SRK's Dada-led KKR continued the winning form at the IPL, beating Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers in an exciting, very tight, low scoring match at Eden Gardens. DC won the toss and elected to bad on a monster of a wicket, doing well to get 110, and then started tightening the screws on KKR right away, reducing them to 23/3 and just about 30 odd in 10 overs. Dada and D Hussey then put all their experience and maturity to the test, taking KKR into the final overs, before a late charge in the penultimate over saw KKR pull it off.
There was an interesting break in the 17th over when one of the pylons simply went off, plunging the stadium into a bit of darkness and a lot of uncertainity - at that time, the scores were tied by the D/L system, and had the lights not come back on, we would have been treated to a bowl-out! :)
KKR have now won 2 out of 2, and though there is still a lot of cricket left in the tournament, they certainly look set to Korbo Lorbo Jetbo Re :)
Interestingly, there were around 70,000 spectators in the park - easily beating audiences for most international games! Any way you look at it, the IPL really, truly rocks!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Movie Review: Krazzy 4
Krzaay 4 is about 4 mental patients out of the hospital, taking on corruption and wickedness with their simplicity and innocence, while trying to save their kidnapped doctor (Juhi). The story is OK, with some shades of fun, but with a cast that included Irrfan and Arshad, the movie really disappoints and fails to deliver.
EXCEPT, of course, for the SRK Krazzy 4 song - it was totally, totally worth it :) SRK is too, too sexy, and the sheer energy in the song - man, it would make a dead man jump out of bed!
The Hrithik number at the end of the movie is OK, would probably be a treat for his true fans.
Oh, and yes, a final tip - stay away from the Rakhi Sawant song - unless you want to be celibate for the next few months....
EXCEPT, of course, for the SRK Krazzy 4 song - it was totally, totally worth it :) SRK is too, too sexy, and the sheer energy in the song - man, it would make a dead man jump out of bed!
The Hrithik number at the end of the movie is OK, would probably be a treat for his true fans.
Oh, and yes, a final tip - stay away from the Rakhi Sawant song - unless you want to be celibate for the next few months....
I Love IPL!
As the IPL kicked off this week, there were a lot of questions asked, and a lot of naysayers who predicted the death of cricket and the commercialization of what was once a gentlemen's game. Corruption and commercializatin apart, questions were also asked about whether such a concept even makes sense - it had always been about supporting the country, how would we identify with teams composed of former rivals in international cricket? And what would SRK and Preity Zinta do, other than reduce the game to a circus?
Just two days into the tournament, I have become a huge fan!
The games have been of the highest quality, cricket has been at the centerstage, the entertainment of the highest order. Money has been spent well in sprucing up the stadiums, and the facilities, meeting the best international standards. Crowds have been pouring in, the atmosphere electric.
And think about it - where else would you be able to see Zaheer bowling to Dada, Ishant sending Dravid's stump cartwheeling? Where else would you be able to enjoy Brett Lee being taken on by Hayden? Yuraj hugging Lee, Dada congratulating Ponting for a catch well taken? And the rule that a team can play at most 4 foreign players has also ensured that there is plenty of junior Indian talent in action - this is absolutely the best that could have happened to Indian cricket. Imagine getting a chance to face Zaheer and Brett Lee and Murlidharan and Shane Warne, all in a 45 day period? Pitting your bowling against Symonds, Sachin, Dada, Hussey, Afridi?
Well, I do hope IPL doesn't kill international cricket as we know it, but then, it wouldn't be SUCH a big price to pay :)
Just two days into the tournament, I have become a huge fan!
The games have been of the highest quality, cricket has been at the centerstage, the entertainment of the highest order. Money has been spent well in sprucing up the stadiums, and the facilities, meeting the best international standards. Crowds have been pouring in, the atmosphere electric.
And think about it - where else would you be able to see Zaheer bowling to Dada, Ishant sending Dravid's stump cartwheeling? Where else would you be able to enjoy Brett Lee being taken on by Hayden? Yuraj hugging Lee, Dada congratulating Ponting for a catch well taken? And the rule that a team can play at most 4 foreign players has also ensured that there is plenty of junior Indian talent in action - this is absolutely the best that could have happened to Indian cricket. Imagine getting a chance to face Zaheer and Brett Lee and Murlidharan and Shane Warne, all in a 45 day period? Pitting your bowling against Symonds, Sachin, Dada, Hussey, Afridi?
Well, I do hope IPL doesn't kill international cricket as we know it, but then, it wouldn't be SUCH a big price to pay :)
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Grand Spectacle - IPL Kicks Off!
The DLF Indian Premier League T20 spectacle kicked off in super grand style today, with a shock-and-awe inspiring opening ceremony in Bangalore. Lasers and lights, gymnasts descending from wires strung across the stadium, blazing fireworks, cheer leaders, and the roars of the crowds - the IPL seemed to be announcing to the world, the modern India has arrived!
At the time of writing this, SRK's Kolkata Knight Riders, led by Dada, were on 77-1 in 9 overs.
At the time of writing this, SRK's Kolkata Knight Riders, led by Dada, were on 77-1 in 9 overs.
Postscript: KKR went on to make 222, powered by a record unbeaten 158 from 73 from McCullum, before bowling out the Bangalore Royal Challengers led by Dravid for a huge 140 run victory, to start the campaign in style.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Movie Review: Shaurya
Ripped off from "A Few Good Men", Shaurya is the story of an Indian Army officer under court martial for the murder of his superior during a anti-terrorist raid. Unfortunately, it falls flat when compared to the drama and the intensity in the original. Rahul Bose is good, Minissha Lamba is awesome and very pretty.
The movie was a disappointment to me, but I guess if you haven't watched the original - you might actually like it!
The movie was a disappointment to me, but I guess if you haven't watched the original - you might actually like it!
Movie Review: The Eyes
Jessica Alba. Awesome. That's all there is to the eyes - the rest is boring and nonsense. But Jessica Alba, oh, so completely worth it :)
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na
Watching KHKN for the last couple of hours - and the movie has transported me into that beautiful innocent age of the early nineties in Goa - times when we didn't have cell phones and Internet and GTalk, no targets and projections, no customer calls. When key decisions included what to wear to college, and which lecture to bunk and what to have in the canteen. When dreams weren't as big, and achievements were small, but happiness was from deep within. When tears were few but precious, when smiles were genuine and frequent.
The movie captures everything so beautifully. The innocence of the characters, the feelings, the problems. The lovely countryside. The simple songs, the simple story.
Everything was so less complicated.
I want those days back...
The movie captures everything so beautifully. The innocence of the characters, the feelings, the problems. The lovely countryside. The simple songs, the simple story.
Everything was so less complicated.
I want those days back...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Bringing out the Best
Too many times, we spend efforts and time working on what's wrong and try and improve it, make it better. Especially in relationships, also at work. Last few days have opened my mind to two things I heard in the past, but didn't pay too much attention to... but feels like it has a lot of meaning today!
Firstly, admit it - what is wrong today, will in most probability, remain that way. A friend's nature, behaviour, a colleague's skills. Water scarcity, pollution, traffic. If at all, it'll probably get worse. Accept it, and then start working on how to make the best of the situation. Most of the times, we refuse to accept it. Or we tend to believe all we need to do is want, and things will improve. Sorry boss, it most probably will stay that way!
Secondly, instead of wasting time improving what's weak or creating what is not there, spend that energy on strenghening what is right. What is good, what is positive.
We spend too much effort trying to make leaders out of good programmers who cannot take decisions or speak out! We try asking them to conduct sessions, ask them to try and manage customer calls. When friends do not speak to us when they are down, we try asking them to be less introverted and to share their problems with us. And we just screw up.
Let's look at what works. And let's make that stronger. That should take enough time and effort, and will definitely have a much higher impact! And life's short anyway...
Firstly, admit it - what is wrong today, will in most probability, remain that way. A friend's nature, behaviour, a colleague's skills. Water scarcity, pollution, traffic. If at all, it'll probably get worse. Accept it, and then start working on how to make the best of the situation. Most of the times, we refuse to accept it. Or we tend to believe all we need to do is want, and things will improve. Sorry boss, it most probably will stay that way!
Secondly, instead of wasting time improving what's weak or creating what is not there, spend that energy on strenghening what is right. What is good, what is positive.
We spend too much effort trying to make leaders out of good programmers who cannot take decisions or speak out! We try asking them to conduct sessions, ask them to try and manage customer calls. When friends do not speak to us when they are down, we try asking them to be less introverted and to share their problems with us. And we just screw up.
Let's look at what works. And let's make that stronger. That should take enough time and effort, and will definitely have a much higher impact! And life's short anyway...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Contradictions
Have you ever noticed how people change what they say so that it doesn't contradict what they do?
:)
:)
Doing my MBA
Well, not exactly, but I was so excited about some of the stuff we learnt in our in-house management program at Persistent, that I borrowed some of the cool management books from a who just finished her MBA, and plan to finish devouring them over the next few... well, months?
Organizational behaviour and design, managerial economics, strategic human resource management, marketing management.. the list goes on!
One thing that struck me while going through some of the early chapters is that management is an art packaged as a science! Case studies play such a key role in every subject - they teach you so much, yet, there are no real rules in management! What works for one may not work for the other - in fact, it can have the perfectly opposite effect!
So keep a close watch on my other blog, there should be some interesting learnings from my MBA program coming up there! :)
Organizational behaviour and design, managerial economics, strategic human resource management, marketing management.. the list goes on!
One thing that struck me while going through some of the early chapters is that management is an art packaged as a science! Case studies play such a key role in every subject - they teach you so much, yet, there are no real rules in management! What works for one may not work for the other - in fact, it can have the perfectly opposite effect!
So keep a close watch on my other blog, there should be some interesting learnings from my MBA program coming up there! :)
Wild Nature!
Ever thought only man was capable of horrendous crimes? Well, listen to this...
There's a type of beetle in the Amazonian rain forest that stings the giant tarantula spider with a paralyzing poison, and then drags the immobile but live victim to it's den where it lays an egg on top of the spider. The spider can live this way for days, until the grub hatches and then starts living off the spider's body fluids, sucking carefully to make sure that the vital organs are not damaged, ensuring the poor victim lives on as long as possible while the beetle slowly sucks it's fluids and then its life out!
Oh, and in case you didn't know it, this is approved by God!
There's a type of beetle in the Amazonian rain forest that stings the giant tarantula spider with a paralyzing poison, and then drags the immobile but live victim to it's den where it lays an egg on top of the spider. The spider can live this way for days, until the grub hatches and then starts living off the spider's body fluids, sucking carefully to make sure that the vital organs are not damaged, ensuring the poor victim lives on as long as possible while the beetle slowly sucks it's fluids and then its life out!
Oh, and in case you didn't know it, this is approved by God!
Wanna lose weight?
Drive a Formula One car in a Grand Prix. A Formula One racer loses an average of 2 kgs during every race!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Silver Lining
With every cloud, there is a silver lining. In every disaster, there are examples of hope and survival. In the worst days of your life, you will figure out who your true friends are. Truly, with every cloud, there is a silver lining.
Movie Review: Race
Race is about two brothers, the brilliant and dashingly handsome Saif and the boring, same-as-before Akshaye Khanna, Saif's hot and sexy secretary Katrina Kaif, and his new found girl friend Bipasha Basu, and the double crossings and the triple crossings, a la Wild Things (although a completely different story track), in pursuit of insurance money.
What works against the movie is some really bad editing and terrible screenplay - check the scene at the beginning of the movie when Akshay goes to the hospital to meet his injured brother, and goes out to take a call while Saif goes to the bathroom. It actually gives the plot away, and does it through a horrible piece of editing and screenplay! Or the race scene at the end - why in the world would an excellent driver like Saif continue racing dangerously with his brother just because his brakes have failed? Couldn't he just coast the car to a stop? I mean, hello, what kind of a story is that? The story is also very predictable, actually - I guessed the complete plot, and almost every step before it happened.
Saif looks fantastic, and so does Kat. Well, for most of the time! Akshay and Bipasha are disappointing. Anil Kapoor as the investigating officer, and his dumbette Sameera Reddy is terrible. Johny Lever plays an absolutely hilarious cameo role and generates some real laughs! The action is OK, but just having good looking cars and a lot of loud screeching and screaming doesn't excite me any more. And whatever stunts you do, they need to be realistic, right?
Some of the songs are great - Peheli Nazar and Zara Zara are worth the amount you paid for the ticket. But then, maybe it's be better to just get the Audio CD!
What works against the movie is some really bad editing and terrible screenplay - check the scene at the beginning of the movie when Akshay goes to the hospital to meet his injured brother, and goes out to take a call while Saif goes to the bathroom. It actually gives the plot away, and does it through a horrible piece of editing and screenplay! Or the race scene at the end - why in the world would an excellent driver like Saif continue racing dangerously with his brother just because his brakes have failed? Couldn't he just coast the car to a stop? I mean, hello, what kind of a story is that? The story is also very predictable, actually - I guessed the complete plot, and almost every step before it happened.
Saif looks fantastic, and so does Kat. Well, for most of the time! Akshay and Bipasha are disappointing. Anil Kapoor as the investigating officer, and his dumbette Sameera Reddy is terrible. Johny Lever plays an absolutely hilarious cameo role and generates some real laughs! The action is OK, but just having good looking cars and a lot of loud screeching and screaming doesn't excite me any more. And whatever stunts you do, they need to be realistic, right?
Some of the songs are great - Peheli Nazar and Zara Zara are worth the amount you paid for the ticket. But then, maybe it's be better to just get the Audio CD!
Movie Review: 27 Dresses
Katherine Heigl (remember the beautiful teen daughter in My Father the Hero?) is a devoted secretary whose boss considers her love as her efficiency and dates her sexy younger sister instead. Elder sister gets jealous, breaks the younger one's engagement, finds a lover, breaks off with him and so on and so forth. But, things get all fine in the end. It's the world where there's no crime, and everyone is good at heart, and life's wonderful.
Don't expect much, but if you just want to have a break, this movie can provide you one.
Don't expect much, but if you just want to have a break, this movie can provide you one.
Movie Review: Ocean's Eleven
Caught the superb Ocean's Eleven on TV last night - had an absolutely awesome time. Interestingly, if I had to review the movie, I would say exactly the same things I said in my earlier review of Ocean's 13 :) Georgy Clooney is fantastic, and his chemistry with Brad Pitt, and the very special brand of dialogues and the subtle humour is unmatched!
I must say, though, this isn't a movie you want to take your girl friend to - you cannot two-time!
I must say, though, this isn't a movie you want to take your girl friend to - you cannot two-time!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Hopes and Death
Last evening, once again I heard the flutters in false ceiling of my office - somehow, a pigeon had gotten in through the ducts. After tolerating it for a day, I decided to call in house keeping, and a few mins later, the scared baby pigeon was in our hands.
It didn't feel like it could fly off the fourth floor gallery, so we decided to take it to the ground floor. We let it go, but it just went round and round on the floor, unable to fly. Leaving it there would have made it a nice feast for one of the Persistent cats... so we got it back in a box, and it spent the whole afternoon in my office. I let it free, but instead of walking around, it just rested against the box, switching legs, resting on one and then the other, dozing off.
By 645, I left for home, the pigeon in the box in the back seat. We had a long weekend coming up, and I wanted to take care of it, and let it go once it grew some strength. The vet had suggested it might simply be scared, and a night's rest would be all that it needed.
As soon as I reached home, I took out the pigeon - I hadn't informed Sanam she would have a new pet soon.
The pigeon lay dead in the box.
It didn't feel like it could fly off the fourth floor gallery, so we decided to take it to the ground floor. We let it go, but it just went round and round on the floor, unable to fly. Leaving it there would have made it a nice feast for one of the Persistent cats... so we got it back in a box, and it spent the whole afternoon in my office. I let it free, but instead of walking around, it just rested against the box, switching legs, resting on one and then the other, dozing off.
By 645, I left for home, the pigeon in the box in the back seat. We had a long weekend coming up, and I wanted to take care of it, and let it go once it grew some strength. The vet had suggested it might simply be scared, and a night's rest would be all that it needed.
As soon as I reached home, I took out the pigeon - I hadn't informed Sanam she would have a new pet soon.
The pigeon lay dead in the box.
Best Friend?
Friends are those who stand by you in good times and bad, but when the world turns against you, they ask you, are you guilty? A best friend fights with you every single day, at every possible chance. Becomes unreasonable, demands too much. Calls you names, hates you. But when the world turns against you, your best friend will stand by you - without question.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Quote for the Day
The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question. Stephen Jay Gould.
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