Wednesday, April 22, 2009

A Start

I wished this last year .

Don't want to jinx it .

So touchwood!

And prayers...

Amen!

P.S.:Follow up to previous post: 20 WA movies done! :-)
Next stop: To bring it up to 25.

Monday, April 06, 2009

On Woody Allen!

It's no big deal for everyone else I know. But for me it is! Am personally kicked about achieving this milestone of having seen 20 Woody Allen movies. For the record am on 18 movies now and seem to have a plan in place to complete 20 by Easter Sunday.

Among all movie buff friends I have, I seem to have a decent headstart over all of them. (What's a little harmless brag!)

Special mention to Mahesh for introducing me to Habitat and Spidey for couriering me 3 movies across shores and sands from Bangalore to Delhi.

Needless to say, I would consider my life complete, if by the remotest hand of fate, I get to meet WA in New York... That will be the day!

Time's running out though, our man's already 74.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Exchange

It’s a nice and casual evening at the city park and people are enjoying their walk and conversations. Nothing is different about today. Even the loafer, who is lying on the last bench of the West Gate end gate of the park, is observing people, with his head resting on the arm of the bench, just like every other day.

With his lazy gaze, he is sifting his eyes through the bunch of people from a distance. Right next to him is the bench on which he has seen this couple many times before. The guy is formally dressed today while the girl is wearing a salwar kameez. They’re always holding hands. The loafer has seen more intimate couples before.

At this point, he notices a boy selling Frooti packs approaching the couple. The loafer wants a Frooti pack for himself. With this intention he fixes his gaze on the vendor. He has to wait now because the couple wants Frooti too. He sees them asking for 2 packs. The loafer observes the guy taking out money from his trouser pocket directly and not from a wallet. But now!

The guy on the bench took out a 100 Rupee note and some paper also seemed to have fallen from his pocket as he pulled out the money. He waits to see if the vendor or the girl has noticed the paper that fell out. From his bench he tries to wave to the guy that there’s a paper of some sort that is lying right next to his shoes. The loafer is not in the couple’s focus of conversation. They would rather now sip the Frooti. The loafer is too lazy to get up. He starts looking around and focuses his gaze this time on a juice vendor. After a short while, the couple leaves. They don’t know about the paper that lies right under their bench. The loafer slowly gets up behind them and walks up to their bench. With curious eyes, he bends down to pick up the piece of paper. His eyes light up!

The piece of paper is a 500 Rupee note! There’s a look of glee on his face now. He quickly glances around stealthily to see if anyone’s noticing him. No one else seems to be bothered. His assured right hand now is a fist holding the note tightly. He calmly puts his hand in the pocket and walks briskly towards the juice vendor. His body is upright and his walk is suddenly purposive now.

His right hand that was till now clutching onto the note in his pocket, now comes out and is thrust in the face of the juice vendor. He confidently asks the juice vendor for a change of 500 rupees. The juice vendor, however is not in a hurry. He suspiciously looks at the loafer and sizes him from head to toe. The vendor takes a second curious look at the 500 Rupee note. He senses something about it is not right, especially the paper. It feels too thin compared to other notes. He quickly draws another note from his cash box and places both of them next to each other. The loafer gets impatient and urges the juice vendor to give his change quickly. The juice vendor is still diligently comparing the notes. He holds out the just received note in the sun for a final check and he doesn’t see the Mahatma Gandhi watermark associated with genuine notes. He knows he has nabbed a culprit and quickly looks around.

A little further away, he sees a cop, the one who is a part of the State Police Team providing security for the park. He rushes towards him and gets to him in a flash. Excitedly, he shows him both the notes. The loafer meanwhile is quizzically looking at the two of them who are coming towards him. He quickly realizes the cop is coming towards him and makes a dash towards the exit gate. The cop whistles loudly while taking out his gun and chasing the loafer. The loafer doesn’t make it to the exit as the juice vendor and the cop catch up with him. He is callously held by his collar by the cop. The loafer begs him for mercy and tries to narrate what happened. The cop would have none of it. After much persuasion, the cop lets go of his collar with a forceful push. The cop appreciates the juice vendor’s initiative and steps out. He asks him to come to the police station and meet his friends in the police station.

“We need more people like you”, the cop tells the juice vendor. The juice vendor merrily walks back to his stall and wipes off the sweat with his towel that was wrapped around his neck.

The cop steps out of the exit gate and proceeds to walk towards a paan waalah’s shop. He nonchalantly hands over the 500 Rupee note to the paan waalah and asks for a pack of cigarettes. The paan-waalah hands over the pack.

The cop asks him, “How much is the Benson & Hedges full pack ?”

“80 Rupees. I will give you 420 Rupees back.” replies the vendor.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Soccer and Test Cricket

I think I might get lynched for writing this about a sport followed by all galaxies of the universe yet I must.

Soccer is instant relief. One pass, one dodge, one free-kick, one goal and there you have it! It’s like masturbation- it’s over even before you know!

Test Cricket is wooing a pretty dame from first sight, asking her out, ascertaining where you stand for her, making the move and then the climax!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Hero and I

I saw Marley and Me last night and nearly every scene reminded me of Hero.

The jumps, the tearing of the sofa, the poop, the licking, the posture, his ageing, everything...

What's worse, it reminded me of how I lost his best picture which I had kept in a book I was reading on a flight. I forgot to take the book when I de-planed and there went the best picture of the best looking dog ever... :-(

I think am an ass sometimes. I really must be one to keep his picture in a book instead of an album.

Hero was with us for ten years.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Things to do

I have to open 6 different couriers that I've got.
I gotta courier a document back home.
The left sole of my black shoe has come off and I gotta go to a cobbler.
I've been wanting to open a bank account in a nationalised bank.
I have to shift a trading account from Delhi to Bangalore.


And that has been my list since whole of January. But I'm thinking February is another month and tomorrow is another day! :-)

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Khojguru.com

These are tough times and I sincerely believe that the youth and intellingentsia of this country have to speak up, act and deliver through whatever platforms they're operating on to participate actively in the nation-building and nation-healing processes.

A very dear friend who owns a fast-emerging city search engine is pledging Re. 1 to the National Defence Fund for every registration on their site. The contribution will be made on January 26th, 2009. So just go right ahead and click the words - http://khojguru.com/ on your web browser and make the difference that you can.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

The Best of 2008 - Cricket and Sports!

Top batting performances
Graeme Smith's 154 not out at Birmingham against Eng
South African top-order at Perth against Oz
Virendra Sehwag's 83 at Chennai against Eng
Bhajji & Zak's 80 run partnership at Bangalore against Aus
Ramnaresh Sarwan's 128 at Antigua against Oz
J.P. Duminy's 166 at MCG against Oz
Ganguly's 87 at Kanpur against SA
Kevin Pietersen's 144 at Mohali against India
Gautam Gambhir's 67 and 104 at Mohali against Oz
V.V.S. Laxman's 79 at Perth against Oz


Top batting performances - Special mention
Sehwag's 104 at Adelaide against Oz
Sachin's twin innings in the CB series finals at Sydney and Brisbane
Symond's century against Rajasthan Royals at Hyderabad
Rohit Sharma's beauties in the IPL

Top bowling performances
Dale Steyn at Ahmedabad.Period.
Ajantha Mendis and Murali's 19 wicket- haul at Colombo against India
Mitchell Johnson's 11 wicket haul at Perth against SA
Ishant Sharma's one wicket haul at Perth against Oz in the second innings
Bhajji's 10-wicket haul at Galle
Jimmy Anderson's 7-wicket haul at Trent Bridge against NZ
Mendis 8-wicket haul at PSS Colombo


Top bowling performances - Special mention
Mendis in the Asia Cup Final
Shoaib Akhtar against Delhi Daredevils
The Sohail Tanvir show in IPL

Shot of the year
KP's switch hit - all over again!

Dismissal of the year
Ishant's wrecking Ponting's stumps at Mohali

Catch of the year
De Villiers ( Pick any of his, really!)

Drop of the year
Hussey and Ponting grassing chances in MCG against SA

Runouts of the year
Mishra running out Ponting at Nagpur
Ian Bell running out Sehwag at Mohali

Best sporting moments of the year
Abhinav Bindra shooting a near-perfect last shot to give us Gold!
The final of finals at Wimbledon
Revival of Celtics-Lakers rivalry & Celtics thrashing Lakers!( You can imagine me with a 150W smile here!)
Usain Bolt!
Hamilton making it (finally...)
Roger Federer pulling one back at US Open

Sportsman of the year
Michael Phelps!

Have a great year folks and stay away from drinks if you driving!

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

The Best of 2008 - Movies, Music & Books

My list for 2008- The best in each category.(Or worst.. as specified!)

Movies - Best of New Releases
Mumbai Meri Jaan
Lives of Others
A Wednesday
Dark Knight
Rock On!

Movies - Best of old movies- English (seen this year)
Stalag 17
Body Heat
Escape from Sobibor
Sideways
Day of the Jackal

Movies - Best of old movies- Hindi (seen this year)
Ek Ruka Hua Faisla
Sparsh
Do Aankhen Barah Haath
36-Chowringhee Lane
Dev

Movies- The Best of dark horses - (old and new- seen this year)
Dasvidaniya
Midnight Run
Shoot on Sight
Biwi-o-Biwi
Leon
Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye

Movies - The worst of the lot
Singh is Kinng
Wanted
Wall- E (Blame me... but I absolutely despised it to the core)

Songs- The best of Hindi
Teri Ore - Shreya Ghoshal, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Sindbad the Sailor/ Tum ho toh - Farhan Akhtar
Kahin to- Rashid Ali
Kehne ko jashn-e-bahaara- Javed Ali
Kaise Mujhe - Benny Dayal

Songs- The best of English
Touch of Love- Allen Toussaint ( And thanks Axe!)
Violet Hill - Coldplay
The Day that never comes- Mettalica
Just too busy being fabulous - Eagles
Bubbly - Caillat

The best of books(read this year)
Classic Cricket Clangers (The undisputed #1...)
A Maidan View
Indian Summers
Maximum City
Beyond a Boundary

Concluding part on "Cricket and Sports" to follow.

Monday, December 08, 2008

No good this

I took a cab in Hyderabad last week, and as I always do, started chatting up with the driver.

"What's your name?"

"Ahmed Hussain."

Something rankled me a for a second. Could he be involved?

Normal conversation followed. But in that one second, I went from being suspicious to feeling guilty for having just judged him for his religion.This had never happened to me before.

And I'm convincing myself it'll be the last time.

But do the perpetrators see the futility of it all?

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Who's the enemy?

The mail from Deccan Mujahideen was traced back to Russia. The terrorists had Mauritian identity cards. Two of the terrorists were British-born. Their ship started from Karachi. They killed a Jewish Rabbi.Lashkar has it's camps in PoK, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

For all you know, every country in this world as I'm writing this, has at least one person who's sitting back in his chair and smiling at the success of these nefariously gruesome attacks.

This was not how the world used to be, when I was in school. This was not the India, I thought, I would grow up to live in.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Dasvidaniya - A reflection!

That's what the movie is about. A reflection into your own mundane life:

- of friends from school.
- of drab 'things-to-do' everyday
- of dreams-to-fulfil someday
- of the impact of Mithun Chakraborty when we were growing up
- of Gunmaster G-9! (Had to be referenced for those who came in late!)
- of Old Monk.

And the movie has it's "moments". Here's mine...

Savio: What man? You have some problem in life kya?

Amar Kaul: Yes man. Life is a problem...

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

O Captain, My Captain - To Dada!

O Captain, My Captain,
a fairy tale is done.
The team has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, I look back thanking!

O heart, heart, heart
For the winning habit you brought,
At home and abroad.
And today, as you, my Captain retire,
I stand, salute and admire!

Moments... Again!

Dhoni and Bhajji jumping in the air celebrating Watson's wicket in the first innings.
The Ponting runout in second innings.
Bhajji getting Hayden again.
Dhoni getting Dada to captain, calling Kumble to take the trophy.
And then getting hands on the trophy itself.

Although the trophy has always looked trashy, (atleast it's getting better compared to the first one), the fact that an Indian captain got hands on it all over again just made it very very visually appealing.

Mission acccomplished by our lads, I say.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Serendipity of a master!

Until now that is. Had seen Pyaasa when I was a child with Dad and it didn't stay on after that. Saw it again recently and along with it Kaagaz Ke Phool and Mr and Mrs. 55.

And right now am in the phase of realizing what a genius the man was and how late I woke up to the party.

Like they said, better now than late!

Thursday, October 09, 2008

The state of our stadiums

No good. Went early morning today to Chinnaswamy and no information was available on where to get tickets, when will the gates open and on whether were tickets still available. That I still thought this was better than Kotla should be a fairly honest reflection of the state of our stadiums of the most popular game in the second most populated nation of the world.

Of course, all this because Ticketpro itself in the first place proved to be a mess of a site with "unexpected errors" cropping up everytime you proceed to pay. Another friend got lucky on the 6th attempt.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Cleaning in Progress

Settled in Bangalore. Took a while to get the net connection back in. But finally through. Will be regular from here on. Definition of regular being worked on.

And for all it's worth, comments is back up too.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Bucket List

1.) Watch Clapton in Concert.
2.) Watch Led Zep in Concert.
3.) Watch an ODI/Test in every cricketing nation.
4.) Direct a movie
5.) Direct a successful movie.
6.) Watch a Sacramento Kings versus LA Lakers game at Arco Arena
7.) Watch 1 All-Star game
8.) Drink draught beer in a German city
9.) Visit the Jack Daniels distillery
10.) Go wine-tasting at Champagne
11.) Stay at Waldorf Astoria, NY
12.) Stay at Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong
13.) (Repeat, cos it's really important:) Travel around the world watching cricket
14.) Blow some really big money at the Bellagio

That's it for now.