redifferent!

Now no matter how gimmicky that sounds, the fact that Rediff.com has exercised some caution, shown immense maturity, and sense of timing, discretion is praiseworthy. This tabloidish portal is known for its inflammatory message boards irrespective of what topic it is. Nothing and just about nothing escapes the sharp tongues of the Indians in these "discussion" forums showing what sort of cynicism has crept into us.

Right now, owing to the terror times in Mumbai, the site has closed all the discussion boards.

Even as I write this, I go back and check. Yes, I am right. It is not a problem with my internet connection and the page has loaded to its full potential.

There are no discussion boards.

Landmark.



P.S: If what I am talking about is to be seen, let the terror go into background, let the Mumbaikars show the famed "resilience", and then let the site be visited.

Dus ka Daud

Making a bucket list of things to do and going about fulfilling, realizing each one of them makes for such a compelling drama. It gets compelling if this list were to be made with sad yet definite knowledge that you are going to breathe your last very soon. You win some, you lose some, you get some, you forget some. After all life is such a bitch.

Yet again Vinay Pathak ratifies my belief and immense trust in actors who excel at comedy, humor. In what could be the finest display of ensemble acting in recent times, Vinay Pathak and his team of actors best known for their television gags take honest, simple acting to a different level. In a show that walks a fine line between wallowing and again honesty, Pathak proves what he could do to a film given a meaty, beefy part. Ranvir Shorey, Saurabh Shukla, Suresh Menon, Rajat Kapoor, Suchitra Pillai, Purvi Joshi, Sarita Joshi, Gaurav Gera in their minuscule yet important parts prove that a lead actor can shine only if the accessorial roles are neatly etched out. Nowhere do you feel the need to sympathize with the Pathak's Amar and you only root for him to get what he aspires for. You wish him a dignified death somewhere content he has lived the few moments he has on him. Few real moments. This movie is good for the relaxed pace in which it lets its protagonist go about settling things running against time.

Any movie that can make Neha Dhupia look normal, act, respond and react naturally has to be good.

Dasvidaniya is a reminder of a movie. Reminder of the unpredictability of life, the shortness of life.

The bitchiness of life.

not so hillaryous

If the babus and the coteries were to have their way, Hillary Clinton might as well be made the Secretary of State. This could throw to the bins the apparent disparity between her and my man when it came to Iraq, and more importantly Iran.

Our lady had warned Iran of an assault if Iran were to bombard Israel with nuclear weapons.
My man wants to sit down for talks with Iran.

Quantum Mechanics

When Fleming, Forster, and Craig decide to take you on a ride as a practical for their class on Physics, Kinetics, Chemistry, Systems you are at the receiving end. For a change, among many those instances, being at the receiving end is a pleasure. You enjoy the ride. You not surprisingly dismiss logic, throw caution and sense to air. You just submit, you just listen, you just see, you just watch. You stop questioning.

When in this silly ride across places, ethnicities, people, colors, races you get is what is termed as paisa vasool, where is the question of solace?!

chaand ka tukda

While it might not mean big to the pioneers, nor it might turn any heads but for the people who are involved in this, it definitely is a moment of inexplicable pride. I perfectly relate to the teams instrumental in this little landmark. The fact that groups (or millions) before you might have done it doesn't or ideally shouldn't take anything away from your success.


Your success is your success.

Whether it is earth shattering, or gives you a reason to be over the moon.

Short Circuited!

Circuit City adds to the list of the behemoths in the US filing for bankruptcy.

Something like this happening to an electronic store chain is shocking. The fact that it might be delisted off the NYSE is no pleasing news either.

There are reports that Circuit City started showing signs of an imminent fall early on, and it is only in retrospect now. Funnily for a company to go through this bad a phase, there were no obvious signs of it when I made a visit last fall for my first Canon. Nothing about the display, nor the environment showed there was something bad. Electronics is something that flies off the shelf with good reviews particularly in the US.

This had to happen in the holiday season? Sad!

Won't be a good Thanksgiving this time.

Fall 2008

In sanity, be damned!!!

"Do aur do ka jod hamesha, chaar kahaan hota hai
soch samajh waalon ko thodi naadani de maula

Chidiyon ko daane bachhon ko gud dhaani de maula
garaj baras pyasi dharti par phir paani de maula"



Nida Fazli / Jagjit Singh

The Secret's Out

I have always liked those supersmart, eagle-eyed, sharp suited Secret Service Agents who ought to protect the President of the United States, among others things to do. They, like their counterparts in New Delhi, the Special Protection Group, mean pure business. Now imagine one of those agents, tall, dark, again sharp suited, with cropped hair, elegant sunglasses on, decides enough is enough and comes to the foreground, and takes centrestage. What do you get?

Barack Hussein Obama

Character Ark

Yet another hero of mine hangs up his boots. I always thought getting into one's boots was tough, but hanging up one's boots?

The former is still tough because this shoe size is big, real big.


God bless you, Anil Radhakrishnan Kumble.