- Taare Zameen Par: Watched it thrice in the theatres, and a number of times ar other places
- Chak De India : Make that twice in the theatres, and rest same as above
Missing the Monsoon Masti – My Favorite Rain Songs
04 Apr 2012 1 Comment
in Blogroll, Melodies of life!!! Tags: Bollywood Rain Songs, Monsoon, Rains
Just read the news about pre-monsoon showers that occurred in some parts of Maharashtra yesterday. And somehow, I began missing the monsoons so much – especially because I am not going to experience them this year in US! So, to make up for their absence a little bit, I began thinking about, and listening to, my favorite rain songs. Here’s a list of some unforgettable ones, in no particular order.
Disclaimer: The links of YouTube videos are not owned by me; I just found them on YouTube…
1.Rimjhim Ke Taraane Leke Aayi Barsaat from the movie Kaala Baazaar
Whenever I think of rains, this is undoubtedly the first song that comes to my mind. The shots of Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman walking in the rains and reminiscing their moments together, along with glimpses of a rain-drenched old Bombay are a total treat for the eyes and ears. And as with most old songs, the lyrics rock!
2. Saawan Barse Tarse Dil from the movie Dahek
I don’t think anyone has ever watched this movie, but I have watched this song umpteen times for it simple innocence! Two lovers (Akshaye Khanna and Sonali Bendre) enjoying the rains and going to meet each other while battling it out with the various difficulties created by it is the essence of this beautifully shot song.
3. Barso Re Megha from Guru
The amazing visuals of a raindrop creating ripples in water, dark clouds in the background of lush green fields and a washed look of several picturesque locations are what I like the best about this song; although the music and the stunning voice of Shreya Ghoshal are also individually sufficient to make this song appear in my list of favorites.
4. Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
Oh yeah… after all, rains are not just about romance – they are about fun, masti and thodi si shararat too, as depicted aptly in this legendary garage song featuring Kishore Kumar and Madhubala.
5. Le Ja Le Ja Re from the music album Ustaad & the Divas
This is by far the cutest song with a rainy background. And the rain here is not just outdoors from the sky, but is also indoors on the dance floor, inside the heroine’s eyes, and in the hero’s and the heroine’s hearts. There is a part in this song where the sad heroine draws herself drenched in rain, while the hero adds an umbrella to the picture, and another one where she draws herself getting drenched by a bus splashing water on her – only to find that the hero draws himself between her and the bus – ahh.. it is totally cute!
6. Dum Dum Digaa Digaa from the movie Chhaliya
Rains in the studio have never looked as refreshing as they do in this song! And Raj Kapoor serenading pretty girls while the clouds pour is an endearing sight!
7. Bhaage re Mann Kahin from the movie Chameli
A shady lane in a shady area in South Bombay, Kareena Kapoor dressed up in a tacky red-and-blue Sari, and a car as a prop – not to mention a lot of rain… does not seem like an interesting scenario, right? Negative! It is a beautiful scenario! The way the rain-wind combination is shot in this song is mind-blowing! And the music is blissful.
8. Rimjhim Rimjhim from the movie 1942 A Love Story
Beautiful, dusky, and lush green setting of the Ooty botanical garden, a beautiful and very expressive Manisha Koirala, a handsome and sentimental Anil Kapoor, R D Burman’s music, and Javed Akhtar’s soulful lyrics – add all of these to lots of rain and baadal and bijli! Can a rain song get better than that? Naah! Totally mesmerizing song!
9. Bheegi Bheegi Raatonme from the movie Ajnabee
I don’t care about the video of this song much, but just the song in itself is such a work of genius! You can imagine the rain and the atmosphere created by it just by listening to this song. Kishore Kumar at his best! And yeah, the remix album of this song is great too!
10. Ab Ke Saawan Aise Barase from the music album Ab Ke Saawan
This awesome amalgamation of classical, folk, and pop music is not just pleasing to the ear, but the lavishly shot rain in a small-town setup refreshes the visual sense.This song shows the perfect combination of romance, fun, confusion, peace, and overall joy created by the rains!
11. Koi Ladki Hai from the movie Dil To Pagal Hai
The dreamy voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan, and the innocent, yet romantic portrayal by Shahrukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit add a lot of zing to this melodious rain song.
Yeah, so that’s my list of favorites, people! It’s refreshing to even remember all these songs, isn’t it! Which songs figure in your list of favorite rain songs?
I so love The Hindu ads! TOI – are you listening?
28 Jan 2012 3 Comments
in Blogroll, Keeping my eyes open!, Trudging down the memory lane, Zor ka jhatka!('Current' Affairs)
I have been reading The Times of India ever since I was a child. In fact, back then, it was considered imperative to read the TOI to improve your English. I lived in Goa, and all we had access to was the Mumbai edition of TOI which hit the stands in Goa only in the afternoons, which meant that the newspaper delivery guy delivered the TOI a day late. Yet, we unfailingly read the day-old newspaper everyday. Later, my parents also began paying the newspaper delivery guy, who lived right next to our house, to deliver the newspaper to us on his way back home. Our school teachers used to encourage us to go beyond the front page and sports pages of the newspaper, and to explore the editorial page, and understand the different views expressed there.
Now what is the connection between the title of this post and the first paragraph, you ask? Well, you’ll soon find out… But before that, take a look at today’s web TOI:
Web TOI - look at the highlighted parts.
This is the page showing today’s top news! Start from the left panel – “Twitter’s censor move with eye on China“. Really? “Eye on China”? Is that a legitimate phrase in English, or is it just the translation of the Marathi ”चीन वर डोळा”? The last I had heard, “keeping an eye on someone” meant watching over them lest they do something they aren’t supposed to. Aren’t they instead supposed to write “Twitter’s censor move eyes China“? Of course the sentence still makes little sense to me, but at least it is English! (Do correct me if I am wrong though.)
Let’s move on to the right – top. Madhuri gives some advise to SRK – and yes the national adviser’s words are almost never printed on the home page, but this – oh how can they miss printing this!
Just dip a little lower (pun intended) and slightly to the left. You will see “Katharina’s raunchy act“! Yeah sure, so what if they get the spelling wrong, so what if they use provocative words – they are giving the readers some hot news! And below that, some more “Other Stories” that basically tell the same tale… They are not a national pioneering newspaper, but a glossy gossip magazine…
You may have noticed that I have pasted the screen shot of only half of the home page – the bottom half had several such pieces of news and pictures that wouldn’t suit my sensibilities and those of this blog.
Anyway, the point is, I once looked up to this newspaper, and now, I can barely look at it without feeling annoyed – what with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and racial glitches (replacing the phrase ” South Indian” with “Southie”? – What is that!) that make me want to appeal to them, that if they can’t afford paying a proof reader, I would love to volunteer to do it for them! And I don’t even want to get started on the kind of hot news (read Bollywood gossip, Page 3 trivia on most pages, and so on) they publish! This is why, when they released an advertisement with soft intonations insulting the newspaper The Hindu (you can find it here ), I was mildly irritated. But The Hindu came up with their response – three even more fiery, in-your-face advertisement clips, which were fascinatingly accurate and bang-on target!
Here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmXPBp7DpQw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Eb-waHx-00&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8_pqFRxk6A&feature=related
Now, I don’t know how effective these ads are, but I do hope they make the TOI people see some sense, and give us back the newspaper we loved so much a few years ago!
New beginnings!
11 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in Blogroll Tags: new attitude, New Year, USA, Writing
Hello all!
Now, as cliched as the title of this blog may sound, I am definitely going to create something new here, from now on… Confused about the abrupt beginning ( if there is something like that!) ? Well, that is because I was taken aback after finding out that I last blogged on the 20th of July 2010, which is one and a half years ago! Whoaaa!!! And more so, because I just checked my draft posts section, and there are 36 incomplete fellas sitting tight there! For a minute I began to wonder whether I have lost my thing of writing – when I was relieved to find out that a sudden wave of wanting to write swept over me. So, here I am, writing a blog post after a long time, promising myself that I will publish it unlike the last 36 times, and deciding (again) to start writing regularly. A warning: do not take me seriously until I actually start writing regularly.
Anyways, let me come back on track and wish all of you a very happy new year (although I am pretty sure there are hardly any readers left 
( ). This new year has definitely brought some really new things for me, such as a different country to live in, no job in that country, an opportunity to take a competitive exam to get a higher degree, and so on. I was also going to add – a new attitude- in there, but I guess only time will tell if that has really happened. 
Anyways, I spent my new year’s eve on a quite low-key note this time, unlike last year’s brouhaha, but yet, it was so much better. My husband and I took the much needed rest ( We were recovering from a 30-day shopping and packing frenzy and a long flight from Pune to Chicago), and watched TV with soda and popcorn to give us company. It was quite soothing, and much reminded me of the way we used to bring in the new year during my school days. We anyways did not have the energy for a back-to-back celebration, what with the 30th of December being our 2nd marriage anniversary!
As for new year’s resolutions, which I unfailingly make and break every year, I made a bunch of them. Some were the same old ones, such as losing weight, eating healthy, writing and reading more, learning to meditate and relax and so on. Others were slightly new, such as studying hard, planning my day well, bringing more discipline in my routine, and changing my outlook towards some things.
Let us see how I keep all of these, but you will definitely be able to see how I keep one of these – writing regularly.
Okay then people, hope to be writing again soon, and till then, cheers to the new beginnings!
Inception! Fascinating! (No spoilers)
20 Jul 2010 4 Comments
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews), Zor ka jhatka!('Current' Affairs) Tags: Christopher Nolan, Ellen Page, Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio, mind, sub-conscious, totem
Have you ever been out wandering around the country, with lush green pastures and a cool blue sky to keep you company? Have you been so engrossed while watching the trees and birds and flowers that you lost your way but still did not panic, as you were simply happy taking in the calmness of your surroundings? After a long long while, has the feeling of being lost registered finally? Have you craved to get back, only to see a thunderstorm approaching you with all its ferocity? Have you hidden in the first hut you laid your eyes on, and breathed a sigh of relief? Have you then realized that the hut has several animal skins and skulls spread around it? And then have you heard strong rapping on the door and been frightened to death? And have you tried to scream, only to realize that…..
Your mom is trying to wake you up in the morning by banging on your bedroom door!!!
Yes, you guessed right. Welcome to the world of dreams, my friends. A world so charming, yet deceptive, so alive, yet unreal, or at least that’s what we are made to believe.
The movie, Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan, professes otherwise. It says, rather convincingly, that our dreams represent our sub-conscious, and our sub-conscious does affect our conscious decisions all the time! All the main characters in the movie are, so to speak, ‘dream merchants’, meant most literally. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio, brilliant) and his gang specialize in entering people’s dreams to ‘extract’ information that is otherwise impossible to obtain. They do make good money out of it, but also face the dire consequences of meddling with the human subconscious. Cobb especially, has had to pay a very heavy price, rendering unfit his capabilities of designing the places in dreams.
Yes, so advanced is this occupation of extraction via dreams is that it needs an architect to design imaginary places wherein the dream will take place (you can’t use real places because then, your memories will meddle with your dreams), a chemist to appropriately sedate the one whose dreams are to be explored, a researcher and a few helpers, if any. The film is about Cobb, leading one such team, and trying not to extract but to plant an idea into a target’s mind – in return for his own redemption.
Christopher Nolan definitely does succeed in weaving an intricate yarn of a story, with threads spooling in multiple layers – yes, the extractors, or should I say inceptors, also generate dreams within dreams, so as to buy more time, or change some things in the dreams, and so on. Although it sounds confusing, not for one moment do you get bored, and you are always glued to the seat trying to put two and two together.
The most creditable thing about the movie is that, although it’s about dreams and inception, and stuff that mostly fits into the science fiction category, it does not waver from logic, or create situations just because it is science fiction!
Certain ideas are absolutely brilliant, such as having to carry a totem, or a self-made object while entering a dream, to help you distinguish between dreams and reality. Not only that, the totem has been brilliantly used in the climax sequence as well.
The direction is awesome, and the editing is crisp. The cast have supported the script extremely well. There is really nothing to complain about the movie!
If you are itching for an intelligent, well-made movie that will make you think, go for Inception.
If you are not, go for it nevertheless, it will provide some very good entertainment!
Signal: Green all the way! Go explore your dreams!!!
I felt ashamed of myself today…
03 May 2010 2 Comments
in Blogroll, Keeping my eyes open!, Random sightings
Picture this incident – The driver of a PMPML bus that was quite vacant, shut both the doors of the bus at an overcrowded Sanghvi Fata bus stop, so that people couldn’t board it. A boy, 15-16 years old, protested and asked for the door to be opened. The conductor did not listen, and barked that there was another empty bus behind. As we had already guessed, there was none! As this bus tried to make way through the heavy traffic, 4-5 ppl including the boy, again caught up with it, and began yelling that they had been waiting for over an hour there, and they must be let in. The driver and conductor didn’t budge…so the boy stood in front of the bus and blocked its way….Quite some traffic was accumulating behind us, so I thought the boys would be let in..To my horror, the conductor and driver not just kept the doors of the bus shut, but threatened the boy that they would run him over, if he didn’t make way for the bus. This screaming, yelling and abusing went on for a long time…vehicles kept honking behind us and a decision had to be taken by somebody..Finally the boy, frustrated as he was, picked up a large stone fallen on the road..That, made the driver change his mind, and he opened the doors of the bus. Once the boys entered the bus, there another round of abuse. Th boy tried to talk rationally, explaining that had the bus been full, he would never have demanded to board it…but since he was being continually abused, he started abusing back…the whole scene turned very ugly, and ended only when the boy in question alighted the bus at his stop, albeit not without some ugly verbal exchange with the driver.
In the meanwhile, like all other passengers in the bus, I sat silently watching the whole episode, agreeing with the boy from within, yet saying nothing to the driver and conductor, who were clearly in the wrong!!
When the driver didn’t open the doors, I could have protested; when he threatened to run the boy over, I could have protested;..but no, I sat like a statue, just like typical Indian public, who I keep criticising for such attitude of theirs!!
I felt ashamed of myself today……
Where the mind is without fear!
19 Apr 2010 2 Comments
in Blogroll, What I hear, n what I read........ Tags: Geetanjali, Prayer, Rabindranath Tagore
Just remembered my school prayer..thought you all would appreciate it too… It is an extract from the great Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel-winning Geetanjali…Here it goes…
Where The Mind is Without Fear
- WHERE the mind is without fear and the head is held high
- Where knowledge is free
- Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
- By narrow domestic walls
- Where words come out from the depth of truth
- Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
- Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
- Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
- Where the mind is led forward by thee
- Into ever-widening thought and action
- Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Some questions about horoscopes….
14 Mar 2010 2 Comments
in Blogroll, Comical tragedies, Just a thought! Tags: Astrology, Horoscope, Zodiac
One day, aise hi, a thought crossed my mind..Someone around was discussing horoscopes according to the Hindu calendar. According to the Hindu horoscope, a person’s zodiac sign depends on the janmatithi (birthdate according to the Hindu Calendar), and the positions of the stars in the sky at the time of birth. Could someone please tell me, that if an expecting woman, travels like 100-200 miles, just before her delivery, and the position of the stars at her destination is different, will the future of her child change? In a matter of 5-6 hours?????
And in case of the English horoscope, the birthdate decides the zodiac sign of a person. So, can being born just a few hours before or after the deadline of 21st of every month (On 21st, the zodiac sign you are born into changes, it seems), change your characteristics and behavioral traits??
And if a few hours here and there change the behavior or future of a person yet to be born, can’t years and years on the earth immensely change these of a living person too? What would you call this phenomenon then???
This is what I have written about! (a reminder to you, and ME)
23 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Blogroll
Twilight Saga: Books Review
03 Nov 2009 1 Comment
in Blogroll, Books, my first love!!!
My oh my!!! For the first time in 10 years of computer literacy, I read an e-book completely!
And after a long long time, I sat up the whole night to read a book!!
Plus, both the above statements are true, not just for 1 book called Twilight, but for all the books in the series, namely, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn!!
This completely gripping love story between a supernormal human and super-ahem-monster connects with you like no story has done for a loong loong time!! Cheers to Stephanie Meyer!!
So people, if you have even a little thing for romance, go for these books! And guys, keep your girls away from these books, ‘coz it will make them fall in love with Edward Cullen!! All my female friends have, and I won’t blame them!! (Me too in the same situation!! )
Do I need to give a signal now, it’s so clear…GREEN ALL THE WAY!!!!
Book Review: “2 states – The story of my marriage” (No Spoilers)
02 Nov 2009 2 Comments
in Blogroll, Books, my first love!!!, Zor ka jhatka!('Current' Affairs)
Just read the latest one by Chetan Bhagat!
And by his own standards, its a very nice book! Fairly gripping (I finished it in non-stop 5 hours), humorous, and easy-flowing, this book describes the life and times of a couple divided by a wide North-South chasm.
On the flipside, the book is written in a very simple manner, sometimes even reminding you of a mere diary entry. However, the heart and the soul is definitely in the right place!
I will not divulge the story here at all, but would just be content with saying that anyone and everyone, who’s been in love with a person of a different caste, will 100% relate to this book.
Go read it!
Verdict: Green
I’m back!! :-)
23 Aug 2009 3 Comments
in Blogroll, Keeping my eyes open!, Man is a social animal!, Notes to readers, Random sightings, Zor ka jhatka!('Current' Affairs)
Okay, okay, i’ve been outta circuit for quite some time now, I agree….
Was just going through the grinds of life shall I say…and am still, but I am tired of making it an issue, and don’t plan to do so, any longer!!!
Yeah, so what “interesting” stuff was I doing while I wasn’t here? Well, reading, teaching, and watching movies!! Didn’t travel or trek much, thanks to the bad weather and bad health….uh oh…change the topic!!! )
Yeah, so let’s start with reading (i know a book review is long overdue!!).
After a loong time, I got out my copy of Khaled Hosseni’s “The Kite Runner”. Read it in two nights flat, and my oh my, wasn’t it incredible!! The author managed to actually recreate the whole Afghanistan scene for the readers. The story, a unique tale of immaturity, faith, loyalty and a journey towards redemption, was so nicely unfolded in this book, that I got completely absorbed in that book, I even cried a couple of times!! And Hassan’s character, I think is one of the most well-writtn and yet unfathomable characters I’ve come across!! My heart goes out to the sheer innocent loyalty and, how should I put it, apnapan that he shows towards Amir, the protagonist. Ammazzing, divine, one of its kind!!
And since I liked The Kite Runner so much, I also got hold of A Thousand Splendid Suns, by the same author. This book tells the story of two women in Afghanistan, who are so unlike each other, and yet finally find solace in standing up for each other. Engrossing and with its heart in the right place, all this book lacked, to be mentioned in the league of The Kite Runner was , ofcourse, Hassan!!
Then I also read Digital Fortress(nice, but very Sidney Sheldonesque), Bourne Ultimatum (good, but not my type really!!), and the Twilight Series!!! About the last one, It needs a sperate blog post to give it full justice!! ))
Currently I am reading The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. This is also an ammmazingly insightful book, and I am already bowled over it. Just fathom these lines on freedom:
“You shall be free indeed when your days are not without a care nor your nights without a want and a grief,
But rather when these things girdle your life and yet you rise above them naked and unbound.”
Intriguing aren’t they?? I am already a big fan of this author!! Hopefully, when I am finished with reading the book, I will have much more to blog about it…
Then, movies, well it’s been mostly watching movies on DVD, because of the multiplex strike and the swine flue scare!! Nevertheless, I managed to catch up on a “critically-acclaimed” Marathi movie Gandh (Smell), which went right above my head and contained grey cells!! Also watched the suppper dupper hit marathi movie (again) Mi ShivajiRaje Bhosle Boltoy, which had some good intutive dialogue, but was average otherwise.
And last, but not at all the least, have been teaching: not just English Grammar this time, but also some interesting newly-learnt life-skills stuff. This too, deserves a seperate full-length blog post to make full justice to it.
Ahh, it already feels good having written so much…hopefully will be back soon with more!! Cya people!!
Protected: Just a vent to my feelings!!
19 Feb 2009 Enter your password to view comments.
in Blogroll, Just a thought!, Zor ka jhatka!('Current' Affairs)
Movie Review: Billu Barber
15 Feb 2009 3 Comments
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Budbuda, Irrfan Khan, Lara Dutta, Priyadarshan, Shah Rukh Khan
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Lara Dutta
Director: Priyadarshan
Synopsis and my opinion: Please read the letter below.
================================================================================
Dear Mr. Irrfan Khan,
Subject: Please don’t!!
Sir, let me first clearly state, that we all love you very much…your mind-blowing performances in several movies like Haasil, Yeh hai Mumbai Meri Jaan, Life in a Metro, to name a very few; have been loved and applauded by all of us. Today, you are one of those very few character artistes who can carry an entire film on their shoulders!!
So we want to ask you something… Why and just why did you accept a film like Billu Barber ??
Although it has a decent concept (they have tried to emulate the modern version of the Krishna and Sudama saga), its story and screenplay are so damn horrible, that even the seriousmost of the scenes make you laugh!
The biiig superstar played by none other than the neo-narcissist SRK (believe me, I am a biiig fan of his, so if i am calling his role terrible, it sure is so!); the gaanv ki gori with deep-back blouses Lara Dutta, the 3 pathetic item songs featuring Deepika, Kareena and Priyanka ; the usual Priyadarshan bandwagon of comedians made up of Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav, Manoj Joshi, etc etc; nothing, nothing at all can match even 50% of your sheer earnest portrayal of a poor barber who had struggled a lot in his childhood to help an even poorer friend to pursue acting, and then after many years when the friend has returned to his village as a superstar actor, hesitates to meet him due to his social status!
3 cheers to you Mr. Khan!! (strictly Irrfan, this time…)
Thumbs down to everything else in this movie!!!
Not many thanks and Regards,
Me!
P.S. : Mr. Priyadarshan, Please stop insulting your earlier “classics” like Herapheri and Virasat by making such pathetic movies!!!
================================================================================
Verdict: Do I even need to state it?? AVOID!!
Signal: RED all the way!
Movie Review(No Spoilers): Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
15 Dec 2008 4 Comments
in On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Amritsar, Anushka Sharma, shahrukh Khan
Well, I am not really a sucker for love stories…in fact senti n melodramatic love stories really bore me…. so I went to watch Rab ne Bana Di Jodi only because of SRK….
But but but…surprisingly, I liked the movie…. the songs, the dialogue, the acting, n ofcourse….SRK!!!
In 2 contrasting roles: a sincere, intelligent power company employee; and a crude n bindaas jat businessman; SRK to chhha jata hai!!
The heroine Anushka SHarma is not conventionally beautiful with great features n all, but has a million dollar smile!
The songs are very hummable: Holle holle, Dance pe chance, tujhme rab dikhta hai, and even Hum hain rahi Pyaar ke…Phir milenge…chalte chalte…….. they do make your feet go tap tap…..
My verdict: Definitely watchable..atleast once!
Signal: Green
Movie Review: Hello!
17 Oct 2008 2 Comments
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Amrita Arora, Anusha Dandekar, Arbaaz Khan, Atul Agnihotri, Call Centres, Dalip Tahil, Eesha Koppikar, God, Gul Panag, Katrina Kaif, modern life stress, Salman Khan, Sharat Saxena, Sharman Joshi, Sohail Khan
Line 1: Trring Trring…….. Trring Trring…….. Trring Trring……..
Line 2: Hello? Who’s this??
Line 1: This is…………. GOD…………..
Line 2: And we are 6 ammmmazed typical call centre employees.: TeamLeader-wannabe Shyam (Sharman Joshi – very comfortable in the role), Senior member Military Uncle (Sharat Saxena – endearing, but purposeless), Mr. biker Vrroom aka Varun( Sohail Khan – I never thought he could act, but he just did!!), Ghar-grihasthi se pareshan Radhika (Amrita Arora – cute), anxious-to-be-a-model Eesha (Isha Koppikar – ok ok), and oh-so-confused Priyanka (Gul Panag – again confused).
Line 1: You all have your own typical call centre – cum - life in a metro dukhde… but you can solve them them using some 4 things: Talent, imagination, confidence, and some mumbo-jumbo about having to lose before you win…. solve them…
Line 2: Ok we shall solve them by defaming our boss(Dalip Tahil- over the top but still believable), spreading rumours in America about some virus, and doubling the call volume, then resigning: from our jobs, our unhappy families, our egos, our unrealistic ambitions….and live more or less hapily ever after!
——Call Ended——-Movie too———-
Now no possibility of spoilers here as we’ve all read One night @ the call center. However, even if we didn’t, this movie solely rests on the shoulders of the cast, and not the story. The bunch of 6 call centre emplyees is refreshing entertaining.
That apart, the movie is average. So is the directorial debut of Atul Agnihotri. Not bad.. Comedy is excellent at some places and extremely mediocre at others. Music is bad. So is the screenplay. And certain pieces of dialogue almost put you to sleep. Thankfully, they are short. Salman and Katrina do their jobs as usual(means they are mediocre..hehe).
Verdict: Not a must-watch, but since I endured Kidnap last week, Hello is a great timepass!
Signal: Yellow, may go to Green.
Updates!!
12 Sep 2008 2 Comments
Came across this idea while blog-hopping…
My replies to your comments will now be just an addendum to your comments, in bold font. That way, it lets us keep a better track of what reply is for which comment!
Movie Review: Mumbai Meri Jaan
27 Aug 2008 1 Comment
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Bomb blasts, Irrfan Khan, Kay KAy Menon, movie reviews, Mumbai, Paresh Rawal, R Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Vijay Maurya
CAST: Paresh Rawal, Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan Khan, Vijay Maurya, R Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan
SYNOPSIS: This movie is actually an album or a collection of snapshots from the lives of people who live in Mumbai, and happen to live (and die and relive) through the deadly blasts of 7/11. Right from rich (R Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan),to the middle-class(Paresh Rawal-brilliant, Vijay Maurya, Kay Kay Menon), to the downtrodden poor (Irrfan Khan), nobody is really bad, and all they need to do, is invoke thier conscience…this is the message carried by the movie, in a very subtle way…..
ACTING: Given the list of actors, the acting’s definitely got to be top class right!!! A special mention to Paresh Rawal and Soha Ali Khan – the girl’s surely gonna go a lonnng way!!
TECHNICALITIES: The direction, background score, cinematography, script, dialogues, direction, everything is above average!
RATING: After alll that I have written so far, do I need to hide the GREEN?? Go for it friends!! A little serious, but very different and imaginative, this movie will surely soak you in the spirit of Mumbai!!!
Mumbai Meri Jaan!!
26 Aug 2008 7 Comments
in Blogroll Tags: 7/11, Bomb blasts, Irrfan Khan, Kay KAy Menon, Mumbai, Paresh Rawal, R Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan
ATTENTION: This post is not a movie review…its just an attempt to describe the movie hand in hand with its lovely title song!! Lemme know how you find it. The movie review’s coming up soon!
——————————————————————————————–
AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL, JEEENA YAHAN, JARA HATKE JARA BACHKE YE HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAN…….
O my heart, it’s so difficult…to live on here, a li’l conscious, a li’l careful this is Mumbai my dear……….
And in this Mumbai, there is a Rupali Joshi(Soha Ali Khan), a mainstream TV journalist who is hard-working but typically TRP-sensitive, and then later, a victim of her own news channel who broadcasts her personal tragedy as a aaj ki taaza khabar!
KAHIN BUILDING, KAHIN TRAAMEIN, KAHIN MOTOR KAHIN MILL, MILTA HAI YAHAN SAB KUCHH, IK MILTA NAHI DIL……
And there is a very righteous, conscientious Indianism-preacher Nikhil (R Madhavan) who ends up dropping guns when it really matters, and gets convinced that US is indeed the right place for people like him……
INSAAN KA NAHI KAHIN NAM-O-NISHAAN…YEH HAI BOMBAY YEH HAI BOMBAY YE HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAAN……………
Then there is a hawaldar (Vijay Maurya) who is angry about the whole condition of the police force, wants to do something about this, and yet can’t entirely muster up the courage……..
KAHIN SATTA KAHIN PATTA KAHIN CHORI KAHIN RACE, KAHIN DAAKA KAHI FAAKA KAHIN THOKAR KAHIN THES…….
And there is a almost-bankrupt and almost-anti-Islam computer vendor Suresh (Kay Kay Menon) who thinks he can atleast try and do his bit against terrorism by suspecting, and inspecting fellow-Muslims…..
BEKAARON KE HAIN KAIN KAAM YAHAN, YEH HAI BOMBAY YEH HAI BOMBAY YE HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAAN………….
And there is a mobile chaiwala (Irrfan Khan) who creates his own way of taking revenge from the mall he was thrown out from, by calling malls with hoax bomb threats and ruining their business….
BEGHAR KO AAWARA YAHA KEHTE HANS HANS, KHUD KAATE GALE SABKE KAHE ISKO BUSINESS……
But when he realizes what harm he can cause by doing this, (an elderly man suffers from a heart attack at the mall), he repents thoroughly and mends his ways….
EK CHEEZ KE HAIN KAIN NAAM YAHAN, YEH HAI BOMBAY YEH HAI BOMBAY YE HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAAN…………..
And there is another hawaldar (Paresh Rawal) who is so used to the corrupt ways of life that he always tells his colleagues, “mumbai me sirf picture dekhne ka, usme acting nahi karne ka ….”, and yet when his conscience rings, he lets go off Suresh who’d once abused him saying… Aapko kisine dhakka diya, aur aapne usko dhakka na deke ye silsila udhar hi khatm kar dia, to problem to khatam hi na…..
BURA DUNIYA KO HAI KEHTA AISA BHOLA TO BAN, JO HAI KARTA WO HAI BHARTA HAI YAHA KA YE CHALAN
And this same Suresh then finds a new way of friendship, business and life…….
DADAGIRI NAHIN CHALNE KI YAHAN, YEH HAI BOMBAY YEH HAI BOMBAY YE HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAAN…………..
AE DIL HAI AASAAN, JEEENA YAHAN, JARA HATKE JARA BACHKE YE HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAN…….
O my heart, it’s so easy…to live on here, a li’l conscious, a li’l careful this is Mumbai my dear……….
——————————————————————————————–
Movie Review: Hancock
21 Jul 2008 2 Comments
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Charlize Theron, Hancock, Superhero, Will Smith
Ever heard about a drunk super-hero, who however powerful and well-meaning, makes some mistake everytime and ends up receiving the wrath of public? And then tries to take vengeance from these ungrateful souls by creating troubles in their lives by his reckless behavior??
Enter John Hancock(Will Smith, who else) from Los Angeles!! The movie is about him, and his attempts to be accepted by the public (He officialy starts working for the cops as a saviour during crime) with the help of an earnest, kind-hearted PR executive Ray (Jason Bateman) whose life he once saves, and his quest to find the existence of his fellow-superheroes… which incidentally, happens to be Ray’s wife Mary (Charlize Theron), camouflaged as a normal earthly being.
After brief sparks of attraction, and then savage fighting, Hancock goes on to discover that 2 superheroes cannot stay close to each other, since they were only meant to be born and to die in pairs, so grudgingly he has to leave Mary and go on to NewYork, to help people and be a real Super Hero!
The makers of this film have however, messed up with this last part, which is not at all convincing…
The acting is perfect(C’mon guys, it’s Will Smith after all!! ) , the plot is new, the sequences are imaginative…if only, if only the ending were not wrapped up in great hurry!
Here’s one perfect example of a wonderful, funny, innovative and exciting movie, with an ending which doesn’t live up to the expectations!
Rating: Green, if you skip the last 1/2 an hour!
Movie Review: Jaane tu..Ya jaane na….
16 Jul 2008 1 Comment
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Aamir Khan, Genelia D'soza, Imran Khan
The quientessential question: So, when do you know it’s love??
Yup, that’s the main theme of the latest “fresh” movie on the block. Produced by Mr. Perfectionist Aammir Khan and starring Imran Khan and Genelia D’Souza(Remember the peppy girl from “Tujhe Meri Kasam”, and the crybaby from Masti??), this movie tries to explore the avenue of a guy and a girl’s ability to be best friends without falling in love. Sounds passe? It is, but the presentation is not.
Some super cool comedy, fresh new young faces, fast-paced direction, and ofcourse sweetness at its best, this movie does manage to win your hearts. Just ignore the very stupid airport-reunion plot!!
Rating: Almost Green!
Movie review : Love Story 2050
16 Jul 2008 1 Comment
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Harman Baweja, Priyanka Chopra, time machine
Is the time machine a new concept?
Is having red-hair a style of the future?
Even in 2050, will we have to hear pop songstresses in scanty clothes crooning to stupid songs?
In today’s age where Asimov sci-fiction is known by all, will the idea of a colourful and shining globular time machine wherein we enter the year and place of the time travel destination click??
Rating : Red!
P.S. 1or 2 ideas about the life in future are good, so is the chemistry between Harman and Priyanka.
Should I venture into fiction??
02 Jul 2008 5 Comments
in Blogroll, Just a thought!, My writing stints(or stunts)!!, Notes to readers, Trudging down the memory lane
For a long time, I have been at a loss of ideas for new blog posts… and more than ideas, it’s the expression that I am not able form.
So i thought, why not try my hand at fiction? Stories and topics that have interested me, but never happened to me…. I guess I should give it a try!!
And ofcourse, may be I shall be able to express myself in a better way, ‘coz what is fiction but a reflection of the reality?? 
Read “Kane and Abel”!!!!
30 Jun 2008 3 Comments
in Blogroll
Yup guys… this is such an AMMMAZZZING novel, that you shouldn’t miss reading it, not even in lieu of a live book reading of a new Jeffrey Archer novel!!!
My first meme!
17 Jun 2008 10 Comments
My cousin Aditya just tagged me to this meme.. So trying my hand at it!
1) One job I’ve had:
Well, if you mean a job that pays you money, that is! Yep, I’ve had just one job for the last 2 and half years of my life(!!!). Its a typical IT industry job..do I need to say more?? 
2). Seven movies I could sit through repeated screenings of
- Independence Day: Will Smith rules!!!
- Titanic: The mother of all grand romantic movies!
- All the Harry Potter movies: Delightfully entertaining, no matter how many times you watch ‘em
- Parichay: The freshest old movie I’ve ever seen!
- Mrs. Doubtfire: Sweet, funny and very touching, this movie can be the best advocate of the intensity of paternal love
Ohh and there are many others!! But these are surely at the apex!
3)Six places I’ve lived in:
- Mapusa, Goa, India
- Taligaon, Panaji, Goa, India
- Trivandrum, Kerala, India
- Kothrud, Pune, India
- Koregao Park, Pune, India
- Trianglen, Copenhagen, Denmark
4). Five TV shows I like:
- Tu tu main main
- I dream of Genie
- Tom and Jerry
- Friends
- Mahabharat Watched it a lot as a kid!
5). Four favourite “categories of” foods:
- Chocolate, potato chips, caramel popcorn
- Pav Bhaji, Masala dosa
- Pizza, McVeggie(hmm..that’s on the top of my list!)
- Coffees and pastries from CCD
6). Four places I’d rather be:
If that translates as dream holiday destinations, they’d be
- Kashmir (esp. after having visited Kanyakumari, i really really wanna go to the Earth’s paradise)
- Greece, sounds so exotic!
- Niagara falls: Want to experience the vastness and force of water!
- Konark: For many reasons, the idea of a sun temple enchants me, plus I wanna see the sun rising from the sea!
7). Four people I’m tagging:
Thought for the day!
29 May 2008 10 Comments
in Blogroll, Comical tragedies, Just a thought!, Keeping my eyes open!, Man is a social animal!, Zor ka jhatka!('Current' Affairs) Tags: Life, Money, Work
Do not devote too much of time thinking about how unfairly you are dealt with at work!
There are many things to be done in life, and work, is just a means of getting the money to be able to do them!
Movie Review – BhoothNath!
26 May 2008 Leave a Comment
in Blogroll, On Movies People Make,Here's my take!(Movie reviews) Tags: Amitabh, Ghosts, Juhi, SRK
Once upon a time there was an old man(Amitabh Bachhan) whose NRI son(Priyanshu Chatterjee) refused to stay with him even after his mom(Neena Kulkarni) died. The man, in attempt to stop his son from leaving, ran down the steps of his palacial villa, tripped, and fell to death. And since his son wanted to sell the villa, the ghost of this man haunted the villa and disallowed anybody from inhabiting the place.
Then entered a family(SRK and Juhi…oohhh so adorable!!!!) with a naughty and sweet son(Aman Siddiqui), who outwitted the ghost, and slowly but surely made friends with him. All of them were having a ball together, until it became evident to the bad bad world, that this sweet boy of ours had some supernatural friend. What happened then???
Please watch, not to find out, but just for the pleasure of watching the movie! Hehehe…as cliched as the story may sound; its sweetness and simplicity make it pure fun to watch!!
The movie really makes you laugh and makes you remember your childhood a lot! Yeah it does drag a bit in the end, but due to the supperb performances, pacy direction and the nostalgia of bhootonki kahaniyan…all-in-all, it becomes a good entertainer! Watch it!
