Monday, January 26, 2015
Walking To The Beach
Last time in Goa, we took a beautiful walk through the fields to the beach behind our house... we used to do this so often in our childhood, when malls and multiplexes weren't the only option!
Brought back so many lovely memories... and it felt like it was just a few days back, really - damn, it's been almost a decade since I last did this really!
Brought back so many lovely memories... and it felt like it was just a few days back, really - damn, it's been almost a decade since I last did this really!
Wok And Thai
When in Goa, for some authentic Chinese and Thai food, try Wok and Thai near Miramar, on the approach road to the Marriott...
Meeting Rajdeep Sardesai
Met Rajdeep Sardesai, one of India's most reputed journalists at a "meet the author" session at Crossword, Aundh a few days back. He enthralled the audience with anecdotes from his years as a political commentator and journalist, with the backdrop of his book, 2014 - The Election That Changed India.
I got an autographed copy of his book - and a tiny chit chat, talking about the house he has in Quegdevlim!
What was exciting and heart warming was the huge crowd at Crossword, including all age groups - eagerly lapping up his every word. Thankfully, books have still not gone out of fashion!
I got an autographed copy of his book - and a tiny chit chat, talking about the house he has in Quegdevlim!
What was exciting and heart warming was the huge crowd at Crossword, including all age groups - eagerly lapping up his every word. Thankfully, books have still not gone out of fashion!
Lexophilia
"Lexophile" is a word used to describe those that have a love for the
use of words, such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna
fish", or "to write with a broken pencil is pointless."
Here are some excellent examples:
.. When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
.. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
.. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.
.. The batteries were given out free of charge.
.. A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
.. A will is a dead giveaway.
.. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
.. A boiled egg is hard to beat.
.. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
.. Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
.. Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.
.. A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
.. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
.. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
.. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
.. When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.
.. Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.
.. Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end.
Here are some excellent examples:
.. When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
.. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
.. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.
.. The batteries were given out free of charge.
.. A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
.. A will is a dead giveaway.
.. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
.. A boiled egg is hard to beat.
.. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
.. Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
.. Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.
.. A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
.. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
.. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
.. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
.. When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.
.. Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.
.. Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end.
Movie Review: American Sniper
The movie is based on the real life exploits of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whose 150+ recorded kills saved countless American lives on the lawless Afghan streets, turning him into a legend. However, back home with his family, he finds that it isn't easy to leave war behind.
Chris Kyle was killed by one of the very veterans he was trying to help back home.
Bradley Cooper fans (like me) might actually want to stay away from this one - I'd rather see him in his Silver Linings avatar, then the bearded, beefed up version served by American Sniper.
Chris Kyle was killed by one of the very veterans he was trying to help back home.
Bradley Cooper fans (like me) might actually want to stay away from this one - I'd rather see him in his Silver Linings avatar, then the bearded, beefed up version served by American Sniper.
Movie Review: I
Yes, I am sure "I" takes one award already - for the shortest name.
If I had my way, it will probably also take best special effects in an Indian movie, best locales and best makeup. It wouldn't win much for story and direction, but might just walk away with most innovative action sequences, and best executed dream sequences.
And definitely, if I had my way, a special award for the most gorgeous Amy Jackson!
Hold your horses in the first 15 mins, ignore the lion-man in the promos, and go watch it on the big screen. You might actually come back impressed.
If I had my way, it will probably also take best special effects in an Indian movie, best locales and best makeup. It wouldn't win much for story and direction, but might just walk away with most innovative action sequences, and best executed dream sequences.
And definitely, if I had my way, a special award for the most gorgeous Amy Jackson!
Hold your horses in the first 15 mins, ignore the lion-man in the promos, and go watch it on the big screen. You might actually come back impressed.
Movie Review: A Walk Among The Tombstones
If you haven't had enough of Liam Neesom in Taken 3, watch AWATT. You don't even need to hear the dialogues, or try and understand the story. It doesn't matter. But if you REALLY want to know, here's the story:
He is hired by a druglord to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.
He is hired by a druglord to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.
Movie Review: Equalizer
McCall (Denzel Washington) works at the local mega store, having put his mysterious past behind him in the search for a simple, new life. But his budding friendship with a young girl (the very cute Chloe Grace Moretz in the tiniest of roles) puts him up against a deadly Russian gang, bringing out the best (or is it the worst?) in him...
One of the hundreds of similar movies of the genres, watch it if you like Washington, or if you have vowed not to miss a single Chloe Grace Moretz movie!
One of the hundreds of similar movies of the genres, watch it if you like Washington, or if you have vowed not to miss a single Chloe Grace Moretz movie!
Movie Review: Fury
It's almost the end of WWII, but small pockets of resistance remain in Germany, which has been overrun by the allied forces. A convoy of four allied tanks is ambushed on a mission, leaving a single, immobilized tank and its crew in charge of defending a crucial cross road.
While the story or drama isn't much to write home about, Fury scores high for some really memorable scenes - the cannon shots fired across open fields, the treads of the tanks crushing bodies in the slush, and a very well executed scene "on the dining table" between the crew and a local German resident and her pretty cousin.
Watch it on the big screen if you aren't too squeamish, or at least get a BluRay, for best effect!
While the story or drama isn't much to write home about, Fury scores high for some really memorable scenes - the cannon shots fired across open fields, the treads of the tanks crushing bodies in the slush, and a very well executed scene "on the dining table" between the crew and a local German resident and her pretty cousin.
Watch it on the big screen if you aren't too squeamish, or at least get a BluRay, for best effect!
Movie Review: The Imitation Game
Can you take topics as boring as encryption, analog computers, and eccentric mathematicians and actually make a movie that keeps you sitting on the edge, eager to catch every word and action on screen? That's what The Imitation Game achieves, and does so very well indeed!
TIG is based on the true story of the Enigma code, which the Nazis used extensively in WWII, and was deemed impossible to crack in spite of the best efforts of the allies. Until Alan Turing, a young and eccentric mathematician took it upon himself to build a "Turing Machine" to solve the puzzle. Ridiculed for his plans at first, and persecuted in his later life for being gay, TIG is the remarkable story of a very remarkable brain who is credited with ending the war at least a couple of years early, and thereby saving millions of lives.
Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect as Alan Turing, and is ably supported by the beautiful Kiera Knightley. The script is interesting, and the movie does a great job of bringing out the complexity and excitement of the project, without getting too technical and boring about it.
A wonderful tribute to the man who literally gave birth to "computers"!
TIG is based on the true story of the Enigma code, which the Nazis used extensively in WWII, and was deemed impossible to crack in spite of the best efforts of the allies. Until Alan Turing, a young and eccentric mathematician took it upon himself to build a "Turing Machine" to solve the puzzle. Ridiculed for his plans at first, and persecuted in his later life for being gay, TIG is the remarkable story of a very remarkable brain who is credited with ending the war at least a couple of years early, and thereby saving millions of lives.
Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect as Alan Turing, and is ably supported by the beautiful Kiera Knightley. The script is interesting, and the movie does a great job of bringing out the complexity and excitement of the project, without getting too technical and boring about it.
A wonderful tribute to the man who literally gave birth to "computers"!
Movie Review: Baby
An ultra secret crack team (Baby, because it is just 4 years old) set up by the Indian government to take on the scourge of international terrorism, is sent on its last mission - to kill a most wanted terrorist in a foreign, unfriendly country in the Middle East. While the team succeeds in the assassination, they land a huge, unexpected bonus - the Pakistan-based preacher/terror leader, the biggest of them all. With him a lot more valuable captured alive than dead, they hatch a daring plot to ferret him out of the country into India. But it's a race against time - the local cop is hot on their heels. Will they make it out in time, can they pull off the heist, or will they die unrecognized and unsung (the team works under plausible deniability - given the sensitive nature of their missions, the Indian government will deny any connection to them if they are ever captured or exposed)?
After a very amateurish Holiday, Akshay Kumar returns in a much more sophisticated and authentic execution, very similar to D Day and with shades of Ben Affleck's Argo. Rana Daggubati adds serious hulk, and the ever-so-pretty Taapsee impresses thoroughly in a short but memorable role, with one of the best fight sequences ever performed by a female lead in Bollywood. Anupam Kher makes an appearance only in the second half, but delivers another excellent performance, following up after A Wednesday and Special 26.
While slightly predictable, the story moves fast, and will keep you on edge throughout. There are no long song sequences, little distractions, some great lines, and impressive shots in exotic locales.
Perfect for the Republic Day weekend! A must watch!
After a very amateurish Holiday, Akshay Kumar returns in a much more sophisticated and authentic execution, very similar to D Day and with shades of Ben Affleck's Argo. Rana Daggubati adds serious hulk, and the ever-so-pretty Taapsee impresses thoroughly in a short but memorable role, with one of the best fight sequences ever performed by a female lead in Bollywood. Anupam Kher makes an appearance only in the second half, but delivers another excellent performance, following up after A Wednesday and Special 26.
While slightly predictable, the story moves fast, and will keep you on edge throughout. There are no long song sequences, little distractions, some great lines, and impressive shots in exotic locales.
Perfect for the Republic Day weekend! A must watch!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Piya Beherupiya
Saturday night was time for another interesting experience - the award-wining Hindi adaptation of Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night, held at the beautiful Susie Sorabjee auditorium at St Helena's school. It'd been at least 25 years, I think, since the last time I saw a live drama, and the drama (although a musical) was a lot of fun. It was the group's 104th performance - and wow - must take SOME commitment and passion to perform at that energy level so many times! There was also excellent audience interaction, spirit-of-the-moment efforts, breaking away from the scripts.
A friend and colleague procured excellent passes for us, and one thing is certain - dramas are soon gonna be a staple in our entertainment diet!
A friend and colleague procured excellent passes for us, and one thing is certain - dramas are soon gonna be a staple in our entertainment diet!
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| A capacity crowd eagerly awaits admission - the show was delayed by 45 min due to a problem with the stage lighting |
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| A scene from the drama - courtesy Times Of India |
Weirdass Comedy
On Friday, we attended "The American Invasion", a stand up comedy act by 4 amazing artists from the US, curated by India's own Virr Das, under his Weirdass Pajamas series. It was a fantastic show, over 2 hours of entertainment that had the audience of 500 or so party goers in splits, rolling in the aisles. They interacted with the audiences, were unabashedly rude (all in good humor!), and VERY adult. Virr was his usual stand out best (and looked hot too), and out of the Americans, Eric Schwartz entertained thoroughly with his Bollywood dance routine, while Tehran was absolutely spot on with his Marathi and his take on Indian people.
It was an excellent start to the weekend, and I heavily recommend it to you, if you can catch it live.
PS: Not suitable for children
It was an excellent start to the weekend, and I heavily recommend it to you, if you can catch it live.
PS: Not suitable for children
Happy Streets in Pune
It's been a great weekend so far, and there was no better way to celebrate Sunday than spend the early morning driving away the Pune chill at the amazing Happy Streets event in Aundh. Starting today, every Sunday from 7 - 10, most of ITI Road and DP Road will be out of bounds for vehicles, and instead be a carnival of sports, dance, and lots of other activities for kids and elders alike!
This "no vehicle zone" movement is spreading fast, and many other cities have had similar initiatives already. Look forward to this really catching up - no better way to promote health and social bonding, really!
Here are some pics from today morning in Pune...
This "no vehicle zone" movement is spreading fast, and many other cities have had similar initiatives already. Look forward to this really catching up - no better way to promote health and social bonding, really!
Here are some pics from today morning in Pune...
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| The early morning chill provided the perfect ambience for Happy Streets |
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| Hop, skip and jump! |
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| The cops kept a watchful eye, was reassuring to see them providing all the necessary support! |
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| Wanna ride and don't have a bike? Happy Streets provided them rent-free! |
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| Get on the floor, everyone, for some Zumba classes! |
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| This poor chap wondered what the hell was wrong with these people - what happened to peaceful Sunday mornings? |
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| Zumba never looked better! |
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| The Happy Streets provided ample opportunities to show off your badminton skills |
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| ...as well as painting! |
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| Some just loved the idea of sitting down on what is usually a VERY busy road! |
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| While others spent the morning in more beneficial postures! |
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| Reminded me of Amsterdam - never seen so many cycles at the traffic signal! |
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| The elders preferred some exercises |
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| But others preferred to hit the ball! |
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| A lovely carnival atmosphere - Happy Streets indeed! |
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| Hmmm.. this doesn't really qualify as a vehicle :) |
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| And this, a goal? :) |
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| Vegans had a gala time too campaigning for animal rights |
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| Football kicks were on display |
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| And the Surf mom at home will definitely have some work to do today! |
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| Budding artists campaigned for animal rights |
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| Zumba had the crowd breathless but clamouring for more |
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| Finally the winding down... |
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| With some stretching |
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| Unarguably, the cutest couple on Pune's Happy Streets! |
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Movie Review: Interstellar
The world, as we know it, is coming to an end, and a team of brave space explorers need to race against time to find a new place quickly if humanity is to survive. Bring in time relativity, black holes and wormholes, and you have a complex Christopher Nolan epic that weaves some amazing visuals and SFX, with drama, adventure and love .
The scene between the main protagonist (Matthew McConaughey ) and his 10 year old daughter Murph (I loved Mackenzie Fox), as he leaves on his mission into space, is powerful and extremely touching, and will tug at your heart for a long time! The irresistible Anne Hatheway also adds tremendously to the visuals!
There is an obvious comparison to that other space movie, Gravity, which feels pretty one-dimensional compared to Interstellar. The only problem with Interstellar, is the 2 hr 49 min running time, which is really more than a tad too long for such an intense scifi movie.
By the way, do watch out for the scene at the very beginning - when they manage to catch an Indian Air Force drone, with the accompanying comment "it's very good". I guess when it's end of the world time, Chinese drones are way too unreliable! :)
The scene between the main protagonist (Matthew McConaughey ) and his 10 year old daughter Murph (I loved Mackenzie Fox), as he leaves on his mission into space, is powerful and extremely touching, and will tug at your heart for a long time! The irresistible Anne Hatheway also adds tremendously to the visuals!
There is an obvious comparison to that other space movie, Gravity, which feels pretty one-dimensional compared to Interstellar. The only problem with Interstellar, is the 2 hr 49 min running time, which is really more than a tad too long for such an intense scifi movie.
By the way, do watch out for the scene at the very beginning - when they manage to catch an Indian Air Force drone, with the accompanying comment "it's very good". I guess when it's end of the world time, Chinese drones are way too unreliable! :)
Movie Review: Action Jackson
Have been thinking for a long time since I opened this blog post.. what can I even say about AJ?
Do I start with how it inspires so heavily from Kill Bill's style of graphic animations? Or the sinister laugh every time the vamp is on screen? The silly track about seeing a guy's balls for good luck? About the lack of something that goes by the name of editing? The senseless, eminently forgettable song and dance?
For an actor of Akhay's caliber and Sonakshi's promise (still wonder if Lootera will remain a one off!), AJ is a huge disappointment, to a point that mindless AK gigs like Entertainment, Garam Masala and Shaukeens feel worthy of the Oscars.
Do I start with how it inspires so heavily from Kill Bill's style of graphic animations? Or the sinister laugh every time the vamp is on screen? The silly track about seeing a guy's balls for good luck? About the lack of something that goes by the name of editing? The senseless, eminently forgettable song and dance?
For an actor of Akhay's caliber and Sonakshi's promise (still wonder if Lootera will remain a one off!), AJ is a huge disappointment, to a point that mindless AK gigs like Entertainment, Garam Masala and Shaukeens feel worthy of the Oscars.
Breakfast
Prawns and clams for breakfast - having dinner at Gajalee in Pune definitely has benefits the next day too!
Movie Review: Boyhood
I don't think a movie like this has ever been attempted before!
Shot over a period of 11 years with the same cast, Boyhood delivers an unbelievable experience - the experience of literally seeing a child (Ellar Coltrane as Mason) literally growing up before our eyes. Not just him, even his parents, his sister and a bunch of other characters stay through us for years! There isn't a real story - just the story of our lives, something every single one of us will be able to relate to at a very intimate level. From family trips and dinners, birthday parties to the first kiss, Boyhood is a celebration of what life is all about as children.
And take a bow, director Richard Lintaker - such an inspiration in persevering with a dream and a vision, sticking to it for over a decade of painstaking effort, to put it all together in a tiny 2 hr 45 min package!
Shot over a period of 11 years with the same cast, Boyhood delivers an unbelievable experience - the experience of literally seeing a child (Ellar Coltrane as Mason) literally growing up before our eyes. Not just him, even his parents, his sister and a bunch of other characters stay through us for years! There isn't a real story - just the story of our lives, something every single one of us will be able to relate to at a very intimate level. From family trips and dinners, birthday parties to the first kiss, Boyhood is a celebration of what life is all about as children.
And take a bow, director Richard Lintaker - such an inspiration in persevering with a dream and a vision, sticking to it for over a decade of painstaking effort, to put it all together in a tiny 2 hr 45 min package!
Movie Review: Happy Ending
A guy who cannot commit, a friend who is desperate to escape the clutches of his marriage, an over-possessive girl friend, and a pretty siren who's perfectly comfortable with the idea of a one night stand deliver a simple, happy, funny and enjoyable film that's easy on the eyes, ears and the heart. Saif, Ranveer Shourie, Kalki and Ileana are perfect in their roles, great on the screen, and share a sense of humor and timing that really makes HE a pretty decent watch. Not a must see, but not bad at all!
Movie Review: Happy Journey (Marathi)
Out of a slew of movies I have seen over the last few weeks, Happy Journey deserves a special mention. An offbeat Marathi movie, staring Atul Kulkarni as the Dubai-based brother of a sweet girl (the very pretty Priya Bapat), who dies of an illness without a last chance to see her brother, and the smart Pallavi Subhash as Atul's love interest.
Back home for his sister's funeral, Niranjan is shocked to find his sister (well, her ghost, actually) waiting for him to help her finish some tasks left unfinished. As Niranjan starts bonding with his sister, after promising to spend the next week or so with her to make up for all the years they missed while he made money in Dubai, he also rediscovers his old flame, the daughter of a local don, desperate to break out from the shackles of her protective dad.
The movie starts off beautifully in the first half, and Priya is as lovable a ghost as they come! Atul also puts in a great performance. Pallavi is the surprise package, and looks pretty good too. The movie actually has a perfect ending when the interval kicks in, beautifully poised. From there on, it starts meandering a bit, losing some of the steam.
Good to see Marathi cinema breaking the mould, and doing so well at it!
Back home for his sister's funeral, Niranjan is shocked to find his sister (well, her ghost, actually) waiting for him to help her finish some tasks left unfinished. As Niranjan starts bonding with his sister, after promising to spend the next week or so with her to make up for all the years they missed while he made money in Dubai, he also rediscovers his old flame, the daughter of a local don, desperate to break out from the shackles of her protective dad.
The movie starts off beautifully in the first half, and Priya is as lovable a ghost as they come! Atul also puts in a great performance. Pallavi is the surprise package, and looks pretty good too. The movie actually has a perfect ending when the interval kicks in, beautifully poised. From there on, it starts meandering a bit, losing some of the steam.
Good to see Marathi cinema breaking the mould, and doing so well at it!
Catching Up
It's been a while since I posted - somehow, some recent happenings make me feel unexcited about posting and sharing my life online. The more I think about it, the more I want to get rid of my blog, my social network profiles, even my phone sometimes - and just go back to the old times when relationships meant writing letters, waiting for the postman to deliver a greeting card from that special someone just in time for your birthday. When meetings were planned days in advance, and meant eagerly reaching the rendezvous well in time, your eyes scanning for your partner. Yes, we didn't share what we had for breakfast, or posted selfies from the hair cutting salon, but what we shared stayed in our minds and hearts for years. Even today, when I go to bed, I generally have flashes of real conversations from over two decades back sometimes, burned as they are into my consciousness.
I have tried looking at the world through my own eyes, not those of my DSLR. I have stopped taking selfies with friends, families and celebrities, preferring instead to use that quality time to "be there in the moment" and soak every bit of it.
I worry about a world that is so digital that we are reduced to being machines ourselves. When our angst and anger, our joys and experiences, our victories and learnings, are all reduced to just a bloody hashtag.
I have tried looking at the world through my own eyes, not those of my DSLR. I have stopped taking selfies with friends, families and celebrities, preferring instead to use that quality time to "be there in the moment" and soak every bit of it.
I worry about a world that is so digital that we are reduced to being machines ourselves. When our angst and anger, our joys and experiences, our victories and learnings, are all reduced to just a bloody hashtag.
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