Brains4Sale

The Word Of Mouse!

2011-10-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ranked by Forbes as the best viral campaign ever, the P&G(Procter and Gamble) Old Spice Campaign redefined the rules of social marketing. This P&G social media blitz saw Old Spice’s followers on Twitter grow by more than 1000 percent, garnered over 600000 Facebook Likes for the Old Spice Ads, and engendered more than 7 million online views for the Old Spice commercials in a week’s time. The marketing effort with zero media costs has not only generated and grabbed a zillion eyeballs, but also produced a whopping 55 percent rise in succeeding quarterly sales and a 107 percent surge in one month alone.

The Campaign’s formulation and success could be attributed to a strategy that wasn’t all that different from the many employed for Television, but was a masterstroke when it came to blending wit with execution. The strategy could be broken down as below:
1. Create a persona, that embodies the brand.
2. Seed social networks with invitations for three way interactions.
3. Engage the engaged(the structural holes), the famous, and the influencers.
4. Personalize responses would drive people to compete for inclusion.
5. Make it episodic and easy to share
6. Keep the Videos simple, short and consistent
7. Leverage Offline Tie-Ins for promotion.

P&G took a cue from the runaway success of one of its SuperBowl Ads that featured a the character who is now labeled “The Old Spice Man”. Five months after the Ad had hit TV screens, Wieden(the Ad Agency that had created the original Ad) posted a message that invited people on Twitter and Facebook an opportunity to interact with the caricature. As Users tweeted questions, the Old Spice Man would answer them with videos. This two day stint saw the Marketing Team render 180 real time videos where multiple celebrities with huge fan bases over social networking websites were engaged. Bewitched with his personalized response, Kevin Rose sparked off a viral phenomenon when he tweeted “Holy S**t, best get well video EVER from Old Spice” to over a million of his Twitter followers. The rest, as they say, is history; an indelible chapter in marketing folklore.

Cognizant of the power of social networks, P&G had been trying several innovative marketing initiatives, Tremor and Vocal Point being a couple of early forays where P&G propounded word of mouth strategies through web platforms . With Old Spice P&G seems to have cracked the code yet again - Internet Marketing Budgets at P&G have tripled, a slew of online promotions have been undertaken for various other P&G Brands and tasted tremendous success – Gillette’s “Shaving Tips” and “Evan Longoria Bare Hand Catch” Videos have together amassed over 1500000 Hits on YouTube.

VocalPoint, P&G’s marketing web platform targeted at women aged between 25-45 years, boasts of a user base comprising 600000 mothers across the US. At its inception, Tremor was a marketing initiative that intended to identify highly influential consumers with strong reputations and networks on social media, rope them in, and market products where consumers recommend to consumers – the very model that also lies at the heart of VocalPoint. Tremor is today a full fledged service, dedicated to leveraging word of mouth strategies for marketers inside and outside of P&G.

In the words of Steve Knox, the CEO of Tremor, disruption that leads to advocacy is where Tremor’s adopted “Word of Mouth Strategy” differs from the more prevalent “Buzz Marketing” - a consumer advocates when he encounters the disruption of an underlying schema of a foundational truth. The “I didn’t know that” effect catalyses customer inclination to recommend a product over his network – a systematic and psychological approach to motivating customers to spread the word, spread the epidemic.

P&G has led the way with inventive marketing, and stands as an admirable and undisputed leader. As Web 2.0 matures, new avenues and strategies await discovery and proliferation. Inculcating MVAS(Mobile Value Added Services) would be critical; and with so much noise infiltrating the social media networks, snaffling mindshare while retaining relevance and identity would be a steep challenge. Something tells me, P&G teams are already discussing that next ‘out-of-the-box’ plan for ‘the next big thing’.

Green ain't clean!!!

2011-06-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

In addition to rhyming with clean which meant that it was every new dingy city municipality's buzzword, Green has gained more altitude than colour in the recent years. While skeptics attribute the rise of Green to the advent and subsequent acceptance of man-made global warming as a threat to mankind, they also condemn the underlying element of prevarication. Not only has the superficial and discriminatory media machinery, running on batteries fueled by deep pockets and ulterior motives of the hegemonic powers of the world dictated our outlook, but also created new avenues for jobs and research through novelty in propaganda. While science fought science on grand platforms, controversy gained momentum.

Stirring the dispute further was the fact that most of the solutions to save Planet Earth looked to further the cause of the developed nations credited with this astounding discovery of man-made climate change, while nonchalantly impeding developing countries in their stride. Dubbed the Great Carbon Credit Swindle, the Carbon Trading solution appears to be an exercise to deepen the rift between the affluent and the deprived. Africa suddenly cannot utilise its resources optimally, while India and China are being pressurised to sign treaties that cap their carbon emissions. Coercion impends.

So, why is Al Gore’s inconvenient truth so very inconvenient to digest? Why are debatable IPCC findings finding “unequivocal progression”? Were the world’s looming energy crisis and the fragility of innocuous glaciers inadequate to deter extravagance sufficiently? Are we being expected to condone the past and collude for a future?

In times when corruption’s become protection, wearing their green shoes as these exigent leaders walk up to us, it is imperative that we realize one inconvenient truth – choosing to be led does not differ from choosing to be misled. The aspiration to be in their shoes is one thing, preferring green over clean is another – the truth lies out there.

Hanna misses the heart, Ronan doesn't!

2011-06-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hanna does what Hanna says - She misses the target's(read audience) heart, and on more than just two occassions, I might add. This is Joe Wright's fourth offering, and "Atonement", his second, stays his best effort.

Teaming up with, quite literally, his blue eyed girl Saoirse Ronan, Wright attempts to test new waters and a hand at the thriller-drama genre. Hanna is quite engaging while its lasts, primarily because of its lead actress, Ronan. She stuns you with a stellar performance and holds her own with spellbinding presence in the midst of stalwarts like Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett. It is impossible to take eyes off her, and she would have to be the biggest takeaway from an otherwise predictable film.

The plot revolves around Hanna and her pursuit to fulfil a mission which requires her to move out of her desolate training grounds and step into the real world. The rest is a "ruthless vs ruthless" combat between an out of School assassin and a seasoned CIA operative - "Kill or get killed" is the mantra. On the way though, Hanna discovers life through friends,getaways and more. A film like Hanna needs either mind blowing action, or an unconquerable villain - and both are conspicuous by their absence.

The action though slick and thankfully minus gore, leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't help that in addition to the inevitability of the end, the climax turns soft - primarily because at no point does Cate Blanchett, despite all her mannerisms and bloody flashbacks, evoke that air of insurmountability. In the end, she is just Marissa Wiegler - a woman with a cold heart and a flaming gun.

While Hanna's plot loses steam midway, and the umpteen chases slowly play on your patience, the Chemical Brothers come to the rescue. A score that kicks in through each of the not-so-imaginative, not-so-wow action scenes, saves the day. The cast is top of the line, and immaculate. While Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett render their parts well, Ronan delivers a powerhouse rendition - this girl was born to act. If her Oscar nominated role in "Atonement" and the one in the more recent "The Lovely Bones" weren't evidence enough, her turn in Hanna is bound to mesmerise you. Though the Director-Writer team of Joe Wright, Seth Lochhead and David Farr doesn't disgrace itself, it ought to have done better with a premise filled with promise.

Worth a watch, Hanna will probably haunt you with its enthralling score and the impeccable Ronan - 3 stars might sound generous, but those two factors make the film tick.

The ubiquitous Biryani Hotspot

2011-04-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

One of the food capitals of India and synonimous with Biryani, Hyderabad is an absolute delicacity. Sporadic and visually deceptive, delectable eating destinations illuminate more than just the famous necklace. Scouting joints through the din and noise of a vivacious Hyderabad during my stay from 2005 to 2009, there was hardly an eatery that went unearthed.

It goes without saying that Hyderabad is indubitably the Biryani Handi of India; walk up to a hawker, employ a cook for that one-off lunch, or make your way into the five-star restos of the city - rest assured of lip smacking biryani. That's also why the task I've chosen becomes all the more difficult. In fact, while the set of
recommendations may invoke the wrath of some, it might be a pleasant surprise to the oblivious Hyderabadi. Catering specifically to the enquiries of my new found buddies here at the ISB, here I go with my recommendations of some of the best Biryani havens :

1. Sahib Sindh Sultan (20 kms from the Atrium) - Kacche Gosht Ki Biryani - The prime reason this BJN Hotel tips my second choice on this list is the "ambience". Not any different from the other Sahib Sindh Sultan editions in Bangalore and other cities in decor, SSS Hyderabad is a cut above the rest when it comes to dishing out the best of Biryani on a "Palace On Wheels" replica.

Right from the presentation to the last bite, you would savour it all. There has been a day here and there when the spices haven't pronounced themselves well enough. But as I say, it is just a day here and there. Sitting pretty on the top floor of the "City Centre" at Banjara Hills' Road No.1, SSS combines taste and class with absolute panache. I'd say- Go for it!

2. Mandar (15 kms) - Mutton Biryani - Quite easily,Mandar is the one place I've frequented the most in my years at Hyderabad; the Biryani is something I can swear by. But for its shoddy ambience, Mandar would have topped my list.If you aren't one for class-both in terms of the atmosphere and the service, this is the place for you.Housed in the Yousuf Tekdi Complex at Tolichowki, I suspect this just might end up becoming a daily Biryani hotspot for a few of us; it sure was for me. Strong on consistency and reasonable with pricing, Mandar Biryani is a no-nonsense affair.No frills, no jazz - just lip smacking biryani at its very best.Have it and tell me about it!

3. Paradise, Secunderabad (45 kms) - Mutton Biryani - A force to reckon with, Paradise slipping down the charts would certainly infuriate many a Hyderabadi. But quite honestly, they don't make it the way they used to - which is both a shame and a loss.

Having said that, finding its way into the top three makes sure that while its not the best, it sure renders Biryani sumptuous.With Paradise outlets mushrooming all over the city, and also in pockets of Bangalore, make sure that while in Hyderabad, you book your table at the Secunderabad joint, and well in advance may I add. The hotel's perpetually full, and so are the tummies of an outgoing lot - this place serves good quantities for certified gluttons.

4. Firdaus,Taj Krishna (20 kms) - Mutton Biryani - With so much talk of delicious food, could the Taj have been far behind!? No question about the "big letdown-Taj experiences" and I've

been no exception(Taj West End,Bangalore was particularly detestable), but not every Taj is a Taj Krishna on Road No.1 Banajara Hills. Authentic and elegant, this is one Biryani which might burn a hole in your pocket; but having gulped it down, all you would say is - "Was really worth it!". The service at Taj Krishna betters anywhere I've sat down for food I've paid for; and the biryani is just as mouthwatering.If you're looking to "Biryani" party for an occassion, look no further.

5. Bawarchi,RTC Crossroads (21 kms) - Mutton Biryani - If you want to go flat out, and eat insane - Bawarchi is one dream destination.

When it comes to quantity servings, Bawarchi still rules the roost.A burp is a must, and is no impropriety when you are at the Bawarchi premises. It just cannot be helped that nature often dictates a compromise in quality when quantities get humongous - Bawarchi while is no exception, it certainly is a good start for this rice-n-spice meal.

At the cost of repeating myself, I'd reiterate that biryani anywhere in the Deccan Plateau would be worth its salt - from the dingy and the dusty to the slick and the suave. In fact, I would recommend venturing out for Biryani anytime, and any place - it most certainly will leave you salivating, and asking for more.

Reminiscing the good old days, I recall the bill get discussed; and almost inevitably, someone would say - Pet bhar gaya, neeyat nahin bhari.. koi aadha aur share karega kya ;).. wotsay guys?

A Final before the Final!

2011-03-24T00:47:00.000-07:00

A Clash of the Titans! While the Mind Games have already begun, the real tussle starts today. The Oz will come hard; employ the short stuff and use the long handle.. Will the famed Indian Batting stand tall.. Plans A,B and C in place, its time for application. Doing the Basics right would be an absolute must, but definitely, won't suffice. Springing surprises with attitude and strategy to win the see-saw moments would make the difference between winning and losing. Who's going to play that blinder, deliver devastation, dent and cremate? In a game that is almost destined to go down the wire, the team that plays hard for 99 of the 100 overs in the day would emerge victorious. Why did I leave that 1 over out is anybody's guess.

Strategy :Win the toss-Bat first will be the mantra for both sides.However, in the event of losing it, Australia, on account of what has transpired with the Indian bowling attack so far,would be better poised for a run chase. Irrespective of the outcome of the toss, India would rely heavily on their top 4 batsmen to fire, and hope that Ahmedabad does assist spin.

Australia : Australia will in all likelihood drop Jason Krejza for Steven Smith, bolster their batting and thus stick their age old tactic of playing India with 40 plus Overs(Lee;Johnson;Tait/Nannes;Watson) of fast bowling. They might also ponder on drafting a reliable Dirk Nannes for the predictably inconsistent Shaun Tait. Tons of lip service from the fielders should help get under the Indians' skin.Bowling and fielding are areas where the Aussies score considerably over India, and they would have pinpointed strategies - areas to bowl, and fields to accompany for every batsman in the Indian lineup. Tuck Sehwag up, and get him with that sucker ball outside off. Attack Sachin early with the new ball, but exploit his tendency to lose concentration against spin in the middle overs. The rest of the batting order will be peppered with some quality short pitched bowling - all through the innings.

Haddin,Ponting, Clarke and Hussey will try to drop anchor, while Watson,White and Smith will look to go berserk.Guard against Zaheer, and attack the rest; Harbhajan and Yuvraj might just be taken for special treatment.

India : A no brainer to start with - India will swap Sehwag for Raina; and try implementing a batting strategy that has worked for them. Making up for some lacklustre bowling performances in the last game, Dhoni might employ the same tactic - the aussies though, will be waiting; Dhoni's imagination with his field and bowling changes would be tested. Body language would hold key - more than aggression, calmness would help; at no point can the Indian outfit afford to slouch.

The Indian Batting would have to fight fire with fire.Barring Sachin, almost every Indian batsman's been vulnerable to chin music. The batsmen need to be ready - not only to smell leather, but also to dispatch it beyond the boundary. Even the gentle Shane Watson will aim to pitch deliveries in his half of the strip. Sachin might want to take an aggressive stance, as he has done against Australia in critical matches earlier; but this time, we might just want him to hold his horses a bit longer, rather hold the Indian Innings together.Irrespective of the outcome of the toss, and when India bats, the Indian lower order would have to come to the party.Dhoni,Pathan and Harbhajan will need to step up because make no mistake - Australia will pick wickets.
With India's bowling in woeful form,no score would give that sense of security. Say India is at 270 at the 40 over mark, they would still be nervous about the need to get another 80-90 runs in the last 10.When bowling, India's attack would revolve around spin.Hopefully, Harbhajan would have looked at Swann's footage in this Cup for pointers on bowling a probing line,length and pace.Most importantly, the spinners will need to draw batsmen forward, keep "Forward Short Leg" interested, and convince Dhoni to get rid of that fielder from a good-for-nothing Leg Slip.

Prediction :

Coming to that favourite game of predicting outcomes, my money is on India.While on paper, and in a man to man comparison, this Indian team beats the Aussie side hands down, this team will win because it believes it can. Right from Yuvi's audacious press conference to Kirsten's leaked so called Strategy Document, this team smacks of confidence. And boy, with Pakistan having won its Quarter Final, does India need a bigger incentive than to have that opportunity to thrash them yet again in World Cup Match.

Why Not Today!

2011-01-17T05:18:00.000-08:00

If life has to take a turn, why not today

If I have to take the plunge, why not today

If one day the sun doesn’t set, why not today!

There’s something in the Air that tells me,

This Earth is my playground.

If I have that Fire in my belly, if my ideas hold Water,

If I have to prove myself, why not today!

Bask eloquent-gobble the sun, bathe oblivious-drink the ocean,

Brush feathers with the tern, slice waters with the sailfish,

Burn blood with the cheetah, slither elegant with the snake,

Long no longer, no awaiting rebirths,

This is my life, this is my time, I call it - "Today"!

If life means to do more than breathe,

If its less in my thought and more in the deed,

If that first step is all I need, why not today!

If action is my answer, to every why and every how,

Why wait for tomorrow, when I have the now,

Why not now, why not today!

ICC scamper, stop the Cricket Tamper!

2010-10-08T03:41:00.000-07:00

My 7 year old nephew had just beheaded a couple of monsters on his Playstation and looked at me with a sense of pride. I smirked and said,"What? Juvenile at best! If you have it in you, let's see you thrash someone in a T20 Match on the Cricket Game. In fact, only yesterday did I steamroll the Pakistanis to win by an Innings and a 100 plus". My nephew was already going head over heels, as I watched in dismay. Holding his tummy tightly, he slighted "What's the big deal! Pakistan has anyways fixed all its matches, who cares if you win a match that they wanted to lose anyways.. you got to be kidding me!" The rest of the evening saw him have fun at my expense, as he went all out painting the city red with tales of me beating Pakistan.

However amused I was, I could not help but think of the plight of the players who had taken the field against Pakistan; players who had rejoiced victories and endured what they believed to have been hard fought sessions. Vanity is an unjust reward for diligence, and the Aussies and the Englishmen are in their right to feel cheated. Needless to say, the game of cricket stands in disrepute.

The baton though rests in the hands of ICC. It has allowed the farce to continue way too often, and Pakistan Cricket has been playing them nice and long for a while now. Be it ball tampering, Match Fixing, banned drug ingestion, suspect actions, pitch tampering - the Pakistani players do seem to have a penchant for monkey business. It's high time the ICC begins putting its money where its mouth is, and do the only job that it's supposed to do - protect the spirit of the game; thwart the "Cricket Tampering" that's been getting rampant. It does not suffice to issue statements, hold functions, run multiple annual events at ridiculous intervals or simply put in two words - mint money. ICC needs to ensure that with all the evidence being splashed all over, it does not make a fool of itself by playing "Dhritarashtra"(a mythological king who was blind by sight, and handicapped in action) yet again.

The investigations seem to be taking an all too familiar turn, and ICC needs to intervene now, rather than wait for PCB, a mickey mouse Board to turn this into another joke for my nephew to laugh his guts over. More than the audience and the patrons of the game, it is the cricketers who are being taken for a ride - their hard work being turned into a disgusting exercise in futility; this has to stop right away. And while ICC and PCB lock horns on this one, I am going to make sure I ban Pakistan on my Cricket Game. However imbecile that may sound, it's better than the PCB tribual's rationale to acquit Shoaib and Asif.

INCEPTION - more a tester than a teaser! Its a 5 on 5!

2010-08-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Am I a little late on this one? Or am I a little early? Doesn't matter because Inception is as timeless as it is flabbergasting.

How many films have we seen now that begin with a scene that folds out much later in the storyline; and how many times have we been disappointed by its positioning at runtime.How many times have we seen Directors trying to mess with us with superfluous scenes that end the screenplay; and how many times have we seen them fall flat in their attempt. Delightfully spot on is Nolan, who had mastered deception, confusion and complication with his film making in his earlier recipes, and conquers inception with Inception. Rest assured, you will for sure be left wondering about a film that demands multiple viewings to be understood.I would hence, have to apologise to my readers when I say that I write this Review having seen it only once, and hence the question on the timing to kick off this Review.

For those who haven't seen Inception already, I would suggest an immediate viewing-do not miss it for anything!The rest of this Blog would also not matter much for people who haven't seen Inception, and in keeping with Nolan's style, I give scant respect to coherence and pronounce my conclusion right away and flat in the middle of this blog-Inception takes 5 Stars from me on all fronts of film making.It is almost at par with "The Matrix" and "Memento" when it comes to exciting your substantia grisea.It might even win Nolan that elusive Academy Award, and a bunch of nominations seem a foregone conclusion.

The remainder of this review is for people who have viewed Inception atleast once, it is an interpretation that is personal, and very debatable indeed.

As they say, the devil lies in the details- and Nolan juggles with them craftily.So, if you missed the details, look out for them in your next viewing for better answers :

Lets get to the end first(Memento revisited ;))- Have the children not aged at all by the end, from what Cobb had seen last because they do look almost exactly the same size, and are they in the same clothes as they were in his memories/dreams? Take that into account, and add to it Cobb's totem not failing to spin at the end, does it imply that it is a dream he is in? Also, remember that the totem was never Cobb's in the first place, and belonged to his now dead wife, Mal. Also, the ring that we see Cobb wearing in the dream levels is missing-so does that mean its reality.

My Take : Cobb woke up in the plane;went back into slumber(not shown, just like if it is reality its not shown how his father came over to receive him), just to see if he can dream now with his guilt wiped.Remember that he tells Adriadne of his inability to dream naturally any more.And voila, he dreams just what you expect him to-a happily ever after.

The Summary- Was it all a dream, as Mal says?Its only Mal who is in reality now, while all that Cobb's doing through the film is wandering in limbo. Especially because, as Cobb explains, dreams are laid out by the architect, but filled by Projections of the dreamer-so, would that mean Mal,a projection of Cobb's sub-conscious, occupies every dream because it is actually Cobb's dream that we are watching. Why else do no apparitions visit the other dream tourists!

My Take : This is a question I am clueless on, especially when I know that Cobb's totem does not mean a lot if it was Mal's in the first place.If its Cobb dreaming through dreams designed by Mal, she knows and could have manipulated her totem in her architecture.So,the totem's perpetual spin or fall determines nothing.

Somewhere in there- When the dreams come breaking down with simultaneous kicks at all dream levels, the dead Cobb and Saito fail to get out-Cobb never ages while Saito is as old as Methuselah; how has that happened?

My Take : Considering that Saito died in Dream Level 3, and went into Limbo well before Cobb enters it, years pass by for Saito while Cobb only just comes in.

There are quite a few other questions that'll haunt you, and reinvent themselves with every successive viewing-and all you can say is thank you Nolan, for having mesmerised us again.As for now, feel free to post questions that popped up when you saw it, and your interpretations as well.

Rajneeti - Mahabharat revisited!?

2010-06-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

If you recall Prakash Jha’s Apaharan, you would remember the dramatic highs and the riveting pace of the movie, in addition to splendid acting and scintillating moments in the political landscape of Bihar. Having watched Rajneeti, in essence, Apaharan had more Rajneeti than Rajneeti has. To kick off, Rajneeti is modern day Mahabharat, probably the greatest story ever told, with a generous sprinkling of Godfather, probably the greatest film ever made. So, how could Rajneeti possibly go wrong? I’d say, the same way as a Yaadein, or a Mission Kashmir did. When you have a rising superstar as part of the cast, directors often fumble with priorities. Rajneeti suffers from this directorial dilemma, and ends up being the story of Samar Pratap Singh, played by Ranbir Kapoor, when it should really have been about myriad characters with myriad tales and the great political tussle where ends are paramount, and means plain hogwash.

To start with, Rajneeti kicks off with a narrative style of storytelling, which personally speaking, I am not a great fan of. Although with a tale like Mahabharat and an upper cap of 3 hours, it is almost indispensable. So, in a jiffy, we are introduced to a family, its past history and its present members-the Kauravs and the Pandavs. The first half of Rajneeti unfolds with character introductions, their aspirations and conflict creation. It comes across as a collage of discordant scenes, running back and forth between characters in a bid to tell too many stories. But it also comes up with a couple of moments that delight you with their timing and justify the money, or atleast a part of it that you’ve paid at that ticket counter for this watch. Throughout this time, you actually enjoy trying to second guess the events to follow, especially if you are aware of the text that the film is based on. Trying to map these characters to the Mahabharat is good fun, as you wonder if Nana Patekar is Bheeshma, Vidur or Krishna, or probably all of them, rolled into one; you scratch your head trying to wonder if there is any Draupadi, any Abhimanyu and so on.

The second half is however, the big letdown. Jha lets his characters go astray and the storyline thins out. Ranbir Kapoor turns into Arjun and Krishna, rolled into one. The directorial dilemma, cited at the outset, takes over as Ranbir becomes larger than the film. The film is reduced to a one sided game, and culminates in a series of political murders, committed in broad daylight. It is ludicrous to imagine that high profile politicians would look at committing murders themselves, and risk gunfights and bullet wars, when they virtually have their own private armies. Rajneeti relies immensely on the acting prowess of its ensemble cast, but with hardly any substance to assist, they fail to generate empathy. It becomes extremely difficult to swallow the shoddy handling of the Kunti-Karna showdown. Arjun’s conflict with fratricide looks completely misplaced, and utterly distasteful. Eventually, you start wishing the film wraps up- you really don’t care who lives or dies, who wins or loses.

Despite unimaginative writing and fragile characterization, most of the cast look honest. Katrina Kaif makes an earnest effort, but neither is her character Draupadi, nor is it Kay Adams. Ranbir Kapoor does a Michael Corleone with more Krishna(confidence) and less Arjun(confusion). Nana Patekar though, towers above everyone else- he practically delivers a masterclass. Arjun Rampal is miscast, and makes umpteen errors with his Hindi, which is at times rustic, and at others urban. The treatment rendered to Manoj Bajpai and Ajay Devgan is pitiable- editing malfunction seems likely. Special flack for Nikhila Trikha though, who plays Kunti and turns out a performance, which would probably end up as the worst performance of the year in an A-Grade film, and we are only in June.

Rajneeti is a low point for Prakash Jha as a niche director-he ends up muddled and pedestrian. He might in fact, end up losing loyalties of his camp’s faithfuls, both in front of the camera and amidst the theatres. The editing leaves a lot to be desired, and cinematography is nothing special. But mostly, Rajneeti fails owing to its inadequacy to adapt the texts it borrows from. Textured characters are reduced in dimension; conflicts are superficial and introspection vaporized. The screenplay and dialogue in the second half try to remind you that it is an adaptation of the Mahabharat, and not the Godfather that you see, trying to follow up “Don’t insult my intelligence” with “Tum mere jyeshth putra ho”. I wonder if this was an attempt to say that the Godfather took from the Mahabharat. It is unfortunate that having got all the paraphernalia in place, Jha let this one go haywire, plainly by doing the basics wrong. It is no surprise that Ajay Devgan hardly went out promoting a film he has been shortchanged in.

Despite being shallow and poorly researched, Rajneeti is neither insipid nor mediocre, and has its thrilling moments which win it 2 and a half stars. It however comes nowhere close to the enthralling Apaharan, Jha’s earlier deliverance. For everyone who wanted to the see a modern day Mahabharat, I would recommend Shyam Benegal’s Kalyug, released in 1981 where the epic is set against a corporate backdrop. Watch it for the finesse of dramatic adaptation – you wouldn’t be disappointed.

Clash of the Titans!!!

2010-04-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Script for the Dream Finale – Mumbai Indians Vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2010

The Premise : Led by Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai Indians clash with Chennai Super Kings, captained by Mahender Singh Dhoni on a sluggish DY Patil Track to win the IPL 2010. With two of the biggest sporting icons pitted against each other, one couldn’t have dreamt of a better IPL Finale. But as MSD so ably put it, cricket is invariably about the the teams that take the field.

The Cast : Knowing Sachin and Dhoni, any changes to the winning combinations are unlikely.

"Double Click for an enlarged View"

Personally speaking, Sanath Jayasuriya instead of Dilhara Fernando for Mumbai; and Sudeep Tyagi and Michael Hussey instead of Srikanth Anirudha and Muttiah Muralitharan would be my picks. Jayasuriya is a matchwinner, and considering MSD’s penchant to start with Ashwin, he could prove lethal. Despite a slow track, Murali has been bowling in the run conservation mode; Tyagi would bring balance to the bowling attack, and Hussey the much needed batting depth against a formidable Mumbai bowling attack.

Background Stories :
Tendulkar playing the match in spite of a split webbing on his hand, while Chennai miss Andrew Flintoff more than ever. First appearance for Mumbai in the IPL Finals; 2nd for Chennai.

Pre-Match Meeting :
As in all Finals, good old fashioned Cricket would rule the roost- Win the Toss, Bat first; take all your catches, bowl outside the off stump with a packed Offside field and so on.

The Mumbai Indians Camp :
Sachin : Lets do the Basics right.
The Bating strategy would be just like what’s worked all the way. I would be looking to drop anchor till the 15th over, while Dhawan,Nayar,Rayudu,Duminy and Tiwary frequent the big hits.Slow bowlers are their key, so pick your spots against them. Pollard comes in around the 17th or 18th over for operation crucification. I would be taking most of the strike against Bollinger and Murali, as we look to preserve our wickets against them. Need to attack Albie Morkel in particular. Target 180 if batting first.
The Bowling and Fielding Strategy would be to open with Harbhajan and Malinga against Hayden and Vijay. Fernando to come in for Raina and Dhoni with short pitched stuff, a square leg and a short fine leg to assist.Pollard, Harbhajan and Nayar in the middle. Zaheer and Malinga to bowl the last three overs. If Dhoni sticks till the end,Zaheer does a Tanvir IPL season 1-bowl short of length off cutters from round the wicket with long-off and mid-on in place.Look to keep them around the 150 run mark.
Let’s do it! We didn’t come this far for nothing!

The Chennai Super Kings Camp :
Dhoni : Lets do the Basics right.
Batting strategy would be to keep wickets in hand till the 15th-16th over and then launch. Let’s hope Hayden fires. Malinga, Zaheer and Fernando would be prime targets on this slow track as they would offer us some pace. Expect short pitched bowling which should give us opportunities to score on a slow track with low bounce. Running between the wickets is key, as we look for intermittent boundaries till over 15.I shall look to bat till the end. Target 170 if batting first.
Bowling strategy would be to look to exploit the slowness of the track.Take your catches, and effect those runouts. With our bowling, we need atleast 3 wickets with our fielding- no lapses please. Sachin and Pollard are their backbone-Murali and Bollinger look to bowl at the two of them. With the new ball, we go with the Bangalore Strategy against Sachin-bowl well outside off stump with a packed offside field, surprise him with the short ball; let’s get him early boys. Keep them to around 160.
Let’s do it! We’ve been there before, let’s go that extra yard this time round!

Screenplay
The Toss
Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar at the toss with Sachin and Dhoni, as DY Patil screeches Mumbai Mumbai-Sachin Sachin. The coin is flipped, the captains talk and rush back.
Shastri : News from here at the centre. Mumbai Indians have won the toss, and have elected to bat first. No surprises on that one.

1st Innings

"Double Click for an enlarged View"

Mid Innings :
Sachin : We got what we wanted. The pitch is slower than we thought. Let’s see if there’s some dew. Well done boys, let’s go out there and get them now. No butter fingers, and no unnecessary over-throws. Remember the basics and we should win easy.

Dhoni : Lets try taking them apart when the ball is new and hard. Attack the quicks. As planned, controlled aggression; wickets in hand in the last 5 overs and we should get there.

2nd Innings

"Double Click for an enlarged View"

The Climax :
Zaheer runs in round the wicket looking to bowl in a Yorker. Dhoni goes for his helicopter stroke, and the ball is sailing. Is it going out, or is it going to land into the safe hands of Pollard waiting at Long On, or is it going to just drop short as they take 2 runs and take it into the Super Over…

What’s your guess? ;):D

Could have done better Abba!

2010-04-11T01:58:00.000-07:00

Film makers can easily be demarcated by their choice of subjects, treatment and style. Shyam Benegal’s command over his craft, simplistic handling and penchant to bring social issues that ail rural India to the fore are evident. Inadequate screenplay and flimsy editing too, have almost invariably been a part of Benegal films. Following closely on the heels of Hari Bhari and Welcome to Sajjanpur, the more recent offerings from the Shyam Benegal stable, comes Well Done Abba.

Set against the rural backdrop of ChikatPally, a small village replete with its typical characters and day-to-day issues, Well Done Abba tells the tale of Armaan Ali’s tryst with the flourishing Indian red tape. Ali comes down to his village with a goal to get his daughter married, and stumbles upon a new mission to get a well(baawdi) sanctioned through a Government scheme which looks to rid villages of their water scarcities. Intermingled with bureaucracy, social taboos and new age reforms such as the RTI Act, realization of Ali’s objective forms the crux of the film.

Amidst the film, you cannot help getting reminded of the umpteen shows of the immensely successful sitcoms- the satirical Flop Show and the more recent Office Office. Well Done Abba does fall short on that comparison, and it would indeed be unfair to bring that out. But Well Done Abba also falls short of Benegal’s earlier Sajjanpur on various counts, most notably on casting and screenplay. Maybe the predilection to pack in too many issues proved calamitous for the screenplay. Quite definitely though, new age marketing plays spoilsport- the Cast doesn’t look like Benegal’s first choice, and with acting being the big letdown, the film lacks chutzpah.

But for a few scenes, Boman Irani in this Double Role(Armaan and Rehman Ali), leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that, his study of Hyderabadi Hindi is appreciable, and when sharing the stage with novices Minissha Lamba and Sameer Dattani, Boman looks profound. You would probably give Boman an Average Rating at best for research and effort, but Lamba and Dattani garner minus marks for their terrible acts. The real stars and saviors of the film though, are the Benegal regulars. The ensemble support cast which constitutes the village, but accounts for deficient screen time keeps you jovial through the sitting. Ila Arun and Ravi Kissen bring in the giggles, but the astute Rajit Kapoor makes you wonder if he would have played a better Abba himself.

One wishes success for the Well Done Abba genre, but the product in itself is self effacing. Watching it made me feel that maybe too many cooks spoiled the broth. Periods in the film grab you, and then let you go. A taut screenplay, a few more wittier lines, crisper editing were all musts that have been ignored at various stages of its making.

Not completely unwatchable though, the film has its moments. A shorter “Well Done Abba” could have been so much more. In its current half baked version though, it deserves no more than 2 and a half stars.

My Name is Khan - And I am not retarded.

2010-02-15T10:43:00.001-08:00

Yes, we Indians are a sensitive lot who empathize with the world and its disabilities; yes, we do suspend disbelief when emotion tugs at our hearts;yes, we have loved the SRK-Kajol-Karan Johar brand of cinema before;and yes,we were dying to see MNIK after all the hue and cry we’ve had through its Publicity campaign. But we are not as gullible, rather imbecile as the creators of “My Name Is Khan” would like to believe.Released on Valentine weekend, this one is meant for that couple called “Dumb and Dumber”.

The film,for starters is a huge letdown for SRK fans.But for a couple of scenes,one of which is already being aired on the Promos,SRK disappoints.For a film riding on that singular performance,monotony descends and blankets you.SRK might have picked Dustin Hoffman from the Rainman for inspiration,but falls miserably flat on his face.For an audience that has been treated to the likes of Rani Mukherjee and Amitabh Bachchan in Black, Naseerudin Shah in Sparsh,or a Hrithik Roshan in Koi Mil Gaya among lifelike depictions of the ailed,this one from SRK would probably go into the books with the forgettable ones like an Ajay Devgan in Main Aisa Hi Hoon.

Juxtaposed with life’s journey of the ailed protagonist,Rizwan Khan is the journey he looks to make to meet the US President and convey that not every Muslim is a terrorist.Unfortunately,both journeys are long, dreary and at times, ridiculous.Through his journey of life,we see Khan move to America because his mother wanted him to be as happy and successful as his younger brother,played by Jimmy Shergill-whoever thought anyone could be successful and happy in India,not the writers of MNIK for sure.We see a religious debate at the Khan residence when Rizwan declares marriage with a Hindu woman,single mother Mandira, but no such apprehension with a woman who is looking to make her mind up to marry a Aspergus syndrome ailed Muslim.We see Sameer,Mandira’s little boy accept Rizwan as a father he always wanted. We see.. we yawn.. we doze.. and it is still goes on.

And so can I with this list.But I’d pick out two of the best from its worst-the journey to meet the President.The first one-Terrorist recruitment in full swing,with a decibel level to challenge Pre-placement talks at Walk-In Interviews.It’s baffling that FBI and world investigative bodies waste so much time looking for them,when all they need to do is stroll in to a mosque and catch the plotters reading misconstrued excerpts from the Quran and their vindictive schemes aloud.The second-All kinds of people,Khan,media,murderers,Mrs.Khan and more keep flocking into a hurricane hit village;the only people who can’t seem to find a way out are the desperate villagers-or were they simply counting on the Oh-so-clever-messiah-Khan to “Repair this One”.

Karan Johar tries to reinvent himself as a Director with versatility,the one feather he hasn’t had on his cap.He is one of the best in the country and has carved a niche for himself with his films.MNIK is a subject that needed a different man at the helm,though.The film is well intentioned and has its heart in the right place,but that and Kajol’s sincere performance in spite of thin characterization are probably the only winners here.Make no mistake,Karan Johar is one of my favourites; but watching MNIK only elevated my respect for Black and Sanjay Leela Bhansali., illuminating how impossible it is to make a film with unrefined protagonists through the length and breadth of a film,and yet keep it gripping.

It would have been wonderful had MNIK pulled you from the scruff of your neck,and screeched that the religious profiling of Muslims is even more hurtful than belittling the handicapped.But probably the marks it earns is on behalf of the Mumbaikars who have put Shiv Sena in its place and metaphorically rendered that One Tight Slap to their self proclaimed protectors.At the end of the day though,what matters is the film, which sadly is no better than 2 and a half stars.Watch it if you must.

Ishqiya - Ekdum Sulphate

2010-02-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Produced by Vishal Bhardwaj and directed by debutant Abhishek Chaubey, Ishqiya is a rendezvous of vibrant characters that’ll bring in the laughs and the wows well after you’re done watching it. Distinct characters, vivid performances,a generous sprinkling of expletives in lyric and dialogue have become the hallmark of Vishal’s films(Maqbool;Omkara;Kaminey). Ishqiya soaks in that very Vishal Bhardwaj quintessence.

When Khalujaan(Naseerudin Shah) and Babban(Arshad Warsi), two on-the-run small time crooks go head over heels for the widow(Vidya Balan) of an old one time accomplice while seeking refuge from a vindictive gangster they’ve fleeced,all hell breaks loose.What transpires between the three forms the crux of a tale that would have otherwise been insipid.This triangle is simply one of its kind.

Scenes where the three protagonists share screen space and make dialogue manifest the human psyche with hilarity at times,intensity at others.Naseer’s jealousy,Warsi’s lust and Balan’s doubleplay exude the greys of Ishq-the one where Naseer boils at Warsi becoming Balan’s confidant is in sharp contrast to the one where he gives vent to his anger at Warsi turning Balan’s lover and a tale in itself.One scene the film could have done without though was Warsi’s confession to love for Balan,and I felt was uneccessary where so much was being said without putting in words.All said and done,chemistry and literature set the house on fire.

Naseerudin Shah films have been few and far in between for our liking.But when he comes up with gems like these,you feel it was indeed worth the wait.Shah is on top of his game and seldom do actions speak this loud.He mesmerizes you with his antics,breathing flesh and blood into Khalujaan.In spite of Naseer,Arshad Warsi makes his presence felt and exploits his natural comic timing and ornamental dialogue to good effect.But Vidya Balan,who now seems to have come into her own,steals the show with electric screen presence.After an eloquent performance in Paa as a distraught mother,she couldn’t have possibly turned the tables better.Seamlessly switching between vulnerability and raw sensualism;from being the demure and the docile to the woman-on-top,Balan’s versatility puts the chameleon to shame.If there was something,you’d point at pronunciation being the only chink in her armour-rustic,rather than shuddh could have made “Sulphate” crackle.Measured performances by the supporting cast adds fuel to fire.

The story of Ishqiya tends to derail at times,but its pace and the characters manage to keep you hooked.Glimpses of the perpetual caste feuds and arms’ trafficking add to the UP landscape. Much like Kaminey,the climax looks a bit contrived. Ishqiya, however finds intrigue in some intelligent editing,screenplay and dialogue.Coming to music,the Vishal-Gulzar team has been a rage of late,and Ishqiya is no exception.In fact,coupled with playful presentation,the songs become pivotal to storytelling.The other departments-right from Art Direction to Cinematography,do a decent job.Loftiest though,stands the team of first time director Abhishek Chaubey and his maverick mentor, Vishal Bhardwaj (producer-dialogue-story-screenplay-music and more).The protege takes the brush from his mentor’s hand and turns his artform into technique.

Ishqiya is delightful continuity to some adventurous work which is both artistic and refreshing.If Kaminey had “Duniya Mein Logon ko”,Ishqiya has more than just a couple of golden oldies to liven up the background music; if Omkara had Beedi and Kaminey Dhan Te Nan,Ishqiya has Ibn e Batuta; if Maqbool had an Abbaji,Omkara a BhaiSaab and Kaminey a BhopeBhau,Ishqiya has its Jeejaji.Delightfully,we have a Vishal Bhardwaj- 3 and a half stars to the film Ishqiya,5 to Vishal.

2009... the year end countdown!!

2010-01-22T09:47:00.000-08:00

Back to what I do on my blog at the end of one and the beginning of another year - play the Rate Game; and invite everyone reading this to rate their best of the year, and rate me for my ratings.2009 wasn't that great a year for my space,with blog frequency hitting an ebb;but a great one otherwise.

The Quick List :
Films :
1. Kaminey / Dev D
2. 3 Idiots
3. Gulaal
4. Luck By Chance
5. Rocket Singh-Salesman of the year

Cricket :
1. Mitchell Johnson
2. TM Dilshan
3. MS Dhoni
4. Shane Watson
5. Shakib Al Hasan

What a year it was!2008 gave way to a new year-2009,new thoughts and new ideas flowed in, and though inevitably the year saw mediocrity on the rise, luckily we had much more to cheer about.Thankfully,the year marked a long awaited injection of originality and wit in screen writing-from script and dialogue to lyrics.In fact,unlike 2008 where I could hardly find 5 films that I liked through the 52 weeks, 2009 would see me not have films on this list that I liked,which is to say,there were a few more than just five this year that I liked.

The top 5 films for the year 2009(Based on Class,Originality,my viewership and Nothing Else):

1. Kaminey / Dev D : It was impossible for me to decide the better between the two.Kaminey and Dev D make 2009 a watershed year;I would bracket them with Satya,Company,Lagaan,Koi Mil Gaya,Dil Chahta Hai and a few others as landmark films that'll redefine Indian cinema.These films mark the entrance of new genres and voices in this formula ridden industry.Technical finesse,bold imagination and the individuality of a phantom saw Vishal Bharadwaj and Anurag Kashyap paint the canvas with colour combinations of their own .Kaminey from Vishal Bharadwaj, and Dev D from Anurag Kashyap enhanced the reputation of their makers as people who are out to make a difference and not just toe the line.Style took precedence,and these were as unorthodox as one could get.Music became food for thought,and anthems were born.Also they marked the arrival of Shahid Kapoor and Abhay Deol as actors of substance.

2. 3 Idiots : Having already reviewed the film on my earlier post,there is little that I would like to add.A wonderful team collaborating to produce a product that is certain to stand the test of time.Its blockbuster status is thoroughly deserved, and the film still runs to packed houses well into 2010.Enveloped in mirth,the message of the film towers high,and beats some amazing film-making this year to clinch 2nd spot.Simplicity and high thinking takes all.A thumbs up to my 3 Idiots-Aamir Khan,Raju Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

3. Gulaal : Another Anurag Kashyap film,this is an outstanding piece of screen writing,and with some terriffic acts put up by its protagonists,Gulaal becomes a spellbinding experience.Kashyap has his own voice,and is one of the few people in the industry who seem to be systematically connecting the audiences to imagination and artistry in film making."Agar tere baap ne sahi time pe withdraw kar liya hota to tu haraamjaadgi se bach gaya hota na" is probably the line of the decade.

4. Luck By Chance : "Sapnon se bhare naina, to neend hai na chaina" says it all.A film about tinsel town dreams and prices that people are willing to pay, ground they are ready to concede, and shreds of conscience they are ready to barter for fame and success brought the fourth musketeer of the Akhtar family to the fore.Zoya Akhtar wore the director's hat,and to give her company were brother Farhan and father Javed;apart from a wonderful cast which included the likes of Konkona Sen,Hrithik Roshan and Rishi Kapoor.Such was its effect that we are already seeing clones of the film being released,and others being lined up-most have and will fall short;such films only get made by chance.

5. Rocket Singh : Another film that said so much with such simplicity.The only box-office dud this year for rising star Ranbir Kapoor,but his best film till date.Hopefully,the failure of Rocket Singh does not deter its makers from creating such progressive cinema.The film stayed rooted to its theme,and not once meandered to become a rags to riches story;which could have probably turned its box office fortunes as well.It was more about the means than the end,and couldn't have finished on a better note.Kudos to the director Shimit Amin,who had messed "Ab Tak Chappan" for me with a soliloquy explaining the film;this one explained itself beautifully and all the way.

Cricket had a fantastic year,with the Champions Trophy,Twenty20 World Cup,IPL-South Africa,the Ashes and a lot more than just cut throat competition keeping us hooked. As the love for each of the three versions of the game came to the fore,the game saw each of these versions rub themselves on to each other.

The top 5 cricketers for the year 2009(Based on “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” theory with an eye on contribution to the team):

1. Mitchell Johnson : I was never an admirer of this bloke,and at best he looked a just-above-average bowler when he came in to the world beating Aussie side.But the results he has produced in 2009 say a story-63 wickets in 13 Tests at 27 runs a piece,and 46 wickets in 30 ODIs see him wear the crown on the top wicket takers list,become the ICC Player of the year and take the cake at Brains4Sale.He has simply gone from strength to strength in the last 18 months,and with Brett Lee contemplating retirement in the longer version,Johnson has had to fast transform himself from being the go-to man to the bowling spearhead for Ponting and Australia.A handy lower order bat,this is one name that would figure on almost all team meetings here on.

2. TM Dilshan : The image that would invariably be associated with this hard hitting Lankan batsman will be that of the ball being helped on its way over the front shoulder,and above the short fine leg or even the wicketkeeper at times,racing away for four.That shot is now known as the DILSCOOP and being practised by many a youngster in the nets.A chance to open the batting unleashed this phenomenon of a batsman,who has pulverised bowling attacks in all forms of the game.Such was the dependency that he had to play games carrying injuries with him,which ultimately cost him a few games.In spite of that,he was Matchwinner Number 1,and player number 2 on my list this year-Tests,ODIs and the IPL.

3. MS Dhoni : He is the only player in the last three years to make it into this annual list more than once-in fact he has been on it every year.Why-well,for starters,he has catapulted India to the No.1 Test spot,and by the looks of it,should keep India there longer than what the Pundits predict.Besides his captaincy and wicketkeeping,his Batting Average went through the roof in 2009-an incredible average of 92.25 in Tests and 70.47 in ODIs(also joint top run-getter in the world with Ponting at 1198).In spite of all the achievements and accolades,he would be disappointed with India's performance in ODIs-the drubbing received at the hands of a second string Australian side on home soil is a palpable slight.Year 2010 would see him shoulder the burden of a lot higher expectation,and we wish Mr.Unputdownable some luck.

4. Shane Watson : Another Aussie who was never a probable for this list.In fact the Aussie experts and media had written him off.While Ponting's belief in his abilities would have given him confidence,it was his stint under Shane Warne in the IPL which made him the force that he has become.He is undoubtedly the All-Rounder of the year,and has shone in all departments for Australia-giving them teeth at the opener's spot,pitching in with crucial wickets,and effecting some thrilling catches and run-outs on the field with his strong arm.Moulded in the pure aggressive Aussie furnace,he is never shy of a verbal battle either.

5. Shakib Al Hasan : Shakib Al Hasan may not list on the toppers' list, just like Watson, but that was probably owing to the fact that Bangladesh played only so many matches in the year.Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2009,Shakib was instrumental in every single Bangladesh win,and with him at the helm,Bangladesh seems to be in right hands and on the fast track.Shakib,now captain,would need to inspire his team of budding and enthusiastic youngsters to metamorphose into top class professional cricketers who are ready to undergo the grind to win laurels for their team.

A salute to the warhorses of Cricket-Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting for capping off the decade with amazing achievements.20 years of international cricketing excellence for the Master,and maximum Test wins for a cricketer ever for Punter speak tons of their invaluable contribution to this game;it is the sheer joy of watching them though,that makes one wish that the juggernauts keep rolling on..and on!!

3 Idiots-An overwhelming experience

2009-12-30T01:03:00.000-08:00

3 Idiots is not just about the 3 idiots we see on screen,but also off it.Aamir Khan,an idiot who did one film a year when the norm was a dozen, sacrificing quite a lot of money when he has arguably been the biggest crowd puller of Indian cinema;Rajkumar Hirani,an idiot who is out to make films that refrain from cheap titillation to deliver laughs and message oriented films that aren't just played at Film festivals;and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, an idiot who lets artistry get the better of him when with his profound talent he should be making money spinners at the snap of a finger.

Yes,3 Idiots is the continuance of the kind of cinema we have now got used from these 3 idiots- Dil Chahta Hai,Rang De Basanti,Taare Zameen Par,Munnabhai MBBS,Lage Raho Munnabhai,Parinda,Mission Kashmir,Eklavya and so on.Each of these films have a distinct character,and stand out regardless of their Box Office performances.

The film in many ways is a Munnabhai meets Ishaan Awasthi story,and picks up where they left.So Jaadu ki Jhappi becomes the "All is Well" chant,and the free thinkers have a hard time,as the power to choose clings to parents and is dictated by societal averages.It scores as an eclectic mix of relentless humour and message oriented storytelling.Catharsis is one of the uppermost virtues of cinema,and Hirani does no harm to his reputation of being a director who looks to pack powerful messages in hilarious packages.A non-confirmist attitude reverberates throughout the length of the movie and its protagonist Rancho,the maverick.Rancho is a confident lad with a mind of his own,passionate about engineering and ready for and to challenge.The man who has lived and implemented the education system of the day is played by his Professor,who finds audacity in every bone of Rancho.The clash of these two characters is the clash of new ideas versus the age old norms engraved in stone-a clash that says that if something has been going on for centuries,that does not mean it is right.It talks about the purpose of education,and how we've mistaken the moon for the sun-marks for brilliance.Driving home the point,an on the spot obstetrical delivery carried out by Rancho with mere class projects to aid him in the face of a blackout enlightens the bewildered Professor who knows all that's there to be read .Hopefully this and many of such scenes in the film will manage to enlighten its audience.

The film is simply styled and is no technical marvel,and like other Hirani films suffers from the inclination to say too much through its course,getting desultory at times.Powerful back stories lay great ground for prolific screenplays,but that's until they remain back stories.The penchant to explain has been irresistible for the Indian director,and the inability to trust their audience results in unceccessary and overbearing scenes-like the one where Kareena disgusted with her father takes us back to her brother's death.A misplaced scene such as this, and a few others not only impede the pace in the second half of the film,but also bring in predictability.By and large though,a pat on the back is well deserved,as Hirani strings a few old jokes,a breezy romance,a bit of suspense,and lots of thought to come up with delight and dole in recently unprecedented quantities.It is a welcome break for everyone who has wanted to laugh their guts out in a theatre,and for those who want to be overwhelmed-because that is what "3 Idiots" is-an overwhelming experience.

Adapted from a book by Chetan Bhagat,the film comes into its own,thanks to some stunning performances from its talented cast.The film however, belongs to Aamir Khan,who breathes flesh and blood into Rancho-another one to behold after Munna,ACP Ajay Rathore,Aakash,DJ,Bhuvan and so on.You just have to see the way he keeps fiddling with the strap of his bag,or scratches his head at other times,the confidence he has when he interacts with his classmates,and the utter lack of it when he is confronted by his teacher.Having said that,the amount of muscle he has shed to fit the bill though remarkable,a little skinnier Aamir could have added a little more to that boyish charm.Sharman Joshi is one of the finest this industry has,and it is a shame to see him deprived of meatier roles-he is way ahead of the bratpack,and he proves it yet again.Interesting portrayals by Kareena Kapoor,Boman Irani and Madhavan, and a special mention for little known Omi Vaidya,who steals the show and brings the house down with a scene that we are sure to watch time and again on our DVDs.

In a nutshell,3 Idiots is a must watch and will stay long in the hearts of its audience due to its sheer entertainment and inspirational value.More so,for the engineers and educators of this country who need to wake up to quality,passion and practicality.4 stars for a wonderfully scrupulous attempt,and a secret wish that these 3 idiots turn this new found partnership into a non-confirming alliance of cinematic excellence.

Avatar - Cameron's best effort, but definitely not his best creation.

2009-12-28T22:38:00.000-08:00

A James Cameron film at last.

Avatar sees the return of Hollywood's prodigal son in more ways than one.James Cameron has always revelled in the fantasy-sc-fi genre, and his vision and films have invariably left his producers and audiences gasping. The producers have of course made their moolah,the audience has had a great time,and so they should with Avatar as well.Making a Fantasy-SciFi flick needs its makers to tread a fine line. Failure to do so can have catastrophic results, because in spite of overcoming the obvious technological and economical challenges, the film can end up looking too pompous at times,and extremely complicated for its audience at others. The best in the business have done it time and again, and still fallen flat on their face on more than one occassion. While Spielberg's success with E.T. and Jurassic Park did not repeat itself with Minority Report or the The War of the Worlds, the Wachowski brothers hardly made heads spin with "The Matrix Revolutions" or even "Speed Racer", which were preceded by pathbreaking films such as "The Matrix" and "The Matrix Reloaded".In fact, failure to do so have seen us being taken through disasters like "The Day the Earth Stood Still","Terminator-3" and so on.With Avatar,Cameron chooses to gallop on a very delicate, rather slippery playground,losing balance on a few occassions;but on the whole maintains his composure.

Avatar is a story told in two halves. The first half is meant to grip your imagination with jaw dropping visual effects that make Pandora come alive in all its tapestry.As you delve into this new habitat, you are mesmerised by the grandeur and surprises that Pandora holds for you. Here nature is God, and it is as beautiful as God itself. Pandora is a parallel world conjured to depict a mirror image of our own planet-not in the way it looks, but in the natural hierarchy created. The Navis are the most intelligent of species, just like human beings on earth, and are surrounded by an exotic environment which also constitutes their food chain, pretty much like ours. The difference which Cameron so ably, and must say-timely as well, puts across is the way in which the Navis treat their planet, and live their lives and beliefs. Cameron takes the most glaring ailments of the day-the much talked about Climate Change crisis, the impending energy crunch,the haunting spiritual shallowness of the materialistic world,unjustified wars that go on and are waiting to happen; and builds a stark contrast. He flips the picture on us and deserves kudos for creating a world that'd see humans empathise with the Navis, and frown at our own hegemonic human nature.A resounding sub-text indeed.

The second half intends to fulfil the promise of the first half,but it is here that Cameron loses his footing.Having asked difficult questions,put forward by Grace, played by Signourey Weaver in the first half of the film, he tries to sneak out the back door with the answers-probably he didn't think of them,or expected CGI to bail him out.The wondrous visual effects somewhat aid,but fail to keep one spellbound. It is just like watching a tremendous monument in all its splendour-you wow at its architecture and beauty for a while, but then, what keeps you busy and appreciative is the hawker serving that roadside delicacy, that funny guide who keeps tripping as he tells you its tale- making it a wholesome experience.A story teller needs to keep its audience hooked with characters that act as foils to the protagonists, and Avatar misses them badly.Where is the skeptic Avatar,or even a disbelieving Navi?After all, a good portion of Cameron's audience would easily fall into that category.Assumption of gullibility is criminal.By the time the film gets to its climax,you are actually waiting for something more breathtaking to happen with the storyline and not just the unflappable imagery.At the end of it all,you feel the tagline for the movie could have been-Take care of nature,and it will take care of you.

As stated at the outset of this review,the demands of this genre are high.The film borrows from earlier benchmarks for its plot.The film revisits "The Matrix Trilogy" time and again,that seems to have inspired Cameron and an entire breed of moviemakers.The Matrix had redefined visual effects and action in movies, but Avatar looks at the conceptual depths of the trilogy for assistance.There are glimpses of "Final Fantasy-The Spirits Within" as well.It however,tries to free itself from the usual sci-fi mould and metamorphose into a film that brings the ugly and selfish human face to the fore.It pleads us to identify,despise and grow out of it for the greater good-and may I say, succeeds to a great extent.

This is probably Cameron's best effort, but definitely not his best creation.He scales technological zeniths,but while Titanic would still remain his Monalisa, Terminator-2 would be an even superior product when it comes to the fantasy-sci-fi storytelling.That is probably the trouble with being a James Cameron-and a vision should never be measured against expectation; alas, human nature!The Actors do their job well,and that is about it for them.A standing ovation for the team which has brought wizardry and Cameron's imagination to life, and conjured a world that many a human would like to trade places with a Navi for-something that the protagonist Jake does at the end of the war.

Avatar, having taken a decade to be realised, redefines cinema in a lot of ways,but simultaneously reminds the new imagination generation of some basic rules of storytelling that never ought to be forgotten. In his bid to create a world, quite aptly named Pandora, Cameron forgets to tie a few loose ends that reduces the movie to an unprecedented technological marvel-a film worth watching,but maybe not something to savour. Neverthless, Avatar comes across as a visual treat which in spite of getting a little indulgent and repetitive through its length, deserves applause for the flights it gives to fantasy,and for the message of compassion to the planet it tries to convey.3 and a half stars to a film which already is so much, and could have still been so much more.

A Review - Kurbaan

2009-11-27T08:34:00.000-08:00

In the dying moments of the film Kurbaan,which pretty much coincide with the dying moments of the character played by Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor asks Saif Ali Khan for his real name. He says Khalid, but you almost expect him to say "Aamir Abraham" and sign off. That is the story of this film, as Karan Johar tries to make a racehorse of a film that the Chopras failed at-not once, but twice.Yes,Kurbaan,in one sentence is a shameless ripoff,a sandwich of Fanaa and New York,two Yashraj Films that depicted love stories with Islamic terrorism at their backdrops and though they might have raked in the moolah,they hardly worked as films with either content or impact.Sadly, the makers of these films neither have the conviction to create hardhitting films that draw out realism that such subjects demand,nor the expertise to conjure racy edge of the seat thrillers.You can safely ignore all that Realism crap that Saif Ali Khan had been screeching out from the rooftops at all the promotional events for the film.Kurbaan does not work because it fails to grip,absorb and empathise.

The film has a breezy start, and the courtship fleets.Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor exude crackling chemistry-no wonder casting a real life couple helps,as they liplock at the drop of a hat, and bring percussion into play at other times.Just when you're wondering if the lead couple in a Karan Johar film would anomalously live on Indian shores forever, they move out to the US, and this is where Saif's real identity unfolds.He is a terrorist and in the "Most Wanted" List of the FBI; never mind the fact that Saif roams around the streets with little to worry.Nauheed Cyrusi,Dia Mirza and Kulbhushan Kharbanda get some screen time to bring in the character of Vivek Oberoi,who plays the Muslim American with a constipated expression throughout.From here on,predictability becomes the plotline and for a story fixated on the way its going to end,the holes keep getting larger.

Why is there no protest from a terrorist who has killed his wife when Saif protects his wife,the obviously unruly Kareena?And if he isn't bothered, why does he suddenly want a proper burial for his wife at a time when the Police and FBI are out hunting?For cold blooded assasins,it is hilarious to see the terrorist group break their heads over disposing a dead body-as if this was their first murder.FBI seems to be the latest obsession, like the CID in the 70's and the 80's.The makers would be lucky if the FBI does not get a wink of the film.They ought to sue the makers of Kurbaan for defamation indeed.Why does Vivek Oberoi take,and simultaneously risk Kareena enormously to discuss the insignificant on more than one occassion?I can just keep going on about the misses really.

The only saving graces of the film are the performances of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan.Saif is measured in his performance,and a better script could have helped him immensely.This is a role which he has played to the hilt, seducing and duping Urmila earlier in "Ek Haseena Thi" where he had Sriram Raghavan for assistance.Kareena turns in another sincere performance and her work in Kurbaan reminds a lot of her elder sister Karishma; simply because the effort here is showing, apart from a lot else as well.Vivek Oberoi hams it up even when he is whispering over the phone.Effective dialogue delivery goes a long way, and Vivek's character,which was supposed to be the voice of this film falls woefully short.He makes you wish they had cast someone else(like a Naseerudin Shah of Wednesday) instead.Om Puri and Kirron Kher are completely wasted with characters that are pivotal, but have hardly been given any attention to.The cameos from a multitude of actors are easily forgettable.As always,the sprinkling of amteurish Firangi Actors makes the Indian support cast look better than they are.

The usual escapist trait of the Indian director is quite evident throughout the film, as complex issues are touched upon, but never delved into.The Director chooses to make his narrative light,but ends up being shallow.For a film of this nature,there is more research and time invested in Costume Design, rather than the plot and purpose.The storyline is imbecilic and shallow.People fall in,out of and back in love for no rhyme or reason.Intelligent editing, a hallmark of previous Johar films,is nowhere to be found.Scenes fall in to the screenplay thoughtlessly.The FBI have that usual "Look at him-He is dangerous-I want him caught" session; and immediately what follows is Saif being looked up by a Policeman with a flashlight,not identified and getting into trouble because the eccentric partner has trouble keeping his gun in his pants.Dialogues for the film don't move you,or bring anything new to light.The rift between the West and the Islamic worlds is brought to the fore at a Saif Ali Khan lecture,but the 5 minutes of screen space devoted to it is too short,and too simplistic.Also at times, one is reminded of the cheezy dialogues from Adi Chopra's pen. There is a scene where Kareena's father asks Saif if he expects him to meekly agree and give his daughter away in marriage to a Muslim thoughtlessly, and Saif retorts saying-"Aap beti vida mat kijiye, mujhe apna lijiye".It took me back to the Veer Zara scene where Shahrukh replies to Kirron Kher's query with "Bete ka to pata nahin, par haan, mere desh mein har maa aapke jaisi hoti hai.".A mind blowing action scene has very often seen bail out an otherwise bland passage of reel time,but such opportunities have also been squandered-like the Car Blast scene where Saif manages to escape the Police.The music of the film is above average,but nowhere near the breathtaking albums that have been a part of the recent Dharma offerings.The cinematography brings in some respite,standing out like that one perseverant player in an otherwise unbothered team.

Kurbaan is another half baked offering from the Johars' stable, which just like the Chopras(that Kurbaan takes from) has hardly managed anything worthwhile that does not accommodate the routine song, dance and happily ever afters.In fact,you just wish they lift films with such themes directly from their counterparts in other parts of the world.Do yourself a favour and watch "Khuda Ke Liye" and "The Siege" instead.

In a nutshell, this is a film that has been very poorly researched,and is perfunctory in the fulfillment of its purpose-be it entertainment,be it catharsis. Kurbaan is to serious cinema, what David Dhawan is to comedy-mindless and at best, average.2 Stars and an absolute thumbs down for Kurbaan.

That spectacle called competition.

2009-05-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

Having stated on an earlier blog of mine that nothing captured India's imagination like Films and Cricket, which is also why I rated films and cricketers on this space, otherwise intent on selling and leasing brains, I humbly admit that I was wrong in my inference!

Earlier this year,two of the biggest events were staged simultaneously, and both of them managed to hold their own, though I would like to believe that my new found enigma and favourite game of the day sneaked ahead of my All time favourite.Indian Politics is no less on entertainment value and it proved to be the indisputable king of the Idiot Box, especially so when it had stiff competition from the concoction of Bollywood and Cricket, abbreviated IPL.

First things first, similarities between both the games were striking.So much so,that the News Channels had no clue on what qualified as Breaking News- The firing of Veerappa Moily as the Chief Spokesperson for Congress or Mumbai Indians crashing out of the contest.

Mind games and tit-for-tats contended for every bit of screen space.The media never had it so good, one would reckon.While the subtle MSD retorted to Shane Warne's flamboyant wisecracks,a do-or-die L K Advani and technocrat turned politician Manmohan Singh let temperatures soar, as they took potshots at each other with elan.

The War of Words did not just limit itself to the Captains, and the reckless Lieutenants went all out to paint the town saffron, black and more colours than the palette possibly has.If Varun Gandhi took the BJP back to Square One, the bad boy of Indian Cricket, Harbhajan Singh was no dud either.Pernicious comments with ulterior motives,incorrectly categorized as juvenile or innocuous,mostly ended up inflicting lesser harm to the home team and party, and more so to the impressionable and young Indian audience which takes cues from these so called celebrities. In a race for eyeballs,and the rampant misuse of the freedom of expression, these fleetfooted prodigal sons of their respective games brought Ugly out of the closet.While Varun Gandhi's inflammatory speech could be traced back to the old BJP lineage and the old RSS objective, the lip service rendered by Harbhajan Singh probably drew from the captain of his early days, Saurav Ganguly, who is equally infamous for washing dirty linen in public and spilling Dressing Room talk and secrets into the open.

Saurav Ganguly and L K Advani too were similar in more than one way.At the outset, both of them saw their thrones slipping behind their backs; and at the end of the day,both the old Generals got thrashed black and blue. It did not take long for two immensely gifted Cricket Brains, John Buchanan and Shahrukh Khan to get their mathematics in place and oust Dada,substituting him with Brendon McCullum.Miffed,but strangely dumbfounded, Dada's famous determination deserted him just as his form.He ended up justifying the proverbial boot by scoring at a pathetic rate and at times, not scoring at all. Advani on the other hand,didn't lose it as bad.A sudden and what looked like an untimely move in the BJP campaign was the advent of Narendra Modi as a National leader and a prospective Prime Ministerial candidate. Though the campaign was not as desultory as it looks now, too many candidates indeed spoiled the outcome for the BJP.Advani's days, quite evidently are numbered, and all that BJP can do now is give him a better farewell than Dada got.

Swapping loyalties was the order of the day, as Karnataka lad Robin Uthappa retreated to the Bangalore camp after a somewhat decent showing for Mumbai Indians in the earlier IPL, whereas Zaheer Khan jumped on the Mumbai bus.Ashish Nehra and Shikhar Dhawan were two other players who swapped teams, but not the bucks.Quite strangely, this was where Cricket seemed to have imitated the Indian political arena; however the leopard seemed to have changed its spots.Or did we jump the gun there?These elections probably did not see the anticipated levels of Support Trading, with the Indian Voter having dealt a decisive blow.Though fewer in number, but as always, there were alliances made, mended and broken in the land of opportunity.Sharad Pawar, someone who, just like Advani harbored the dream of finishing off his political career with a captain's innings, bit the dust, and lo and behold-he changed colours. His perspicacity has seen him secure a place in a scrupulous and confident Cabinet.He has not flinched once since the Poll results came out.

A lot of similies can still be drawn - Veerappa Moily and Rahul Dravid; Adam Gilchrist and Naveen Pattaniak etc etc etc.In fact, the very intention of this blog is to set the cat amongst the pigeons-to get the reader to derive inferences and create comparisons.

But the biggest similarity was an outcome none of the Pundits of the game could have possibly predicted. Who will be the winner?
For a large part of it, the Congress approach convinced me of their intentions to lose the elections.Now that is sheer madness of thought, one would say.But the Congress had looked like a party which wanted to get out of the task of taking the reins of a country heading into a financial crisis.Navigation in turbulent times is invariably tough, but is also a thankless job.What should have been done weighs heavily against what has been done almost all the time.The pertinence of love for their Number One family seemed to have taken over.Rahul Gandhi is definitely not ready to wear the crown, and with a steep economic mountain to climb, Congress, I felt was shying away.To sum all of it though, everyone believed that a coalition was inevitable, which is why the now "we knew it all the way" Congressmen were actually singing sonnets of their love-hate relationship with the Left.Ultimately,the Indian electorate chose to baffle one and all, and the elections of 2009 produced yet another rabbit from the hat.
When it came to IPL winners, the Deccan Chargers were at the bottom of the table last time round.A change in Skipper,a change in attitude, and a change in results- yesterday's losers were triumphant today.Glory, at last!!!

But what am I really doing making this comparison? Well, competition in all its forms has always been similar.There are lessons to be learnt for players and captains from each arena from one another.How important reinvention is,was quite aptly demonstrated by the exemplary Adam Gilchrist, and is something the BJP would do well to learn from.The importance of reverence,and how far it goes to bring in optimism and positive outcomes is something the Kolkata Knight Riders can learn from the Congress, who persisted with the so called weakest PM, Manmohan Singh.If it ain't broke, don't mend it as they say.Myriad instances of this cross-learn and cross-gain theory are at our disposal, and one can only hope that the bar just keeps going up,with or without exams to evaluate.

The euphoria surrounding these spectacles of the sub-continent might be over, but the repurcussions continue to hound the mighty spirited Indian.The Budget has only just arrived, and I'd say,3 important overs are done with.With 37 still to go in the match, will the Indian Government be able to deliver what the Indian team couldn't in the T20 World Cup?How far would the promise and reality be?Hope not something like the IPL and the T20 World Cup.. in the times of today,the going is tough, and we need to keep going, come what may!!!And well,for everyone who lost heart at India's debacle in the T20 World Cup, there will be reasons to cheer-both the IPL and the T20 World Cup will be back before you know it...we need to keep cheering, come what may!!!

TOP 5 2008!!

2009-01-15T00:53:00.000-08:00

Having lazed for a while now,I finally take the easiest way out- which is to rate other crafts and craftsmen.And wear that Critcs' Hat.So,a repeat,rather revised telecast of an excercise that kicked off 2008 for Brains4Sale.

Listing down the top 5s for 2 things that are most passionately followed by every Indian and also by yours truly- Cricket and Hindi films.

The top 5 cricketers for the year 2008(Based on “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” theory with an eye on contribution to the team):

1.Graeme Smith / M S Dhoni: Will 2008 mark the end of an era of Aussie domination in world cricket?Captains courageous Smith and Dhoni are the two guys who have risen up to this challenge and top my ranks of the most prolific cricketers of the year. While Graeme Smith's personal accomplishment tower over anyone else, amassing a whopping 1,656 runs(Avg:72) to finish third in the All Time Highest Run Getters in a Calendar year; behind Mohd Yousuf and Viv Richards,his result oriented Captaincy saw the Proteans grab that elusive Test Series win Down Under to finsh the SA year with 11 Test wins. MS Dhoni was the man with the Midas touch in 2008.Notably,he turned competition on its head in both Australia and Sri Lanka in the ODIs and ended the year beating the Aussies black and blue in his own backyard.Veterans like Sachin and Saurav,youngsters like Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma, and competitors like Yuvraj played under him and set the stage on fire.

2.Dale Steyn: No other bowler was as destructive in the last 1 year as Dale Steyn.With the exception of Ajantha Mendis,who did not have the same number of Tests under his belt,Steyn was one bowler who ran through heavyweight batting orders at will.With 74 wickets in his baghis fitness and form seem to have hit a crest.In a game that is heavily lopsided to favour the batsmen, and bowling quality victimised, Steyn is making his presence felt.

3.Virender Sehwag/Gautam Gambhir: Just like the previous edition,people share spots on this list as well. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir most definitely had to share the space, owing to their prolific individual achievements and the consistency they displayed with their reliable Opening partnerships all through the year, and in both the Test and ODI forms of the game.Neither of these two players were a permanent fixture on the side when the year started; however by the end of 2008, they have stamped their presence with elan. While Sehwag finished Test Cricket 2008 as the second highest run getter, Gambhir toppled everyone else in the ODI arena.Rollicking opening stands provided by them ensured Indian victories from sticky situations.

4.Ajantha Mendis: Ajantha Mendis has announced his entry into world cricket with a resounding thump.He reminds me of the Kevin Pietersen's entry into world cricket.He has got the best in the business in tangles and the Indian and Pakistani sides among others were left reeling.He is a bowler to watch out for, and if 2008 is any indicator,Sri Lanka might just have found a successor and more to Miracle Man Murali.

5.Sachin Tendulkar: A glittering 2008 for the Master saw him add a few more feathers to that already overloaded cap of his.2008 was special though, because he silenced his critics(must say he is making a habit of this) winning India more matches than anyone else in crunch situations.The most prolific scorer in World Cricket ever,his tons in the CB Series ODI Finals and the famous Test against Australia on home soil will be the stuff of fables.

The top 5 films for the year 2008(Based on Class,Originality,my viwership and Nothing Else):
1.A Wednesday: Right from my first blog,I have maintained that catharsis is a major objective of visual entertainment, be it theatre or film.A Wednesday hits top spot on my list because it's a film that asks some very pertinent questions and stirs up the couch potato who scratches his head and lets out a resounding yawn every time there is a bomb blast somewhere.The film has two stalwarts of the Indian film industry, Naseerudin Shah and Anupam Kher who have mastered their craft and turned in scrupulous performances that stay with you long after the message dissolves in.Riveting stuff indeed.

2.Rock On:
Sab Ne Kaha Tha In Samandaron Mein Jaana Nahin
Mere Yaar Sunlo Sunlo
Khwaabon Ke Peeche Jaake Kuch Bhi Hai Paana Nahin
Mere Yaar Sunlo Sunlo
Gehra Samundar Tha Oonchi Oonchi Lehren Mere Yaar Sunlo Sunlo
Kasthi Acchi Acchi Bhi Mushkil Se Tehre Mere Yaar Sunlo Sunlo
O O Saahil Pe Gaa Hi Gaya O O.., Woh Mazil Ko Paa Hi Gaya O O..

The spirit of the movie stands out in these lines, and so do the Akhtar duo(Father-Son) and Shankar,Ehsaan and Loy.Its been ages since we had Javed Akhtar writing something this amazing.Kudos to Farhan for his layered performance,especially when essaying the stonecold Investment banker.But Shankar,Ehsaan and Loy take the cake-they rock bigtime.So does the film, and in spite of a little amateurish treatment,scores high on the emotional quotient,making for delicious entertainment.

3.Welcome to Sajjanpur: Shyam Benegal slipped down to three, probably because this is the first time he tried selling his movie.He hasn't really bothered much about the mainstream and the imbecile exigencies of Indian cinema before this, which is why he ends up creating a half-baked storyline.But even when he is doing it with a few strings attached,he is better than most of the other so called hot-shot directors.Good actors revel under him and it showed-Shreyas Talpade and Ila Arun dishing out their best and hilarious.

4.Jodhaa Akbar / Dasvidaniyan: Two films-one spot.Could not really decide on which one was better and ended up fitting in more films on this list than I want really.Both Jodhaa Akbar and Dasvidaniyan were experiences that could have been so much more than what they finally were.While I found the treatment of Jodhaa Akbar to be really unimaginative,I'll say that it was a really tough one to capture on celluloid.Hats off to Ashutosh Gowariker once again for creating an authentic period film with all the sights and sounds in good measure.Dasvidaniyan was a tearful story of a terminally ill man told well,but not well enough to scale up to the levels of an Anand,or even Safar.

5.Mithya / Mumbai Meri Jaan: The dearth of really good cinema was evident in the last year,especially,with objective Indian audiences of the day who know what they want and how they want it;which is why somewhat undercooked films were made all through the year and also make the cut.Both Mithya and Mumbai Meri Jaan were films that were good,and that is where the buck stops.But both the films stand out for some stunning performances from the ensemble cast they had.

To the Master Craftsman-Woody Allen!!!!

2008-09-29T08:08:00.001-07:00

Comedies that make you smile,and lend their warmth to your hearts and lives are few and far in between.But then,there are people who have a knack for it.In this age of slapstick comedy,the genre has evolved into a cheap artform.So,when you do pick up a DVD of a Woody Allen film,categorised a Comedy,and correctly may I add,you can be skeptical.Rest assured,your doubts will vanish as you chuckle through a script penned by Woody himself,and a taut screenplay would entertain you throughout.To add to this,Woody's acting skills(Nominated for Best Actor for Annie Hall) tickle your funny bone for sure.

Every writer puts down his own experiences,or at times ones conjured based on his knowledge base.Woody Allen is immensely gifted when it comes to writing,and his profound knowledge on a variety of subjects will keep you hooked on.In fact,so much that there would be times when you feel that the storyline goes desultory,but it is not without a rhyme or reason that he goes far and beyond with his characters, sometimes discussing art through them and then lunar activity at others.

In case you haven't had a taste of Woody,I'd suggest "Hannah and her sisters" for a start.Many would raise an eyebrow here,because "Annie Hall" and "Crimes and Misdemeanours" are branded as his best.But I feel this one can serve as the perfect appetizer, and if you have "Manhattan" to follow, nothing like it.

Woody,indubitably has a sense of humour that is unparalleled, something which has come to the fore so often in his interviews that get massive You Tube hits, and also in his innumerable flings.For instance,in one of his interviews,when asked of his predilection for portraying sexual behaviour of his protagonists,which also formed the crux of so many of his movies,he candidly admits to his fascination with sex.He goes on to narrate an incident where in his childhood he asked his grandmother,"How do you get babies".Hard on hearing,his Grandma mistook the question to be "How do you get Rabies", and gave him the correct answer-Dogbite.Woody for a good long time believed it to be true and this anecdote, true or otherwise,had the audience in splits for sure.In another of his interviews,where asked about religion,he said that he could never believe that the same entity viz. God could create so many things and also what he sees everyday in the mirror.

His films are a slice of life and his characters are real, going through a gamut of emotions in the length and breadth of the reels.The script was always the real hero and Woody's gift is undeniable.But to add to all of this, what completes a Woody Allen film is Woody Allen,the actor.Playing those insecure and clumsy characters came unbelievably naturally to him,and his soliloquies in films like Annie Hall and Manhattan are unforgettable.

Age has certainly caught up with Woody and of late,his films, Matchpoint or Cassandra's Dream have not been anything like his earlier works, but what he has given to us viewers is sheer delight.Well, I can just go on writing on about this brilliant artist, but then would be better to let you decide,if in case you do watch his works.I fold up here with a small TOP 5 of Woody Allen flicks that left me asking for more,and also devote this blogspace to the master craftsman:
1.Manhattan
2.Annie Hall
3.Crimes and Misdemeanours
4.Hannah and her sisters
5.Husbands and Wives/Everyone Says I Love You.

Alas,what goes up,must come down!

2008-04-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

This blog has two scenes,and the two scenes are in sharp contrast.Delight and dole often overlap and while one follows on the heels of the other invariably, the heart never misses a flutter at the best of times, and sinks,sinks and hits rock bottom when adversity is encountered.To meet both a victory and a loss with a balanced measure is something easier said than done.
Scene#1
It was a Friday night,and as I thud into my living room couch and got to swapping channels,monotony crept in on what seemed in all it's likeliness, an uneventful night.My roommates were out partying and with none of them in IMS(Infrastructure Management Services),they had a life and a weekend.Well,not to say that I don't have mine,but it falls on a Tuesday and Wednesday right now,and hardly does it seem that this is going to change in a hurry.As I rued my solitude,my mobile rang up.

There was a friend at the other end who knew of my Role in my Project and sounded excited.By the end of the call,so was I.I quickly flipped through the pages of "The Times Of India" and halted at the "Times Business" page.I smirked.

Neil Leslie(Vice-President,Microsoft) took centre stage on the page,and the interview excerpt spoke about my team which handles the technology of "Virtualisation", and its role in the release of "Windows Server 2008".I was jubilant.Overjoyed,I shot out mails to one and all in my team,and each one was wonderstruck and elated.

The following article came out in "The Times Of India" on Times Business on 03/28/2008.

Windows Server 2008: Virtual consolidation

Padmaja Shastri | TNN

Hyderabad: Windows Server 2008— recently launched by Microsoft, the latest devise has been developed to store files virtually— has an important India angle.
The server, whose key feature is enabling virtualisation, was test deployed and used to run the Microsoft (MS) IT campus in Hyderabad for the past 18 months. This included the company’s network operations centre (NOC) which monitors and administers the entire network of Microsoft operations globally, making a sort of confidence statement.
“This has helped create a testimony for our customers worldwide that the virtualised server could scale thousands of servers across the globe,” said Neil Leslie, vice-president, IT operations and engineering of Microsoft Corporation. Virtualisation technology helps in consolidation of servers scattered across various locations virtually at one place, thereby increasing efficiency of every server and reducing the number of these used in an enterprise, he said. It also brings down operational costs, as it is easy to manage all servers virtually from one location. MS-IT employees in the city not only were involved in identifying, fixing and eliminating the bugs or problem areas in the server, but they also helped enhance its distributed file system replication (DFSR) capability. DFSR helps in accessing data from servers located across many locations from one place, by virtually replicating the files. Infact, they had done the same thing with the latest MS O/s, Windows Vista, used it internally at Hyderabad centre for a year before it hit the marketplace and built innovative solutions on the product. Leslie told TOI that Hyderabad centre was at the core of how the MNC manages and runs its software applications and is as critical to it as its US IT operations. So, MS operations in the city will continue to grow and double every two years, he said.

‘This has helped create a testimony for our customers worldwide that the virtualised server could scale
‘thousands of servers across the globe
Neil Leslie | VICE-PRESIDENT

There were people who wondered why this was a big deal,especially when Neil never mentioned a name for the team.He never needed to.This infomation would have never made a difference to the people who don't know,and people who know the Microsoft environment knows my team for sure.Either way,the team name would have hardly baked the cake.What elated me was the freedom with which he chose to call us Equal Partners with the US IT Operations.I was pleased to think that my team had created value and instilled confidence at levels untouched.

From here on,sky is the limit!
Flutter away, O heart,spread your wings, wide and far
With miles to go before I sleep,
Can't help but ask,why is there a limit!!!

Scene#2
Riding high on a host of appreciation mails for a presentation made on the technology of Virtualization,I came to the office and logged on to my workstation, buzzing as a bee.The very friend who had called me up on that other red letter day,messaged me saying that the Promotion mails had started streaming in.Just when I thought my day couldn't have gotten better,I murmured to myself.

As I chuckled under my breath and went about scanning my mailbox,I was robbed off the happiness of my life.Dismayed,as I tried to hunt down the absconding congratulatory mail,a junior chipped in,"Hey Bhai,so is it a C to D for you?"Still confident,ably helped up on that pedestal my Manager had placed me on with his promises,I smiled and said,"Will tell you in a few minutes,mate."

The hours kept passing and every second minute I peeked at my mailbox in hope,more than expectation now.My Manager queried every second hour,"Did you get the mail,did you?"The lump in my throat was growing.What the hell was happening!Slowly the smile from my face vanished and my forehead was all wrinkled by the end of the day.All my energies had drained out.I was vanquished,I was dejected.My manager had fled the scene well before the usual exit time.My worst horrors had come to life.

This rude shock had instantly pulverized my confidence.Life does have its ups and downs I thought, but the nonplussedd me just could not come to terms with the reality-the reality that I had been duped.

Very unlike my other posts,quite a disappointing end to this blog,but that's the way life looks like at this moment-ruthless,unapologetic and wilful.As they say,when I was busy making plans for my life,life was busy making plans for me.Hoping against hope,I made the rounds of my mailbox for days after the fateful date,and finally realised,a Backup plan was,and is a must.Oblivion is the biggest sin a happy heart can commit,because cloud number 9 is no happy hunting ground.It's just like any other,water vapour really!

Chirping gleefully as I flapped my wings,
Little did I realise,that chicken dont soar,
Just a matter of time,
Before they get slaughtered,however hard they may roar!!

Gordon Gekko,Bud Fox and POWER!

2008-03-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

To the king its bestowed in his sceptre,to an electrician it runs in the wires,to the pugilist it resides in his bicep,to the thoughtful its not even remotely physical,to the government in its hegemony,to the politician its pretty inanimate...quite a riddle huh!!Diverse personalities,and diverse interpretations of that word that rocks the cradle,rules the world and much more-Power.Wattage definitely is a unit,and the measure is just a billing facility.We'd say we know more of the word with all the perspicacity gained,having gone around the Wall Street in just over an hour with Gekko and Fox.Everyone wants all of it,has some of it and pays a good deal for it-that's Power.Often equated with money,power can mean a lot more,as exemplified on the opening statement.

Honesty is the best policy is a mere proverb.Power and money tower high and means are irrelevant,as long as the ends are met.Throwing ethics out of the window opens the door to big bucks and big power.If only life was this black and white,if only life comprised of Gekko and Fox Senior!But there are more Bud Foxes in this world,twisted and tormented between the two ends that simply refuse to meet,between the haves and the have nots,between chalk and cheese,between the powerful and meek.Often,as Buddha advocates,people take a middle path,and end up in the over-inflated middle class.This class gets its chances,choices which promise as much as their is to lose,but its safer if you don't because you don't end up at the bottom,though at the cost of the high end of it,which is also why it is an illusion for the meek.Put in Gekko's words-If you are not inside,you are outside.And in Bud's-There is no nobility in poverty.

Wall Street is education for every viewer,who stumbles upon these choices day in and day out.How to make them in a world where winning is not everything-it is the only thing?Intellectually stimulating,the movie amalgamates economics,crisp film making,a stellar cast and all the three kinds of people I just talked about-the good(Martin Sheen),the bad(Gordon Gekko) and the ugly(Charlie Sheen).

For me-the film revolves around a thought,and that thought is called Gordon Gekko.The school of thought takes from the protagonist,as does yours truly.The thought opens the window and then that door opens automatically.

Gekko is right when he says that greed is good,and though paths to power seem lucrative,the cost is dear and you get billed for every acquisition.In a bid to acquire more wealth,more power,the middle path has to be forsaken and choices have to be made.Money never sleeps and you choose to burn the midnight oil,till you run out of it,as Bud Fox realised in a blink.Hankering after money,power and Gekko,Bud lost the Fox in him,and found him later,and paid dearly on both occassions(lost and found).Just as in real life,a Hansie Cronje,a Daniel Plainview,a Rubin Carter,a Government of the day,a Government before,and many more realised.

Moral of the Story-Make your choices carefully,the power to choose lies within you,and their is no bigger power than that..Be scrupulous,if not honest,because you will be billed,and no-do not be naive enough to think that you live in a democracy and that someone else will make that choice for you,especially so if you choose not to see the choice impending.Alas,life is not all about black and white,the haves and the have nots,chalk and cheese,the powerful and meek,but also the path tread to get to these extremes,also about the choices life presents you with on that path,and that demand you to barter your soul for something more...some more money...some more POWER!!!

GORDON GEKKO-the curtain raiser!!

2008-03-15T01:22:00.000-07:00

People ask me, who is Gordon Gekko- what's up with this alias. I say if you haven't seen the film yet, then you haven't tasted all the best things in life, and if you have seen it and forgot who Gekko was, then your taste isn't good enough.So I went ahead and compiled a few of my favourite dialogues that Gekko dishes out in the film, and mind you, all of this is in that one film. Needless to say,Michael Douglas swept all the Best Actor Awards in the year 1987, including the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.If you are still wondering this is an Oliver Stone film I am talking about-Wall Street.
1.Gordon Gekko at the Teldar Papers' Meeting: The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much.
2.Gekko expounds on the "reality" in America:The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth, five trillion dollars. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation. It's bullshit. You got ninety percent of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own. We make the rules, pal. The news, war, peace, famine, upheaval, the price per paper clip. We pick that rabbit out of the hat while everybody sits out there wondering how the hell we did it. Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy? It's the free market. And you're a part of it. You've got that killer instinct. Stick around pal, I've still got a lot to teach you.
3.Fox asks "What about hard work" when Gekko asks him to spy and gather Inside Info.No rhetorics to Gekko though:What about it? You work hard?Bet you stayed up analysing that stockyou gave me. Where'd it get you?My father worked like an elephant tillhe dropped dead at 49 with a heart attack.Wake up, will ya, pal?If you're not inside, you are outside, OK?I'm not talking about some$400,000-a-year Wall Street stiff......flying first class and being comfortable.I'm talking about liquid.Rich enough to have your own jet.Rich enough not to waste time.Fifty, a hundred million dollars, Buddy.A player......or nothing.Now you had what it tookto get into my office.The real question is whetheryou got what it takes to stay.Look at that.You're gonna tell me the differencebetween this guy and that guy is luck?
4.Gekko opens the curtains on Fox:The most valuable commodity I know of is information.Wouldn't you agree? The public's out therethrowing darts at a board, sport.I don't throw darts at a board.I bet on sure things.Read Sun Tzu, The Art of War."Every battle is won before it's ever fought."Think about it.You're not as smart as I thought you were.You ever wonder why fund managerscan't beat the S&P 500?Cos they're sheep.And sheep get slaughtered.I've been in this business since '69.Most of these Harvard MBA types on't add up to dogshit.You need guys that are poor,smart and hungry. And no feelings.You win a few, you lose a few,but you keep on fighting.And if you need a friend, get a dog.It's trench warfare out there, pal.
5.Some wake up call:Money never sleeps, pal.Just made 800,000 in Hong Kong gold.It's been wired to you.Play with it. You done good,but you gotta keep doing good.I showed you how the game works.Now school's out.No, no, no, no. You don't understand.I wanna be surprised.Astonish me, pal. New info.I don't care where or how you get it.Just get it.My wife tells me you made a move on Darien.Here's some inside info for you.That GQ type she's going out withgot big bucks......but he's putting her feet to sleep.Exit visas are imminent.I don't want you losing your place in line.Ah, Jesus!I wish you could see this.The light's coming up.I've never seen a painting thatcaptures the beauty of the ocean......at a moment like this.I'm gonna make you rich, Bud Fox.Yeah. Rich enoughthat you can afford a girl like Darien.This is your wake-up call, pal.Go to work.

There is a lot more-Gekko will inspire you,leave you cold and numb and haunt you. So if you haven't seen this already,grab a DVD and stop committing sacrilege.

Prevention is better than quinine...don't tell me !!

2008-03-03T05:22:00.000-08:00

What started off as a Comment on one of the blogs I frequent,has now culminated into a blog of mine,thanks to the challenges that the rodent has thrown at me of late.Due credit to "an-insight-into-my-murderous-mind" on http://rupajd.wordpress.com this blog is going to be quite plagiaristic(Guess where you saw that before,"Hail the Plagiarist"-my second blog here).
This blog is a tell-tale account of the homo sapien Vs the Culicidae family.
To go into the character build up would be a waste of time here.To make it short and sweet the victim is a Singleton who loves his sleep and the predator is the insect with a pair of scaled wings, a pair of halteres, a slender body, and long legs.The common attributes between the hunter and the hunted is that each has scant respect for the environmetal and social disturbance that his audio waves cause in those wee hours of the night,and also that its the same blood that runs in both of their bodies,just that it sometimes gets splattered on hands and sometimes gets sucked out.Getting into history, their has been a long Just Hate relationship between the two species.
It seems evident with the wide and ostensibly clean roads of Hyderabad that the Municipality worker is an absolute workaholic.But that First Impression fails to last long,once you've spent a sleepless night here,waving and slapping yourself incessantly and in vain,because you ran out of the Mortein(mosquito repellant) coil,the nocturnal saviour,or should I say the so-called saviour.
Mosquito nets are a lot of hard work and quite boring,though they still occupy the Number.1 spot in the list of bodyguards who protect human flesh and blood from the skeeters of the night.The next best option is the lotion/cream that you can embalm yourself with,but then,apart from being as tiresome a task,they leave some parts of your body sticky,and others vulnerable.So,even that option goes out of the window.
Now we zero down to that "so-called saviour" option which in spite of having been proven futile,is something that most single and lazy bachelors opt for-the Mat,the Liquidator and the Coil.All of these options vary in their usage and ingredients,but invariably serve one purpose,which is that they serve no purpose.Rather than playing over the mosquito's anatomy,these tools are designed to play with the human psychology.
When all these tools fail to drive these mosquitoes away, you turn to technology and get that Tennis racquet lookalike.When its at full charge and you are with full energy, the device can prove lethal.Sorry to say,that the moment you give your hand a rest and try getting some sleep,back from nowhere come the flying bloodsuckers.Acoustically gifted, they make their presence felt instantly.An incision here,that pipette there and its harvest time for the pests.
Finally,having employed every available tool,you capitulate.
Only the Municipality can save you now,you think,rather,hope.You despondently call up people you think will know the way to get your locality sprayed upon.Pat comes the reply,"That big brown Gate in your neighbourhood,thats the house of the Municipal Commissioner.We too have talked to him many times now,you can give it another try?"
I get to the big brown gate,its in deplorable state,the building is shabby and it looks more like a place these mosquitoes breed in.Don't they bite the guy,you wonder,and then you see him.Whoever said that one could suck anything out of this guy?!!This guy is a licensed bloodsucker,and rest assured,all your queries and requests fall on deaf ears.During this conversation the Commissioner has already beaten himself black and blue,killing a dozen mopsquitoes with apt skill and proficiency.
"Kuchh hoga nahin",he concludes with a smirk,"Aaj spray karo,kal fir aa jaayenge."
You'll be convinced by then,just as I am now,that 'Prevention is better than cure' is not an option here.
You raise the mosquito net and get to your bed that night,having slipped the Mat on the machine,switched the liquidator on,lit the Coil and excercised well with the day charged racquet and lie down with open eyes,watching the skeeters make their way in stealthily for their Dinners inside your net,and buzz around your nose rubbing their palms in sheer gluttony.This is no capitulation-its a meek surrender.You curse the tools in your vicinity and the Commissioner in the neighbourhood,and push your face in the pillow.
Moral of the story-Keep the cure in handy,and the day you feel drowsy and run a temperature,gulp that Quinine tablet down.A few weeks later,you will be fit for another bout with the not so weak "machhar",so mind it,and with another tablet in your shelf,get ready for battle.

Nip the evil in the bud!!!

2008-02-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Man is a social animal.His nature though,is not in the very chronology that the attributes appear in.Animal first,and social later.And its often that man has been witness to his barbaric self-destructive self.Self destruction roots from self preservation,and its the thought that the opposite holds good-destruction breeds preservation,that makes destruction a tool for preservation.

While the recent bomb blasts in various parts of the country exemplify self(our nation,the self) destruction,statements like those from Raj Thackeray exemplify self(I) preservation.The statements instil that fear and insecurity which leads to violent acts which metamorphose into carnage.Man's inherent Animal is exploited to the fullest by people with ulterior motives,people who have the pedestal to get heard.While so often these people open their mouths before their brains,make no bones about the fact that statements like these come after a lot of thought and foresight.

There was another such incident when controversial author Taslima Nasreen was attacked by a group of unruly activists.They not only gave vent to their personal agendas(Self preservation),but also broke the law and painted a sorry picture of the so called secular and free India.This was followed by mass agitations and movements and at the end,a good deal of violence that led to loss of life and property(Self destruction).

India is diverse and multi-cultural,but just as Man is an anti-social in his core,the Indian is intolerant.The Gujarat riots are a good example where little incidents that seemed innocuous bred to a massacre that has painted Indian history crimson.There are sufficient examples that we come across time and again where we were misled,and ended up committing fratricide.

Politicians and public personalities have played with the emotions of the Indian who still colonises with his kind,in a country where there are so many kinds,based on caste,creed and above all,religion.Their illogical,but arousing words get blood boiling and violent excesses result in death and despair.At the end of it all,the real culprits go scot free,win elections and flout the law again,and again,and again.The theory of "Self destruction(man killing man,or rather Indian killing Indian) leads to Self preservation" is vindicated.

Raj Thackeray,a Bal Tackeray wannabe is on track to exploit one similar faint border that exists in the Maharashtrian's heart.The feeble line is of no use to him.So he is looking to awaken the Maharashtrian heart and tell him that the North Indian is depriving him of his bread and butter,much like the means Bal Thackeray employed to get Shiv Sena rolling with his the Maharashtra Vs South India propaganda years ago.

The Govt and more importantly We,the people need to look at this with objectivity.This is clearly a malicious act,aimed to garner votes in the elections due in a year's time,and is impardonable.Mouths like his need to be locked up and the key thrown into the very abyss they look to hurl us into.That is because while these statements win these people the elections,they sow the seeds of new hatred.Sectarian politics and nativism have been detrimental even earlier,but now Raj Thackeray seems to be looking to deliver that fatal blow to the society with systematic provocation.

Both our past and present substantiate the fact that we are an impressionable race and if we got together and followed the Mahatma to throw the Britishers out,so can a Raj Thackeray with the right mix of dirty politics and ostensible patriotism,get the Maharashtrian to oust the migrantBut while the Gandhi effect is impossible for a pedestrian Thackeray to have,it sure as I said has sown the seeds of hatred and sooner or later,bloodshed seems inevitable.

We have enough lines and borders in our lives to deal with.And this is a request to both Raj Thackeray and the people of this country to look into issues that hold water and carve the way to progress.This is a request to both the Indian judiciary and the people to wake up and not just take notice,but punish these power mongers who have scant respect for India and its heritage.Nobody is above the law,and each one is accountable.Also the fact that there is never a wrong time to do the right thing has to be driven home.And these facts can be,and have to be engraved into each citizen's mind.If we cannot inculcate patriotism in the scum of this system,let us employ the other way-instil fear of the law,and the way its put into practice.

We need to evolve positively,and so does this country.The Animal within will have to be curbed and intellect and a mature understanding would have to reign if we are to make ourselves a race that deserves progressive and positive leaders who make us stronger by uniting us.Everytime we create violence we destroy our country in all manners and respects and this self destruction needs to be thwarted,and self preserving predators who go about in the garb of victims need to be taught lessons and made examples of-I plead you,we can't take another Godhra!!!!!!!!!We deserve better than this,don't we?

-----Puri----Part 2----Sun,sea,sand and..

2008-02-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

A haven for pilgrims and tourists alike,fun is an integral part of the Puri experience.While the first part painted the pilgrim's visage,the freak-out tourist gets his share of the spotlight on this second part.Inferences from my earlier blog should have revealed my predilection for the place.

Like any other beach,the golden beach of Puri is a stretch of sand,and just like any other beach the shore pictures magnificient as the tides break on it.Unlike other beaches though,you would not find people in an inebriated state,or even foreigners cutting loose.With an atmosphere of sanctity around,you take a holy dip and if its not the water that'll purge you,it sure should have you jumping in joy.

Intospection is what inevitably plays on the mind and the sights and sounds are a whole lot different.You are richer in experience at the end of the day,the calmness around with that tinge of soporific has given ample space to reflect and thrive.No wonder philosophers and writers have found solace in the symphony of colours as the sun descends into the deep blue waters.

But it is not all about spirituality.It is also about the free spirit that breaks the shackles here and shouts out loud,its voice dissolving in the sea when you are one with it,embracing it and at times being an element of nature yourself.

With colleges sprouting up in and around Puri(Bhubaneswar,60 kms from Puri has a record number of Engineering colleges and follows Bangalore closely) youth and its exuberance find vent here,and invariably a group of friends grab their bikes and head beachwards.Fun and frolic,excitement and delight all the way in the scintillating beauty offered by the ethereal mix of Sun,sea,sand and the soul.

The beach probably lags on the Adventure front and apart from the odd horseback and camelback rides,juvenile pleasures of Para-sailing and water-skiing are sorely missed.Getting the paraphernalia in place to get the adventurous self howling will take some doing as the culture really is more peace abiding and flying in the air with no ground to rest your foot on may be well considered imbecile.

Food on the beach is sheer joy.And so are the shops operating as they locomote.The hawkers and the vendors,the chowmein and the Chaiwallas-each one makes his buck and though the price tag is lower than expected for a Tourist Attraction, the quality isn't.A pat on the back and the tea/coffee you gulp down can be "Mast hai" or for that matter "Bhala laaguchi".

These joys and more await you and the Puri beach is an overwhelming experience.It is almost a habit with me to sit on the sands and feel the mellifluous sea play the instrument as I experience the oneness.Quite a place,eclectic mix of the sun,sea,sand and the soul,which we often forget lies somewhere within..but its there!

PURI-----PART 1------The Pagoda.

2008-01-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

Often when filling out a form,you have to fill in that distinguishing feature about you, and almost always you have one that you feel is unique and seeable-a mole below the lip,a scar mark somewhere,dimples!When I travel outside my home state of Orissa, invariably an inane expression follows my introduction where I mention Orissa.Questions about its geography are a must,but almost everyone identifies it when Puri Jagannath is used as a remider.Puri is just like that mole on the visage of Orissa;usually oblivious,now(post my intro) inquisitive but never ignoramous people find it to be the hallmark of the state.
Puri has been and shall always be one among the Chaar Dhaam that every staunch Hindu wants to visit before bidding a goodbye to this mortal world.It has been the symbol of Hinduism in the east and epitomises spirituality. Young and old, Hindu and Muslim, the believer and the atheist-one and all have felt that vibe.What is that vibe?
For all those who have not been to Puri,you have to be there to feel it,I'd say and I think everybody who has been there would concur with.Being to Puri for the umpteenth time on my last visit,which was in fact very recent and to be exact happened only last week,I could not help but be fascinated by its sights and sounds. It is like that scene in a film that you have seen a thousand times,but still it manages to hit you,like you're seeing it for the first time.A visit to the Jagannath Mandir is a must,because this is where you begin to feel that vibe.There are two kinds of people here.One who want to make their current life good,and the other consists of people who are more concerned about their lives after this one.Inevitably the first group of people manage to make the most of the paraphernalia available in the premises,and the second group,they are as clueless as they were when they set foot looking for eternal bliss.
The temple staff definitely belongs to the first group and they are busy raking in the moolah.Some parasite or the other climbs up your back the moment to set your foot in,and keeps chattering away at your ears for the Bhoga(Prasad/offering made to the deity).There is a variety of Bhoga available and the debate of Private versus Public makes its presence felt.The monkey on your back will guide you to one particular shop all the time,and you keep saying "No,no,I am just here to offer my prayers;no bhoga for me". Mind you,the parasite has seen tougher nuts and has enough in his kitty to crack them.So you are going nowhere with your argument.
Hell and heaven are the crux of this debate and rationality goes out of the window.It's said-Paani mein rehke magarmachh se bair nahin karna chaahiye(Never make enemies with the crocodile when you are in the water).This holds good and you give in when that indifferent comment is hurled upon you with the vermilion clad guy looking at the top of the temple and saying in casual fashion-"its up to you and if your soul can find peace,in hell or in heaven,I have nothing to say!There is no bigger sin...".
I have visited this temple with my friends too,and just like with other family members,the consensus was not to give in to these allurements,or buckle under threats.In short,all of us realised that no amount of bhoga is going to purge us of our sins,if there is anything like that in the first place.Amazingly,this was easier said than done.Never have I been able to achieve this.
In fact the ocassion where I gave up attempting this was when I went with my friends.Most of us are pretty nonchalant when it comes to religion,and having said that,this task should have been accomplished easy. To my dismay,we not only ended up offering a Bhoga that cost us a thumping sum of money,but also had the famous "Abadha" accompanied with the wonderful "Kanika" rice.Everything was done with a cheerful smile and absolute oblivion reigned when it came to adherence to the pact.
Once the inevitable has been dealt with,you enter the main Pagoda with your Bhoga held tightly in one hand,making way in the crowd,trying to catch a glimpse of every piece of architecture around.On big festival days,these crowds can turn ugly and queues give way to stampedes.However,I haven't had that fortune and getting through the normal Rush is no less tiring and tedious.And on the way,there would be other guys clad in vermilion and white looking to make their buck.With a couple of sticks in hand,they wack you on the head,and they do that for some good reason.Lower your Dakshina,harder comes the wack.And these Nanas(Brahmins) have a great eye at identifying soft targets- women."Das Tanka re kana heba?(What'll happen with these 10 rupees) he says and looks at you with utter disbelief-eyes popping out and that right hand going up,all ready to smack you.You crouch like a hockey goalee in defense as Mother slips out a note that makes the glutton all gleeful.
You proceed into the main portion now,and this is where you get to witness the ecstasy of the devotees.Getting a peek at the idols inside is quite a struggle.You always put a foot on someone else's and there is muted anger,demonstrated by that tooth grinding look-Come on now,you can't swear in the House of the Lord,can you!Sorrying a dozen people you have walked on you finally make it to the first line of devotees,and a hand pulls your Bhoga from your hands.It is one of the Nanas,and you heave a sigh of relief.He gets that Bhoga of yours sanctified and gets the bag back to you in a flash.As the mob behind you is pushing you left(that is where the Exit is),nonplussed you screech your lungs out-"Hei gala?hei gala?(Is it done?is it done?)".The Nana doesn't even give a second look,he's busy pulling at the Bhoga bag some other pilgrim.
You get pushed out of the Exit door and breathe in.As you relax,there is the Temple Market awaiting you for some more affiliated purchases.And these shopkeepers have their typical style,pretty similar to the parasite you had jumping all over you a little while ago.
Buys here call for a penchant for bargains,and talent when it comes to deal with these people who are capable of saying almost anything.Amidst all this a group of loquacious beggar children keep tugging at your hand or habiliment for a coin or two.They are just as obstinate as the earlier parasites and are equally time trained.They know their targets and the spots to hit upon."In God's name" is the catch phrase and as soon as you've shelled out their hard earned paisa,they go swearing among other street children with absolute panache.No other place in Orissa can compete with Puri on this front.People swear at the drop of a hat,and so fast that you sometimes don't even get it.And after making that final purchase of a bead,a ring or a shell,or even a showpiece from the little market,you head out.
Let me assure you,at the end of it all,you would have enjoyed this trip.It was different,engrossing,was a lot of things happening together,lot of idols in that temple campus and with that tasty Bhoga,you're sure to have got your money's worth if not that feeling of piety.
There is another soul stirring experience waiting to WOW you,but then lets have that in the second part of this PuriStory-the length of this blog is already treading that boundary limit now,where the blog begins to become an essay.So,lets have the beach experience on Part 2,shall we!

Call it Nano, call it Sitara, I call it inspiration.

2008-01-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

Ratan Tata is well on course to fulfil a promise he had made, to himself and this country. The Nano, which would be the cheapest CAR around, also promises to fulfil dreams and promises that many other sons made and would make,it makes the four-wheeler a possibility that is affordable and much less of a back-breaker in the Indian setup, where Roti, kapda aur makaan are still paramount.

A lot of space on the media, in all of its forms has been devoted to the pros and cons of the arrival of a car such as the Nano. People denouncing it for reasons as preposterous like pollution are people who make a living by feeding on the value that innovators like Tata try creating in a system that has too many irrational and invisible elements or factors, that thwart sensibilty and progress, as the perspicacious Ambanis found out with Reliance Fresh. Malicious people,ulterior motives,red tape,nepotism etc etc-"irrational and invisible elements or factors" play a decisive role in the Indian structure and sometimes even a win-win situation can end up being boycotted and at times even the GOOD is nipped in the bud.

Let me make it very clear that I am not one of these parasites. Business sense and planning though not what I have set out to write about.

Nano is neither the only invisible dream that came assembled on four wheels and a gleeful price tag, nor is it the first. Pakistan's Sitara, launched way back in 2004 by Habib Motors fulfilled this dream alright. Its fate though has been anything but heartening-60 sold in all this while.

What both these cars are not going to cater to, and what looks like the USP that these cars possess may turn out to be UNSP(Unique Not-Selling point).In this age where the rule,"If you've got it,flaunt it" rules the roost, it's difficult to see many buyers in the status conscious markets of the day. With the engineering division having lived up to its challenge, the Tatas have a daunting task of keeping the integral price tag and attracting a significant consumption of its product. This balance would need them to think out of the box, and opening up franchisee assembly units is one idea that they seem to be toying with currently. Quality has to be uppermost though and this idea rides a high risk of compromising on the Tata name that has stood for quality. But there can be other plans that Tata is sure to come up with, and I only hope that they work-because this superhuman effort emerged from "inspiration".

Dreams that one sees can have diverse sources, but the ones that draw their marrow from life itself are honest and deserving. Even the Sitara was more an outcome of inspiration than business strategies drawn out on a table.

The Sitara project was first inspired by routine bike accidents in Pakistan. An enduring image in Mehmud's(chief executive of Habib Maritime which owns Habib Motors) head is that of five men going somewhere on a motorcycle. ‘‘We wanted the poor Pakistani to have a safer mode of transport,'' says a top executive of the Habib Group, the banking major that funds the car project.

The Nano too has stemmed out of an inspired Ratan Tata, the idea germinating when he saw a family of four on a scooter, with a kid standing in front of the driving father and another baby clinging on to the mother on the pillion.

Indubitably, dreams are the seeds of any invention. And when dreams as honest and insurmountable as the Nano,or the Sitara are realised, they become food for thought- the fodder for new inspiration, setting benchmarks and telling the best brains in the business that the impossible can be achieved. Honest because it wanted to give the family on the scooter something that fit in to his purse at the risk of the Tata name being called a poor man's brand, and insurmountable because a 1 lac car was always going to be a test of technolgy,economics and demographics.On both fronts the Nano and the Sitara have come out trumps, what came first and what would exit last does not matter,because in this day of cut throat competition,there are some people who have their hearts in the right place.

Maybe, the Nano will meet the same fate as the Sitara, maybe it'll reinvent and evolve into a better car as time goes by, maybe a year from now the Tatas would shut the Nano shop down or relaunch it with improvements at some later point,whatever happens,it would continue to embody "Inspiration". Every time a technological marvel comes in, out come the claws and the flaws and it is no different even this time, but the Nano has opened the doors for imagination and scope for thought that accounts for the pocket of the common man.

Providing products for each and everyone in the society should be important to every industry- pharmaceutical,automobile,clothing,electronics ..the list goes on... and the Nano should be inspirational all the way.Let us hope that this happens, and all segments of this society and industry realise that there is nothing better than having a cloth that one and all can cut their coats from.

My top 5!!!!

2007-12-31T01:57:00.000-08:00

Well, year ends are always special. And a time when the numbers game gets a whole new meaning. With countdowns galore, I decided to jump on the bandwagon as well.

Listing down the top 5s for 2 things that are most passionately followed by every Indian and also by yours truly- Cricket and films.

The top 5 cricketers for the year 2007(Based on “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” theory with an eye on contribution to the team):

1.Matthew Hayden :

He dominated the game in all of its forms(Highest scorer in both World Cups) and like wine, has only bettered with age. In a year that was dominated with the Mini and Micro forms of the game, Hayden made sure his innings' were long enough to grind the opposition each time he walked in. This modern day batsman is probably second only to Sir.Vivian Richards when it comes to intimidating the bowlers.

2.Mahender Singh Dhoni / Mahela Jayawardene :

Two cricketers who have been rated jointly, because in addition to skill, they displayed matchwinning and leadership capabilities that were exemplary to say the least.Dhoni winning a WC for India in 25 years, and Jayawardene mauling attacks to win and save matches on more than one occassion make it to the No.2 spot proving that Cricket is a game that is played as much between the ears, as on the 22 yard strip.

3.Brett Lee :

Challenges become stepping stones for some and adversity only brings out the best in such people.He has filled the extremely large shoes of Glenn McGrath with splendid performances, and has once again shown that typical Aussie grit and readiness to take up responsibility.Year 2008 promises to be even bigger.

4.Adam Gilchrist :

Yet another aussie, one would say, but one can hardly help it. As he became the wicketkeeper with the 2nd highest dismissals in test cricket leaving the great Ian Healy behind, he makes into this shortlist because he performed when it mattered the most.He battered the Lankans out of the WC finals,winning Gold for the Aussies for a third time in a row with a prolific ton.

5.Jacques Kallis/Muttiah Muralitharan :

While one was the highest run getter in the year, the other was the highest wicket taker. On the way, they also rewrote records and promised that they'd be tumbling many more as the years go by. Special mention of Murali's feat as he went on to become the highest wicket taker ever.

The top 5 films for the year 2007(Based on Class,Originality,my viwership and Nothing Else):

1.Taare Zameen Par :

A lot of space on the web has already been devoted to this film. My earlier blog has ample reason to justify my Pick of the year.

2.Parzania :

A film that wakes you up, slaps you on the face and says open your eyes and look around you, because the people have begun killing people for the stones they worship.The Gujarat tragedy was brought alive and as Parzan and his parzania(Utopia) went bye bye, so did he.Unforgettable performances by Sarika and Naseer left its audiences shellshocked.

3.Jab We Met & Johny Gaddaar :
Jab We Met :

A film that rode on a boy meets girl story for the umpteenth time, but what it had was freshness. The treatment from Imtiaz Ali was 100% Imtiaz Ali, and he had indeed gone over the mistakes he had committed with his earlier "Socha Na tha", rectified them and came back with a winner,hands down. While Kareena lit up the screen as she flirted with the camera, Shahid produced his most mature performance till date.
Johny Gaddaar :

The thriller genre has been handled and malhandled time and again on celluloid. Ek Haseena Thi, the first venture from Sriram Raghavan went wrong when it seemed heading the correct path for a large part. This one,fortunately does away with the wrongs, and just like Imtiaz Ali, Raghavan brings about a film that has all the Errata in place.

4.Cheeni Kum :

Another romance, another debutant director and another film that said much more than a film is usually expected to. This romance between a 64 year old man and a 34 year old woman was something that we've hardly seen on indian screens-it was mature and intelligent, hilarious and sadenning and a welcome relief in this age of slapstick comedy. Tabu was a revelation and the Kiddo(Sexy) was all set for an award,but for Darsheel Safary.

5.Metro :

Well done, Anurag Basu!After a string of "they all look the same" films for the Bhatt camp, Basu has come up with a desi "Love Actually" that makes you fall in love with its characters actually. The concept was borrowed like in most Bhatt camp directors' films, but so was it for a host of other clones, the most disastrous of them all being Salaam-E-Ishq. What made this stand out was the flesh and blood-Sharman Joshi, Kay Kay Menon and Irrfaan Khan were good, while Konkona turned in with one of the best performances of the year.

There are a few films and a few cricketers who did not make it to this list, in spite of good performances and good work because they lacked something or the other in the criteria that I took into account.

Post in your top 5 on the Comments and if you think that I am mad to have put something in or left something out!!!!!!

Taare Zameen Par.

2007-12-22T02:50:00.000-08:00

Tu dhoop hai, chhamm se bikhar,
tu hai nadi, o bekhabar;
beh chal kahin, badh chal kahin,
dil khush jahan, teri to manzil hai wahi

I have hardly written anything for a while now. So when I saw the TZP trailer I thought reviewing it should be something fun to get back blogging. There wasn't a single person who hadn't said having seen the trailers that-Thats how I was in my childhood. The trailers don't lie- TZP is so real that you are left gasping for more at the end of the reels.

By the interval, I was spellbound, by its end I was speechless, and as I sit down to write this, I am running short on words. It is "That kind of a Movie".

To quote the now famous Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN Now Showing, the most honourable film of the year has arrived, and by God, he is wrong. It is the truth, and nothing but the truth, but not the whole truth- because its not just the film of the year, its much more than that-because its is a timeless tale. You will watch it in 2007 and you will watch it in 2047, and you will watch it in 2147, and wipe the dust off and keep it in that case, because you want to watch it tomorrow again.

Aamir Khan is no wizard and in spite of all his scrupulousness and penchant for perfection, is fallible, and he was at flaw with a few ventures before- Not this time, buddy, not this time. I did set out here to attempt reviewing the film, but to repeat myself,I really have no words to comment on a masterpiece of Indian cinema-Hollywood come on,do you have an equal there somewhere?!

All I'd say is that don't miss it for anything-overwhelming,heartwarming,mind-blowing etc etc etc are a few adjectives that can only attempt to describe the experience,but its only for the individual viewer to experience it, and as Masand so aptly put it- It could change your life!

There are few names that Aamir takes in the film, and I just have one addition to make to three of those, and its not Dyslexia that's common between them- Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Alva Edison......AAMIR KHAN!!!!!!!!!!!

Sporterstitious..who isn't!!!!!

2007-08-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

The third and probably a memorable Test about to begin,me and my roommate grab our chairs;fizz out the Pepsi 2 Litre pet,and with all the paraphernalia in place,we switch to the channel we have been feeding on,ever since its much delayed telecast-Star Cricket.As the match progresses,Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik display ample flamboyance,as we go Hip Hip Hurrah!And suddenly,the mobile rings,I go out blabbering away over it.And when I return,I find the "Kutte kamine,main tera khoon pee jaaoonga"look on my roommate's face.I get the threat of my life as he stands menacingly with a bat in hand,ready to batter my head away.Jaffer has been dismissed and its all because I got out of the room in the midst of an over.As I look at him in disbelief,he recounts atleast a couple of incidents,which I had no recall of,when I had done the very thing and an Indian batsman had walked back to the pavilion.
"Come On man,give me a break!"
"Either you don't watch it,or you better not move between overs..come hell or high water!"

Their have been numerous such irrational incidents that I have been a witness to,and even at times a part of,where locomotion was objectionable and indifferent actions considered blasphemy.Whoever thought that it was only the sportsmen who give into silly superstitions.Fans are no less than there idols,and sport followers all over the world would vouch for that.All reason goes out of the window and the stars seem to be re-aligning themselves somewhere in the cosmos,causing a channel switch to determine if Federrer wins the point over Nadal,and vice-versa.

Why not,quips the quintessential fan,pointing out that it isn't harmful,is it!Quite a rhetoric!Who knows when and why the stars might be re-aligning theselves up there.After all,the ones settling it out in the middle have no qualms about accepting the telepathies that inanimate objects have.Well,it sure does cater to the theory that one and all in this universe are connected.If Steve Waugh kept that rag in his pocket, and Saurav Ganguly insists on carrying all that baggage around his neck,then why should we not capitulate to these pseudosciences,these sporterstitions.

What these superstitions have brought to the couch potato is that false sense of control.And doesn't it feel sweeter when you feel you are playing a role in your favourite team's ascent.The sport presenters have been pretty quick to cash in on this irrational sporterstitious guy.People bring out their books on numerology and Tarot cards and along with it their names on the big screen,screeching and preaching,making predictions left right and centre.

The predilection for predictions is another great object for Timepaas,and the words-"Dekha,main bola tha na" are simply inevitable as the Live telecast gets into that decisive phase.Making predictions has become a Living room game and elevates the levels of enthusiasm.Who's going to get it right!!!Who knows the game like the back of his hand!!!Precious little regard do these predictions have for the game and its spirit.I recall that last India Vs West Indies test series as India were on the brink of a famous Test win,and one of my co-watchers gave vent to his intuition-Its going to be a draw!We went into splits.Crazy,he has gone crazy!!Well,well,well,the rains intervened,and the match did end in a tame draw,as our local Nostradamus looked at us with that twinkle in his eye,and we were downcast and vanquished.He should have been hired as the weather man,we felt,who needs weather balloons any more.

While the stories just keep rejuvenating every time a match happens,the fun is a constant.While these sporterstitions may be irrational and at times irritant,indubitably these make watching sport a richer and an enthralling experience.And more often than not,its that butterfly in the stomach that keeps us glued,and if the sport cant do it,maybe that Living room game can!Sporterstitions are infact,so much like energy,they just continue to transform themselves and live on.So howl on,keep predicting,and hey,take that statutory warning-"Either you don't watch it,or you better not move between overs..come hell or high water!"

More in the Will than in the Willow-KP!!

2007-07-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

Kevin Pietersen proved the point yet again on a day(Day four,1st Test at Lord's 2007) that could have been so much more for the Indian side.He came in,displayed his usual aggression and dominated the Indian bowling,which means that he has conquered yet another bowling side.The special one was when he sent Kumble into orbit.Another feather to that cap.
This is not a first for him when he has come in at times that demanded more than just skill and craftsmanship.This level headed guy is single handedly taking England to dizzying heights in Test cricket-with the last Ashes series being the only exception probably,where it takes more than just a couple of players to win.
He is the quintessential matchwinner,and with maturity beyond his years,he has taken the baton from Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara now.Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis are probably two other players who are doing exceedingly well for their sides as well.But KP has faced adversity and come through it,fit as a fiddle a good number of times now.In a short career span,he has shown that he is no mere mortal on that 22 yard strip.
A little personal duel too was won along the way,where he bettered himself,and took out all doubts that might have tiptoed somewhere in that conscience of his.It would have pleased many an admirer to see him overcome the 158 runs' jinx and go on to score that double hundred in the last series.Beware bowlers!!!
But all this that he has achieved has not happened because he has an infallible technique,or any drug that he took secretly.It is called Will Power.I WILL WIN-Come what may,I will win.He has simply willed himself into winning.Winning,for any sportsman, is the ultimate motivation.A hundred that ends up in a losing cause is not just forgettable,but also heart wrenching.
If I recollect correctly,he walked into the side replacing the prolific Graham Thorpe.The shoes that he had to fill in seemed enormous,but only till that first innings fifty where he got into grips with the Aussie bowling and Test cricket,and graduated from being the debutante to the stalwart that we have come to know him as.Plundering away with intimidation he proved to himself and the world that he belonged here.This was his stage and his artistry was here to stay,take your breath away.His steely resolve and ample help from the man of the moment Andrew Filntoff helped England reclaim the Ashes.Kevin Pietersen had just arrived!
The challenges he faced in the series were immense with new plots being planned out,and chinks in his armour being studied with dexterity by the professional aussies.They threw everything at him,and he threw the kitchen sink back at them.The capitulation of the world beating side was no One off event,as he has since then continued to conjure up knocks of high quality and character at the drop of the hat and conquered one territory after another.
Its like,he walks in,identifies the situation,gathers himself and plays knocks as need be.Never subdued and invariably intent on galloping away to the post that only he has set out for,the evident will power in his knocks have overshadowed his vulnerabilities and the usual suicidal tendencies displayed by the usual slam-dunk variety batsman.He spends a lot of time on the crease,and that is when you can win those battles.
Some big tests are still ahead of him,and as the world keeps dissecting his batting to get the better of him;I feel that they aren't going to succeed.This guy looks,feels and acts different when he is out there.He is not the mere mortal-not the Ganguly or the Sehwag,who have failed to get back up on their feet once exposed.There were occassions when his compulsive hooking and playing across the line formed the bait,and he quickly realised it,and controlled his suicidal predilection-and all in the name of playing one's natural game.
There would be more of these tests and it'll be upto him to figure out ways to score runs when oppositions would try stifling him,derailing him,beacause that is the essence of competitive professional sport
I sincerely hope Pietersen vindicates this write up of mine in the near future,displaying his indomitable spirit and will to succeed.The game needs its icons and he seems to be right on time to,as I mentioned earlier, wear the habiliments of the elite few.As a new era of cricket dawns,a vaccum left behind by the maestros of the game-Sachin and Lara needs to be filled.And this time round,it would be all the more pleasing to see the great knocks finish on the winning side.Can KP fill in those shoes-Only time will tell.But something tells me now-that he WILL.

Hail the Plagiarist!!!!!

2007-07-08T22:08:00.001-07:00

Well,what might not sound like a gospel,is not necessaarily untrue.And "any information is good information",is something that led me to believe that the plagiarist is as invaluable to the society as the innovator himself.Wherever did that take off though you may ask,and pronto comes the answer when you just take a look at that Display name of mine-Gordon Gekko. For movie buffs,this name is pretty synonimous with power and intrigue,with lines that make business sense and a panache unmatched.Quite deservedly Gekko won Michael Douglas his only Oscar,and director Oliver Stone a place in the hearts of many a couch potato. The line from the movie WALL STREET,"The most valuable commodity that I know of is information,wouldn't you agree!?" is something that stirs up any person,and more so the one who lives in the largest democracy on the planet-India.This country has been subjected to people and views,more often than not with ulterior motives,and misled into misery and that abyss that just gets deeper with each passing day. Thats really been something that this nation suffers from,more than anything else,more than the poverty,more than the blah blah and blah,and the million reasons that find a way or another to vent themselves out on the TV screens,the newspapers and the multitudes of magazines. What's really been something that this nation suffers from,I didn't metion.And that is more opinion and less information.In a nation where dogmatic beliefs ride over rationale,anomalies become a sensation,and the right becomes pedestrian-because it isn't different. I am ached,but not surprised to see my fellow citizens jump on to the Global warming bandwagon.Hearsay,and a good deal of publicity is redirecting funds to the Bag that USA wants them to be destined to.And I am sure,they'll take good care of this goose that's now incubating all those golden eggs for them.But blindfolded we tread behind.Come on,how can there not be anything in all that furore.To make an informed decision,would it not be better to look into the Hi-profile resignations that have left the IPCC lean,but definitely not needy. Well,what the plagiarist can do at such times is speak out information.Probably he'll bring out a perspective that's not congenial,rather accurate.Wouldn't that suffice,or would one still look for the sensational. The plagiarist and the confirmist differ in a way,I believe and thats exactly why I feel that the former deserves a place while the latter is expendible.While the confirmist has a Yes popping out,the Plagiarist will tell you the tale,as it was.The last three words make him important in a manipulative setup-AS IT WAS! The Locals in Kotayam insist that better throw out the children who've got AIDS from the school in the vicinity,or they'd pull out their children from the school.Even when you try telling them the right,they wont budge from their stand.And it'd be interesting to see what the Government does,and for whom.Strange that in such situations,its difficult to differentiate the Cat from the Mouse. Well,what the plagiarist can do at such times is speak out information.Maybe,he would not bring in something new,but probably we need a clearer picture of the old and the existent to move into the future with the right foot forward. What you may find on this blog may be nothing novel,not even an idea,maybe something that you always knew,but Information neverthless.Its been a good long time since a source could really be relied upon.When the leading newspaper of the country, "The Times Of India" reports that Andhra Pradesh would be the first state to house both the IIT and IIM,you wonder if it was sheer excitement that blinded the prestigious writer and editor,or is West Bengal no more the state that Kharagpur stands.Luckily,no such doubts creep in about Kolkata.Thanks for the information,you'd say,but the Page 3 section of your paper is better researched. The Right to Information Act is a Move that opens a door to light.Hope we aren't sitting with our backs to that door.The door has been left ajar,left for us to open and explore the illumination and the Sun itself.It'd be better if we try seeing the objects that'll shine in that sunlight,rather than trying to look into the Sun,because when you try looking into it,you invariably close your eyes.Let there be light,let there be focus,and let their be direction. Maybe what I wrote down above was just sheer nonsense,but I hope it was some information.So probably proper,probably incomplete in my justification-I still would say-hail the plagiarist!

Entertainment to the awake.

2007-07-08T01:04:00.000-07:00

"Jo film mein hota hai,woh sach mein thode hi hota hai!",a line uttered with innocence from a relatively naive Jugal Hansraj in the film Masoom,and one that I feel,held good for too long in Hindi cinema.
Shouldn't cinema portray the realities,with due respect to the genre of course.I do expect a little of the larger than life for sure on that 70 mm screen,but sometimes it gets just too overbearing.For instance,the Oh so Real climax of Shootout At Lokhandwala was something that needs much more than just a pinch of salt.The punchline was sure so apt-Based on True Rumours.Maybe,there was that little guy hiding in the bushes somewhere when Maya and Khan confront each other,with such reciprocative guns.In typical Hindi film Isshtyle the guns were empty,and it came down to fisting it out-and an inevitably poetic result that has made Indian cinema predictable.
Often,such on screen dramas remind me of the times behind us,and of the most prolific playwright,Shakespeare.The works of Shakespeare are a snapshot of the era and the times he lived in,and his plays though have outlived his time,find a place even today,because they imbibe in them the some things that have stood the test of time-human nature.The Indian adaptations of his immortal works Macbeth and Othello,both magically brought alive with unprecedented credibility by the supremely gifted Vishal Bhardwaj have produced snapshots of the current era.Scripts as terriffic as the ones in these films invigorate the actors to produce their best.Wizardry,often is teamwork.If it was Irrfaan,Tabu and Pankaj Kapur in Maqbool whose exceptional work left you in awe and admiration,Ajay and Saif left one and all gasping in Omkara.Indubitably though,the works of the master,and its object-human nature have stood the test of time.
But works like these come far and few in between.In spite of all the success that Omkara got,it would not be surprising if a Dhoom 2,a far inferior product in terms of making,technicality and even entertainment be emulated and spawn a generation of films and directors that want to cash in on the adrenaline rushes that a film of the kind provides.But one would be well advised to remember that a Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom wont be able to do a Bunty Aur Babli,just because it rode on the same formulae,and the earlier product was a hit .And when quality is compromised,the ship would sink,even if it has an SRK for a sequel.
Quite contrarily though,in today's times RDB was one film where life emulated the silver screen.But then,too much already has been written on the film already for me to contribute to the cathartic rendition from Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra.
Entertainment..that is a purpose of a film.My question is-What is the purpose of the filmmaker.Make potful of money,where at the end of the day its everyone laughing all the way to the bank?Maybe!There are always a few things taught,as a prelude to teaching plays,about plays and playwrights,their purpose and their significance.Luckily,it still is on the english course of most boards,and I feel blessed to have had teachers who knew their purpose too-and it wasn't to just get their students get the most marks.
Probably every film cannot be an RDB,but maybe celluloid can sell its dreams in a more believable fashion.In fact,fact is stranger than fiction and there have been many such happenings.But there are some basic rules that simply cannot be violated-rules of nature and rules that we have discovered over time through science.Like two people cannot have the same fingerprints,or maybe,a blade thrown in the air cannot move faster than the bullet,cut it into halves that go piercing two different goons...the list is just endless.
But probably there is an audience for everything.And probably the filmmakers are just trying to cater to everyone.Classes and the masses,are they so different..I wonder!