Is the media acting responsibly?

I seriously don’t know. All channels are mindlessly throwing out the same set of images for two days now. Just images, while they should be giving information. Glorification of the brave “journalists” is happening, how journalists have bravely brought us the coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks, from CST firing to the Oberoi action to the Taj action. Sensalisation of the news is creating panic amongst people. Rumours are being generated from the dramatic delivery of the news or rather the lack of it.

Please go home. Let the army do its job. We will be happy to hear from you post the end of this siege. Please leave us alone till then.

.

Mumbai Terror Attack

Today was another one of those that brought the Mumbai to a standstill. The city was under attack by some terrorists and the citizens in shock, anger, disgust, fear, tears, and a whole variety of inexplicable emotions. It’s again that a handful of armed militants have held people’s lives and their security at ransom.

Confusion reigned from Wednesday night itself. THe seriousness of the whole orchestrated attack was evident only after a couple of hours at around 11pm. SMSes started doing the rounds, TV channels screamed images of violence and panic and a whole lot of ambiguity was being caused. When morning arrived, the first pictures that one saw on TV was that of the Taj Mahal Hotel being on fire, some military forces trying to bring the situation under control. While schools and colleges were declared closed, there was whole sale confusion amongst people whether or not to go to work. I guess around 11.30 most people would have given up any thoughts to get to work, a decision maybe a concoction between their own concerns, panic and the sentiment being echoed by other colleagues or friends.

Our police and miltary forces are doing a fatastic job of keeping the situation under check and control. Brilliant officers have laid down their lives for our security, going down all guns blazing. As of now, the attack is still not over and we Mumbaikars sincerely hope that this reign of terror is quickly over.

Hair and Now!

Having being introduced to Aamir Khan’s haircut from Dil Chahta Hai in the early part of this century, I have tried to sport the same hairstyle since then. I was on the better side of 30 then, and thought it looked cool. I have persisted with this look (except for during my wedding) amidst protests from the wife, family and friends and importantly the hair stylist (ok ok, the barber!!). My short crop was seen as spikes, to be indulged in by kids, or college students, and not by working professionals. Though whenever I looked into the mirror, I saw a George Clooney look alike, with some shades of gray around the temples. I don’t know what the fuss was all about… can’t stand another Clooney, heh?

 

Anyways, recession has struck of the hairline kind. Some parts of the greying skull has shown some signs of stagnating growth. This has called for drastic measures. A quick analysis of the problem has been done by Megs, and as a interim solution, flowing locks has been recommended – a trackback to jab we met. Not the Shahid Kapur one silly, to when Megs and I met. But on second thoughts – it may just make me happier – a Jab We Met. Plus it provides some more happy advantages –

• Covers my bald patches
• Gives me a serious look
• I don’t have to show my driving licence for a “A” movie
• With winter setting in, I can now be like a woolly sheep and provide warmth to all
• My body weight shows positive growth

So, while the Shahid look is desirable, there is some danger of having the Shahrukh Khan post Om Shanti Om look, or even the Tere Naam, or he Yuvraaj look of Salman. But this would still be better than the Akshaye Khanna look!!

 

So while, I do this hairzardous job of controlling recession, a chat with Santa is on to get some fancy hair sprays and hair creams. Good looks hair I come!

Fit hain toh Hit hain….

My idea of fitness has roots in my childhood. I have lived through terrible trauma, and my sense is that a less strong person than me (?) would have been shattered. The folklore on this goes as such –

 

I was a PT sensation in school. Students used to eagerly await the annual PT exams. My guess is that the sight of just seeing me run was the reason for this unbearable wait. There were some kids who wanted to actually just see me doing my complete routine during this, and beg their teachers for some time off to see me on the track. We had a girls school in our campus and I have a feeling that the girls in too were very excited in watching me perform.

 

I used to be a bag of rattling bones by the time I reached the track. This was my Achilles’ heel, I could only be defeated here. The start of the track events was the 100 metres sprint. I have shamed every person who runs, by my awful records. I mean who runs 100 meters in 21 seconds???!!! And 400 metres – well it possibly took me an hour I guess. My PT teachers would probably have an drip ready for me at the completion of 400 meters, but I would have passed out by the time I finished 300 meters, so I don’t really know if their first aid skills!! In my whole term in school, I managed 1 pull up, JUST ONE. Embarrassing but true. Imagine the trauma I lived, year on year.

 

It took me some 20 years before I accepted my weaknesses on the fitness front and enrol into the gym. It’s been just over 2 months now that I have started gymming. I am now leaner and fitter than I was before. With 3% reduction in body fat and a weight increase of 1.5 kgs, I am on my way to a perfect body. Well, almost – as soon as I replace the tyres with biscuits on my abs! Anyways, my trainer has been pushing me to do all sorts of things of the exercise kind. I have possibly never run in a year in school, which I have done in the past month.

 

Anyways, coming back to today, have you noticed the guys at the gym? They’ll be all enthu- cutlets. 15 minutes of cardio, then hop skip and jump to the weight training bay. A few quick weights and then the fun starts. They pose in front of the mirror, sleeves rolled up, flexing their newly developed muscles. Add to this, the fancy protein shakes, nutritional supplements are all bought with a fervour equivalent to purchasing arms to fight a freedom struggle. 

 

Strangely, fitness is misinterpreted as bulging muscles by most guys, and “size zero” by most women in the gym! Being fit today is not about endurance, it’s about looks!!!

Dostana Review

I am not going to review Dostana, I am going to re-view it! Its fun, its fresh, and has brilliant comic timing. Go see it. See it for Abhishek and John’s chemistry, see it for Priyanka’s goody girl potrayal. Some stuff is over the top, but hey, this is a hindi movie, what the heck! Just have a good time and be entertained!

 

And this post is short because, I don’t want to break my promise of staying away from filmi stuff for a while. I’m just human!! ;-).

Deshdrohi screening banned in Maharashtra!

This blog is turning out to be a movie blog! No way. This is going to be the last of movie related posts that I am putting up for some time now. 

 

Alas! Kamal Rashid Khan’s magnum opus Deshdrohi’s screening has been stayed by the Maharashtra state government for 60 days. The film will entertain the rest of the country from November 14. So, as much as I wanted, I won’t be able to view this movie, let alone review it. What luck!

 

But with the rampant piracy that is happening, I guess whether this ban is really going to work? In Mumbai, any movie CD is available almost on the day of release. And given the penny pricing of these CDs, coupled with this renewed interest in Kamaal Rashid Khan and Deshdrohi, my sense is that more people will be able to see this film.

 

KRK’s Deshdrohi now join a select set of films that have been banned in the recent past –

·         Fanaa banned in Gujarat

·         Jodha Akbar banned in MP

·         Aaja Nachle banned in Haryana (I guess, not sure!)

·         Da Vinci Code banned in Punjab and Goa

 

Welcome to the big league!

Deshdrohi

KRK – Kamal Rashid Khan is here with a mission. His acting launch pad Deshdrohi is hitting screens on November 14 competing with Dostana. The publicity for Deshdrohi is no less than it was for Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, which was a launch pad Aamir Khan. In fact, Himesh Reshammiya can take a tip or two here, Karzzzz publicity was nothing compared to this. 

 

Sample this. Kamal Rashid Khan is everywhere. I switch on the TV to watch cricket, I see him. I watch a news channel, I see him. He is definitely on all music channels and all entertainment channels. He is out on the hoardings and I can’t miss him when I am driving. I try and hide in the safety of mall, and I see OOH media screens with KRK! Worse, he follows me to work on the screens in my cafeteria.  I give up. The man is unstoppable!

 

Deshdrohi is a topical film based on the current migrant situation in Mumbai. Serious agenda, but I guess watching the promos make me feel that this is going to turn out to be a laugh riot. His clothes could probably set a new fashion trend, those leather jackets and all… His gun skills are going to be the journals of reference for generations to come. And KRK’s dialogue delivery is icy cold; it can freeze tiger’s blood! We have been fortunate to catch some of his gems on TV. I am sure the action is going to be awe inspiring. The glam quotient is high with Gracy Singh (who started her career with Aamir Khan in Lagaan, followed it up with Sanjay Dutt in Munnabhai MBBS and Ajay Devgan in Gangajal), playing the romantic lead, from what I hear. And not to miss some sizzling item numbers by Kim Sharma and Saif fame Rozza.

 

Issme action hai, drama hai, romaans hai, tragedy hain aur haan, bhaiyyo aur beheno, issme comedy bhi hai (which I am sure is not intentional!!). Aaiye, dekhiye, ek laakhon mein ek samajik sachchaiyo par adharit filum, jo aapko sochne par majboor karegi. What sochna, we don’t know. To each is own like KRK!!!

Review: Quantum of Solace

 

The new James Bond flick “Quantum of Solace” finds itself released in India a week before its US release. It managed to create enough pre-release enthusiasm for me to go ahead and watch it the first weekend itself.

 

To say the least, I was disappointed. Without giving anything away, here are 007 reasons to avoid this one (for average Bond fans), or at best have no expectations (for Bond fans).

 

001. Where are the gadgets? No fancy watches, no high caliber cars and almost no guns!!

 

002. Bond in love? Can you imagine?

 

003. Weak villain. Really, is this a serious Bond flick?

 

004. Story. Couldn’t convince me, definitely.

 

005. Average Bond Girls. Miss you Halle Berry!

 

006. Great action, but sometimes is difficult to catch it due to some unusual camera antics.

 

007. Bond is missing. Don’t be surprised if you feel this is a Jason Bourne movie.

 

Daniel Craig is a very competent Bond, maybe the storyline just let this one down! 

The name is Bond, James Bond…

I heard the twinkling of stars, a slight swoosh, saw a bright light, and there she was! My fairy Godmother! This time she wasn’t with the tooth fairy; I was assured that my remaining 24 teeth were safe. So what could it be this time, I wondered. She read my mind, again, like always. My smile was tentative, the last time she visited; I ended up with a wife. Quietly, I crossed my fingers, with a cutie smile on my face which I don’t think I am capable of since that really contorts my face to an inexplicable expression. Nevertheless, she spoke to me. It was time for another goody bag for me. Yippee! I said, and dipped my hand in the velvet bag she held out to me. I picked a chit and read it. A smile appeared on my face, she just sighed. It said, Superhero.

 

“So, what do you wanna be?” My mind quickly got into action (Old jungle saying “Ashwin mind work faster than a flying hippo). What were my options –?

 

1. Spiderman – My favourite hero. Yes, I could be him. Imagine swinging to work everyday, but wait. Two issues (i) Will BMC penalise me under the Clean Up! program for all the webs that I leave behind? (ii) What about those buildings which are weak and may crumble by my swinging and slinging? Nah, can’t be Spidey, too many bureaucratic issues!! Also, no good life, no fancy stuff.

 

2. Superman – Caped man of steel, fly all the time and see through everything. Could I get through to any mall in my Clake Kentesque get up without sending the security alarms buzing? Nah!! Also the thought of being seen on the road in red undies is not my idea of fashion! Imagine buying a kilo of tomatoes dressed that way. And with the state Mumbai is now, I really can’t be running (make that flying!) around all the time without really impacting the crime graph.

 

3. Wolverine – I love this, I’ll never need a doctor, man of steel again! Self healer and indestructible along with a boon to be forever young. But travelling would become a problem. I’d be a ready customer for being booked under unauthorised weapons, could never board a flight. Hey what about my annual vacation?

 

4. James Bond – Fast cars, fantastic suits, amazing watches, travel 5 continents in a week, lot of babes – one every day! And possibly, bosses who really don’t care too much and lets me get away with anything. This looks good. I want to be James Bond. Action, and adventure will be my middle name, – making it awfully long, but what the heck – and yes, I really don’t have to care about banging my car in Mumbai traffic my car since there’s a new one everyday! Solace, finally? A quantum of it!

 

“James Bond” I said opening my eyes, “I want to be Agent 007, fairy Godmother”. “Sure, you will be. Now will you go and fetch the milk, the milkman is at the door” I heard my wife saying angrily. Oh no!!! Holy cow, I was dreaming. But, I am trying to be Bond. “No milk, get me a vodka martini,” I retorted “shaken, not stirred”.

 

Yeah sure, that’s what I got. And that’s what I am feeling. Shaken. And stirred!

 

Similar post: https://pastpresent.wordpress.com/2007/04/25/superhero/

Kumble, the fighter.

 

 

In 2004, India went into the second test match at Chennai with a defeat in the first test at the hands of Australia. The Australians were on a roll with a century partnership for the opening wicket in the first innings. Then the drama started. One man stood up to claim seven wickets in the first innings. He followed this up with a six wicket haul in the second innings. It brought India within reach of another famous victory over the mighty Australians. Unfortunately, the match ended in a draw and frustration with the last day being washed away in the rain.

 

But it showed the world how dangerous Anil Kumble could be on a track with spin and bounce. It was victory for many his fans like me. I forget the count of how many times India has gone in on the fifth day with the hope of an improbable victory only because Anil Kumble was bowling. Whether he did it or not is immaterial. But he gave us all hope. And he fought. So here’s to a sportsman who never gave up –

 

Dear Captain Courageous,

 

Thank you for bringing glory to India through your many accomplishments. Thank you for resurrecting my faith in Test Cricket. Thank you for showing us the meaning of Never Give Up. Thank you for showing everyone that cricket is still a gentleman’s game. The game will miss you. And so will we. Adios.

 

Your fan, forever.