action (a doer), and principles. He knew why he had to what he had to do based on his knowledge and his principles, and he was a man of action. The program was aimed at inculcating these habits in us. But all my life, for me, Arjuna was a fighter in that war called Mahabharat who shared his wife with his brothers! No one told me why. No one told me why I should be like him.
The Mahabharat and the Ramayan are the corner stones of our religion, just as the Bible and the Koran serve their purpose in Christianity and Islam. They all have stories, each with a specific message and meaning put across in a way that can be taught from generation to generation, the smart learnings of wise men who knew the illeterate population would not understand any other way. In fact, the stories were not meant to be analyzed and probed for meaning, they were the guidelines you blindly followed, because you were deemed incapable of understanding why.
Clater, the meaning and the essence have been lost. Literate populations and educated masses have forgotten why religions were created in the first place. We kill in the name of Ram and Allah, we destroy lives and societies, and we do it in the name of religion and god.
Is this what education has made of us?
Happy Friendship Day...
..to all my friends, of all shapes, colors and sizes, of all ethnicity and religions, good and best, old and new, those who talk and those who don't... those who care, and those who stopped, long time back..
Upset With Flickr
Just realised that Flickr has taken off most of my photo albums off the net, keeping only a few latest ones... and now want me to pay 25 USD/year to get them back online! I hate this - first they buy over Yahoo photos, and make me go through a lot of pain to migrate the albums properly, and now they do this extortion business.
I am switching over to Picasa very soon!
I am switching over to Picasa very soon!
India Take Revenge
After a terrible loss in the first test, India have struck back strongly in the Galle test, defeating Sri Lanka by 171 runs on the 4th day, levelling the series 1-1. After Viru set up the stage with an awesome undefeated 201 in the first innings, the bowlers chipped in, Bhajji with a 10 wicket haul and some devastating fast bowling by Ishant in the second innings, ripping through the Lankan top order.
This is the new India I love - fighting back, always optimistic, and ready to stand and deliver when it matters! Cheers!
This is the new India I love - fighting back, always optimistic, and ready to stand and deliver when it matters! Cheers!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Connecting...
It's amazing how you can have some "friends" with day in and day out, and not be able to connect with them, while on the other hand, you can get back in touch with an uncle's neighbour's daughter from two decades back, and still be able to connect immediately like best friends!
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