A remake of the Tamil movie of the same name which was a rip off of Memento. Same director and same heroine and the same bad guy who were in the Tamil Ghajini.
For me this movie didn't make the cut.
About 40 minutes too long (running time 3 hours 10 minutes) and all bad songs, except gujarish. The songs have a distinct south Indian feel and none of the songs actually deserve to be there in the movie. All they do (apart from increasing the running time) is slow the pace down. A R Rehman's one of the worst albums in recent times, I feel.
The direction is pretty loose for most of the movie and the story (credited to the director) has loop holes as big as footballs. A couple of scenes are well directed but overall the direction is flat. The cinematography shines - be it the songs or the dark action sequences.
The action is raw but very Rajnikantish and that kind of action went out of fashion in the nineties.
Asin makes a pretty ok debut and she is quite funny in the comic scenes, Jiah Khan should pack up now and leave - and the bad guy on whom the movie is named is pretty insipid. Aamir Khan has built a nice body for the role but his acting is pretty average. He hasn't really done anything new in the movie and the tattoos on the body actually come across as gimmicks to get Aamir go shirtless.
Verdict - 2/5. You won't miss much if you do not watch it.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Movie Review - Dasvidaniya
Oh My God !! I am kicking myself for not watching this movie, till now !
Just finished watching the movie - and I had a smile on my lips and tears in my eyes. Such a fantastic movie - simply superb.
Vinay rocks !! I cried with him when he is just about to commit suicide and stood up and laughed with him when he turns the tables on his boss !
It's all about how we take life for granted and do not stop and enjoy it - and when the realisation comes, it's too late. Not everyone gets a chance like Amar Kaul.
Verdict - 4.5/5 You cannot afford to miss this movie.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Movie Review - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
A simple guy working in a 9-5 job gets married to a teen vivacious girl under extreme circumstances. Guy loves girl, girl is heartbroken. Guy loves selflessly and transforms himself into a hep new guy and impresses the girl. So whom does the girl choose ?
SRK as the new Raj is way OTT (the role required him to be OTT but he is way over) and as the simpleton he underplays just a wee bit too much. I would not rate this as his anywhere near his good performances. Anushka makes a nice debut - she doesn't have much to do except look pretty and cry. Vinay as SRK's friend simply rocks as Bobby Khosla.
Music is average and the screenplay is full of holes and every emotion is way OTT.
Verdict - 2/5. Watch only if you are a YRF / SRK fan.
ps - the trailers of Ghajini and New York were screened and they were way better than this 2.5 hour movie. New York looks like a very good movie.
SRK as the new Raj is way OTT (the role required him to be OTT but he is way over) and as the simpleton he underplays just a wee bit too much. I would not rate this as his anywhere near his good performances. Anushka makes a nice debut - she doesn't have much to do except look pretty and cry. Vinay as SRK's friend simply rocks as Bobby Khosla.
Music is average and the screenplay is full of holes and every emotion is way OTT.
Verdict - 2/5. Watch only if you are a YRF / SRK fan.
ps - the trailers of Ghajini and New York were screened and they were way better than this 2.5 hour movie. New York looks like a very good movie.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Movie Review - Quantam of Solace
It's an action packed movie but still unlike a Bond movie. There is a mandatory car chase sequence, a parkour sequence, a motor boat chase, an aircraft chase, hand fights but the movie could not hold any attention. It could have been another action movie with any other star in it. Even Olga is just about ok.
Compared to this, the Bourne series is awesome.
Verdict - 2/5
ps - the low audio was a problem where I watched it too.
Compared to this, the Bourne series is awesome.
Verdict - 2/5
ps - the low audio was a problem where I watched it too.
Movie Review - Dostana
2 friends pretend to be gays to get a house to stay - where stays a hot chick too. both fall in love with her - and her boss arrives to join the party.
Funny in parts - AB is good , John is wooden (acting), Priyanka is hot , Bobby is Bobby. Kiron Kher is her usual OTT self though funny in one scene.
But the usual problem with Bollywood movies comes up again - the movie is a wee bit too long and tends to drag in the 2nd half. 30 minutes could have been easily chopped off.
Locations are yummy and the pink Caddy is droooooooolllllll.
Verdict - 2.5 / 5. Watch it - brainless fun but if gay jokes offend you, be warned.
ps - John has shown almost everything. The movie starts with his Daniel Craig shot (walking out of the sea in yellow shorts and pulling them down)
Funny in parts - AB is good , John is wooden (acting), Priyanka is hot , Bobby is Bobby. Kiron Kher is her usual OTT self though funny in one scene.
But the usual problem with Bollywood movies comes up again - the movie is a wee bit too long and tends to drag in the 2nd half. 30 minutes could have been easily chopped off.
Locations are yummy and the pink Caddy is droooooooolllllll.
Verdict - 2.5 / 5. Watch it - brainless fun but if gay jokes offend you, be warned.
ps - John has shown almost everything. The movie starts with his Daniel Craig shot (walking out of the sea in yellow shorts and pulling them down)
Movie Review - Dil Kabaddi
2 couples and how infidelity affects them personally. Irfan & Soha are one couple while Rahul Bose and Konkana play the other couple. Rahul Khanna and a new girl are in the mix too.
All 4 leads have done a very good job - with Konkana and Irfan being the stand out performers. Soha surprised me with a very strong performance and Rahul Bose has done these kind of roles quite a few times earlier too, he is competent.
They say the movie is a rip off - Husbands & Wives being the inspiration. I haven't watched the original but I enjoyed this one.
Again the one flaw that stands out, is the length in the 2nd half and the pace (it is slow but slows down further later on). All in all a good watch once for married couples.
Verdict - 3/5
ps - with a title like Dil Kabaddi - I expected a raunchy / vulgar movie stressing on sex but though the movie has a lot on sex in it's mind, it's not raunchy at all.
All 4 leads have done a very good job - with Konkana and Irfan being the stand out performers. Soha surprised me with a very strong performance and Rahul Bose has done these kind of roles quite a few times earlier too, he is competent.
They say the movie is a rip off - Husbands & Wives being the inspiration. I haven't watched the original but I enjoyed this one.
Again the one flaw that stands out, is the length in the 2nd half and the pace (it is slow but slows down further later on). All in all a good watch once for married couples.
Verdict - 3/5
ps - with a title like Dil Kabaddi - I expected a raunchy / vulgar movie stressing on sex but though the movie has a lot on sex in it's mind, it's not raunchy at all.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Airline Reviews
I had a chance to travel to Bengaluru and back on 3 different airlines. here is my experience.
Indigo
Mumbai - Bengaluru @ 2120 hours. I reached the airport around 2045 and was promptly checked in. Had already booked tickets with the seats selected on the website. The female at the counter re-confirmed if I had booked the seats and I said yes.
Flight took off on dot - 2120 we were air borne. Great looking crew and impeccable service coupled with a super clean aircraft made it a great experience. Landed at Bengaluru bang on time - 2250.
The not so good experience was - they gave me row 20 when I had blocked seats on row 6. I did not bother to check as the female asked me whether I had blocked seats so I assummed I would get those seats. And also they do not have cotton that we stuff in the ear - isn't that taking cost cutting a bit too far ?
Verdict - Highly Recommended
Air India (earlier Indian Airlines)
Bengaluru - Mumbai @ 0835. Get a call at 0600 - Sir flight is delayed by 45 minutes. I leave for the airport @ 0715, reach airport around 0825 - pick up the boarding pass and get the security check done with. It's 0850.
Around 0900, I walk up to the staff at the gate and ask them whether the flight is delayed because I have not heard any annoucements for the Mumbai flight. They assure me the ETD is 0930 and they will board at 0915.
Its 1000 and we have not started boarding. The people are getting edgy and restless. 1015 - still nothing, people start raising their voices and we get a feeble response that the aircraft is being cleaned. I look out towards the bay and see the engineers working furiously on the engine. The situation gets more tense with all the people loosing it totally. Abuses fly thick and fast with warnings of getting physical. The airport manager is called in and asked to arrange for putting people in a different airline. They check with Jet and they have 80-100 seats. We are herded back to the check in counter of Jet Airways - get a new boarding pass, pass through security and straight into the aircraft. ETD - 1125 and the flight takes off at 1145 - the delay happens because the checked in luggage has to be transferred from Air India to Jet.
Verdict - Avoid at any cost
Jet Airways
Good service, clean aircrafts and nice looking crew - really good food too.
Verdict - Great
Given a choice between Indigo and Jet - I would go with Indigo because it has cheaper fare
On the flip side - Jet has better connections to different cities.
Indigo
Mumbai - Bengaluru @ 2120 hours. I reached the airport around 2045 and was promptly checked in. Had already booked tickets with the seats selected on the website. The female at the counter re-confirmed if I had booked the seats and I said yes.
Flight took off on dot - 2120 we were air borne. Great looking crew and impeccable service coupled with a super clean aircraft made it a great experience. Landed at Bengaluru bang on time - 2250.
The not so good experience was - they gave me row 20 when I had blocked seats on row 6. I did not bother to check as the female asked me whether I had blocked seats so I assummed I would get those seats. And also they do not have cotton that we stuff in the ear - isn't that taking cost cutting a bit too far ?
Verdict - Highly Recommended
Air India (earlier Indian Airlines)
Bengaluru - Mumbai @ 0835. Get a call at 0600 - Sir flight is delayed by 45 minutes. I leave for the airport @ 0715, reach airport around 0825 - pick up the boarding pass and get the security check done with. It's 0850.
Around 0900, I walk up to the staff at the gate and ask them whether the flight is delayed because I have not heard any annoucements for the Mumbai flight. They assure me the ETD is 0930 and they will board at 0915.
Its 1000 and we have not started boarding. The people are getting edgy and restless. 1015 - still nothing, people start raising their voices and we get a feeble response that the aircraft is being cleaned. I look out towards the bay and see the engineers working furiously on the engine. The situation gets more tense with all the people loosing it totally. Abuses fly thick and fast with warnings of getting physical. The airport manager is called in and asked to arrange for putting people in a different airline. They check with Jet and they have 80-100 seats. We are herded back to the check in counter of Jet Airways - get a new boarding pass, pass through security and straight into the aircraft. ETD - 1125 and the flight takes off at 1145 - the delay happens because the checked in luggage has to be transferred from Air India to Jet.
Verdict - Avoid at any cost
Jet Airways
Good service, clean aircrafts and nice looking crew - really good food too.
Verdict - Great
Given a choice between Indigo and Jet - I would go with Indigo because it has cheaper fare
On the flip side - Jet has better connections to different cities.
Movie Review - Transporter 3
Been there, done that. Jason sleepwalks through the movie as does the director. More fight sequences than the car chases and the chases not that interesting too.
Verdict - 2/5
Verdict - 2/5
Movie Review - Oye Lucky Lucky Oye
It's an ok movie. Tells the story of Lucky a small time lower middle class sardarji from Delhi who grows up into a thief with a heart of gold. The movie is zingy in the first 30 minutes and then slows down a great deal.
Frankly after a while you are not bothered why these things are happening - the attention to characters and locations is top class and you can connect to the characters immediately - more so if you are from the north.
Abhay Deol is cool - playing Lucky with a calm charisma - rest of the cast is seasoned and perform as per expectations. For me the scene stealer was the young sardar who played Lucky in his younger days - superb performance.
Watch it if you have nothing to do.
Verdict 2.5/5 - Good but not anywhere near great.
Frankly after a while you are not bothered why these things are happening - the attention to characters and locations is top class and you can connect to the characters immediately - more so if you are from the north.
Abhay Deol is cool - playing Lucky with a calm charisma - rest of the cast is seasoned and perform as per expectations. For me the scene stealer was the young sardar who played Lucky in his younger days - superb performance.
Watch it if you have nothing to do.
Verdict 2.5/5 - Good but not anywhere near great.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
???
I am visiting my own space here after 3 months.
I know I was busy with work and stuff and I also know that is no reason not to do something that you wanted to - but that is the truth ! I had no time .......or maybe I did not make time .......
And here I am now....ready to write again but not knowing what to write........a million confused thoughts in my head as if I am going write something for the 1st time...................and it has to be the best. But then again if what you do 1st is your best effort then you can only go downhill from there..............
Damn it .........will write when I am more clear in my bloody head .........it's pretty messed up now..
ciaao
I know I was busy with work and stuff and I also know that is no reason not to do something that you wanted to - but that is the truth ! I had no time .......or maybe I did not make time .......
And here I am now....ready to write again but not knowing what to write........a million confused thoughts in my head as if I am going write something for the 1st time...................and it has to be the best. But then again if what you do 1st is your best effort then you can only go downhill from there..............
Damn it .........will write when I am more clear in my bloody head .........it's pretty messed up now..
ciaao
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Movie Review - 1920
Another horror flick from Vikram Bhatt after the super successful Raaz. The story is the same old formula of a spirit possessing a body of the female who comes to live in the house. There is a story to the spirit doing that and there are cliches galore in the movie.
The heroine Adah Sharma has to look pretty in the 1st half but when she turns into a woman possessed by a spirit, she is in super duper form. The hero is a model and it shows. The music is so-so.
I must say this - I found this movie a wee bit scarier than Phoonk.
Verdict - 2.5/5 - Time pass movie - nothing great. Catch it if you have nothing to do.
The heroine Adah Sharma has to look pretty in the 1st half but when she turns into a woman possessed by a spirit, she is in super duper form. The hero is a model and it shows. The music is so-so.
I must say this - I found this movie a wee bit scarier than Phoonk.
Verdict - 2.5/5 - Time pass movie - nothing great. Catch it if you have nothing to do.
Movie Review - Righteous Kill
With Pacino and De Niro, I expected the movie to be a zinger and it was a ho-hum bore. A few witty dialogues here and there and some solid acting by both super stars (expected) - still cannot hold your attention. The plot is quite like a Bollywood pot boiler with a twist in the end that you can see coming from miles.
Verdict - 2/5 - If you miss it no sweat, catch it on HBO / Star.
Verdict - 2/5 - If you miss it no sweat, catch it on HBO / Star.
Movie Review - Hijack
A very poor confused attempt at copying various Hollywood movies dealing with the same theme and not exciting at all.
Verdict - 0.5/5. Bandal, Bakwaas - Don't even look at the poster.
Verdict - 0.5/5. Bandal, Bakwaas - Don't even look at the poster.
Movie Review - A Wednesday
The police commissioner of Mumbai gets a call on his mobile from a unknown number telling him of bombs that have been planted all over the city and will go off at a stipulated time unless the commissioner does what the caller says. And thus starts a movie that is entirely gripping and thrilling. The police have to find out who this caller is before it's too late. Do they ?
2 of India's finest actors - (Anupam Kher plays the police commissioner and Naseeruddin Shah the caller) - are in simply SUPERB form. And it's an absolute treat to watch both of them. Even the support cast is in fine form - Jimmy Shergill and Aamir bashir as the upright cops are very good. The only sore point is Deepal Shaw as the TV reporter.
The movie delivers a message and does it very nicely as well.
Verdict - 4/5. Do not miss this.
ps - This is the 3rd movie by UTV that has impressed me. Aamir, Mumbai Meri Jaan and now this. Way to go UTV.
2 of India's finest actors - (Anupam Kher plays the police commissioner and Naseeruddin Shah the caller) - are in simply SUPERB form. And it's an absolute treat to watch both of them. Even the support cast is in fine form - Jimmy Shergill and Aamir bashir as the upright cops are very good. The only sore point is Deepal Shaw as the TV reporter.
The movie delivers a message and does it very nicely as well.
Verdict - 4/5. Do not miss this.
ps - This is the 3rd movie by UTV that has impressed me. Aamir, Mumbai Meri Jaan and now this. Way to go UTV.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Movie Review - Rock On
I saw Rock On today - afternoon show and the movie rocked.
Immediately you will remember the characters from DCH. Farhan is Aamir, Arjun is Akshay, Purab is Saif and Luke Kenny plays Dimple :D
Its all about 4 rockers who win a competition and get a contract. A small misunderstanding and all goes wrong. Its a movie about friendship and relationships and how small things can cause rifts.
After 10 years, they get back to gather but can they turn on the magik again?
Casting is perfect and all the 4 guys look the part. Acting wise Farhan Akhtar makes a very good debut. I did not expect him to do as well as he did. Purab is the funny man and he is first class. Luke Kenny is fine and Arjun Rampal carries a forlon expression through out the movie but watch him make an entry in the climax (rocking). Prachi Desai makes her debut and has nothing much to do but look cute and happy. Arjun's wife is super as the girl friend turned wife who keeps nagging Arjun.
A movie like this should have music that complements the mood and Rock On scores high on this point. The songs might not connect when you hear but watch them in the movie is a different experience. Simply Superb.
The cinematography is absolutely superb and direction is well in control too. The movie is slow and has its own pace and in the 2nd half there are 10 minutes that can easily be chopped off. But a movie like this needs the pace to develop.
A DCH this is not but it's right up there close.
Verdict - 3.75/5. Watch it - it will take you back straight to your college days.
Immediately you will remember the characters from DCH. Farhan is Aamir, Arjun is Akshay, Purab is Saif and Luke Kenny plays Dimple :D
Its all about 4 rockers who win a competition and get a contract. A small misunderstanding and all goes wrong. Its a movie about friendship and relationships and how small things can cause rifts.
After 10 years, they get back to gather but can they turn on the magik again?
Casting is perfect and all the 4 guys look the part. Acting wise Farhan Akhtar makes a very good debut. I did not expect him to do as well as he did. Purab is the funny man and he is first class. Luke Kenny is fine and Arjun Rampal carries a forlon expression through out the movie but watch him make an entry in the climax (rocking). Prachi Desai makes her debut and has nothing much to do but look cute and happy. Arjun's wife is super as the girl friend turned wife who keeps nagging Arjun.
A movie like this should have music that complements the mood and Rock On scores high on this point. The songs might not connect when you hear but watch them in the movie is a different experience. Simply Superb.
The cinematography is absolutely superb and direction is well in control too. The movie is slow and has its own pace and in the 2nd half there are 10 minutes that can easily be chopped off. But a movie like this needs the pace to develop.
A DCH this is not but it's right up there close.
Verdict - 3.75/5. Watch it - it will take you back straight to your college days.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Movie Review - Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam
We 3 friends decided to go and watch this one and all 3 of us had heard bad reviews of this one. We all were skeptical,yet we decided to try it out.
So we walk into the theatre and settle down. The movie unfolds and we start laughing and we keep laughing through the movie. It's a silly movie that is trying to be silly, not cool. And thats what was fun.
Add to that the HOT Mallika Sherawat. In 2 songs the screen almost went up in smoke - she is lavicious. Paresh Rawal and an assortment of actors that look, act silly and the even sillier gags kept the movie going. The only sore point - Rahul Bose and his stiff acting.
It's all about a theater group and a RAW agent who gets involved with the wife of the lead actor of the theater group. And he has to save the country from the baddies too, for which, he asks help from this flop theater group.
Inane jokes, silly humour - the movie has everything that will not work BUT it worked for us. We have never laughed so much in a movie. The actors were all so brilliant, even in the most idiotic of scenes - it was a treat.
Verdict - 4/5. That is an unanimous verdict by the 3 of us. It is a very silly movie - period. Do not expect the earth and the moon, keep your thinking cap at home and you will laugh away.
Jab..............................
So we walk into the theatre and settle down. The movie unfolds and we start laughing and we keep laughing through the movie. It's a silly movie that is trying to be silly, not cool. And thats what was fun.
Add to that the HOT Mallika Sherawat. In 2 songs the screen almost went up in smoke - she is lavicious. Paresh Rawal and an assortment of actors that look, act silly and the even sillier gags kept the movie going. The only sore point - Rahul Bose and his stiff acting.
It's all about a theater group and a RAW agent who gets involved with the wife of the lead actor of the theater group. And he has to save the country from the baddies too, for which, he asks help from this flop theater group.
Inane jokes, silly humour - the movie has everything that will not work BUT it worked for us. We have never laughed so much in a movie. The actors were all so brilliant, even in the most idiotic of scenes - it was a treat.
Verdict - 4/5. That is an unanimous verdict by the 3 of us. It is a very silly movie - period. Do not expect the earth and the moon, keep your thinking cap at home and you will laugh away.
Jab..............................
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Movie Review - Mumbai Meri Jaan
5 people - (a hawaldar on the verge of retirement, a tv reporter, a night time coffee vendor, a executive who is worried about the environment and a guy who has anti-muslim feelings) - and how they are affected in different ways after the train blasts in Mumbai on 11th July.
The movie is very real and confidently directed by a 1st time Hindi movie director (This guy had directed the Marathi movie - Dombivili Fast - earlier). Though it deals with a sensitive subject, it manages not to get into a preachy / documentary mode. The casting is spot on and the performances are brilliant. Irfan Khan and Kay Kay stand out with Paresh Rawal, after a long time, is back with a stand out performance. Vijay Maurya plays a rookie cop (angry one) because he has had to cancel his honeymoon due to the blasts is first class too.The ending with Kay Kay's story, I found a bit cheesy. Paresh Rawal when he gives his farrewell speech is SUPERB.
Verdict - 3.75/5. Do not miss this.
The movie is very real and confidently directed by a 1st time Hindi movie director (This guy had directed the Marathi movie - Dombivili Fast - earlier). Though it deals with a sensitive subject, it manages not to get into a preachy / documentary mode. The casting is spot on and the performances are brilliant. Irfan Khan and Kay Kay stand out with Paresh Rawal, after a long time, is back with a stand out performance. Vijay Maurya plays a rookie cop (angry one) because he has had to cancel his honeymoon due to the blasts is first class too.The ending with Kay Kay's story, I found a bit cheesy. Paresh Rawal when he gives his farrewell speech is SUPERB.
Verdict - 3.75/5. Do not miss this.
Movie Review - Phoonk
It's deja-vu time.If you have watched Bhoot and Vastu-Shastra from RGV, this one feels and looks the same. It's even directed in the same way and shot in the same way. Heck, even the back ground score is soo familiar.
It's all about a builder who finds out that his husband-wife partner duo have been cheating him and promptly shows them the door. The wife then casts a spell on the daughter of the builder. It comes down in the end to a battle between the modern scientific way and the old school baba way to fight the situation. Who succeeds ? Watch the movie.
Verdict - 1.5/5 - You could easily miss this.
It's all about a builder who finds out that his husband-wife partner duo have been cheating him and promptly shows them the door. The wife then casts a spell on the daughter of the builder. It comes down in the end to a battle between the modern scientific way and the old school baba way to fight the situation. Who succeeds ? Watch the movie.
Verdict - 1.5/5 - You could easily miss this.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Kodak Moments
Reached home yesterday and put the TV on. Switched to NDTV and saw that Bolt had won the 200 meters dash in the Olympics with a WR. Since NDTV was not showing footage then, I switched to UTV news.
A sikh gentleman was sitting and talking about Bolt and I quote -
"Awesome performance from Bolt - he has won 2 Golds for Jamaica and most probably will win the 3rd when he runs with the 4x100 meter relay with the Jamaica team. In the next Olympics in 2012, Bolt should try for 5 Golds"
That was a Kodak Moment No. 1. We can sit and advice a winner of 2 Gold medals how to go about his job but cannot improve our own atheletes ??
I switched to Star News and the anchor was going on and on - "Bolt ne jeeta gold" Suddenly I heard a voice from the clippings talking about dis-qualifying an American runner for crossing the track and the anchor thought he had heard a scoop and he started going ballistic -
"Yahan disqualify karne ke baat ho rahi hai - kya Bolt ne galti ki aur unhe disqualify kar diya jayega ? Bolt ho sakte hain disqualify" And he went on with the same line for the next 5 minutes. I changed the channel to DD Sports to check what actually happened and came to know that another runner was disqualified. Switched back to Star News and the anchor was going -
"Bolt ne baazi maari "
Kodak Moment No. 2
A sikh gentleman was sitting and talking about Bolt and I quote -
"Awesome performance from Bolt - he has won 2 Golds for Jamaica and most probably will win the 3rd when he runs with the 4x100 meter relay with the Jamaica team. In the next Olympics in 2012, Bolt should try for 5 Golds"
That was a Kodak Moment No. 1. We can sit and advice a winner of 2 Gold medals how to go about his job but cannot improve our own atheletes ??
I switched to Star News and the anchor was going on and on - "Bolt ne jeeta gold" Suddenly I heard a voice from the clippings talking about dis-qualifying an American runner for crossing the track and the anchor thought he had heard a scoop and he started going ballistic -
"Yahan disqualify karne ke baat ho rahi hai - kya Bolt ne galti ki aur unhe disqualify kar diya jayega ? Bolt ho sakte hain disqualify" And he went on with the same line for the next 5 minutes. I changed the channel to DD Sports to check what actually happened and came to know that another runner was disqualified. Switched back to Star News and the anchor was going -
"Bolt ne baazi maari "
Kodak Moment No. 2
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Movie Review - Bachna Aee Haseeno
A story of a guy who falls in love with 3 different females at different times in his life. While he dumps the first 2 , the 3rd girl dumps him. And then he feels the pain caused and decides to seek forgiveness of those 2 girls he dumped.
An absolutely breezy 1st half with a super slow 2nd half. All the actors have performed well. Ranbir has to carry the movie on himself and he does it quite well.
Bipasha and Deepika look good while Minisha is cute (I loved her track more than the other 2).
A couple of songs - Ahista Ahista and Khuda Jaane are very good. The rest are bad.
The movie could have been 30 mins shorter and I would have given it a 3.5. It's got fantastic locales and camerawork is good. Direction looses the grip a bit in the 2nd half.
Verdict - 2.5/5. You will love the 1st half and want the 2nd to be over asap.
An absolutely breezy 1st half with a super slow 2nd half. All the actors have performed well. Ranbir has to carry the movie on himself and he does it quite well.
Bipasha and Deepika look good while Minisha is cute (I loved her track more than the other 2).
A couple of songs - Ahista Ahista and Khuda Jaane are very good. The rest are bad.
The movie could have been 30 mins shorter and I would have given it a 3.5. It's got fantastic locales and camerawork is good. Direction looses the grip a bit in the 2nd half.
Verdict - 2.5/5. You will love the 1st half and want the 2nd to be over asap.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Movie Review - SIngh is Kinng
Singh is Kinng
Hmm - where do I start ? A movie with the story as thin as the "I" in Kinng with emotional comedy dramatic scenes and songs shot on exotic locales. Confused ?
Even the director was I feel !
Story is all about this OTT do gooder who goes to Ozzie land to get back a sardar turned underworld king who hails from his village. As is the norm he has to meet a girl whom he falls in love with and also by a twist of fate lands up in the chair of the underworld king..
Have you seen Namaste London ? If yes - don't bother watching this. It's 70 % of NL.
Akshay is good in the movie and Katrina is RAVISHING. The support cast is good.
Music - the title track wowed me - I hated the song when it played on TV but when I saw it in the hall - WOW ! Other than this all songs were ok - Snoop Dogg video was not upto the mark, music was fun.
The best scene in the movie - when all the guys use the wheel chair don to get their drinks and munching - I was rolling watching that - Hilarious.
Verdict - 2/5. If you guys miss this, don't worry you haven't missed much.
ps - the movie left me wondering why Sardars ? If it was a Christian, Hindu or a Muslim - the movie would still be the same.
Maybe the audience the producer is aiming at is the NRI punjabi crowd. And with Akshay in the movie playing a sardar, overseas success of this movie is going to be HUGE.
Hmm - where do I start ? A movie with the story as thin as the "I" in Kinng with emotional comedy dramatic scenes and songs shot on exotic locales. Confused ?
Even the director was I feel !
Story is all about this OTT do gooder who goes to Ozzie land to get back a sardar turned underworld king who hails from his village. As is the norm he has to meet a girl whom he falls in love with and also by a twist of fate lands up in the chair of the underworld king..
Have you seen Namaste London ? If yes - don't bother watching this. It's 70 % of NL.
Akshay is good in the movie and Katrina is RAVISHING. The support cast is good.
Music - the title track wowed me - I hated the song when it played on TV but when I saw it in the hall - WOW ! Other than this all songs were ok - Snoop Dogg video was not upto the mark, music was fun.
The best scene in the movie - when all the guys use the wheel chair don to get their drinks and munching - I was rolling watching that - Hilarious.
Verdict - 2/5. If you guys miss this, don't worry you haven't missed much.
ps - the movie left me wondering why Sardars ? If it was a Christian, Hindu or a Muslim - the movie would still be the same.
Maybe the audience the producer is aiming at is the NRI punjabi crowd. And with Akshay in the movie playing a sardar, overseas success of this movie is going to be HUGE.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Movie Review - Ugly aur Pagli
It's all about a meek guy who allows himself to be dominated by a tough girl whose life he saves only because he falls in love with her. What he does not know is the real reason behind her behaviour.
Ranvir and Mallika do a competent job but the movie simply slows down to a crawl in the 2nd half. It is funny in places and Ranvir manages to actually raise a few laughs in the most inane of scenes.
Music is so-so but there is this one song where everyone in the theatre was :DROOOOL:
Verdict - 2/5. Watch it if you have nothing else to do.
ps - I loved Sushmita Mukherji as Mallika's mom. For me, her performance was the highlight of the movie and she has a total of 3 scenes only.
Ranvir and Mallika do a competent job but the movie simply slows down to a crawl in the 2nd half. It is funny in places and Ranvir manages to actually raise a few laughs in the most inane of scenes.
Music is so-so but there is this one song where everyone in the theatre was :DROOOOL:
Verdict - 2/5. Watch it if you have nothing else to do.
ps - I loved Sushmita Mukherji as Mallika's mom. For me, her performance was the highlight of the movie and she has a total of 3 scenes only.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Missing Chappal
C - "Light up, why are you taking so much time?"
S - "Arre, ruk"
G - "Fast guys"
S - "Tu ruk"
Chack, Chack, Phuuuusssss - the match lit up.
The hand holding the match rose up to meet the cigarette lodged in the mouth. Pretty innocuous action - not really, when the cigarette is filled up with grass and the person lighting it is already a couple of beers down.
Anyways, puffs are taken and the cigarette disappears faster than the Sensex falls these days.
C - "Let's go for a drive !"
G - "At this time ? Where ? Why don't you guys go home and chill ? It's 2330 hours already"
C - "No, we want to go for a drive !"
Arguing with 2 guys high on beer and grass is ......well.....pretty useless.
G - "Chalo - let's go, but where ?"
C - "Palm Beach road, it's new and there will be less traffic at this hour"
G - "Ok"
Everyone jumps into the Silver Santro. G was and is the designated driver. S jumps into the front passenger seat and C gets into the back seat.
C - "Metallica chalu kar"
S - "Nahin, let's listen to some slow music now"
G - "Let's put on Bollywood"
C - "Chutiye, grass marke Bollywood sunega? Nikal yahan se"
All 3 start laughing and as usual C gets his way.
ENTER NIGHT, EXIT LIGHT !!
Soon they are cruising on Palm beach road. As a small bridge approaches,
C - "Bridge pe rok de"
G - "Why?"
C - "Cigarette marni hai"
The Santro halts on the bridge. All 3 get down and as is customary peek down to see what's under the bridge. At 2345 hours all they see is darkness but their noses are assaulted with different kinds of smell.
S lights up and all 3 drag away.
S - "Let's do a hi-speed run to the NRI complex"
G - (grinning) - "Chalo"
C - "S, I am sitting in the front"
S - "No ways"
C - "You sat till here na, now let me sit in front"
S - "No"
Both run to front door and C gets there first but is unable to get in. He is held back by S, a professional boxer in his college days. S muscles his way into the front seat leaving a sullen C to sit in the back.
G - "Both of you fasten your seatbelts, else we are not moving"
C & S do as instructed.
Vroom, vroom - the revs rise and as the rev counter hits 3000 RPM, G lets go the clutch.
Screeeeeeecccccccchhhhhhhhhhhh - the Santro takes off leaving a cloud of dust in it's wake. It is close to midnight and traffic is sparse.
Soon they approach 100 kmph.
S - "G kya kar raha hai?"
G - "Kya hua?"
S - "Itna fast?"
G - "130 kmph now"
S - "Fuck, I feel like I am on a plane taxing on the runaway before take off"
G & C dissolve into laughter.
G - "It's 140 kmph"
S puts his head between his knees and closes his eyes.
Before they know - they are at the NRI Complex.
C hops in to the front seat and S is only too glad to get in to the back seat. Off they go again and within 3 minutes they enter Vashi.
C - "Grass ka side effect hai re. I am hungry, lets get something to eat"
G - "Ok, there is this bhurji wala and chai wala near the Fire Brigade station"
S - "Chalo"
They pull up to the bhurji wala. The time is 0010 hours.
C & G hop out and order for bhurjis and tea. Suddenly they realise S is not getting out. They yank open the door and S is lying down on the seat.
G - "Kya hua?"
S - "Fuck man it felt like a aeroplane."
C and G laugh and pull S out of the car.
S - "let me wear my chappals"
After 30 seconds, S gets out - "I can't find my chappals"
"Arre, it must have been shifted during the fast run, check again"
S - "Nahin hai"
C - "WTF - andha hogaya hai kya?"
All 3 search but the chappal is missing. It's not in the car.
S - "I can't go home bare feet. I need to find the chappal !!"
"Did you have the chappal on in the car?"
"Yes"
"Let's eat and then we will think what to do"
They wolf down tasty bhurji complemented with special cutting chai topped off with a Classic Milds.
"Chalo - let's find the missing chappals"
We decide to trace our steps backwards. The last stop before we halted at the bhurji wala was the bridge on Palm Beach road. We drive down to that bridge.
S is tense and missing his chappals.
As soon as the car halts on the bridge, he jumps out.
Before anyone else could get down from the car, S triumphantly yells - "I GOT THE CHAPPALS"
We get down and give him taaplis on his head - "Why the hell do you have to remove your chappals on the road ?"
Sadly, S has not been able to answer that question till today, 7 years after the incident.
But this is a memorable moment in the lives of C, S & G. And I just wanted to share it.
S - "Arre, ruk"
G - "Fast guys"
S - "Tu ruk"
Chack, Chack, Phuuuusssss - the match lit up.
The hand holding the match rose up to meet the cigarette lodged in the mouth. Pretty innocuous action - not really, when the cigarette is filled up with grass and the person lighting it is already a couple of beers down.
Anyways, puffs are taken and the cigarette disappears faster than the Sensex falls these days.
C - "Let's go for a drive !"
G - "At this time ? Where ? Why don't you guys go home and chill ? It's 2330 hours already"
C - "No, we want to go for a drive !"
Arguing with 2 guys high on beer and grass is ......well.....pretty useless.
G - "Chalo - let's go, but where ?"
C - "Palm Beach road, it's new and there will be less traffic at this hour"
G - "Ok"
Everyone jumps into the Silver Santro. G was and is the designated driver. S jumps into the front passenger seat and C gets into the back seat.
C - "Metallica chalu kar"
S - "Nahin, let's listen to some slow music now"
G - "Let's put on Bollywood"
C - "Chutiye, grass marke Bollywood sunega? Nikal yahan se"
All 3 start laughing and as usual C gets his way.
ENTER NIGHT, EXIT LIGHT !!
Soon they are cruising on Palm beach road. As a small bridge approaches,
C - "Bridge pe rok de"
G - "Why?"
C - "Cigarette marni hai"
The Santro halts on the bridge. All 3 get down and as is customary peek down to see what's under the bridge. At 2345 hours all they see is darkness but their noses are assaulted with different kinds of smell.
S lights up and all 3 drag away.
S - "Let's do a hi-speed run to the NRI complex"
G - (grinning) - "Chalo"
C - "S, I am sitting in the front"
S - "No ways"
C - "You sat till here na, now let me sit in front"
S - "No"
Both run to front door and C gets there first but is unable to get in. He is held back by S, a professional boxer in his college days. S muscles his way into the front seat leaving a sullen C to sit in the back.
G - "Both of you fasten your seatbelts, else we are not moving"
C & S do as instructed.
Vroom, vroom - the revs rise and as the rev counter hits 3000 RPM, G lets go the clutch.
Screeeeeeecccccccchhhhhhhhhhhh - the Santro takes off leaving a cloud of dust in it's wake. It is close to midnight and traffic is sparse.
Soon they approach 100 kmph.
S - "G kya kar raha hai?"
G - "Kya hua?"
S - "Itna fast?"
G - "130 kmph now"
S - "Fuck, I feel like I am on a plane taxing on the runaway before take off"
G & C dissolve into laughter.
G - "It's 140 kmph"
S puts his head between his knees and closes his eyes.
Before they know - they are at the NRI Complex.
C hops in to the front seat and S is only too glad to get in to the back seat. Off they go again and within 3 minutes they enter Vashi.
C - "Grass ka side effect hai re. I am hungry, lets get something to eat"
G - "Ok, there is this bhurji wala and chai wala near the Fire Brigade station"
S - "Chalo"
They pull up to the bhurji wala. The time is 0010 hours.
C & G hop out and order for bhurjis and tea. Suddenly they realise S is not getting out. They yank open the door and S is lying down on the seat.
G - "Kya hua?"
S - "Fuck man it felt like a aeroplane."
C and G laugh and pull S out of the car.
S - "let me wear my chappals"
After 30 seconds, S gets out - "I can't find my chappals"
"Arre, it must have been shifted during the fast run, check again"
S - "Nahin hai"
C - "WTF - andha hogaya hai kya?"
All 3 search but the chappal is missing. It's not in the car.
S - "I can't go home bare feet. I need to find the chappal !!"
"Did you have the chappal on in the car?"
"Yes"
"Let's eat and then we will think what to do"
They wolf down tasty bhurji complemented with special cutting chai topped off with a Classic Milds.
"Chalo - let's find the missing chappals"
We decide to trace our steps backwards. The last stop before we halted at the bhurji wala was the bridge on Palm Beach road. We drive down to that bridge.
S is tense and missing his chappals.
As soon as the car halts on the bridge, he jumps out.
Before anyone else could get down from the car, S triumphantly yells - "I GOT THE CHAPPALS"
We get down and give him taaplis on his head - "Why the hell do you have to remove your chappals on the road ?"
Sadly, S has not been able to answer that question till today, 7 years after the incident.
But this is a memorable moment in the lives of C, S & G. And I just wanted to share it.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Movie Review - Money Hai toh Honey Hai
Verdict - I just couldn't get myself to go and watch this movie (although I am a Govinda fan)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A Scary Moment
Driving back from work today evening, I am at the Panjra Pool signal in Chembur going towards Sion. The signal turns green and I take off since the traffic is light. Just about 200 meters ahead is a police road block. There is a ST bus to my right and I know he is going to swerve wildly to his left to go through the barrier - so I honk and flash my lights to make him aware of my presence to his left.
Then it happens - a traffic cop signals me to pull over. I do so and park the car and down the window glass on the passenger side. 2 cops come, look inside thoroughly. One asks for my license. As I proceed to open my wallet and search my license in the wallet, one asks me - "Where do you work?"
And I say "Navi Mumbai".
The expression on both the cop's faces change and I realise what I have just said.
I add - "Thane Belapur Road" but the look on the cops faces makes my hair stand.
"Aap ke paas card hai ?" - one asks
"Haan hai." - I reply and quickly fish out my visiting card.
Both have a thorough look and hand the card back to me.
"Aap Jaao"
"Thank You" - I mutter and move away.
Then it happens - a traffic cop signals me to pull over. I do so and park the car and down the window glass on the passenger side. 2 cops come, look inside thoroughly. One asks for my license. As I proceed to open my wallet and search my license in the wallet, one asks me - "Where do you work?"
And I say "Navi Mumbai".
The expression on both the cop's faces change and I realise what I have just said.
I add - "Thane Belapur Road" but the look on the cops faces makes my hair stand.
"Aap ke paas card hai ?" - one asks
"Haan hai." - I reply and quickly fish out my visiting card.
Both have a thorough look and hand the card back to me.
"Aap Jaao"
"Thank You" - I mutter and move away.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Movie Review - Mission Istanbul
Mission Instanbul
A top Indian journalist takes up a lucrative posting in an Instanbul TV channel, famous for showing terrorist activites. All the previous journalist have died under mysterious circumstances when they tried to leave the channel.
Suddenly an ex-Turkish Army commando warns the Indian journalist that he may be the next target. And from then on it's action.
Scenes have been copied from numerous Hollywood movies - one roof top chase is straight out of the The Bourne Ultimatum.
The Scorpio has been used extensively in the movie (LHD) as has Mountain Dew - making an unwanted appearance at the wrong time.
Zayed Khan plays the Indian journalist and is hamming and overacting through out . How he has still survived this industry is a mystery.
Vivek Oberoi plays the ex-commando. His is a crowd pleasing role and he goes at it with so much gusto that he looks like a model walking the ramp instead of an commando. Everything is so easy for him.
The 2 girls - blink and you will miss them.
2 villians - Nikitin from Jodha Akbar and Shabbir from the Balaji camp - overact .
Music is so-so with the "World hold On" being mutilated beyond repair.
Verdict - 1.5/5. Miss it.
ps - the 1 star is for showing George Bush in an hilarious avtaar.
A top Indian journalist takes up a lucrative posting in an Instanbul TV channel, famous for showing terrorist activites. All the previous journalist have died under mysterious circumstances when they tried to leave the channel.
Suddenly an ex-Turkish Army commando warns the Indian journalist that he may be the next target. And from then on it's action.
Scenes have been copied from numerous Hollywood movies - one roof top chase is straight out of the The Bourne Ultimatum.
The Scorpio has been used extensively in the movie (LHD) as has Mountain Dew - making an unwanted appearance at the wrong time.
Zayed Khan plays the Indian journalist and is hamming and overacting through out . How he has still survived this industry is a mystery.
Vivek Oberoi plays the ex-commando. His is a crowd pleasing role and he goes at it with so much gusto that he looks like a model walking the ramp instead of an commando. Everything is so easy for him.
The 2 girls - blink and you will miss them.
2 villians - Nikitin from Jodha Akbar and Shabbir from the Balaji camp - overact .
Music is so-so with the "World hold On" being mutilated beyond repair.
Verdict - 1.5/5. Miss it.
ps - the 1 star is for showing George Bush in an hilarious avtaar.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Hi, Domino's Pizza - We SUCK !
Felt like having a pizza. Called up Domino's, Chembur branch, on 25298383.
Tring Tring.
Hi, Domino's Pizza.
Hi. What's the smallest size of Pizza you guys have ?
7 inch.
Ok, what options do I have in non vegetarian. Mutton is preferred.
Spicy or non spicy ?
Spicy.
Mexican chicken and red chicken something.
Nothing in mutton?
Kheema mutton.
I want a 7 inch kheema mutton.
Ok sir, your phone number.
The drama of taking down my phone number and address started. Finished.
Sir, today no time limit. your delivery might be late.
Why ????
Too much of rush.
People order Domino's only because they deliver in 30 minutes.
Yes Sir.
Then ?
Today rush Sir.
Is there a clause that Domino's will not deliver in 30 minutes if there is rush?
No Sir.
Then?
Today rush Sir.
Cancel my order if you cannot deliver in 30 minutes. I am paying you for that right ?
Ok Sir. Order cancelled.
Click.
Tring Tring.
Hi, Domino's Pizza.
Hi. What's the smallest size of Pizza you guys have ?
7 inch.
Ok, what options do I have in non vegetarian. Mutton is preferred.
Spicy or non spicy ?
Spicy.
Mexican chicken and red chicken something.
Nothing in mutton?
Kheema mutton.
I want a 7 inch kheema mutton.
Ok sir, your phone number.
The drama of taking down my phone number and address started. Finished.
Sir, today no time limit. your delivery might be late.
Why ????
Too much of rush.
People order Domino's only because they deliver in 30 minutes.
Yes Sir.
Then ?
Today rush Sir.
Is there a clause that Domino's will not deliver in 30 minutes if there is rush?
No Sir.
Then?
Today rush Sir.
Cancel my order if you cannot deliver in 30 minutes. I am paying you for that right ?
Ok Sir. Order cancelled.
Click.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Fear Factor !
Yes, I am talking about this new show on a new TV channel - Colors.
It is a show based on an international format where the selected participants are made to do stunts with various difficulties thrown in.
This time the show is hosted by Akshay Kumar. He is known for his dare devil stunts that he performs (or rather used to) in his movies. The channel got the casting of the host spot on.
The participants selected were all ladies / girls / females. All of them somewhere famous in their own right ranging from Ex-Supermodels to current Supermodels to TV actors to failed Bollywood actors to item girls. Good faces to look at. Each of them have an ex-army guy as a partner for the show.
The 1st episode kicked off with a stunt where the girls had to jump off a moving helicopter into a lake and land in between the specified colored area. And I was actually quite shocked to see these girls do that pretty well. And then they moved onto the next stunt.
This stunt comprised of plucking out the maximum number of fruits from a glass tank filled with water with your mouth. Sounds easy, right ? Not when the tank was filled up with creepy, slimy snakes of different shapes, sizes,colors, thickness - YUCK YUCK YUCK.
I would have never done something like that for any thing in the world. But all these girls tried and a lot of them did pretty well too.
I was shocked, well and truly shocked ! Never expected these pretty girls to even try something like this. I was impressed.
The 2nd episode that aired yesterday consisted of a stunt where a few African spiders were released over the faces of the girls and their hands were tied. They had to pull out the correct key from many keys hanging in front of them, with their mouth and unlock themeselves.
The 2nd stunt of the 2nd episode was climbing right to the top, near the roof of a building and then walking across the walls on a thin ledge with vaccum holders in their hands. Awesome and really thrilling.
Again, never expected these girls to do it so well. Kudos to them.
Akshay Kumar does well as the host egging the participants on and cracking jokes. The roles of the ex-army partners is still not clear to me though.
I am hooked and am waiting for the 3rd episode tonight @ 10 on Colors.
I suggest you guys give it a view over once. It is fun.
It is a show based on an international format where the selected participants are made to do stunts with various difficulties thrown in.
This time the show is hosted by Akshay Kumar. He is known for his dare devil stunts that he performs (or rather used to) in his movies. The channel got the casting of the host spot on.
The participants selected were all ladies / girls / females. All of them somewhere famous in their own right ranging from Ex-Supermodels to current Supermodels to TV actors to failed Bollywood actors to item girls. Good faces to look at. Each of them have an ex-army guy as a partner for the show.
The 1st episode kicked off with a stunt where the girls had to jump off a moving helicopter into a lake and land in between the specified colored area. And I was actually quite shocked to see these girls do that pretty well. And then they moved onto the next stunt.
This stunt comprised of plucking out the maximum number of fruits from a glass tank filled with water with your mouth. Sounds easy, right ? Not when the tank was filled up with creepy, slimy snakes of different shapes, sizes,colors, thickness - YUCK YUCK YUCK.
I would have never done something like that for any thing in the world. But all these girls tried and a lot of them did pretty well too.
I was shocked, well and truly shocked ! Never expected these pretty girls to even try something like this. I was impressed.
The 2nd episode that aired yesterday consisted of a stunt where a few African spiders were released over the faces of the girls and their hands were tied. They had to pull out the correct key from many keys hanging in front of them, with their mouth and unlock themeselves.
The 2nd stunt of the 2nd episode was climbing right to the top, near the roof of a building and then walking across the walls on a thin ledge with vaccum holders in their hands. Awesome and really thrilling.
Again, never expected these girls to do it so well. Kudos to them.
Akshay Kumar does well as the host egging the participants on and cracking jokes. The roles of the ex-army partners is still not clear to me though.
I am hooked and am waiting for the 3rd episode tonight @ 10 on Colors.
I suggest you guys give it a view over once. It is fun.
The Drama of Politics
Me and a friend walked in to a bar to grab a few beers yesterday
What were we to know that 4 people in starched white shirts / trousers with matching shoes would turn our trip into a fun filled one.
For a change the TV at the bar was tuned into DD-Lok Sabha (can you fucking believe that ?) A TV set in a bar screening Lok Sabha !!
And these 4 guys were the ones in charge of what played on TV and what played at Delhi.
They were restless when the Trust vote was taking place.
"Why is it taking so long ?"
"What is happening"
"You think the Govt will survive?
Yes, normal questions the nation was asking for the last week suddenly had a very tense and tight feel ! Never before had such a innocent question created so much tension that could be cut with a knife before the answer was given and was no proper or correct answer to that question !
The TV was broadcasting images from the parliament and it was actually quite nice to see the MP's at their best behaviour. Yes - they were simply shouting and screaming - all 500 odd present in the hall and at the same time. Was much better than watch them try and hit each other with chairs - thats why the best behaviour comment.
And I could feel the tension in the 4 guys in sitting in Mumbai when the time came closer. One refused to go and take a leak, lest he misses the verdict. Another refused to sip his whisky till the screen flashed the result.
This was turning out to be a great trip for us.
Finally the result was flashed and the Govt survived.
All the 4 cheered heartily and toasted to he Govt's success. The clinking of whisky glasses was heard followed by a couple of guys rushing to releive their bladders.
The result was being re-confirmed and when it was finally concluded that the Govt had indeed won - these 4 guys had a smirk that was larger than the one on Amar Singh's face.
Finally the DD-Lok Sabha channel rolled the credits and the show was over. These 4 guys felt as proud as the PM / Sonia Gandhi in Delhi for fashioning the Govt's victory.
"Finally it's over" I told my friend, "Let me ask the waiter to change the channel to ESPN."
As I lifted my hand to grab the waiters attention, one of the 4 guys yelled to the waiter "Chalo Khatam, Abhi NDTV laga."
Politics - I tell you !
What were we to know that 4 people in starched white shirts / trousers with matching shoes would turn our trip into a fun filled one.
For a change the TV at the bar was tuned into DD-Lok Sabha (can you fucking believe that ?) A TV set in a bar screening Lok Sabha !!
And these 4 guys were the ones in charge of what played on TV and what played at Delhi.
They were restless when the Trust vote was taking place.
"Why is it taking so long ?"
"What is happening"
"You think the Govt will survive?
Yes, normal questions the nation was asking for the last week suddenly had a very tense and tight feel ! Never before had such a innocent question created so much tension that could be cut with a knife before the answer was given and was no proper or correct answer to that question !
The TV was broadcasting images from the parliament and it was actually quite nice to see the MP's at their best behaviour. Yes - they were simply shouting and screaming - all 500 odd present in the hall and at the same time. Was much better than watch them try and hit each other with chairs - thats why the best behaviour comment.
And I could feel the tension in the 4 guys in sitting in Mumbai when the time came closer. One refused to go and take a leak, lest he misses the verdict. Another refused to sip his whisky till the screen flashed the result.
This was turning out to be a great trip for us.
Finally the result was flashed and the Govt survived.
All the 4 cheered heartily and toasted to he Govt's success. The clinking of whisky glasses was heard followed by a couple of guys rushing to releive their bladders.
The result was being re-confirmed and when it was finally concluded that the Govt had indeed won - these 4 guys had a smirk that was larger than the one on Amar Singh's face.
Finally the DD-Lok Sabha channel rolled the credits and the show was over. These 4 guys felt as proud as the PM / Sonia Gandhi in Delhi for fashioning the Govt's victory.
"Finally it's over" I told my friend, "Let me ask the waiter to change the channel to ESPN."
As I lifted my hand to grab the waiters attention, one of the 4 guys yelled to the waiter "Chalo Khatam, Abhi NDTV laga."
Politics - I tell you !
Monday, July 21, 2008
Shop or Shade ?
At Diamond Garden, in Chembur, there is this mall coming up. It's being developed by the Raheja's. Right next to it is a temple. And in front of the mall is a bus stop that is covered by large trees. The mall is not yet complete but............
The trees in front have been brutally cut so that the mall gets more visibility.
I guess people who need to shop inside are more important than the ones waiting for a bus in the cool shade of the trees on a hot day.
Anyone know where I can forward this complaint ?
The trees in front have been brutally cut so that the mall gets more visibility.
I guess people who need to shop inside are more important than the ones waiting for a bus in the cool shade of the trees on a hot day.
Anyone know where I can forward this complaint ?
Sunday, July 20, 2008
JAM-K - The Rapping Gangsta from Bollywood
JAM-K
This character from the movie - Bombay to Bangkok (directed by Nagesh Kukunoor) - had me in splits. Yesterday, I was watching the movie for the 2nd time and JAM-K (played by Vijay Maurya) is simply downright hilarious as the Gansta who loves to rap. Just watch his scenes in the you tube link below and you will understand what I am saying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2xBbr6nWwE
Enjoy !
This character from the movie - Bombay to Bangkok (directed by Nagesh Kukunoor) - had me in splits. Yesterday, I was watching the movie for the 2nd time and JAM-K (played by Vijay Maurya) is simply downright hilarious as the Gansta who loves to rap. Just watch his scenes in the you tube link below and you will understand what I am saying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2xBbr6nWwE
Enjoy !
Sunday
The last thing I remember when I went to sleep yesterday night was that Tomorrow is Sunday - Yippee.
I wake up at 6 am and furiously brush my teeth. A cold glass of milk is downed fast. I get into my shorts and T-shirt and tie up the shoe lace. Walk to the door and on the way, pick up my tennis racquet. The tennis courts are about 4 minutes away from where I live. I start jogging in a bid to warm up. I see a couple of people already on the courts and join them. We will play doubles today. The teams are selected and I am to serve. I get into position at the service line and toss the ball up. I see the Wimbledon scoreboard from the corner of my eye and the crowd sitting quitely. THWACK !
Fifteen - Love , Becker. The crowd erupts. I pump my fist.
Yaay - it was an ace.
The next 2 hours fly by with the only words being - thirty / forty , duece, advantage punctuated by noises like thwack.
It's 8-30 am and I am sweating like a pig. I say my goodbyes and walk home. Mom pushes me straight into the bathroom and I have a lovely cold shower. There is a smile on my face and a song in my heart.
I walk out of the bathroom and get into fresh clothes. Hot breakfast is served and I quickly gobble it up. Time to stretch out in front of the TV. Heck it's "MAHABHARAT" time.
The serials get over at noon and I still have a couple of hours to kill before lunch. Out I walk into the verendah and pick up the cricket bat lying there alongwith the ball. Our house had a big compound and we (my bro and me) used to play underarm cricket. We start off and get totally immersed in the game.
156-2 - David Boon on 67 and Allan Border on 23. Ravi Shastri bowling to Boon. Shastri tosses one up and Boon goes forward - "Gautam" - Boon plays down the wrong line and is clean bowled.
MOM - why did you have to shout when I was playing a shot ???????
We call for lunch break and Simon O Donell will join Border to continue the Aussie innings after the lunch break. (Did I tell you - our lunch breaks could extend from 30 minutes to 24 hours.)
After a heavy lunch, I (as Shastri) was in no mood to go and bowl to Border and O'Donell so I decide to catch 40 winks. Mom is happy that we ain't playing in the hot sun.
It's 3-00 pm and the fan is whirring full speed. I pull the bedsheet over me, the decide to cover the whole of myself with the bedsheet. I wait for things to settle down for 10 minutes and when I am sure there is no movement and all are asleep - I very quietly put my hand down and under my bed and pull out the latest edition of the "Ghost Who Walks" series. Cover my head and gobble up the whole comic strip.
It's already 4-15 pm. I get up, wash my face and dad prepares tea in the meantime. I get into another pair of shorts and T-shirt, put on my keds and in 15 minutes am at the ground. I see all my friends have already started kicking ball. I join then and for the next 1 hour - I am transformed into paul Gascoigne - I deliver pin point passes, control the pace and feed our strikers - England wins the game 3-0 of which 2 goals were scored on my passes.
It's 5-30 pm and I see a few of my cricket fanatic friends selecting their teams for a 12 over one day match. I rush towards them and am selected in one team. My job today is to keep wickets. After 45 minutes, it's our turn to bat and we have to chase 67 in 12 overs.
It's 6-20 pm, when I am asked to open the innings with another friend. I take guard first. It's actually twilight and dimming fast. The opposition have 3 fast bowlers. Then it hits me - I have been made a scapegoat. I have to go and face 3 fast bowlers in fading light, that when they will be at their fastest best. Damn !!!
I decide not to buckle down and a determination to win against all odds takes over me.
Right arm over the wicket, calls the umpire.
I see a tall guy hurtling down towards me, his face looking menacing. He reaches the umpire, leaps and bowls, Thack. Backfoot defensive shot - right in the centre of the bat. That felt good.
I feel we have a good chance but in the next 4 overs we reach 12 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. I am standing at the non strikers end - my contribution being 1 run.
In walks a player we just took in our team as we were not getting 11 players. And he proceeds to play a blinding innings. We reach 72-5 in 10.4 overs and I end up with 7 not out. Rest of the runs scored by a guy batting with me whose name I did not know.
It's 7-10 pm and dark now. My friend Vinay picks me up from the ground and we proceed to the badminton court. Have fun smashing shuttles and making Vinay run for 30 minutes. Soon he tires and asks me to play table tennis instead. I agree and we have a ball playing table tennis for the next half an hour.
Soon I am tired. Walk back home and again I am asked to proceed straight to the shower. Have a nice hot bath and get into fresh clothes and plonk myself in front of the TV. Have dinner and go straight to bed.
As soon as I hit the sack, I am asleep. I have to be at the tennis courts at 630 am tomorrow.
"Gautam, wake up - it's 8 o clock"
I sit up straight with a jolt - "8 o'clock - noooo I am late"
I jump out of bed and rush to brush my teeth.
While brushing I notice a stubble. Damn No - I don't want to shave now, I am already late and besides I can go to work in a stubbble today, after all it's Sunday.
WORK ???? ON A SUNDAY ??
Sigh - I remember it is 2008.
I wake up at 6 am and furiously brush my teeth. A cold glass of milk is downed fast. I get into my shorts and T-shirt and tie up the shoe lace. Walk to the door and on the way, pick up my tennis racquet. The tennis courts are about 4 minutes away from where I live. I start jogging in a bid to warm up. I see a couple of people already on the courts and join them. We will play doubles today. The teams are selected and I am to serve. I get into position at the service line and toss the ball up. I see the Wimbledon scoreboard from the corner of my eye and the crowd sitting quitely. THWACK !
Fifteen - Love , Becker. The crowd erupts. I pump my fist.
Yaay - it was an ace.
The next 2 hours fly by with the only words being - thirty / forty , duece, advantage punctuated by noises like thwack.
It's 8-30 am and I am sweating like a pig. I say my goodbyes and walk home. Mom pushes me straight into the bathroom and I have a lovely cold shower. There is a smile on my face and a song in my heart.
I walk out of the bathroom and get into fresh clothes. Hot breakfast is served and I quickly gobble it up. Time to stretch out in front of the TV. Heck it's "MAHABHARAT" time.
The serials get over at noon and I still have a couple of hours to kill before lunch. Out I walk into the verendah and pick up the cricket bat lying there alongwith the ball. Our house had a big compound and we (my bro and me) used to play underarm cricket. We start off and get totally immersed in the game.
156-2 - David Boon on 67 and Allan Border on 23. Ravi Shastri bowling to Boon. Shastri tosses one up and Boon goes forward - "Gautam" - Boon plays down the wrong line and is clean bowled.
MOM - why did you have to shout when I was playing a shot ???????
We call for lunch break and Simon O Donell will join Border to continue the Aussie innings after the lunch break. (Did I tell you - our lunch breaks could extend from 30 minutes to 24 hours.)
After a heavy lunch, I (as Shastri) was in no mood to go and bowl to Border and O'Donell so I decide to catch 40 winks. Mom is happy that we ain't playing in the hot sun.
It's 3-00 pm and the fan is whirring full speed. I pull the bedsheet over me, the decide to cover the whole of myself with the bedsheet. I wait for things to settle down for 10 minutes and when I am sure there is no movement and all are asleep - I very quietly put my hand down and under my bed and pull out the latest edition of the "Ghost Who Walks" series. Cover my head and gobble up the whole comic strip.
It's already 4-15 pm. I get up, wash my face and dad prepares tea in the meantime. I get into another pair of shorts and T-shirt, put on my keds and in 15 minutes am at the ground. I see all my friends have already started kicking ball. I join then and for the next 1 hour - I am transformed into paul Gascoigne - I deliver pin point passes, control the pace and feed our strikers - England wins the game 3-0 of which 2 goals were scored on my passes.
It's 5-30 pm and I see a few of my cricket fanatic friends selecting their teams for a 12 over one day match. I rush towards them and am selected in one team. My job today is to keep wickets. After 45 minutes, it's our turn to bat and we have to chase 67 in 12 overs.
It's 6-20 pm, when I am asked to open the innings with another friend. I take guard first. It's actually twilight and dimming fast. The opposition have 3 fast bowlers. Then it hits me - I have been made a scapegoat. I have to go and face 3 fast bowlers in fading light, that when they will be at their fastest best. Damn !!!
I decide not to buckle down and a determination to win against all odds takes over me.
Right arm over the wicket, calls the umpire.
I see a tall guy hurtling down towards me, his face looking menacing. He reaches the umpire, leaps and bowls, Thack. Backfoot defensive shot - right in the centre of the bat. That felt good.
I feel we have a good chance but in the next 4 overs we reach 12 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. I am standing at the non strikers end - my contribution being 1 run.
In walks a player we just took in our team as we were not getting 11 players. And he proceeds to play a blinding innings. We reach 72-5 in 10.4 overs and I end up with 7 not out. Rest of the runs scored by a guy batting with me whose name I did not know.
It's 7-10 pm and dark now. My friend Vinay picks me up from the ground and we proceed to the badminton court. Have fun smashing shuttles and making Vinay run for 30 minutes. Soon he tires and asks me to play table tennis instead. I agree and we have a ball playing table tennis for the next half an hour.
Soon I am tired. Walk back home and again I am asked to proceed straight to the shower. Have a nice hot bath and get into fresh clothes and plonk myself in front of the TV. Have dinner and go straight to bed.
As soon as I hit the sack, I am asleep. I have to be at the tennis courts at 630 am tomorrow.
"Gautam, wake up - it's 8 o clock"
I sit up straight with a jolt - "8 o'clock - noooo I am late"
I jump out of bed and rush to brush my teeth.
While brushing I notice a stubble. Damn No - I don't want to shave now, I am already late and besides I can go to work in a stubbble today, after all it's Sunday.
WORK ???? ON A SUNDAY ??
Sigh - I remember it is 2008.
What the fuck - 3
Just read in the papers today morning - that, Abhijeet, the famous singer has been sacked as a judge on some reality singing show on Zee TV.
His fault ?
He refused to judge a show when the Zee TV production guys called in a Pakistani singer as a wild card.
Abhijeet said - The show had Indian participants and why does a pakistani singer have to come and perform and maybe, even win the title of the winner of Indian ..............show.
And he is DAMN RIGHT. I support him fully.
On one hand the Pak govt. refuses visa for our singer Rabbi when he wanted to go and perform in Pakistan and here we are - calling shithole singers from Pakistan to come and participate in Indian shows.
Another controversy is in some other show with Himesh, Shankar Mahadevan et all as judges. It's an show where people from various countries will be selected to train under these judges. One Pakistani female refused to say "Har Har Mahadev" when it was the anthem of the team.
Why the FUCK do we tolerate this shit ? WHY ?
We need more people like Abhijeet.
His fault ?
He refused to judge a show when the Zee TV production guys called in a Pakistani singer as a wild card.
Abhijeet said - The show had Indian participants and why does a pakistani singer have to come and perform and maybe, even win the title of the winner of Indian ..............show.
And he is DAMN RIGHT. I support him fully.
On one hand the Pak govt. refuses visa for our singer Rabbi when he wanted to go and perform in Pakistan and here we are - calling shithole singers from Pakistan to come and participate in Indian shows.
Another controversy is in some other show with Himesh, Shankar Mahadevan et all as judges. It's an show where people from various countries will be selected to train under these judges. One Pakistani female refused to say "Har Har Mahadev" when it was the anthem of the team.
Why the FUCK do we tolerate this shit ? WHY ?
We need more people like Abhijeet.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Movie Review - The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight
Verdict - 4/5. Mindblowingly awesome movie. NOT TO BE MISSED.
Everyone knows the story - good v/s evil, Batman v/s the Joker - so I won't say much.
Heath Ledger as the Joker is SIMPLY OUTSTANDING. What a performance ! What a superb performance ! Watch his mannerisms (the tongue flicking and lciking his scars) - AWESOME.
The action is good and fast and the background score - I am in love with it. It complemented the whole mood of the movie so beautifully. The direction and the support cast do well too.
Some action sequences - like the one where batman topples the trailer and flips his bike had the audience - whistling / clapping and cheering.
Go and watch this. And Heath Ledger - take a bow !
Verdict - 4/5. Mindblowingly awesome movie. NOT TO BE MISSED.
Everyone knows the story - good v/s evil, Batman v/s the Joker - so I won't say much.
Heath Ledger as the Joker is SIMPLY OUTSTANDING. What a performance ! What a superb performance ! Watch his mannerisms (the tongue flicking and lciking his scars) - AWESOME.
The action is good and fast and the background score - I am in love with it. It complemented the whole mood of the movie so beautifully. The direction and the support cast do well too.
Some action sequences - like the one where batman topples the trailer and flips his bike had the audience - whistling / clapping and cheering.
Go and watch this. And Heath Ledger - take a bow !
Movie Review - Kismat Konnection
Kismat Konnection
Story is about a out of work and out of luck college topper. Nothing goes right for him and he dials a fortune teller in desperation, who, tells him that, he has his lucky charm and has to find it. The lucky charm turns out to be a girl with whom he cannot see eye to eye and then......
Shahid looks and acts good. Direction is good not spectacular. Music is rocking, I really love the songs. The minus point and it's the biggest negative of the movie - is Vidya Balan.
She look older to Shahid and her dress designer gave her the most atrocious dresses in the movie which helped her look older.
Verdict - 2.5/5. Watchable once, a typical feel good movie though predictable most of the time.
Story is about a out of work and out of luck college topper. Nothing goes right for him and he dials a fortune teller in desperation, who, tells him that, he has his lucky charm and has to find it. The lucky charm turns out to be a girl with whom he cannot see eye to eye and then......
Shahid looks and acts good. Direction is good not spectacular. Music is rocking, I really love the songs. The minus point and it's the biggest negative of the movie - is Vidya Balan.
She look older to Shahid and her dress designer gave her the most atrocious dresses in the movie which helped her look older.
Verdict - 2.5/5. Watchable once, a typical feel good movie though predictable most of the time.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Dil, Dosti aur kya kya - 2
This time I write about my friend "S". No, not sex.
S - The 1st time I met him - he was in this formal shirt and trouser (which I could not connect to then). I remember we both ended up searching something for a common friend though we met for the 1st time. I knew then this guy was a helpful guy.
Since he was in the IT industry, it was strange to see him come back home at 1830 hours daily. I used to wonder whether he actually worked (since I was under the impression that IT guys worked pretty late).
We met on and off and since he lived bang opposite to my building, it was obvious we were to become good friends. He was also the elder son in the family (like C) and he has completely lived up to his family's expectations. His parents, brother and sister - all are settled in life and he has played a major part in their lives being settled.
He is married, C is not. And marriage has changed him (however hard he may debate the fact). He is now in UK (traitor) and his wife has been a real calming influence on him I feel. He used to have a very short fuse earlier which seems to have defused these days. :)
We have done pretty crazy things to-gather - forgetting his slippers on a highway and finding it at the same place a couple of hours later, bashing up a taxi guy for banging into my car from behind, going after a guy in a ST bus in Hyderabad - we have done it all. I seriously thought then that he needed to attend Anger Management classes.
He looks serious but has a very good sense of humour and does a killer imitation of S P Balasubramanium.
Distance, though has not been able to distance our friendship and we still try to be in touch whenever we can.
S - The 1st time I met him - he was in this formal shirt and trouser (which I could not connect to then). I remember we both ended up searching something for a common friend though we met for the 1st time. I knew then this guy was a helpful guy.
Since he was in the IT industry, it was strange to see him come back home at 1830 hours daily. I used to wonder whether he actually worked (since I was under the impression that IT guys worked pretty late).
We met on and off and since he lived bang opposite to my building, it was obvious we were to become good friends. He was also the elder son in the family (like C) and he has completely lived up to his family's expectations. His parents, brother and sister - all are settled in life and he has played a major part in their lives being settled.
He is married, C is not. And marriage has changed him (however hard he may debate the fact). He is now in UK (traitor) and his wife has been a real calming influence on him I feel. He used to have a very short fuse earlier which seems to have defused these days. :)
We have done pretty crazy things to-gather - forgetting his slippers on a highway and finding it at the same place a couple of hours later, bashing up a taxi guy for banging into my car from behind, going after a guy in a ST bus in Hyderabad - we have done it all. I seriously thought then that he needed to attend Anger Management classes.
He looks serious but has a very good sense of humour and does a killer imitation of S P Balasubramanium.
Distance, though has not been able to distance our friendship and we still try to be in touch whenever we can.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Falling in Love - AGAIN
There she was, standing in a corner, looking as good as she has ever done. I was noticing her after a long time, a dull ache came over my heart. Will she talk to me ? Will she even look at me ?
What should I do ? My mind was in turmoil. I decided to go and talk to her.
I walked up slowly (watching and admiring her). She looked even better when closer.
Hi - I said.
Hi (Hint of a surprise in her voice)
Her voice sounds sweet, still.
How are you doing?
I am fine, how are you ?
I am fine too. You are looking good.
Thanks.
All the time I was thinking, what if words fail me or the conversation just takes a full stop - and that is precisely what happened. An awkward silence where both didn't know what to say.
Hows life?
It's good, nothing major has happened yet but it is fine.
Come on think on your feet. What are you going to say next - this is not going anywhere.
Err what are you doing in the evening? (Damn what was that I just said, but it was already too late)
Nothing much. No plans.
Can we just catch up?
Sure.
Let's go.
Soon we are sitting to-gather. Music is playing in my ears.
Want to dance ? - she asks.
I haven't danced in ages.
So what?
I don't know whether I would be able to dance without making a fool of myself.
Don't be a spoil sport. You can always try.
Ok, lets do it.
I was still thinking - what am I getting into? I can't dance for nuts.
We start of slowly. She helps me get the steps right and match her rhythm. I feel confident after a while. Soon the music changes the tempo, it's faster and I am feeling confident. We dance like we were wanting to dance with each other for a long time. And we are in perfect rhythm. Not a beat is missed and not a step is out of sync.
After about 30 minutes we finish dancing. I am breathless. I am grinning. My heart is pounding. I am thrilled. I am surprised, I lasted this long. We both look at each other at the same time.
And I am damn sure, as that moment, she was thinking the same as I was - damn I have missed being with him/her. That was fun.
We should do this more often - both say this at the same time.
Sadly I had to leave then, but, I knew then, I had fallen in love AGAIN. It felt great.
As I walked away from her, I turned back to look at her and there she was, looking at me. I gave her a flying kiss. She smiled at me.
Would you guys like to know her name ?
It's MH04-BK-7510.
What should I do ? My mind was in turmoil. I decided to go and talk to her.
I walked up slowly (watching and admiring her). She looked even better when closer.
Hi - I said.
Hi (Hint of a surprise in her voice)
Her voice sounds sweet, still.
How are you doing?
I am fine, how are you ?
I am fine too. You are looking good.
Thanks.
All the time I was thinking, what if words fail me or the conversation just takes a full stop - and that is precisely what happened. An awkward silence where both didn't know what to say.
Hows life?
It's good, nothing major has happened yet but it is fine.
Come on think on your feet. What are you going to say next - this is not going anywhere.
Err what are you doing in the evening? (Damn what was that I just said, but it was already too late)
Nothing much. No plans.
Can we just catch up?
Sure.
Let's go.
Soon we are sitting to-gather. Music is playing in my ears.
Want to dance ? - she asks.
I haven't danced in ages.
So what?
I don't know whether I would be able to dance without making a fool of myself.
Don't be a spoil sport. You can always try.
Ok, lets do it.
I was still thinking - what am I getting into? I can't dance for nuts.
We start of slowly. She helps me get the steps right and match her rhythm. I feel confident after a while. Soon the music changes the tempo, it's faster and I am feeling confident. We dance like we were wanting to dance with each other for a long time. And we are in perfect rhythm. Not a beat is missed and not a step is out of sync.
After about 30 minutes we finish dancing. I am breathless. I am grinning. My heart is pounding. I am thrilled. I am surprised, I lasted this long. We both look at each other at the same time.
And I am damn sure, as that moment, she was thinking the same as I was - damn I have missed being with him/her. That was fun.
We should do this more often - both say this at the same time.
Sadly I had to leave then, but, I knew then, I had fallen in love AGAIN. It felt great.
As I walked away from her, I turned back to look at her and there she was, looking at me. I gave her a flying kiss. She smiled at me.
Would you guys like to know her name ?
It's MH04-BK-7510.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Dil, Dosti aur Kya Kya
It's time to write about the most wonderful people in your life - friends.
I have 2 very close friends and I feel it's time to talk about them, one by one.
C - C is an enigma to me yet. I met him ages ago - at that moment in his life, he was the eternal superior being. He felt he was the King and behaved like all of us were his subordinates and I thought he was obnoxious. Somehow one day we got to spend some time togather which made us realise that we actually could get along with each other. Never looked back after that. The bond grew stronger and stronger. He was my constant companion round the clock - the fact that both of us had intelligence far better than the crowd around us made the friendship stronger.
He was blunt, I was politically correct. He was rude, I was the gentleman. He was without a care, I was the one always worried. Opposites attract they say - we were the prime examples.
They say people can change each other. And it has happened with C and me. In the initial days, whenever we used to go clubbing - I opted for beer and he always showed his macho side by ridiculing beer and shoving down whisky on the rocks (I told you he was obnoxious, right?) and now the situation is such that whenever I ask him for a drink he says beer and I have started relishing whisky.
He is a passionate family guy and I am proud of him the way he has responded to the duty of being the elder son. Absolutely class.
I learnt a lot of new things from him (eg tripping hehe) and most importantly I learnt not to care about what poeple might think/feel of my actions.
He was one guy who treated girls very matter of fact and it was considered that this guy would never fall in love....or rather no girl would fall in love with this fellow. But we were again proven wrong. He fell in love too.
We have survived a variety of incidents, emotions and situations - and the fact that we have come out stronger and closer is proof of our friendship and I am proud to have him as a friend.
I don't believe I am saying this about him but as I told you - he is an enigma.
I have 2 very close friends and I feel it's time to talk about them, one by one.
C - C is an enigma to me yet. I met him ages ago - at that moment in his life, he was the eternal superior being. He felt he was the King and behaved like all of us were his subordinates and I thought he was obnoxious. Somehow one day we got to spend some time togather which made us realise that we actually could get along with each other. Never looked back after that. The bond grew stronger and stronger. He was my constant companion round the clock - the fact that both of us had intelligence far better than the crowd around us made the friendship stronger.
He was blunt, I was politically correct. He was rude, I was the gentleman. He was without a care, I was the one always worried. Opposites attract they say - we were the prime examples.
They say people can change each other. And it has happened with C and me. In the initial days, whenever we used to go clubbing - I opted for beer and he always showed his macho side by ridiculing beer and shoving down whisky on the rocks (I told you he was obnoxious, right?) and now the situation is such that whenever I ask him for a drink he says beer and I have started relishing whisky.
He is a passionate family guy and I am proud of him the way he has responded to the duty of being the elder son. Absolutely class.
I learnt a lot of new things from him (eg tripping hehe) and most importantly I learnt not to care about what poeple might think/feel of my actions.
He was one guy who treated girls very matter of fact and it was considered that this guy would never fall in love....or rather no girl would fall in love with this fellow. But we were again proven wrong. He fell in love too.
We have survived a variety of incidents, emotions and situations - and the fact that we have come out stronger and closer is proof of our friendship and I am proud to have him as a friend.
I don't believe I am saying this about him but as I told you - he is an enigma.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Movie reviews
Since I have not updated stuff for a long time now, I thought of putting up movie reviews of many films togather. Hope this helps you guys :)
JAANE TU YA JAANE NA
2 best friends - boy and girl in college - with a group of friends. Everyone thinks they are in love but they aren't or are they ?
The realisation of love is what the movie is about. It is not an original concept or story but the movie works - works because of it's fresh feel and look and some really good dialogues and some very good acting by all.
I loved the hero's father (Naseeruddin Shah) and in the beginning I thought the 2 horsemen were there just for the heck of it but no.
Nice music too - it's fun , fresh , frothy and very nice.
Yes there are flaws and cliches in the movie but it makes you smile and laugh a bit and you come out feeling good.
Verdict - 4/5. Must watch.
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LOVE STORY 2050
This movie is a BORE. And that is the start of my review. We have a new boy, Hrithik Roshan oops Harman Baweja who walks, talks, dances, tries to act like Hrithik - so let's just forget him.
Everything else in the movie is so OTT and loud that I almost walked out.
The special effects are really good for a bollywood movie. The music is bad.
Ultimately it's a movie that is a show vehicle for Harman. he gets to cycle, drive a MG, romance , fight and his dad wants him to act but he fails where it matters. He cannot handle the emotional scenes and people were laughing in the hall when he cried and acted at the same time.
Verdict - 1/5. Avoid.
---------------------------
THODA PYAR THODA MAGIC
Saif plays a rich tycoon who in a car accident is responsible for the death of a couple. So the judge orders the 4 orphaned kids to go and live with Saif. Obviously the kids and Saif do not get along and the kids pray to God. God hears their prayers and sends an angel Rani to help them.
Then the predictable happens - she helps Saif and the kids to love each other and falls in love with Saif.
Performances range from the average to bad. Kids are ok and Rishi Kapoor plays God like in Bruce Almighty
Ameesha plays Saif's love interest and is SMOKIN' HOT in that song and in a few scenes where she is in the tiniest of clothes possible.
Rating - 1.5 / 5. YAWN.
--------------------------------
DE TAALI
Another comedy ! It's about 3 friends (2 guys and 1 girl) and what happens when one of the guys falls in love with a girl.
Well how is the movie ? It's got a thin story line and is senseless most of the time. A series of gags is what keeps the proceedings going. And it's here the cast lifts the movie.
Ritesh, Aftab, Rimi and Ayesha are very good. A few gags will have you rolling with laughter but over all the movie is mediocre. And it is extended - with stories on Rimi's family (the most weird family to date) and some nutty professors and lovers. Also the track of Ritesh's landlord could have been edited.
ps - a couple of scenes to watch out for are - the scene where Ritesh fights with an imaginary guy and the scene in which Aftab goes " tum mere liye roti thiii" after the boardroom meeting.
Verdict - 2/5. Watch it only if want to enjoy a few laughs.
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SARKAR RAJ
If you liked Sarkar - you will like this too. The movie is shot the same way - tight close ups and facial expressions. There is a thin story line (resembling Enron saga) on which the movie hangs but it is the performances that lift this ordinary movie.
Ab Sr is the best of the lot followed by his son. Abhsihek has to look sullen and mouth the clinching lines and he does it very nicely. Ashwairya is there in the movie but she has a subdued role and is competent. The rest of the cast is fine too.
There are a couple of twists and turns in the movie and the end is apt for part-3.
Verdict - 2.5/5. Watch it for the performances and RGV finally seems to have found a movie that should do well.
-------------------------------------------------------
JANNAT
The leading lady makes the worst debut ever I have seen in an hindi movie. Emraan Hashmi is very ordinary. Music is just average. A couple of cars are eye candy like the LR stretch.
Verdict 1/5. Utter crap and absolutely avoidable.
------------------------------------------------------------------
BHOOTHNATH
A must watch !! I went in with no expectations and the movie simply surprised me.
It's a formula film with a formula story. Kids will have great fun in the 1st half and the movie veers towards relationships in the 2nd half.
Amitabh is in fine form playing the ghost and he is supported well by Juhi, Satish Shah and the small kid. Shahrukh is there in a guest appearance.
At least 3 songs are not required and they slow down the movie. The movie is well shot and special effects are very good.
Verdict - 3/5. A movie for kids and adults alike. Go watch it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
U, ME AND HUM
I really did not want to watch this movie but saw it back to back with Krazzy4.
and I am glad I watched this.
Ajay Devgan makes a very very good debut as a director. The movie is about Alzeihmer's disease and what happens when to the family and the loved ones when there is a person with the disease in the family.
The movie is all about how Ajay woos Kajol on a cruise liner by lying to her. he is on vacation with 2 couple friends of his. Kajol finds out he had lied to her and leaves him - only to come back later. Both get married and everything is great but then Alzheimer's strikes.
Beautifully and sensitively directed - this one will tug at your hearts. The movie gets into the groove in the 2nd half and grips you.
Strong performances by Ajay and Kajol (I really don't like her) and the supporting cast make this a very good watch. Women are advised to carry kerchiefs.
I loved it - an absolutely unexpected surprise.
Verdict - 3.75/5 - Go catch it.
--------------------------------------
KRAZZY 4
This is one movie I was waiting for and after I finished watching it - I feel cheated. The movie is a bore.
It has a talented cast - Arshad , Irfan, Juhi Chawla, Rajpal Yadav etc and still fails to hold your attention. Suresh Menon is one actor who makes people laugh when he speaks and he has exactly 3 lines in the movie with a common word.
4 people with different dis-orders go to town with their doctor (who feels this will help improve their condition) who promptly dissapears leaving the 4 alone. And what happens next is what Krazzy 4 is all about.
It tries to be comedy - feels incomplete
It tries to give social messages - feels incomplete
It tries to be a thriller - feels incomplete
The only positives are the 2 item numbers by SRK and Hrithik.
Verdict - 2/5 - Avoidable.
----------------------------------
RACE
Typical Abbas-Mustan movie. Twists and turns in the plot keep it going.
In short - it's about 2 super rich brothers who own a race horses breeding farm. Then a girl and jealousy - a double cross and one brother dies....then starts the fun.
Nice popcorn entertainer I say. Entertaining and stylishly shot, a few good songs, nice cars (orange Ferrari, a skyline and some drifts) , hot heroines.
Verdict - 2.75/5.
---------------------
AAMIR
I had some good expectations from this movie on watching their promos and I am so glad the movie surpassed the expectations.
A doctor comes back from London to India, only to find the immigration officer harass him because his name is Aamir. He then walks out of the airport and finds no one has come to receive him and when he calls home, no one answers the phone.
Suddenly a couple of bikers come to him and throw him a mobile phone - he gets a call that turns his world upside down.
Rajeev Khandelwal debuts as Aamir and does well. He starts off nervously but picks up steam later on. The supporting cast is fine too.
Brilliantly directed and absolutely fantastic camera work on real loactions is Mumbai enhance the reality factor of the movie. The director and camera man deserve a round of applause here.
Verdict - 3.75/5. Must watch - if you have a choice between Sarkar Raj and this - go for Aamir. You won't regret it at all.
---------------------------------------------------
JAANE TU YA JAANE NA
2 best friends - boy and girl in college - with a group of friends. Everyone thinks they are in love but they aren't or are they ?
The realisation of love is what the movie is about. It is not an original concept or story but the movie works - works because of it's fresh feel and look and some really good dialogues and some very good acting by all.
I loved the hero's father (Naseeruddin Shah) and in the beginning I thought the 2 horsemen were there just for the heck of it but no.
Nice music too - it's fun , fresh , frothy and very nice.
Yes there are flaws and cliches in the movie but it makes you smile and laugh a bit and you come out feeling good.
Verdict - 4/5. Must watch.
-----------------------------------
LOVE STORY 2050
This movie is a BORE. And that is the start of my review. We have a new boy, Hrithik Roshan oops Harman Baweja who walks, talks, dances, tries to act like Hrithik - so let's just forget him.
Everything else in the movie is so OTT and loud that I almost walked out.
The special effects are really good for a bollywood movie. The music is bad.
Ultimately it's a movie that is a show vehicle for Harman. he gets to cycle, drive a MG, romance , fight and his dad wants him to act but he fails where it matters. He cannot handle the emotional scenes and people were laughing in the hall when he cried and acted at the same time.
Verdict - 1/5. Avoid.
---------------------------
THODA PYAR THODA MAGIC
Saif plays a rich tycoon who in a car accident is responsible for the death of a couple. So the judge orders the 4 orphaned kids to go and live with Saif. Obviously the kids and Saif do not get along and the kids pray to God. God hears their prayers and sends an angel Rani to help them.
Then the predictable happens - she helps Saif and the kids to love each other and falls in love with Saif.
Performances range from the average to bad. Kids are ok and Rishi Kapoor plays God like in Bruce Almighty
Ameesha plays Saif's love interest and is SMOKIN' HOT in that song and in a few scenes where she is in the tiniest of clothes possible.
Rating - 1.5 / 5. YAWN.
--------------------------------
DE TAALI
Another comedy ! It's about 3 friends (2 guys and 1 girl) and what happens when one of the guys falls in love with a girl.
Well how is the movie ? It's got a thin story line and is senseless most of the time. A series of gags is what keeps the proceedings going. And it's here the cast lifts the movie.
Ritesh, Aftab, Rimi and Ayesha are very good. A few gags will have you rolling with laughter but over all the movie is mediocre. And it is extended - with stories on Rimi's family (the most weird family to date) and some nutty professors and lovers. Also the track of Ritesh's landlord could have been edited.
ps - a couple of scenes to watch out for are - the scene where Ritesh fights with an imaginary guy and the scene in which Aftab goes " tum mere liye roti thiii" after the boardroom meeting.
Verdict - 2/5. Watch it only if want to enjoy a few laughs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SARKAR RAJ
If you liked Sarkar - you will like this too. The movie is shot the same way - tight close ups and facial expressions. There is a thin story line (resembling Enron saga) on which the movie hangs but it is the performances that lift this ordinary movie.
Ab Sr is the best of the lot followed by his son. Abhsihek has to look sullen and mouth the clinching lines and he does it very nicely. Ashwairya is there in the movie but she has a subdued role and is competent. The rest of the cast is fine too.
There are a couple of twists and turns in the movie and the end is apt for part-3.
Verdict - 2.5/5. Watch it for the performances and RGV finally seems to have found a movie that should do well.
-------------------------------------------------------
JANNAT
The leading lady makes the worst debut ever I have seen in an hindi movie. Emraan Hashmi is very ordinary. Music is just average. A couple of cars are eye candy like the LR stretch.
Verdict 1/5. Utter crap and absolutely avoidable.
------------------------------------------------------------------
BHOOTHNATH
A must watch !! I went in with no expectations and the movie simply surprised me.
It's a formula film with a formula story. Kids will have great fun in the 1st half and the movie veers towards relationships in the 2nd half.
Amitabh is in fine form playing the ghost and he is supported well by Juhi, Satish Shah and the small kid. Shahrukh is there in a guest appearance.
At least 3 songs are not required and they slow down the movie. The movie is well shot and special effects are very good.
Verdict - 3/5. A movie for kids and adults alike. Go watch it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
U, ME AND HUM
I really did not want to watch this movie but saw it back to back with Krazzy4.
and I am glad I watched this.
Ajay Devgan makes a very very good debut as a director. The movie is about Alzeihmer's disease and what happens when to the family and the loved ones when there is a person with the disease in the family.
The movie is all about how Ajay woos Kajol on a cruise liner by lying to her. he is on vacation with 2 couple friends of his. Kajol finds out he had lied to her and leaves him - only to come back later. Both get married and everything is great but then Alzheimer's strikes.
Beautifully and sensitively directed - this one will tug at your hearts. The movie gets into the groove in the 2nd half and grips you.
Strong performances by Ajay and Kajol (I really don't like her) and the supporting cast make this a very good watch. Women are advised to carry kerchiefs.
I loved it - an absolutely unexpected surprise.
Verdict - 3.75/5 - Go catch it.
--------------------------------------
KRAZZY 4
This is one movie I was waiting for and after I finished watching it - I feel cheated. The movie is a bore.
It has a talented cast - Arshad , Irfan, Juhi Chawla, Rajpal Yadav etc and still fails to hold your attention. Suresh Menon is one actor who makes people laugh when he speaks and he has exactly 3 lines in the movie with a common word.
4 people with different dis-orders go to town with their doctor (who feels this will help improve their condition) who promptly dissapears leaving the 4 alone. And what happens next is what Krazzy 4 is all about.
It tries to be comedy - feels incomplete
It tries to give social messages - feels incomplete
It tries to be a thriller - feels incomplete
The only positives are the 2 item numbers by SRK and Hrithik.
Verdict - 2/5 - Avoidable.
----------------------------------
RACE
Typical Abbas-Mustan movie. Twists and turns in the plot keep it going.
In short - it's about 2 super rich brothers who own a race horses breeding farm. Then a girl and jealousy - a double cross and one brother dies....then starts the fun.
Nice popcorn entertainer I say. Entertaining and stylishly shot, a few good songs, nice cars (orange Ferrari, a skyline and some drifts) , hot heroines.
Verdict - 2.75/5.
---------------------
AAMIR
I had some good expectations from this movie on watching their promos and I am so glad the movie surpassed the expectations.
A doctor comes back from London to India, only to find the immigration officer harass him because his name is Aamir. He then walks out of the airport and finds no one has come to receive him and when he calls home, no one answers the phone.
Suddenly a couple of bikers come to him and throw him a mobile phone - he gets a call that turns his world upside down.
Rajeev Khandelwal debuts as Aamir and does well. He starts off nervously but picks up steam later on. The supporting cast is fine too.
Brilliantly directed and absolutely fantastic camera work on real loactions is Mumbai enhance the reality factor of the movie. The director and camera man deserve a round of applause here.
Verdict - 3.75/5. Must watch - if you have a choice between Sarkar Raj and this - go for Aamir. You won't regret it at all.
---------------------------------------------------
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Sweet Experiences - Part 2
2 more incidents happened that made me smile and fee warm.
Incident 1
Driving towards LBS road from Ghatkopar depot @ 11 am on 28-03-08, I get stuck at the LBS junction signal. My eyes wander here and there.
To my right there is a chawl type building and I look at it with no particular interest. My eyes fall on the first floor window which has a grill - pretty common you would say and I agree - but here there were 2 kids (a 5 year old and approx. 2 year old) sitting in the grill with their legs dangling in the air. The 2 year old kid was enjoying that feeling and the 5 year old was playing the protective brother to the hilt. Taking care of his younger brother and making sure he enjoys the feeling.
Made me remember my kiddie days when I used to sit in the grill of my window and watch the world go by, count the cars and try and guess each car.
Incident 2
Driving to work today morning, I pull up at the Deonar signal. Next to me is a Fusion +. As usual my eyes wander and come to rest on the guy in the Fusion. He was drinking water from a bottle (taken from his bag). And half his attention was on whether the signal will turn green while he is drinking water. It didn't and he was relived. So he thought let me check the other stuff in my bag. He removes a tiffin box and checks the content and his face registers shock. Promptly, he puts that box in and removes a second tiffin box and this time his face registers more shock like this
.
The signal turns green and I take off. The guy managed to keep the box and drive on. Comes next to me on the next signal as well and is talking animatedly on the phone (to his wife I presumed) and I drove off smiling.
Incident 1
Driving towards LBS road from Ghatkopar depot @ 11 am on 28-03-08, I get stuck at the LBS junction signal. My eyes wander here and there.
To my right there is a chawl type building and I look at it with no particular interest. My eyes fall on the first floor window which has a grill - pretty common you would say and I agree - but here there were 2 kids (a 5 year old and approx. 2 year old) sitting in the grill with their legs dangling in the air. The 2 year old kid was enjoying that feeling and the 5 year old was playing the protective brother to the hilt. Taking care of his younger brother and making sure he enjoys the feeling.
Made me remember my kiddie days when I used to sit in the grill of my window and watch the world go by, count the cars and try and guess each car.
Incident 2
Driving to work today morning, I pull up at the Deonar signal. Next to me is a Fusion +. As usual my eyes wander and come to rest on the guy in the Fusion. He was drinking water from a bottle (taken from his bag). And half his attention was on whether the signal will turn green while he is drinking water. It didn't and he was relived. So he thought let me check the other stuff in my bag. He removes a tiffin box and checks the content and his face registers shock. Promptly, he puts that box in and removes a second tiffin box and this time his face registers more shock like this
.The signal turns green and I take off. The guy managed to keep the box and drive on. Comes next to me on the next signal as well and is talking animatedly on the phone (to his wife I presumed) and I drove off smiling.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Indian News Channel Tamasha
Phew !! All those anchors and reporters and cameramen must be damn tired. They need a well deserved break for beaming the "Rescue of Vandana" to our TV sets for close to 27 hours at a stretch. Bravo well done. Another feather in their cap after the "Prince" saga some time ago.
And what reporting it was - simply brilliant !!
Asking the mom of the kid - How are you feeling now that your kid is in the borewell ?
What answer were they expecting ?
And all the news reporters have completely missed the point about reporting and bringing to light the major shortcomings !
Did any one report about the lack of Emergency Response teams ?
Why did the kid have to endure 27 hours in the pit ?
Why wasn't she rescued in 2 hours ?
Who was responsible for leaving the pit open ?
Why is the army always called in last ? Don't we know that the civic administration is incapable ? The Armay had to rescue Prince too.
Sadly now these things will be forgotten and the kid will be got to the studios in Mumbai and be paraded in front of thousands of people who will watch the tamasha again !!
----------------
Now playing on Winamp: Don't Give Up (Original Mix) - Chicane - Behind The Sun
via FoxyTunes
And what reporting it was - simply brilliant !!
Asking the mom of the kid - How are you feeling now that your kid is in the borewell ?
What answer were they expecting ?
And all the news reporters have completely missed the point about reporting and bringing to light the major shortcomings !
Did any one report about the lack of Emergency Response teams ?
Why did the kid have to endure 27 hours in the pit ?
Why wasn't she rescued in 2 hours ?
Who was responsible for leaving the pit open ?
Why is the army always called in last ? Don't we know that the civic administration is incapable ? The Armay had to rescue Prince too.
Sadly now these things will be forgotten and the kid will be got to the studios in Mumbai and be paraded in front of thousands of people who will watch the tamasha again !!
----------------
Now playing on Winamp: Don't Give Up (Original Mix) - Chicane - Behind The Sun
via FoxyTunes
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The QUEUE tales
These 2 seperate incidents happened at booking counters of 2 different multiplexes.
Incident 1
This happened a few weeks back - 14th Feb to be exact. I booked tickets for Jodha Akbar online @ Pvr cinemas, Mulund. The show was to start at 10.45 pm.
I reach the mall at 10.30 pm and walk up to the ticket counter.
There are 2 counters for internet booking and other booking methods. One counter was closed and as expected there was quite a queue at the internet booking counter. I got into line and a guy joined in behind me.
He was the desperado types and wanted everything quick. He spies a staff member walk into the ticketing area and come to a stand still near the shut window. So smartly he moves out of the queue and triumphantly is the 1st person to rech the closed counter. He pushes aside the board that says counter closed and asks for his tickets. The staff tell him that the counter is closed and he should join the line that he was in earlier. His ego is shattered and he now smartly comes and again stands behind me. A small argument ensues with the guy behind him but then the guy is a gentle man and allows him to stand in front of him and take the place he had vacated.
Soon it is my turn and I am scrolling to the sms (confirmation one) on my mobile to show to the ticketing staff so that I can collect my tickets - this smart guy behind me slides up to my left and thrusts his hand into the window and asks for his tickets.
I loose it and ask him what is he doing ?
The conversation goes -
Me - Kya hai boss ?
He - Ticket le raha hoon
Me - main kya bhajan kar raha hoon
He - maine phone pe book kiya hai
Me- toh bada kaam kiya ?
He - Lene de
Me - chup chaap line mein khada hoja
At this moment the staff intervine and ask him to wait.
He - chal theek hai , lele
Me - Ehsaan kar raha hai kya mere pe ?
And till the time I moved out after collecting my tickets, this guy was muttering under his breath.
Incident 2
This is at R-mall in Mulund again and at a ticket counter again.
I don't remember which movie but there was quite a queue with 2 guys (X and Y) behind me. As soon as my turn came , I asked for the tickets and put my right hand in my back pocket to remove the cash and I hit someone to my right. I turn and see the guy X who was behind me in queue is on my right almost pushing me away from the counter.
And suddenly I feel a slight push from my left - I turn to see that the guy Y who was behind the guy X is on my left. I am practically sandwiched between these 2 guys and both are raring to have a go at the counter. I politely ask them if they had heard of something called a queue, in better layman language - line system ?
Both asnwer me the same - Line mein toh hai na - aap ke baad hi ticket lenge.
I ask them to get in behind me and not crowd around which obviously they do not understand.
And both these incidents happened with people who were educated (or atleast looked educated).
Why are we always in such a hurry ? Push and Shove will get you everything - that's what people believe here.
2 more things that I frequently encounter at queues in cinema halls
1) People reach the counter and then start a conversation with their relatives/friends waiting outside the queue. Which seats ? What time show? how many tickets? Advance booking?
I mean come on man - you can decide these things and get into the queue saving a lot of time for yourself and others too. Ladies are the biggest culprits doing this from what I have observed !
2) Sometimes I see a long queue and get in behind them. But when the guy 5 people ahead of me buys the tickets and moves out, all the 5 behind him also move out. They were togather and got into the queue togather to buy tickets. What did they prove ? "yeh dosti ham nahi todenge" ??
Incident 1
This happened a few weeks back - 14th Feb to be exact. I booked tickets for Jodha Akbar online @ Pvr cinemas, Mulund. The show was to start at 10.45 pm.
I reach the mall at 10.30 pm and walk up to the ticket counter.
There are 2 counters for internet booking and other booking methods. One counter was closed and as expected there was quite a queue at the internet booking counter. I got into line and a guy joined in behind me.
He was the desperado types and wanted everything quick. He spies a staff member walk into the ticketing area and come to a stand still near the shut window. So smartly he moves out of the queue and triumphantly is the 1st person to rech the closed counter. He pushes aside the board that says counter closed and asks for his tickets. The staff tell him that the counter is closed and he should join the line that he was in earlier. His ego is shattered and he now smartly comes and again stands behind me. A small argument ensues with the guy behind him but then the guy is a gentle man and allows him to stand in front of him and take the place he had vacated.
Soon it is my turn and I am scrolling to the sms (confirmation one) on my mobile to show to the ticketing staff so that I can collect my tickets - this smart guy behind me slides up to my left and thrusts his hand into the window and asks for his tickets.
I loose it and ask him what is he doing ?
The conversation goes -
Me - Kya hai boss ?
He - Ticket le raha hoon
Me - main kya bhajan kar raha hoon
He - maine phone pe book kiya hai
Me- toh bada kaam kiya ?
He - Lene de
Me - chup chaap line mein khada hoja
At this moment the staff intervine and ask him to wait.
He - chal theek hai , lele
Me - Ehsaan kar raha hai kya mere pe ?
And till the time I moved out after collecting my tickets, this guy was muttering under his breath.
Incident 2
This is at R-mall in Mulund again and at a ticket counter again.
I don't remember which movie but there was quite a queue with 2 guys (X and Y) behind me. As soon as my turn came , I asked for the tickets and put my right hand in my back pocket to remove the cash and I hit someone to my right. I turn and see the guy X who was behind me in queue is on my right almost pushing me away from the counter.
And suddenly I feel a slight push from my left - I turn to see that the guy Y who was behind the guy X is on my left. I am practically sandwiched between these 2 guys and both are raring to have a go at the counter. I politely ask them if they had heard of something called a queue, in better layman language - line system ?
Both asnwer me the same - Line mein toh hai na - aap ke baad hi ticket lenge.
I ask them to get in behind me and not crowd around which obviously they do not understand.
And both these incidents happened with people who were educated (or atleast looked educated).
Why are we always in such a hurry ? Push and Shove will get you everything - that's what people believe here.
2 more things that I frequently encounter at queues in cinema halls
1) People reach the counter and then start a conversation with their relatives/friends waiting outside the queue. Which seats ? What time show? how many tickets? Advance booking?
I mean come on man - you can decide these things and get into the queue saving a lot of time for yourself and others too. Ladies are the biggest culprits doing this from what I have observed !
2) Sometimes I see a long queue and get in behind them. But when the guy 5 people ahead of me buys the tickets and moves out, all the 5 behind him also move out. They were togather and got into the queue togather to buy tickets. What did they prove ? "yeh dosti ham nahi todenge" ??
Monday, March 03, 2008
A Nostalgic trip
Saturday - 1900 hours in my parking lot at Chembur. I get down from my car and on the spur of the moment decide to get my hair trimmed.
I walk over to the main road and proceed to the barber's shop, smsing away on my cell phone. Its dark and there are no street lights, only neon reflections from the boards of the different stores lining the road.
I reach the place, A1 Hair Cutting Saloon it says and I walk in and suddenly it hits me.
I am feeling fresh as soon as I walk in. There is a whiff of air that seems so nice to breathe. To my right I can see a whole mirrored wall. I stop and stare at myself. All the seats are occupied and I am asked to wait for 5 minutes.
As I sit down I notice the soft sofa type arrangement for the waiting people is so similar to the ones that we see on the local trains in Mumbai. Similar blue shade and stitched up in rexin. I sit and my eyes wander to the heap of magazines lying there. And I realise that a barber's shop is one place where you will get all the latest film and televison magazines like Filmfare, Cine Blitz et all. I mean these guys get it as soon as it hits the stands. Maybe it is because in the good old days people used to come and check out the magazines for the hair styles of film stars and get themselves a similar hair cut. That tradition continues.
I then look around. A wall on which there is a mirror running across the length, in front of which there are 5 chairs, no wait they are not chairs. Recliners would be an apt word. All occupied with different people, different in looks, different in religion and different in the treatment they are getting. One uncle is getting his hair dyed while another 30 year old guy is getting his goatee perfect. And one young fellow has come for a shave. I watch in fascination.
The uncle getting his hair dyed is asked to wait for the dye to dry and I am asked to step up and take the chair. I get up and drop myself into the chair. Ooh baby its damn comfortable. I sink into it and put my feet on the support that's in front of the chair. I am loving it. The chair has a wheel (like the ones you find on ships) to recline it, on the right side. And it almost reclines to 180 degrees. I relax (no the chair was not reclined 180 degrees) soaking in the atmosphere.
And it was bright. I look up and see 6 tube lights and that full length mirror enhanced that bright feeling. I look at the table in front of me and find it filled with assorted knick knacks. 3-4 different types of combs, a ustra (razor) kept in glass that is filled with a solution of dettol & water, a hard brush that's used to clean hair of your clothes and head, a box full of blades, a flower pot shaped brush that applies shaving cream to your face, a Nivea cold cream box that been filled with powder and the duster that applies the powder on top of it, assortment of different shaving creams (even foams) and after shave lotions (thats where the different fresh air I guess).... " Sahab kya karna hai?" I am shaken out of my fascinated glaze. I explain that I need to trim my hair and tell him how it is to be done.
Out comes a big apron that is tied around my neck and immediately I feel like a baby who is going to be fed with cerelac. While he is doing that I get a chance to observe him in the mirror. A young guy of about 25 with a hair style that faintly reminded me of a certain Amitabh Bachchan. But then any young guy coming from UP to work here has a AB hangover i guess
Then he suggests a few things and we start discussing on how to go about it. Once we arrive to a conclusion, he picks up a pair of scissors and a comb and then looks at my hair. Keeps the scissor back on the table and picks up the most important and most used accessory in the shop - a water sprayer.
He sprays cold water on my hair and combs it to one side. I ask him to spray some on my face. He obliges and the moment the spray hits my face, I am ecstatic. It feels sooooooo damn good and fresh. Then he wipes my face with a tissue and starts working with the scissor on my hair. Snip, snip, snip he goes expertly while I watch in fascination.
After a while he finishes the job and opens the drawer. He picks up that electric shaver used to remove small hair under your collar on the back of the neck. I remember I used to get tickled when I was a kid when that razor was used and now when it's used, I find all hair on body standing and I get that ticklish feeling all over again.
That done, he gets a big mirror and holds it behind my head so that I can see how the job has been done. I turn left, turn right looking carefully and run my hands through my hair. I feel it was good and I tell him. The mirror is kept away and then out comes the hard brush which is used vigorously to wipe away traces of any hair left on my face, clothes or body. Then he uses that flower pot brush to liberally apply some talcum powder on the back of my neck.
Then with a flourish he puts my shirt collar back and asks me whether I want a head massage. I refuse and he seems a bit upset.
I pay him 40 rupees and tip him too, after all I got A1 treatment for that kind of money. He smiles and I smile back. I walk out feeling lighter on my head but much much more fresher than I went in. Who wouldn't , when childhood memories come flooding back ? Pure Nostalgia.
ps - One change I observed was that these days the classic 2 in 1 stereo is no more in vogue. In it's place we have the "all over the place" FM Radio. I missed listening to songs on a cassette on a 2 in 1 stereo player.
I walk over to the main road and proceed to the barber's shop, smsing away on my cell phone. Its dark and there are no street lights, only neon reflections from the boards of the different stores lining the road.
I reach the place, A1 Hair Cutting Saloon it says and I walk in and suddenly it hits me.
I am feeling fresh as soon as I walk in. There is a whiff of air that seems so nice to breathe. To my right I can see a whole mirrored wall. I stop and stare at myself. All the seats are occupied and I am asked to wait for 5 minutes.
As I sit down I notice the soft sofa type arrangement for the waiting people is so similar to the ones that we see on the local trains in Mumbai. Similar blue shade and stitched up in rexin. I sit and my eyes wander to the heap of magazines lying there. And I realise that a barber's shop is one place where you will get all the latest film and televison magazines like Filmfare, Cine Blitz et all. I mean these guys get it as soon as it hits the stands. Maybe it is because in the good old days people used to come and check out the magazines for the hair styles of film stars and get themselves a similar hair cut. That tradition continues.
I then look around. A wall on which there is a mirror running across the length, in front of which there are 5 chairs, no wait they are not chairs. Recliners would be an apt word. All occupied with different people, different in looks, different in religion and different in the treatment they are getting. One uncle is getting his hair dyed while another 30 year old guy is getting his goatee perfect. And one young fellow has come for a shave. I watch in fascination.
The uncle getting his hair dyed is asked to wait for the dye to dry and I am asked to step up and take the chair. I get up and drop myself into the chair. Ooh baby its damn comfortable. I sink into it and put my feet on the support that's in front of the chair. I am loving it. The chair has a wheel (like the ones you find on ships) to recline it, on the right side. And it almost reclines to 180 degrees. I relax (no the chair was not reclined 180 degrees) soaking in the atmosphere.
And it was bright. I look up and see 6 tube lights and that full length mirror enhanced that bright feeling. I look at the table in front of me and find it filled with assorted knick knacks. 3-4 different types of combs, a ustra (razor) kept in glass that is filled with a solution of dettol & water, a hard brush that's used to clean hair of your clothes and head, a box full of blades, a flower pot shaped brush that applies shaving cream to your face, a Nivea cold cream box that been filled with powder and the duster that applies the powder on top of it, assortment of different shaving creams (even foams) and after shave lotions (thats where the different fresh air I guess).... " Sahab kya karna hai?" I am shaken out of my fascinated glaze. I explain that I need to trim my hair and tell him how it is to be done.
Out comes a big apron that is tied around my neck and immediately I feel like a baby who is going to be fed with cerelac. While he is doing that I get a chance to observe him in the mirror. A young guy of about 25 with a hair style that faintly reminded me of a certain Amitabh Bachchan. But then any young guy coming from UP to work here has a AB hangover i guess
Then he suggests a few things and we start discussing on how to go about it. Once we arrive to a conclusion, he picks up a pair of scissors and a comb and then looks at my hair. Keeps the scissor back on the table and picks up the most important and most used accessory in the shop - a water sprayer.
He sprays cold water on my hair and combs it to one side. I ask him to spray some on my face. He obliges and the moment the spray hits my face, I am ecstatic. It feels sooooooo damn good and fresh. Then he wipes my face with a tissue and starts working with the scissor on my hair. Snip, snip, snip he goes expertly while I watch in fascination.
After a while he finishes the job and opens the drawer. He picks up that electric shaver used to remove small hair under your collar on the back of the neck. I remember I used to get tickled when I was a kid when that razor was used and now when it's used, I find all hair on body standing and I get that ticklish feeling all over again.
That done, he gets a big mirror and holds it behind my head so that I can see how the job has been done. I turn left, turn right looking carefully and run my hands through my hair. I feel it was good and I tell him. The mirror is kept away and then out comes the hard brush which is used vigorously to wipe away traces of any hair left on my face, clothes or body. Then he uses that flower pot brush to liberally apply some talcum powder on the back of my neck.
Then with a flourish he puts my shirt collar back and asks me whether I want a head massage. I refuse and he seems a bit upset.
I pay him 40 rupees and tip him too, after all I got A1 treatment for that kind of money. He smiles and I smile back. I walk out feeling lighter on my head but much much more fresher than I went in. Who wouldn't , when childhood memories come flooding back ? Pure Nostalgia.
ps - One change I observed was that these days the classic 2 in 1 stereo is no more in vogue. In it's place we have the "all over the place" FM Radio. I missed listening to songs on a cassette on a 2 in 1 stereo player.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Heartwarming
Let me post this sweet little feeling I got on the road yesterday. Yes, you read it right - on the road. Since every morning I log in to see people raving and ranting about traffic, I decided to post this.
Yesterday evening I left my factory and in Vashi, I stop at a red light. I am listening to 93.5 Red FM when an auto pulls up to the left of me and stops. I look up in the direction of the auto (checking how close to me he has stopped) and I can see a girl and a sardarji boy in the auto. Both are dressed in shirts and trousers, they look like executives and seem like colleagues. I look away and fiddle with the radio. There are still 90 seconds to go before the signal turns green.
Looking around at the world, my eyes wander over to the auto and I can see that the girl is saying something to the guy and finger pointing angrily at him. The guy is listening quietly. Suddenly the girl pulls out a 5 star chocolate from her purse and unwraps it. She offers it to the guy who is now angry with her and refuses. So the girl simply takes a bite of the bar and (I guess) tells the guys smilingly that she won't share the bar with him. The guy smiles at this and tries to take the bar and the girl tries not to give it to him. Both are smiling and laughing away.
The signal turns green and I pull away with a warm feeling in my heart. It's still the small things in life that bring a smile to our faces daily.
Yesterday evening I left my factory and in Vashi, I stop at a red light. I am listening to 93.5 Red FM when an auto pulls up to the left of me and stops. I look up in the direction of the auto (checking how close to me he has stopped) and I can see a girl and a sardarji boy in the auto. Both are dressed in shirts and trousers, they look like executives and seem like colleagues. I look away and fiddle with the radio. There are still 90 seconds to go before the signal turns green.
Looking around at the world, my eyes wander over to the auto and I can see that the girl is saying something to the guy and finger pointing angrily at him. The guy is listening quietly. Suddenly the girl pulls out a 5 star chocolate from her purse and unwraps it. She offers it to the guy who is now angry with her and refuses. So the girl simply takes a bite of the bar and (I guess) tells the guys smilingly that she won't share the bar with him. The guy smiles at this and tries to take the bar and the girl tries not to give it to him. Both are smiling and laughing away.
The signal turns green and I pull away with a warm feeling in my heart. It's still the small things in life that bring a smile to our faces daily.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Back again
Well it's been a long time. And I am back again, this time let's hope that I write consistently.
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