Yes baby, I got my medical tests done and guess what, I am fit as a fiddle :)
Blood pressure 140/90 (yes, yes, I know it sounds a trifle high, but not when you understand that a year back, it used to be 165/110 and my life's only got more stressful!) Random blood sugar is 106 (normal < 160), Cholesterol is 152 (normal < 200), Hemoglobin 14.1 (normal between 13.5 and 17.5) and pulse 72 (just perfect for a male of my age!).
I do not really exercise, I sleep the wierdest possible hours, and eat a lot of crappy food outside. So what's the secret?
I don't know, but I'd like to believe it's a little bit of hope! ;)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
India Win at Perth
India rose from the ashes like the Phoenix, putting behind the horrendous umpiring decisions at Sydney, racism allegations and a 3-match ban against Harbhajan, and a 0-2 scoreline, to beat the "invincible" Australians comprehensively in the third test at the WACA at Perth, stunning Ponting to admit his side hadn't been good enough for the young Indian team (whose three pacers are all younger than the youngest member in the Australian squad!).
India also ended Australia's 16 match unbeaten streak, just like India had done it earlier in Calcutta, stopping the Australians in their tracks from going on to set a new world record.
Some more interesting snippets...
This is Ponting's first defeat as skipper in Australia
Australia was undefeated at home for 25 tests all the way back from Dec 2003. The last time they lost at home was also to India in Adelaide
Autralia have lost only 17 tests in the last decade, and 7 of those have been to India
This was also the first time since 1999 that Australia lost a test within 4 days
And probably one of the few examples where India won without a significant contribution from Dada ;)
India also ended Australia's 16 match unbeaten streak, just like India had done it earlier in Calcutta, stopping the Australians in their tracks from going on to set a new world record.
Some more interesting snippets...
This is Ponting's first defeat as skipper in Australia
Australia was undefeated at home for 25 tests all the way back from Dec 2003. The last time they lost at home was also to India in Adelaide
Autralia have lost only 17 tests in the last decade, and 7 of those have been to India
This was also the first time since 1999 that Australia lost a test within 4 days
And probably one of the few examples where India won without a significant contribution from Dada ;)
What Would You Do?
You and your best friend have gone sailing. It's been a beautiful week so far. Great weather, great fishing, great scenery.
Then the clouds darken, the wind grows fiercer by the hour.
You were sleeping when it happened, your best friend was on the deck. He should have radioed for help, but he didn't know how to! Your friend should have woken you up, but he let you sleep, thinking he could manage on his own. By the time you wake up, the sea is throwing the ship around - huge fifteen meter waves are threatening to swallow the ship.
YOu stumble onto the deck, pissed, frightened and upset. Upset at your friend for screwing up, for not knowing how to use the radio, for letting you sleep.
And as you stumble onto deck and try and regain control, a huge wave hits the deck, washing your friend off the side - your friend clutches the guardrail desperately, legs flailing below, desperate to hold on.
What do you do?
Teach him how to run the radio, scream at him for being stupid, or do you reach out and grab his hand and pull him to safety? You have 3 seconds to make that decision.
It's the difference between best friends, and people who can only aspire to be.
Then the clouds darken, the wind grows fiercer by the hour.
You were sleeping when it happened, your best friend was on the deck. He should have radioed for help, but he didn't know how to! Your friend should have woken you up, but he let you sleep, thinking he could manage on his own. By the time you wake up, the sea is throwing the ship around - huge fifteen meter waves are threatening to swallow the ship.
YOu stumble onto the deck, pissed, frightened and upset. Upset at your friend for screwing up, for not knowing how to use the radio, for letting you sleep.
And as you stumble onto deck and try and regain control, a huge wave hits the deck, washing your friend off the side - your friend clutches the guardrail desperately, legs flailing below, desperate to hold on.
What do you do?
Teach him how to run the radio, scream at him for being stupid, or do you reach out and grab his hand and pull him to safety? You have 3 seconds to make that decision.
It's the difference between best friends, and people who can only aspire to be.
When the Going Gets Tough...
...the tough get going. You've heard that before. Here are some more...
...your best friend drops everything else to be with you, the others run away under the pretex of giving you "space"
...those who really believe in their dreams stick it out and emerge victorious, the others wake up and chase new dreams
...I behave stupidly
...and when it gets worse, I go shopping
...your best friend drops everything else to be with you, the others run away under the pretex of giving you "space"
...those who really believe in their dreams stick it out and emerge victorious, the others wake up and chase new dreams
...I behave stupidly
...and when it gets worse, I go shopping
Friday, January 18, 2008
Quote for the Day
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Dorothy Nevill.
Quote for the Day
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.Dorothy Nevill.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Nurturing Relationships - Key Rules
1) Relationships are like partnerships - unilateral decisions, or worse, decisions taken for the other person without involving the other person in the decision making process, are a sure recipe for disaster
2) Talk, talk, talk - breakdown in communication is probably the single most and yet, most easily fixed, factor in troubled relationships
3) It should always be about "us" - never about "you" and "me"
4) The goal of any argument or fight should be the betterment of the relationship and a strengthening of the basics and the foundation of the relationship - never to prove a point
5) Ego has no place in intimate relationships
6) The only time you should use "I" is at the head of "I love you" or "I miss you". Any other use of "I" is probably a manifestation of rule 3 breaking down
7) Sorry should never be needed, and yet, is the easiest and simplest way to break the tension - a sorry should be an immediate and ultimate weapon against ego
8) Never doubt the basics - every time you doubt the basics, you are destroying the cornerstones of your relationship
9) Every small gesture adds to the strength - and most gestures take less than 15 seconds
10) It's all about the small gestures - a reassuring SMS goes a much longer way in strengthening a relationship, than a candle light dinner at a five star restaurant or a diamond
2) Talk, talk, talk - breakdown in communication is probably the single most and yet, most easily fixed, factor in troubled relationships
3) It should always be about "us" - never about "you" and "me"
4) The goal of any argument or fight should be the betterment of the relationship and a strengthening of the basics and the foundation of the relationship - never to prove a point
5) Ego has no place in intimate relationships
6) The only time you should use "I" is at the head of "I love you" or "I miss you". Any other use of "I" is probably a manifestation of rule 3 breaking down
7) Sorry should never be needed, and yet, is the easiest and simplest way to break the tension - a sorry should be an immediate and ultimate weapon against ego
8) Never doubt the basics - every time you doubt the basics, you are destroying the cornerstones of your relationship
9) Every small gesture adds to the strength - and most gestures take less than 15 seconds
10) It's all about the small gestures - a reassuring SMS goes a much longer way in strengthening a relationship, than a candle light dinner at a five star restaurant or a diamond
Tata's Nano
The Tatas, currently bidding for Ford's premier brands Jaguar and Land Rover, also unveiled their 1 lakh car - the Nano, in Delhi today! The world's cheapest car may look tiny, but has all the trappings that might make some of it's bigger cousins hide for cover.
The only question now is, where will all those cars be parked? I don't see that much more space left on the roads any more!
The only question now is, where will all those cars be parked? I don't see that much more space left on the roads any more!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
What is it that Indians have?
Capital Suggestion
By Dr Farrukh Saleem
12/9/2007
Twenty-five thousand years ago, haplogroup R2 characterized by genetic marker M124 arose in southern Central Asia. Then began a major wave of human migration whereby members migrated southward to present-day India and Pakistan (Genographic Project by the National Geographic Society; http://www.nationalgeographiccom/). Indians and Pakistanis have the same ancestry and share the same DNA sequence.
Here's what is happening in India:
The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest Chinese.
In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000 points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $100 billion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns 48 percent of Reliance.
In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday present: A sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television, wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India's richest but the second richest.
Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical, phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean). At a cost of $1 billion this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173 meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the equivalent of a 60-storeyed building. The first six floors are reserved for parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance. The eighth floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four floors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of the Arabian Sea. On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is expected to care for the family and their family home.
In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan. Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of Pakistan? After all, Islamabad is closer to Kabul than is Delhi.
Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians.
For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years.
For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar billionaire).
The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the richest American, stands at around $56 billion).
Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. We have the same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't?
Indians elect their leaders.
(The writer is an Islamabad-based freelance columnist)
By Dr Farrukh Saleem
12/9/2007
Twenty-five thousand years ago, haplogroup R2 characterized by genetic marker M124 arose in southern Central Asia. Then began a major wave of human migration whereby members migrated southward to present-day India and Pakistan (Genographic Project by the National Geographic Society; http://www.nationalgeographiccom/). Indians and Pakistanis have the same ancestry and share the same DNA sequence.
Here's what is happening in India:
The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest Chinese.
In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000 points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $100 billion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns 48 percent of Reliance.
In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday present: A sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television, wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India's richest but the second richest.
Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical, phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean). At a cost of $1 billion this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173 meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the equivalent of a 60-storeyed building. The first six floors are reserved for parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance. The eighth floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four floors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of the Arabian Sea. On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is expected to care for the family and their family home.
In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan. Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of Pakistan? After all, Islamabad is closer to Kabul than is Delhi.
Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians.
For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years.
For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar billionaire).
The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the richest American, stands at around $56 billion).
Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. We have the same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't?
Indians elect their leaders.
(The writer is an Islamabad-based freelance columnist)
Saturday, January 05, 2008
New Zealand is Safe, Mate!
Believe it or not - New Zealand has no snakes, bears, aligators, wild cats or scorpions! It does have spiders, though none of them are dangerous!
In contrast, Australia seems to have the most dangerous and poisonous of all the world's creatures!
In contrast, Australia seems to have the most dangerous and poisonous of all the world's creatures!
Friday, January 04, 2008
Three Lessons
Three key lessons I learnt from my uncle as a kid, lessons I never forgot, lessons that have had a profound impact on my life...
1) No alcohol, till at least you are forty
2) United we stand, divided we fall
3) Don't kill that ant - you gain nothing, but it loses it's only life
Amazing how simple one liners become the most important learnings in your life!
1) No alcohol, till at least you are forty
2) United we stand, divided we fall
3) Don't kill that ant - you gain nothing, but it loses it's only life
Amazing how simple one liners become the most important learnings in your life!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Guilty Until Proven Innocent
When the law assumes an accused is innocent until proven guilty, even in the most horrendous of crimes, why is it that we consider near and dear ones, our lovers, our friends, our partners guilty until proven innocent? How is it that we love and trust someone so much, and yet, give that same person absolutely no chance to present his or her case, to speak out?
Why do the strongest of relationships die because of a simple failure to have a dialogue?
Why do the strongest of relationships die because of a simple failure to have a dialogue?
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Not Trying is Worse Than Failure!
Since last night, I am haunted by the sight of a cat, struck by a passing car, lying in the middle of the road begging for help.. looking up at me, into my eyes, pleading to be rescued...
And instead of stopping right away, I swerve to miss it, then go ahead, hesitating... thinking, should I stop and move it to the side? But it was bleeding, maybe broken bones..
And by the time I stop, I have already moved ahead a couple of hundred meters.. and I keep moving...
I can still feel her eyes looking at me, begging for help...
I love cats, and I would love to help.. but I didn't.. I thought, and I debated.. and I lost the chance... and the cat lost it's life...
I know I am responsible.. my friend tried to convince me it wasn't my fault.. maybe it lived after all, maybe it was already dead...
But I know I killed it.. by not trying...
And instead of stopping right away, I swerve to miss it, then go ahead, hesitating... thinking, should I stop and move it to the side? But it was bleeding, maybe broken bones..
And by the time I stop, I have already moved ahead a couple of hundred meters.. and I keep moving...
I can still feel her eyes looking at me, begging for help...
I love cats, and I would love to help.. but I didn't.. I thought, and I debated.. and I lost the chance... and the cat lost it's life...
I know I am responsible.. my friend tried to convince me it wasn't my fault.. maybe it lived after all, maybe it was already dead...
But I know I killed it.. by not trying...
Law of the Garbage Truck
Got this in a mail forward.. pretty nice, though!
How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.
Learned it in the back of a Harare City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Westgate . We were driving when all of a sudden a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! Here's what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any Zimbabwean , some words in Harare come with a special face.
Now, here's what blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, " The Law of the Garbage Truck." Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personal. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did. I guarantee it.
So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore." I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favourite Football players of all times , Ronaldinho, does this every day on the football field.With a smile he always jumps up as quickly as he hits the ground after being tackled. He never dwells on a hit. Ronaldinho is always ready to make the next play his best. Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.
Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present,and at their best for the people they care about. The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? You'll be much happier.
How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.
Learned it in the back of a Harare City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Westgate . We were driving when all of a sudden a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! Here's what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any Zimbabwean , some words in Harare come with a special face.
Now, here's what blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, " The Law of the Garbage Truck." Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personal. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did. I guarantee it.
So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore." I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favourite Football players of all times , Ronaldinho, does this every day on the football field.With a smile he always jumps up as quickly as he hits the ground after being tackled. He never dwells on a hit. Ronaldinho is always ready to make the next play his best. Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.
Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present,and at their best for the people they care about. The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? You'll be much happier.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Movie Review: 1408
Suspense & horror in the first half, pretty well done, but gets a little boring and over the top in the second half. Good if you have nothing else to watch!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Movie Review: I Am Legend
I like imagining the end of the world, I like visualizing a city stopped dead in it's tracks by a deadly virus that eliminates the people but keeps everything else intact - been one of my favourite macabre pass times in the past times :) Frankly, it helps me better appreciate what we have today!
That's what attracted me to I Am Legend. The world celebrates the successful cure of Cancer, before the mutated virus goes bonkers, finishing off the world's population, with most of the 6 billion dead, and a few million survivors who lose their human sensibilities and turn into animals of the dark - coming out to hunt and eat the remaining humans who had somehow survived the virus. Will Smith is the one survivor left in New York, living a very lonely life with his dog, hoping to one day meet other survivors.
The second half gets taxing, but if you share my macabre hobbies, you will certainly enjoy the first!
That's what attracted me to I Am Legend. The world celebrates the successful cure of Cancer, before the mutated virus goes bonkers, finishing off the world's population, with most of the 6 billion dead, and a few million survivors who lose their human sensibilities and turn into animals of the dark - coming out to hunt and eat the remaining humans who had somehow survived the virus. Will Smith is the one survivor left in New York, living a very lonely life with his dog, hoping to one day meet other survivors.
The second half gets taxing, but if you share my macabre hobbies, you will certainly enjoy the first!
Movie Review: Dus Kahaniyaan
In the age of T20 and MacD's fast food, it is perhaps non-evitable that we will also have shorter versions of movies coming up! The question is, do I want a good, short movie, or do I want 10 back-to-back short movies, with no connection to each other?
Dus Kahaniyaan is a compilation of 10 short stories, back-to-back, with no connection or common thread. Watch out for some good twists in the tale at the end of each story - especially the first one with Mandira Bedi and the beautiful tale of a mom (Amrita Singh) and her daughter (Minissha Lamba). Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah dazzle in the Rice Plate, Masoomeh looks really hot in the Highway story, and there are some other interesting momemts too, including the music in the last story. Half of the stories though, including Sex on the Beach, the Earring on the Train, The Bar Girl and Gubbare, are simply a waste of time!
Disclaimer: I do not remember the names of the stories themselves - but these seemed pretty good descriptions :)
Dus Kahaniyaan is a compilation of 10 short stories, back-to-back, with no connection or common thread. Watch out for some good twists in the tale at the end of each story - especially the first one with Mandira Bedi and the beautiful tale of a mom (Amrita Singh) and her daughter (Minissha Lamba). Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah dazzle in the Rice Plate, Masoomeh looks really hot in the Highway story, and there are some other interesting momemts too, including the music in the last story. Half of the stories though, including Sex on the Beach, the Earring on the Train, The Bar Girl and Gubbare, are simply a waste of time!
Disclaimer: I do not remember the names of the stories themselves - but these seemed pretty good descriptions :)
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Movie Review: Khoya Khoya Chand
Khoya Khoya Chand is the story of a struggling actress Nikhat (Soha Ali) in the 50s, her producer-lover (Rajat Kapoor) who she uses to achieve stardom, and who dumps her at the time of marriage, and her subsequent relationship with the guy who steps in when she is alone - Shiny Ahuja, himself a budding writer. Their relationship then goes for a toss in the arclights of their careers, and Nikhat takes to drinking and B grade movies, before everything falls into place for a happy ending.
KKC is a visual treat with it's excellent cinematography, with the beautiful 1950s sepia look. Soha shows that she can act, and plays the role of the oppressed 50s star Nikhat well, but could have been better. Shiny looks good, with an excellent wardrobe, but frankly, his roles and look is starting to look pretty similar in all his movies - he needs a makeover! Saurabh Shukla is awesome once again, and has some very good dialogues, including my favourite, "Different People, Different Stories!" The real attraction of the movie for me though, was the music. Absolutely beautiful - especially "Khoye Khoye Chaand Ki Talash..." and "Tirak Tirak...". Some really soulful music in a long, long time.
It's a short movie, just around 2.15 hours, but the secod half drags on nevertheless - another 15 mins cut on the editor's table, and this would have been a masterpiece.
KKC is a visual treat with it's excellent cinematography, with the beautiful 1950s sepia look. Soha shows that she can act, and plays the role of the oppressed 50s star Nikhat well, but could have been better. Shiny looks good, with an excellent wardrobe, but frankly, his roles and look is starting to look pretty similar in all his movies - he needs a makeover! Saurabh Shukla is awesome once again, and has some very good dialogues, including my favourite, "Different People, Different Stories!" The real attraction of the movie for me though, was the music. Absolutely beautiful - especially "Khoye Khoye Chaand Ki Talash..." and "Tirak Tirak...". Some really soulful music in a long, long time.
It's a short movie, just around 2.15 hours, but the secod half drags on nevertheless - another 15 mins cut on the editor's table, and this would have been a masterpiece.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Dada: Man of the Match and Man of the Series!
Dada followed up his 239 in the first innings with a smashing 91 in the second, coming so close to being only the 7th person in history to get a double and a century in the same test, as India wrapped up the 3 match series against Pakistan 1-0. Rightfully, with more than a 1000 runs this season, Dada also bagged the man of the match and the man of the series awards - all this from a man who was not even sure of his place in the side a year back!
Way to go, Dada! Way to go!
Pakistan down, Australia, here we come!
Way to go, Dada! Way to go!
Pakistan down, Australia, here we come!
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