The Joy of eating with emotions :)

The whole art of eating with one’s hands is often criticized by the western world, that tends to look down on it as another primitive custom followed by the Asians. Many memes and jokes have been made to criticize this concept of eating with one’s hands.They regard this aspect of eating with hands with a sense of embarrassment. Albeit interesting, one may argue that it seems prima facie evident, that eating with one’s hand would invite more microbial contact and hence is also termed to be”relatively” unhygienic. But really then, is it so? Because somehow using a fork is unthinkable in traditional Indian eating. It is almost like a weapon.

Gave it a fair thought and seemed to come up with interesting conclusions. The conclusions are all in my head but then I call it my “perspective”. Mastication in the verbal form is defined by the British Oxford English dictionary as the “process of chewing”. In essence, it would be the precursor to the whole digestion process. Though one often tends to forget there is another precursor to mastication in itself. That would be the morsel of food. Now this morsel is fed to the mouth either directly using hands or using cutlery like the western world does. I always wondered how the great Vedas didn’t really substitute something to eat with like an ancient fork and spoon of sorts, while they seemingly excelled in making life more convenient using their great ancient knowledge. Perhaps they had a reason? Perhaps…

Eating with cutlery undoubtedly seems good vs eating with one's hands directly. However, try eating with a fork dipped into super-heated sauce or curry. Chances are depending on whether one uses their tongue, lips, teeth or all of the three next, that it will result into instant scalding of these organs. I had a nasty experience once where the three pins of the fork left three clear impressions on the lower inner lip. Took a while to heal in itself, but then I divulge…Now imagine if you eat the same with your hands, they would take the sensation of heat in the food first and prevent you from swallowing something really hot or cold. Wouldn't that be better than throwing up needlessly on a dinner table? The secondary danger of super-hot or cold food going down the throat is another thing to consider. Secondly, when one eats with the hands, you invariably and semi—consciously aid the process of mastication by crushing your food into the perfect morsel enough to make it into a right sized ball of food called the “bolus”. Not too big and not too small.

Another interesting observation is when you try exotic dishes like crabs or chunks of meat. Here in the Middle East, they love eating with their hands. It’s simply tough to completely cut through crabs or heavy meat chunks when using forks and spoons. One may argue otherwise but certainly the Arabs don’t think so. And I think the Indians would agree as well.South Indians tend to mix and mash their food well in a manner that may seem a tad unpleasing to the eyes. But from a more intense perspective, the idea is to ensure that your food mixes well and that is certainly better to the stomach. Not that North Indians are left behind. Even they relish their paranthas with equal zest. Doesn't mean that I haven't noticed few fellow Indians trying hard to murder their dosas and rotis with the fork and spoons. Happens all the time...

After all, what could be better than for people who come from different cultures to "break bread" together with their hands? Cutlery would bring a sense of formality and kill the emotion. Lastly, an old Arab guy told me once that nothing beats the joy of eating with your hands as compared to spoon and fork. Digging in the food while eating, is also a sub-conscious way of bonding with your food. So don’t hesitate when you eat with your hands the next time. There is a quiet sense of joy and sensuous pleasure when you do that, he tells me. Do I agree?  Indeed I do. 

After all, even “Thalaiva Rajnikanth” eats with his own hands. Even that would be reason enough for many to follow suit. Mind it!!! 

Saathi Salaam - When Old meets new

Long lull indeed...Posting on a cloudy day in an otherwise arid Arabian desert heat. There are often songs that touch your soul. Sometimes, you come across these just as suddenly, as finding a shiny new coin walking on a busy street. In the midst of the chaos, you find your solace.

Anyway, the song is a fine testament to the fact that music is as diverse as the universe. A mix of the old and the new, the folk and the contemporary. Spellbound!

Will you cross the skies and come?

A quaint little poem on this unforgettable day...While I'm not the author of this poem, yet it expresses what the heart feels today...Dedicated to my beloved wife who entered my life years ago today....


Will you cross the skies and come?

Oh Girl… in your beauty

I forgot to blink my eyes

But... I saw a thousand dreams

To make a thousand nights dissolve

You came… and went..

You stole both my eyes.

I will be your shadow in the path you walk

Your sari flutters in the breeze.. my morning dawns

Your speech.. your glance.. turns day into night

Whether together or apart..I share half your inner soul

Your joys and sorrows are mine, you make me feel complete

People sing a lullaby to you

In an emerald decked cradle

Oh beautiful girl!

The birds in the mango groves unite together

Your beauty like the magic of the flute

Takes my breath away

When I’m away you are the moon that wanes

Don’t stay in the sky.. come close to me

Just a small glance if you shower on me

I’ll survive.. survive the little boy that I am!

My dearest! Oh my dearest!

My Beloved!

I am unable to forget you

My Beloved! It feels so right to give you my life!

Random (yet atrocious) songs I (dis)like...

Since people have apparently been a bit bored of the onslaught of mediocre yet entertaining movies, thought that I should probably look at a wee bit something else. Songs perhaps...so voila el habibi people! (Whatever that meant...). Presenting you with an intriguing list of the top 5 most mmmmmm (thinking what to appropriately write)....err whatever..... SONGS!

 5. Sarkai Leyo Khatia Jaada Lage: This one refers to the most talked about jodi in the mid 90's era. No certainly not Govinda and Karishma Kapoor...Govinda and David Dhawan. Only such a jodi could come up with such a boisterous and self embracing song. I mean literally self embracing since the song actually talks about moving the bed since its apparently cold outside.


Food for thought: This exemplifies the perfect excuse to snuggle up to your better half (Don’t even think of Karishma please...let her shave her eyebrows and return). Most importantly, Jaada here refers to cold or winter, with not even the remotest connection to tissue fat. Wait wasn't Govinda featured in the song. Maybe it was a different meaning. Perhaps we would never know. One of the most unwanted (gupt) mysteries of all time will remain a mystery. Till then, sarkai leyoo…


4. Yaar Bina Chain Kahaan re: At number 4, we have the infamous and evergreen Anil Kapoor, (with his equally evergreen hairy chest) swooning to the actress, who I for some reason always considered as a vamp. The song is from a movie ‘Saahib’ (who the hell names their kids like that!) focused on the beautiful game of football, and our evergreen man (with his evergreen chest hair) is the Goalkeeper, albeit the least focused player in the team. The movie is an ode to the fact that the least focused player can sometimes be the hero or the main focus of the movie. I’m sure you who are reading this have lost focus on what I am referring to.

Food for thought: The song has absolutely nothing to do with Chains, or ornaments for that matter. Perhaps since the actor was a Goalkeeper and earned a paltry salary for his service of being a Goalkeeper (and showing off his evergreen chest hair), he really didn’t have much to spend on his amore and whatever little he did his amore coaxed him to buy a chain for her. Always! So, in essence if there is no amore, you can seek the chain for yourself and keep it...


3. Made in India: The equally evergreen Alisha Chinai (absolutely no references to chest hair) crooned this song (most importantly) in India, ensuring that in spite of the nation opening up the economy to foreign investment in the 90’s, swadeshi will always remain a cool thing to wear. (Yo dude, take out my khadi kurta Man!) One finds a half nude Milind Soman attracting a not-so-nude Alisha Chinai. Any guesses why? Simple, because he is “Made in India”. Duh! Everybody knows that! Why Milind Soman is packed in a box is another unanswered mystery though.


Food for thought: One should always buy stuff that is “Made in India”. Because ‘Dil jiska Hindustani, nahin koi Inglistani (Point to ponder: the British ruled India before independence) raat aur din mujhe pyaar koi karnewala’. Get it? No? Indian males apparently have higher sexual promiscuity. But my point is: Why does he lift Alisha Chinai at the end? Higher sexual promiscuity or probably he wanted to dump her in the box and free himself. (This is getting more and more murkier by the minute).

 2. Gutur Gutur: At no.2, we have the ayeee! Mithun Chakraborty talking elaborately to (ahem ahem) cutely sweet or sweetly cute Ayesha Jhulka about how a pigeon has climbed up and is the object of envy. While this song probably parallels the feeling that Mithin has for his beau, the use of equally elaborate bird sounds in the title is baffling to say the least. Perhaps it’s just another figure of speech – “Onomatopoeia” to be precise.

Food for thought: The pigeons are just another medium hereto describe the heroine and her movements. But the sounds continue to baffle…Onomatopoeia aside, yet there is deliberate moaning and crooning in the song that entitles it to the rightful place of number 2 in this list.


1. Hai Huku Hai Huku Hai Hai: Sunil Shetty epitomized the inanity and the ambiguity of the meaning of the songs of the 90’s. Note: I have eliminated certain interesting candidates for the Numero Uno positions, primarily songs like – Ladki Sheher ki Ladki (too sexist in nature), Meri Marzee (owing to patriotism towards the end of the song) and Cholee ke peeche (too wild for the imagination). Again with extensive use of onomatopoeia, perhaps not actually….since no known species till date uses ‘hai huku hai’ as an identifiable sound. The song essentially talks about the fact that the guy/girl standing in front of the character takes the heart away. That’s it! That’s all the logic that there is to this song. Nothing too much, nothing too less….just the right balance. Hence, it has its rightful place at the numero uno position.


Food for thought: One ought to count the number of hai’s and the huku’s in the song as a cure for amnesia. Although not yet tested on animals the song is said to be a potent cure to the problem of amnesia. That you may contract migraine as a substitute, after listening to the song repeatedly however is yet to be mentioned explicitly in the disclaimer. One can nevertheless stare at Sunil Shetty’s inner vest for divine inspiration.






{Brickbats are welcome after this post! Thou shall also not share any links to this post on Facebook!}. [Photo courtesy: subwaysurfer blogspot]

Vicious Circle or Unending Conundrum?

So, we are apparently at the midst of a revolution? or are we, really? The self styled civil society brigade has seemingly brought in a new sense of hope to a generation, sensing haplessness and lethargy over the issue of "Corruption". Damn I have begun using hash tags writing this blog post as well. Call it, the Twitter syndrome. And so, it goes Facebook, Twitter, and all sorts of viral social media abuzz with interesting posts where everyone wants his/her voice to be heard. Coming back to the topic, did I just mention revolution? Some are even happily equating it as the Indian version of the the 'Jasmine Revolution' of the Mid East. Twitter had quite a few tweets abuzz with people waiting and hoping the Government of India (GOI) keeps up with its blunders and finally the revolution sets in. High Hopes and Big thoughts indeed!


So, people ask me: S, what is your take on the issue? Poignant question indeed albeit one which is extremely important as well. In India, we have an inherent characteristic of having an "opinion" about everything. Its fashionable, and the ever excited media thrives on it. Every Tom, Dick & Harry (Tinku, Dinku & Hari) want their opinion to be counted. Perhaps not counted, but at least expressed. In a nation of over billion people, there is some satisfaction at the end of the day of having your voice heard. Whether it counts or not really doesn't make much difference, you see. Anyway, while Anna has his campaign going in full swing, its funny how people are divided in two broad categories straight: Either you are with us or you are against us. (Recall Bush in 2001?) Huh?


Its amazing how majority of the people are slowly moving towards mass hysteria at the moment. Armed with little or no knowledge about the core issue, everybody ends up asking: With or Against us? Of course, if you are against us means you support corruption! How Cheap! 


Personally though, I find it hard to associate with the extreme passions at the core of this movement. Anna's version of the Lokpal bill has far too many flaws - fuzzy definitions, contentious issues, grey areas over defining how a quasi-judicial body would work with the present judiciary, and many more which need to be discussed and ironed out. There is a definite lack of reasoning and hypocrisy at its best, which is visible with the middle class on the streets today. One only wonders why the same middle class does not 'protest' the same way for Irom Devi (a lady protesting for a decade, against a draconian security forces act in Manipur) or for the youth of Kashmir/displaced Tamils, when they are killed incessantly in fake encounters or even protest against land grabs from poor farmers, who eventually commit suicide in supposedly India's second prosperous state. I'm sure most  would not have even known such problems existed in the nation. Yet, we are quick to judge and of course, quicker to have an "opinion".


There are viral sms, messages and emails sent out claiming 1456 lakh crores would return when the black money is returned to India. Each village, we are told, will get Rs.100 crore, with no need to pay electricity bills or taxes for the next 20 years. Not just this, petrol will cost Rs.25 (wow!), Milk Rs.8. To top it all, India’s borders apparently will be stronger than the China Wall & we can build 28,000 km of “rubber road (like in Paris)”, plus houses for 100 million people, 1500 “Oxford-like universities”, 2,000 free hospitals and the list goes on. And worse of all, is that educated people actually believe this! These are I believe all 'notional' aspirations and not 'national' ones. And yet, we fall in this hopeless quagmire, while some state governments pay people to have kids. Strange times we live in, ain't it? 


Meanwhile there is tamasha in full swing in the nation's parliament, with unresolved bills pending, which nobody really cares about much these days. After all, the "people" have spoken, "nationally" not notionally! The fact that NOT a single party can afford to or has yet supported the Lokpal Bill openly is lost in the bargain. You are either with us or against us? Nationally, not notionally.


Shoddy reforms, Stalled governance, snail paced reforms, daily frustrations have all manifested themselves on the roads in the form of the protest. (No,its not a revolution!) Personally, corruption as a problem in India, is not going to go away just because one man wants to make sure his version of the bill is enacted into law. It won't go away as long as this country's population continues to grow at the rate it does. It is unmanageable at present proportions & there's no way you can somehow keep a system of functioning checks & balances, with such large numbers. It simply won't work, but then who listens to reason? 


And the golden goose: Bringing the PM under the Jan Lokpal bill? That's national security suicide! People with an iota of understanding of political science & the constitution know it cannot and should not happen. We are talking about the PM as the Head of the 3 armed forces - Army, Navy, Air Force plus the Intelligence agencies - RAW, IB and the NSA. It would be hara-kiri to bring the PM under the bill. Compare our security forces and intelligence agencies with other nations. Bringing the PM under the ambit would mean compromising on national security. But then, who listens to reason?


To make matters worse - the present government's handling of sensitive issues and the plan of bringing Rahul baba as a successor seems to be idiotic at best. Rahul baba's intelligence is as good as a piece of wood - and the wood would come out better in a battle of wits. And the government continues with its idiosyncracies, lost in a warped sense of comfort. The nation is thus reduced to a screaming mass of half baked know-all loudmouths who threaten if they don't get their way, a mute hippo as the PM, a genocidal tyrant as the opposition, an economically backward option in the Left. The Dirty Dancing continues & one can only sigh!


On a lighter note, Anna apparently wants to flog any youth in public who drinks. I wonder how many people know this and would still support him? :)


[Pic courtesy ABM Enterprises]

Movie in Review: Don no. 1

So after a long and arduous professional journey in the past few months, I have finally "settled down" into something concrete. The past few months haven't really given me enough leverage on time to really post anything on this blog at all. Meanwhile a lot seems to have happened and continues to happen, especially with the recent bomb attacks on my city, that is the latest buzz. The news channels are covering it enough I suppose, so I would not delve into the same. Anyway today I review another classy Indian movie, that plays frequently on the Television these days. By the way, there is a new trend on TV these days - dubbed South Indian action movies. Needless to say, that it is still fun to watch them, if you leave your brains partly out of the socket. Im sure many would squirm with jest and fury claiming that these movies don't make sense with the obnoxious fight scenes and the invincibility of the lead actors / heroes. Firstly, I find it amusing to see that an imaginary "Lord of the Rings" or even "Harry Potter" is reason enough for people to fall head over heels. How different are these from a "Sivaji" which again talks about the victory of Good over Evil? I mean look at it from a pure entertainment standpoint. It's sad that foreign movies (read: bagloads of budget) seem to look more attractive and better than our local productions. No doubt that the quality and actors would differ, yet I believe the Indian actors do not sweat less for their roles in local movies.


Anyway back to the review....This one's called "Don No. 1"

Don no. 1 is a 2007 Indian Telugu film directed by Lawrence, starring Akkineni Nagarjuna in the lead role and Anushka Shetty, Raghava Lawrence, Kelly Dorjee, and Nikita.

The story kicks off with a teen named Surya escaping and finding a drug dealer tormenting kids. Surya guns down the drug dealer and voila we got ourselves a new social messiah! One of the boys, Raghava expresses his wish to join him, on the common grounds of being orphans. So, a new Jai-Veeru type jodi is formed and we have the age old combination of friendship leading the rest of the story. The rest of the kids become Surya's confidants and eventually his henchmen. However, remember we started with the "Good over Evil" storyline and so it continues...

One of the most amazing aspects of Indian cinema is to fast forward the movie into the future. reminiscent of Jesus Christ and his life. Some thing happen in the childhood and then there is a sudden vaccum. Nobody knows what takes place in between these 'lost' years. And suddenly everyone surface back after a good 20 odd years. And we have ourselves a lip smacking story at hand. By now, Surya (Nagarjuna) is the good Don, ably grown in power, muscle and money. But wait I forget the most important part - handsome looks! The hero has to be dashing enough isn't it? Else, how is the movie worth its salt? So, we have a smart, handsome, fairly educated (my assumption) and happy go lucky Don in play. Raghava (Raghav Lawrence) is his comic sidekick, who adores him to death. Together, they rule the underworld of Hyderabad. Since he is the unopposed kingpin, our don even has time for a song and dance on his birthday with his "basti" people.

Everything is peaceful and hunky dory.

Enter Feroz (Kelly Dorjee), a Pakistan born Don, in a crisp white shirt and trousers. {P.S.: The costume remains throughout most part of the movie. Do Don's really have a dress code? And that too, white of all colours? And why is the Don Pakistani? Perhaps because they both can at least speak the same language. Else imagine our Indian Don ranting off in pure desi tone to a Don speaking chaste French...Naah now that would be like mixing Fish fingers and pasteurized milk. Not at all appetizing!} Anyway I digress....

Feroz is a feared don throughout the world and he apparently possesses the underworlds of Canada, South Asia and a few other Big ticket locations in his kitty. Now he wants to add Humara Pyaara Bharat Desh to his underworld fiefdom. (Down with Feroz!) And the battle royale begins...Feroz here has a unique way to capture his fellow rivals. He challenges them for a physical fight and the one who falls to the ground will have his man shot. (Talk about Innovation here. Can you beat that Hollywood, ha!!) So apparently, Feroz is the world's strongest man and he wins all such duels. And guess what he gets in return as an incentive? The losing Don's wife. Now, that is reason enough to hate him to the core, isn;'t it? (Down with Feroz, Down Down! Boo him to death).

So Feroz wants to test the waters and befriends a corrupt Indian Police officer to ascertain his claim to the region. And this Corrupt Police Officer (CPO) does the unthinkable. He rapes a local Biggie's daughter and kills her, just because she frowned when CPO talked about killing Surya. Now, Surya being the Messiah hunts down CPO in a local pub and kills him by sliding a gun through the dead girl's fingers. (Im telling you at this point you have to marvel the innovation of Indian film makers, We are the BEST, I tell you!) And the crowd applauds in admiration and justice is served.

Surya gradually begins to upset Feroz, and refuses to work under him. In umpteen attempts to kill Surya, Feroz's men get killed. Meanwhile, Surya falls in love with Priya (because of the three things he wants in his wife: to be kind, beautiful, and not to be afraid of him. Now we are really moving away from the sati-savitri requirements of an Indian wife, and my heart swells with pride! Sorry I digressed again....) At first she doesn't like him but later she does.

Comic Raghava also finds a girl he likes but his fiance Nandhini, is actually on the villain's side. (Now Im really going overboard with this innovation thing!). Raghava and Priya are captured and both have an option of killing either themselves or each other. But our comic Raghav does a Jay from Sholay and ends up killing himself. But wait he also kills his fiance, before doing so. (I was really saddened by this part of the movie, since I thought Nandhini looked pretty hot and deserved a less gruesome death. But then Innovation takes priority so....). Cut to the competition, where there is an exchange of prisoners and a battle finale for survival. After a prolonged fight scene, it is finally revealed that Feroz is not impregnable and can fall to the ground often, thus losing his men and eventually being killed at Surya's hand. But the climax is Surya's final statement: "Mere Bharat Desh ko paane ka khwaab kabhi mat dekhna." (Applause everybody!)

Final Point to ponder: Does 'Lord of the Rings' give you all this? Action, Love, Drama, Orphan situation, hostage crisis, Scenic screenshots, Comedy and finally most importantly Patriotism? Stand up and applause i say :))

Melancholy

I  wish I was back at the beginning,
I wish that time stood still.
Some way I would escape this pain,
A pain with an intent to kill.

I tried oh so hard to fathom,
The reason for this needless heart ache.
Each moment it only aggravates,
Like stones thrown for the body to break.

Escape is but no solution,
Wish I could just fly.
End this stubborn delusion,
Run to the endless sky.

I'm hating this feeling of loneliness,
Absurd though it may seem.
Somehow someway I hope,
I'm awakened and this is just a dream.

Hurt it does, indeed it pains,
Though u may never see.
Don't really know but why,
Suddenly it feels so lost and lonely.

Vishwatma – Soul of the world !!!???!!!

For newbies, this was an epic movie of the early 90’sThis movie has some mind boggling performances from top actors of the day, like Sunny Deol and Chunky (remember me?) Pandey, Divya Bharti (who eventually died a mysterious “accidental binge” death), and Sonam (pretty lady but disappeared after this movie...). Anyway, the theme of this film has nothing to do with the title. It’s just a proof of the hypothesis that no man can really ever claim to be “Soul of the world”. Why someone should ever do that is a topic that we shall not deliberate upon. For now though, the story…

The movie begins with the arrest of Akash (Chunky “remember me….no?” Pandey) by Inspector Prabhat (Sunny “two and half kg heavy hand” Deol) and is imprisoned. At the time of his imprisonment, Akash’s brothers are killed by Super-villain Ajgar Jurrat (such a cool sounding name) played by Amrish Puri, and he vows that he shall take revenge on Prabhat by killing him. Meanwhile , Sunny has wreaked havoc with Amrish Puri's group.

Song Sequence: Vishwatma

The song goes something like this…Aadmi, Zindagi aur ye aatma, Dhundte hain sabhi tujko Paramatama, ye Milan jo karaye who Vishwatma. Loosely translated this becomes….Man, Life and Soul….Everyone searches for God. The one who unites them all is “Soul of the world!!! (Huh? Either I am thoroughly confused or academically handicapped to figure this meaning… :P )

Anyway, Super-villlain finds out that Sunny's weakness is his little brother and kills him. Sunny, shattered, renounces home and lives in a village. Dalip Tahil, Sunny's senior in the police force, tries to convince Sunny to return to Mumbai. But our hero is adamant that he will not leave.

Poignant Dialogue: Mera Police ke upar se vishwaas uth gaya hai!!!

Somehow our hero returns to Mumbai to fight the Blue Panther gang (Neelu brothers) masterminded by Ajgar Jurrat, who resides in Kenya. Sunny along with Akash (Chunky “u forgot me, didn’t you?” Pandey) sets out on his journey to destroy evil, on a “secret” mission to Kenya…..Jaambo!!!

Enter: Inspector Surya Pratap (Naseeruddin Shah) - the best, honest and most feared police Inspector in Kenya. Surya Pratap keeps watch over Sunny and Chunky during their stay in Kenya. Sunny and Chunky meet Sonam,(Chunky's bhabhi’s sister, whose husband was killed by Ajgar and who is also out to seek revenge on him) who also wants to destroy Ajgar. Chunky, Sunny & Naseer land up at Bubbles disco, where Sonia’s (Ajgar’s daughter) birthday is being celebrated. Meanwhile, Divya Bharati gets a job at the disco as a singer and dancer.

Song Situation: Saat Samundar Paar

One of the most remarkably popular songs of the time, Saat Samundar features a gorgeous Divya Bhatt dancing to her beau Sunny. The song 'Saat Samundar Paar' went on to be awarded unofficially as, the ‘most favourite introductory song for Antaksharis’ in India. The intro music is interspersed with a lot of African beats, which I must say are reminiscent of the 90’s. One thing unmentioned here is, this movie not only had great music, but the background score too kicked a**. Crappy scenes are always supported by excellent, fast paced, peppy, loud background music throughout the movie, keeping your mind at the edge…

Subplot: Shrewd & “Tharkee” Tapaswi Gunjaal (Gulshan Grover - another cool sounding name), son of Ajgar & owner of Bubbles disco, tries to molest Divya in his van on the pretext of dropping her home. However ‘Dhai kilo ka haath’ comes to her rescue. Chunky is about to shoot Sunny but doesn’t get the opportunity as kaabil Inspector Surya Pratap turns up. Tapaswi and his mates flee. Why Suryapratap never bothers to arrest GG is left to audience speculation. Tapaswi is renamed / reincarnated thrice in the movie, as Tapaswi Gunjaal, Tapaswi Jholjhaal & Tapaswi Kangaal.

Chunky expresses his love towards Sonia, but is interrupted by Tapaswi who has followed them with his henchmen. He kidnaps Chunky and takes him to Ajgar's House. Sunny enters & saves Chunky by executing a stunt with his car. Sunny & Chunky become friends.

Meanwhile Ajgar tells Tapaswi and his son Naagdans (another really cool sounding name!!!) that the Blue Panther Gang (beware!!!) is arriving from with a gift. The gift is a “die of the 100 rupee note” which he can use to make fake Indian currency (ROFL!!!). They now claim that they can control the entire Indian economy from Kenya (Finance Minister Chiddu, u listening?). Delirious, he hosts a 'Bharatiya Ekta Divas' or "Indians' Unity Meet' inviting all Indians in Kenya to the meet. Uninvited guests Sunny, Chunky and Sonam escape through the bathroom window and disguise themselves. Upon arriving at Ajgar's house, Sonam introduces Sunny as Maharaja Bhookamp Singh and Divya Bharati as his wife while Chunky is introduced as Nawab Zafar Changezi.

Song Sequence: 'Dil le gayi teri bindiya, yaad aa gaya mujhko India’

Inspector Suryapratap, is coaxed by Sonam to binge drinking and he passes out and sings the above song. Sunny & Chunky meanwhile investigate Ajgar's house and find a box of 100 rupee notes. They keep one note (Why????) and come back to dance. Next morning using a magnifying glass, Sunny declares the 100 rupee note to be fake and thus the duo are convinced that Blue Panther gang and Ajgar are now in the fake currency business. (Forecasting & Patriotism at its best!!!)

At Bubbles disco, Sunny and Divya disguise as Maharaja and Maharani Bhookamp Singh but now, Chunky disguises as one of the Casino's dealers and comes to the table where Sunny is playing roulette. He gives Sonam a magnet that she fixes under the table on the very number that Sunny bets on thus making Sunny win all the money in the casino (Aila!!!). Sunny & Chunky are recognised in spite of their disguise by Surya Pratap. They tell Inspector Suryapratap that they want to fight evil and ask him for 48 hours to prove themselves and expose Ajgar. Inspector Suryapratap agrees.

Poignant Dialogue: Par agar kisi shareef insaan ki izzat ucchali gayi, toh main apne farz ke haaton majboor rahoonga ! Answer - Woh aapke desh mein shareef ho sakte hai Inspector, lekin ho sakta hai ki woh hamaare desh mein deshdrohi ho!!! (Waow...)

Next Morning, our heroes go to Tapaswi’s residence to collect their money. Chunky asks Tapaswi to count the cash. However Tapaswi, who has never been to school (eh?), finds difficulty in counting. Sunny steals the Die and leaves Tapaswi still counting money. The Blue Panther gang & Ajgar realise that they have been duped by Chunky and Sunny. Ajgar's vows to get the die back, yelling in frustration.

Poignant Dialogue: “Muje Die chahiye..DIEEEE….dieee ….dieeee….dieee”. (Lolz.. )

Sunny calls Ajgar and tells him that he shall return the die but Ajgar has to comply with his demands. Ajgar calls him to his residence where Sunny, Chunky and Sonam go. Ajgar reminds Chunky of how he killed all of his brothers. However, this is overheard by Sonia, who comes out shouting that she hates her father and brothers as they are criminals. Sunny throws the die in the air and shoots it thus breaking it into pieces (mind blowing scene!!!). Chunky holds Sonia hostage & manages to flee. Chunky & Sonia fall in love.

Song Sequence: Aankhon mein hai kya, tasveer teri….

Naagdans now complains to Suryapratap that Chunky has kidnapped his sister and he takes the inspector to the hotel room where Chunky has kept Sonia. He manages to sedate her and convinces Inspector Suryapratap that Chunky had not only kidnapped her but also molested her. (Too much!!!). Chunky is locked up behind bars. Sunny discovers this and confronts the Inspector and a fight ensues, which is stopped by the arrival of Mumbai Commissioner of Police( Raza Murad )who tells Sunny that he should behave and stop wreaking havoc. Sunny is arrested by the Kenyan police and locked up. Raza (Mumbai CP) arranges for Chunky and Sunny to be deported to India.

Later though, Suryapratap's little daughter Sunaina, recognises Ajgar's son as her mother's murderer. Suryapratap finds that he has been tricked by Ajgar. He rushes to the Airport to stop Chunky and Sunny from leaving. Now there is an amazing scene where, Suryapratap lands his jeep right next to the tarmac and waves at the plane to stop…but they are already flying off.

Subplot: A time bomb is placed on the plane to have them eliminated. But they fight their way out and escape by jumping off the plane on parachutes. Before jumping, Chunky wishes the pilot “Happy Diwali” …..Boom!!! The plane explodes…

Suryapratap, goes off alone into Ajgar's lair and confronts him, only to be captured and finds Divya Bharti,Sonam & his daughter already held as hostages. Simbo, Sonia's pet chimpanzee is sent to Suryapratap carrying Sunny's mouth organ .This leads Inspector Suryapratap to believe that Sunny and Chunky are alive.

Song Sequence: Toofan, Abhi aaya nahin hai woh!!!

A small tribal dance now takes place, which is utterly hilarious. It begins with the wicked Ajgar Jurrat yelling – Toofan!!! The song follows by some more tribal dance, which is funny and cool in a weird way. Sunny and Chunky now enter Ajgar's lair and the fight to the end ensues. They are supported by the Kenyan Police Commissioner, whose most prominent dialogue is : I understand !!! All the Villains are killed and the heroes are united with their ladies. Suryapratap agrees to marry Sonam. Hallelujah!!!

All is well!!! And so ends the Story of Vishwatma – The Soul of the world!!! Still figuring the title of the movie???

Remember this one?

I remember watching the rain from my broken window pane,

Dusty lanes of my crazy city where, the sun comes up again.
And i learn to fight my tears and grow up on my own,
I remember my barrack days, all the time calling me back home.
Home where my dreams are safe and sound,
Home where the music plays on and on...


I remember the winter chill on a grey afternoon,
Naked smiles of children dancing admist the diesel fumes.
And I learn to fight my tears and grow up on my home,
I remember my barrack days all the time calling me back home.
Home where my dreams are safe and sound,
Home where the music plays on and on.


If you happen to lose your way and...have nowhere to go
I'll meet you and I will sing the song about a home
A home that wipes your tears away and laughter never ends
A home for me...It'll always be...a home sweet home...
A home for you my friend...

Portugal for the Cup!!!

Yes I am rooting for the little nation of Portugal to win the World Cup this year. They are minnows, but in football, you never know....More posts to come, stay tuned.

Why I abhor the News these days!!!

Thank God the IPL is over. As "I try hard to be flamboyant" Modi goes overboard and throws accusations towards Shashi Tharoor and his ilk, its pathetic to see the media revel in the glory and obnoxious macabre dance to sensationalise the drama. IPL seems to be less about cricket and more about money, BIG money , no doubt. Sadly, it has reduced the "Cricket" to sort of a tamasha. I am not against the spread of T20 cricket, neither do I find the gyrating cheerleaders obscene (annoying might be a better term, distracting still better...). What I find absolutely detesting is the "outside" media coverage of the now acclaimed Tharrorgate saga.



First things first, lets get this clear. While many "patriotic" fans claim otherwise, yet the fact is that the BCCI is nothing but a "private" body handling present day. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, or BCCI, is the apex governing body for cricket in India, headquartered at Mumbai. The board was formed in December 1928 as the national governing body for all cricket in India. BCCI replaced Calcutta Cricket Club. It is a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act. The BCCI often uses government-owned stadiums across the country at a nominal annual rent. It is a private club consortium. Basically to become a member of a state-level association, you need to be introduced by another member and also pay an annual fee. The state-level clubs select their representatives (secretaries) who in turn select the BCCI officials. BCCI are not required to make their balance sheets public. In the past, tax exemptions were granted to BCCI on the grounds as promoting cricket was a charitable activity.



Huh? Charitable activity? What rubbish? I think the negligence of sports like Football, Hockey, and indigenous sports speak volumes as to how the game has changed the face of sports and become symbolic to sports. Incidentally, Hockey, the National game of India languishes miserably while India stands a shameful 126th in the FIFA rankings. And yet Cricket continues to be promoted under the “charitable” hood. Surprisingly, their clout is such that even ICL and other rebel leagues had to bow out with disgrace. While it is indeed appreciable that privatising the game has brought fame, glory etc., but the present crisis is more than just a mole. First came the match fixing saga and now this, with links further pointing towards the betting network in the country. Sad and shameful to say the least. That too, for a sport which is considered to be a gentleman’s game.



And the media loves to feast on such fodder anyway. What is abhorrent is the way the media is influencing opinion. Its disgraceful. I distinctly remember there was an attack on the IBN Lokmat office a few months ago. Hardly any media channel had captured the violence. One may say, every channel has a bias. Agreed, but somewhere in between the ethos of the media is lost. Today, media figures like Arnab Goswami, Rajdeep Sardesai, Barkha Dutt are all parley to the mindless sensationalisation of news. They out rightly decry individuals like Narendra Modi, Arundhati Roy, etc. I mean, who gives you the right to sway public opinion? Media is supposed to “report” news and I think that’s it. One cannot beat the opinion and nail it into the head of the viewer. Let the courts decide, let the public judge the individual. The media cannot and should not be biased against what it “feels”. When such a thing occurs, it is termed as “Propaganda”. And that creates a rift always in the public. The media in India, I strongly believe is “INCOMPETENT”, completely incompetent. Like a spoilt brat, it doesn’t know when to Shut the **** up!. And this has been proved not once but multiple times. The Mumbai attacks, the Riots, the Naxals menace, they all have invariably benefited due to the media. And worse still, is the “speculative” nature of analysis. Disgusting to say the least…



While one is free, one should also be aware of one’s duties. The media seems to have forgotten theirs. Its very sad that in a “free” country like ours, lack of responsibility has made these TV channels like rabid dogs on leash. They bark without caring a damn about the consequences, especially the damage it does to a person's image in public.

In the Summertime...

Been watching quite a few movies lately...Saw "Troy" and was thoroughly impressed with Achilles, and the character he potrayed. Although honestly, I felt Helen could have been more prettier, perhaps...but then that's wishful thinking on my part. Hard to believe we are in March already. Seems like the year is slowly whizzing past. Ever travelled on a train across India? You await a particular station and then you don't realize it, but the station you had been waiting for, has already passed by. It becomes a past and then you look forward to your next destination. Just the kind of feeling you get when you go for a picnic,only to realize, when you seem to have begun enjoying, time whisks you by. Something similar with Life, isn't it? College, Love, School life, youth everything seems to be moving fast. And then we wish that the good old days were back, isn't it?

J is goin off for a couple of weeks. Now that is going to get me quite depressed for a while. Umm maybe not depressed, but I wud miss J for sure. Get too used to J sometimes, and take things for granted. But then, that's just me...

Had a fairly fierce argument on a friend's blog in the comments section so much so that the section now seems to be filling with arguments and counter arguments. Strange isn't it, how we consider even our friend's blog space as our own amphitheatre, to express our views. 'Intolerance has grown high due to the tolerant nature of our society', she claims. Well, what can I say? If one comes up with an argument like that, I better keep my silence.

Saw bits and pieces of the Indian hockey matches on TV. Seemed good, that there were a fairly large section of people interested in keeping track of Hockey's happenings. Im sure at least one in every two kids in the country would claim Cricket to be our national sport. Yet, Hockey is our national sport although, the present state of Indian hockey is pathetic to say the least. We should follow the australian model of sports. Selection only through merit. And above all, grooming at a very basic level. Unfortunately not many in our nation of over a billion people look up to Sports as a career choice. And honestly, i wouldn't blame them either. The present state of sports is in itself deplorable. Is privatisation the answer? Time will tell...

Indian Premier League is about to begin in a few days. Looking forward to the Indian version of the EPL (well almost...). Feels nice to see the crowds supporting home teams. Only hope that this doesn't take regionalistic tones..

Summer seems to be kickin in already and the days are getting hotter. Hoping for  a decent summer this time around. I remember when we were kids, we used to pray for everything right from the Hot Summer to be mild, to praying for the Electricity to return when the fuse used to blow up. As of now, I guess we can restrict our prayers for a milder summer. Summer in the schooldays meant Holidaytime, Cricket in the hot outdoors, swimming in the deep blue seas ( they used to be blue back then), hunting in the jungles (for fruits and wild berries, did I mention?lol..) and above all Mangoes!!! Mangoes are apparently out in the market. God, when does the next one hit my taste buds. Im waiting...

The sea is at its best in summer. They say nothing beats the combination of the Sun, Sand and the Sea. Feeling the need of a nice outing, perhaps to the sea. When would that be? Hoping soon...

Mediocre...

This one comes immediately a day after my last blog on the first anniversary of the Mumbai attacks. I felt it worthwhile to mention this post.

Yesterday, I happened to watch the tribute to the attacks on TV. News Channels re-re-repeating the horror and macabre show in the finest possible detail over and over again. The victims and their families being questioned with dumb questions like: How do you feel now? As if that isn't evident enough. Leave them alone, damnit...Its grief that they feel and just to garner some TRP's, these channels replay something we all wish to leave behind. Rather focus should have been more on how the justice system has been painfully slow to punish the perpetrators and how even today, a year down, the victims and their families have not received their compensation and dues from the Government agencies, or these political parties who pride so much in drumbeating their own so-called accolades. Disgraceful to say the least. The day only left more of a bitter after taste, nothing else. Today's newspaper had opinion polls taken as to how safe one feels blah blah....Why this show? Save us the melodrama....If the media needs to do something, it is to "Shut the **** up!!!" and leave the victims alone. And at least ask the political class why are we not compensating the victims adequately? Yesterday the opposition took pot shots at the present govt. for not compensating the victims on time. Well, does it take an anniversary to say this? What is this supposed to be? The right muhurat??? Why couldn't the opposition or any political party gone ahead and compensated the victims and their families themselves? Why on this inauspicious day too, do they involve in a rabid blame game? But then to expect such gracious donations from our 'beloved' politicians is often wishful thinking.

And doesn't the media have any sense of responsibility? The best part of the evening was on a debate on a News Channel called 'Times Now', where this caller from Pune - a close relative of one of the victims of the Mumbai Train blasts of 2006 called up. Gracefully, she said she was glad that the hit this time was on the "elite" class. That is why the issue got so much prominence. Else who gives a damn about those who died in the train blasts? We all seem to conveniently forgotten. The Shobaa De's  and the other "page 3" elite today talk about the 26/11 attacks because they were hit  themselves. And one cannot feel the grief and pain more till one is hit himself. Where the hell were these "elite" class when innumerable blasts happened across the country? I bet these things would have not even remotely figured in their conversations then. And it takes a 26/11 to wake them up. Shameful...

Interestingly, the Debate on Times Now also featured a prominent guest - one by the name of  "Gregory David Roberts" a.k.a "Shantaram". Yes, the same long haired handsome author who wrote a semi biography about his life in the city, especially in the late 70's and 80's. He is (for beginners) an ex convict who lost his daughter and took to crime then, and almost by fate, landed up in Bombay (As it was called then..), stayed in a slum, arrested to Arthur Road prison, and later became a part of the Mafia in the city, even with an unexpected trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan, to join the now-reviled Taliban. Later he gave up crime and after serving his term became an author whose bestseller - Shantaram, still sells like hot cakes. Mumbai for him is Home. And the sites attacked on 26/11 were featured extensively in his book. So, when he came to speak, I was keen to hear a Neutral Perspective of affairs and thoughts - which is as usual rare in our media these days.

As Roberts spoke from his perspective, he first talked about why the attacks took place, the motive and the inspiration for it. He talked about why he would call the terrorists as Jehadists, instead of terrorists. According to him, the Mumbai attacks were carried out by the ISI, some elements in the Pakistani army, and the Jehadists, who wanted to overthrow the democratic government in Pakistan, and take control of the region. He talked about the Jehadists plan for a New World Order called "Islamistan" and the attacks as being a part of this same plan. He said that the Jehadists plan to control the region of all the -stans, like Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and eventually our very own Hindustan, to establish their own hegemony here. And dictate terms to the world, through a dictator system where the cruel Sharia Law and the repressive, undemocratic and radical Wahhabi system would take over. And to achieve these means apparently, attacks like the Mumbai attacks were done to destabilise the system here and make India to go on war with Pakistan. This would apparently allow these Jehadists to take control of Pakistan and then India. He called for India and Pakistan to join hands since they both have democratic governments now, who needed to work together to fight the greater evil designs of the Jehadist Taliban.

As expected the "super-elite" panel suddenly turned loud and criticised Roberts left, right and centre. They said "Joining hands with Pakistan is blasphemous", to which Roberts calmly replied that even Pakistan is a victim of its own doing and they know and admit it. Apparently, as per Roberts, the Jehadists have told the Pakistan army that they would continue bombing Pakistan till  Pakistan stops bombing them in return and targets India. I distinctly remember this news having come out a couple of weeks ago, in the newspapers and TV channels, and the person who said this was some Mehsud. Roberts called for India and Pakistan (read: the democratic elected governments) to join hands and be united to fight the Bigger evil - the Jehadists as he called them. He said that if this doesn't happen the region will slip into anarchy and the repercussions would be felt by not just India and Pakistan, but the whole world. At this juncture, Shobaa De, the panel and even the host - Arnob Goswami didn't allow Roberts to speak further and interrupted him dramatically while he was calmly explaining himself. And that's when I realized how the media diverts the attention and wants us to believe their version of the story always. The media is said to shape people's opinions. Here, they conveniently overstepped and didn't even allow for another voice to be heard. Maybe a voice of reason in these "charged" times....And the "elite" class as usual barked their oft repeated dialogue - Blame the system and the politicians. But then, who the hell is the system? It is people like you and me who form it, isn't it? If people like us, sit numb and enjoy our drinks with indifference as citizens continue to die, how dare we shift the blame to the "system". But then convenience is a factor and it is always "convenient" to point fingers. Right, Shobaa De???

(P.S.: Just wanted to say that one may not agree completely with Roberts's point of view, but that doesn't mean we suppress it, to the extent of not allowing him to finish what he had to say. And it is a shame and a disgrace to see the media being blatantly biased. So much for "Freedom"....).

Mumbai Attacks - a year down...

So 26/11 is here again. The year just seems to have whizzed past now, and we mark the first anniversary of the infamous terrorist attacks on Mumbai. I can vividly remember that day as the day when Mumbai came to a complete standstill, as the terrorists lay seige and started their macabre dance of death. No one would have least expected the turn of events, as CST, Taj, Leopold's and the Oberoi Hotel all became a victim to this violent massacre. Everyone remembers the chain and sequence of events as they took place. Thanks to our ever alert and over-enthusiastic media who captured most of the drama LIVE. The nation and the world watched as opinions changed and terrorism became a reality. It was an "In Your Face" attack, and most were dumbstruck as they hacked away at the sole thing we possess - our souls. What has changed over the course of the year?


Seemingly NOTHING..and it is wid that helplesness that we continue to commemorate the tragedy. The less we talk about the tragedy, the better ...or so it seems.



For those who lost their near and dear ones to the tragedy........may their souls RIP.....

And the lull ends...

So finally after a long and arduous break, I am back to good old blogging days. A lot has happened in these past days that has kept me on my toes, and my hearty apologies to all those expecting to see at least some posts to be put across. A lot of Bad things have happened this year...well maybe Not Bad, but undesirable events....things you cannot avoid...Just waiting for this year to get over, once and for all...

Well, the weather in the city is now slowly making its steady transformation. Mornings look better, with a slight chill, just enough to make you feel the approaching winter. So, what's the best start to a day? , May I ask? Ideally, someone might say that it would be to just laze around and sleep. True? Perhaps, but in my honest opinion, I disagree. (Whether I adhere to that or not, is a different thing altogether, though!!!) For me the ideal morning would begin with the first sunrays beating on your face, warm enough to wake you up, the sounds of soft music to revive your senses, and a cup of warm coffee (prefer coffee over tea, any day) to pull your body out of its slumber. And the comfort of time to avoid any rush. Difficult? Not really, I guess…

Politics have always fascinated me, for some reason hitherto unknown. Political Circles were ruffled lately as we went to the polls. Surprisingly, for the third time in a row, the candidate I voted for got elected. And this time, it wasn't the traditional vote and yet, voila!

Read the latest book by Dan Brown, called 'The Lost Symbol'. It does make for an interesting read. It's a bit slow but seems intriguing nevertheless. I would recommend it to everyone who wants a slow paced thriller. The ending seems to be a damn squib, but then most treasure hunts too end up pretty similarly.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that I have started playing this game called 'Mafia Wars' on Facebook. Have to admit that it's one addictive game. And to top it all, well I'm winning a few good fights. Now, to counter this they have also come up with another game called Farmville. My College Buddy tells me, 'You know what! Most of my friends are either gangsters or farmers'. So True!!!

The last post featuring on music was really liked by many. Thank You guys, for your thoughts. I was initially sceptical about how regional music would be taken up, but I'm glad that you appreciated the thought. In fact I had a request for a similar post… Besides, there were a few who found my translation to be an obsession with south Indian music, well here's the leveller now. So, here's one song I found worth mentioning. I'm certain many would have loved the song but not really followed the lyrics. They go something like this…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

feelin' blue

feelin' blue

feelin' blue
my heart says can't be, can't be true...only,
can't be true
my heart says can't be, can't be true,
can't be (fading…)

jaane kya chahe mann bawra (2)
akhiyan mere saawan chala (2)

saghan achal sara bor hove
sajan ansuan mein kya zor hove (2)
 kya jor hove...apne jiya pe...
mann toh maara yeh manchala

jaane kya chahe mann bawra (2)
akhiyan mere saawan chala (2)

pawan purva mein yu udta jaave
badra chanda se mann judta jaave (2)
aave hawa ka...jhonka fir aisa...
toote patang kee dorr sa

jaane kya chahe mann bawra (2)
akhiyan mere saawan chala (2)

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meaning...
 

feelin' blue

feelin' blue

feelin' blue
my heart says can't be, can't be true...only,
can't be true
my heart says can't be, can't be true,
can't be (fading…)

I have no idea what my crazy heart wants
Though my eyes can't stop crying

My scarf is all wet with tears
Is there any power in these tear drops, my love?
Do these tear drops have any effect on my heart?
I think my crazy heart is dead now.

I have no idea what my crazy heart wants
Though my eyes can't stop crying

My mind seems to be clouded

like a cloud blown over the moon
Then comes a whiff of a breeze
And it flies like a kite with a broken line

I have no idea what my heart wants
But I keep crying nevertheless.

 (PS: this was specially for all crying hoarse over my preference for South Indian songs... :))