Maladies or not

There is this strange phenomenon. Its called I-think-you're-faking-being-sick.....somehow the only way people believe you are ill is if you have a fever. Which is strange. So you could have a head that feels like its full of cotton and sneezing till the neighbors cant sleep but after all...it-just-a-cold!! Or your throat could be hurting like a million knives are poking...but how bad could a sore throat be??

Wonder where this perception came from. It would be a lie if I said I was also not guilty of the same. How many times has someone come upto me and said I'm not feeling well and I asked, do you have a fever? And if the person said, no I have a cold, how many times have I disregarded the same?

Is it me or dont you think its true???

The week that was!

Phew. What a week. I am exhausted, ill and completely drained out. But it was all worth it. One of my best friends got married. And when I say best friends, I refer to a set of 4 girls whom I have been with even I knew how to spell friendship...around 20 years back....and considering I'm not that much older than that, its quite a feat! So, it wasnt one of those weddings where we ate and left rather one where we were in the organising committee so as to speak.

The sangeet. engagement was awesome....we were blackmailed by her to do a performance on stage and boy did we dance?!? We literally had to be dragged off the stage. Of course in the middle of our dance when we are all in the mood, our dear friend incharge of the music decided he had enough and he told the DJ to phase out the music coz the dance was over....except that it WASN'T!!! But we refused to be dettered and went ahead and did the entire damn thing again....even got an encore :)!! So there is my option of a second career !!!

The sangeet and the wedding both turned out to be Page 3 events. We never paid much heed to the fact that our friend happened to be an established model coz for us she was just the same kid in pig tails. So there we were, wondering why the sangeet was being invaded by the likes of Vineet Jain, AD Singh, Rohan Gavaskar, Zaheer Khan, Neha Kapoor, Asmita, Tupur and Tapur etcetra etcetra..... We finally decided that the entire Lakme Fashion Week had decided to gate crash the party and only realised much later that they were invited when we heard that the party ended at 5 in the morning!!!

The wedding was beautiful. She looked gorgeous and completely refused to play the shy Indian bride. She was on top of everything, what we should wear, what we should do, when we should eat....it was like event management!! I dont think it has hit her even now that the event is over and she has a husband in tow!! The highlight of the evening was something far removed from her marriage of course. A few minutes into the venue, we realised that it was a dry and vegetarian affair. Right next door (at the venue where 2 years back I got married) was another wedding of an Army family, which to our scheming minds spelt alcohol and chicken!! So all decked up as we were, we happily gate crashed the wedding, walked around, chatted with the guests, made ourselves completely at home and had our own little party on the side. I have always wanted to gate crash a wedding....and now realise just how easy it is (wonder why we bother cooking at home when there's almost a wedding every night in the vicinity :))!!

So that's the short version of the excitement of the week. My throat is croaking, I think I'm coming down with the flu and my calves feel like I have been standing since 10 year....but it was so worth it....I would do it all over again!!!

I'm back - and how!!!

I thought about it long and hard...I swear I did. I thought about abandoning the blog, did not want to write anymore. But I couldn't do it. And I attribute my change of mind to the following 3 reasons:

1) The poem I posted a few days back....about how you should only write if it come bursting out of your soul and you dont feel that you have an option but to put it down. It is not something that everyone reading this will understand....but I blog the way I think...spontaneously....without any calculations about the merits or demerits of what I wrote....

2) An article a colleague wrote (you can read it on Grimescene in my blog roll). The post was about how he had nothing imp to say but he just had to blog....it was killing him not to write it down....I could relate to that...

3) And the reason for the sane bunch of people who think that the above two reasons just dont make sense.....I realised that my blog is my CV when I get freelance contracts....and sabbaticals just dont make sense!!

So here I am, back in action. The past week has been crazy...juggling just everything possible. And tonight is one of my best friend's sangeet.....and in all our enthusiasm, we are performing for her on stage (or being blackmailed into it :)).....except for the fact that all of us are in a complete crazy mood so the poor audience will really wonder why we went on stage in the first place :)!! So super excited about that....

Add to that, my best friend is back in town from London....a pilgrimage she makes only when one of us plans to get married .... so considering that the last time I met her was when I got married (which was 2 yrs back!!!!), its a reunion of sorts as well!!

So I'm off.....wish me luck for tonight and I promise to come back and tell you how many tomatoes were thrown at us :) !!

Kidnap ...... Why lord....why???

I haven't felt like writing since a few days and that is quite uncharacteristic of me. Writing is more often than not like breathing where I am concerned so this sudden lack of motivation to pen down something needs some more examination.

So,woke up today and decided that I can not give in to this, and here I am back doing just that!

We saw Kidnap a week back. Even dragged my dad out of his holiday stupor to see this movie that was hyped like most are. Imran Khan - the new kid on the block...in a mean new avtar. Sanjay Dutt like never before. Manisha Lamba....ummm well just Manisha Lamba! So what does one say about the hype after spending 3 hours and a couple of hundreds in a hall? In one word - 'Blah'!!!



I have just one question. Why did they bother making this movie? I mean seriously, there is no premise, the script is one of the most pathetic ever and the actors seem to be taking themselves too seriously. The done - to - death cat and mouse story of a kidnapper and the hero is one that can still make a good screenplay for some great hollywood flicks. Then why did the writer not bother to take this one through? Correct me if I am wrong, but if someone is giving you a set of clues (which were ridiculous in themselves) and leading you upto a location (where you the kidnapper are, by the way), why would you hide in a cupboard and wait for the person to leave????? For heaven's sake, you just spend 4 days of your time and 2 hours of mine trying to get him there in the first place!!!

Leave the story aside, lets come to the actors. I dont blame Sanjay Dutt for running away from his family....if you see the kind of clothes Manisha Lamba (who plays his daughter) wears (or doesnt wear), any father would!!!! Someone seriously did some cost cutting in the poor waif's wardrobe budget. Picture this - you have been kidnapped, you are in a house alone with this crazy guy. And what do you wear? Barely anything!!!! And you manage to do a few dances with him on waterfalls in the mean time as well!

Sanjay Dutt was alright but age is catching up with him now and his paunch shows! Imran Khan just did not cut it! He has over exposed himself. And the best is that after the whole drama is over, he comes back to meet his victim in a very lets-keep-in-touch kind of way...and she agrees!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Geez!!!

If you feel my emotions seem a little exaggerated, pray do see this movie. And come back and tell me how many hair do you have left on your head that you did not pull out :)!!

Rating - 1 on 5

Quantum of Solace Reviewed

.
Hollywood has come a long way in action sequences and special effects. If you compare recent action movies to those made 2 decades back, you will notice the finesse with which the new ones are executed. The cuts are sharply edited and no unnecessary talk dilly dallying with the villains.

Quantum of Solace is another one from the same genre. It is a fast paced film where you really are scared to blink or breathe lest you miss the next shot and lose track of the scene. The action is quick and hard. More than once in the movie, I found myself trying to duck a punch that Daniel threw, which is how realistic it was. The stunts did not dwell on themselves and did not give you enough time to appreciate one before the scene moved to the next.

The story, like in most action films, was irrelevant (with exceptions like Bourne Identity). The good guy trying to get the bad guys (who, his government is convinced, are not so bad after all). Aiding him is a pretty thing who kick-boxes with the same finesse as dropping a tear. What they do in the interim is immaterial, point is that in the end, they get the bad guy and he gets his due.

End of Story



Or unfortunately not. While writing this review, I had almost forgotten that this is a Bond film. Which is what I suggest you do too. Quantum of Solace is a well made action film that might even get a 3 or 3.5 on 5. But the second you expect me to believe that this man running around throughout the movie in a soiled tux with a blood stained shirt, breaking people’s noses and wallowing in the loss of his beloved, is Bond – all I can do is blink and look at you as if you are raving mad! Because he is not. Its not even about him saying “The name is Bond”, or his martini being shaken and not stirred, its not about the gizmos that he is supposed to carry or the fact that Bond doesn’t fight like street fighters, its about the basic fact that Bond is the ultimate in charisma, sophistication and witticism – each of which this movie lacks.

I refuse to rate this film in this review. Because they lied to us. I want Bond back.

Quantum of Solace Reviewed

.
Hollywood has come a long way in action sequences and special effects. If you compare recent action movies to those made 2 decades back, you will notice the finesse with which the new ones are executed. The cuts are sharply edited and no unnecessary talk dilly dallying with the villains.

Quantum of Solace is another one from the same genre. It is a fast paced film where you really are scared to blink or breathe lest you miss the next shot and lose track of the scene. The action is quick and hard. More than once in the movie, I found myself trying to duck a punch that Daniel threw, which is how realistic it was. The stunts did not dwell on themselves and did not give you enough time to appreciate one before the scene moved to the next.

The story, like in most action films, was irrelevant (with exceptions like Bourne Identity). The good guy trying to get the bad guys (who, his government is convinced, are not so bad after all). Aiding him is a pretty thing who kick-boxes with the same finesse as dropping a tear. What they do in the interim is immaterial, point is that in the end, they get the bad guy and he gets his due.

Story finished.



Or unfortunately not. While writing this review, I had almost forgotten that this is a Bond film. Which is what I suggest you do too. Quantum of Solace is a well made action film that might even get a 3 or 3.5 on 5. But the second you expect me to believe that this man running around throughout the movie in a soiled tux with a blood stained shirt, breaking people’s noses and wallowing in the loss of his beloved, is Bond – all I can do is blink and look at you as if you are raving mad! Because he is not. Its not even about him saying “The name is Bond”, or his martini being shaken and not stirred, its not about the gizmos that he is supposed to carry or the fact that Bond doesn’t fight like street fighters, its about the basic fact that Bond is the ultimate in charisma, sophistication and witticism – each of which this movie lacks.

I refuse to rate this film in this review. Because they lied to us. I want Bond back.

A marriage is on the cards

My 100th blog post. How apt. A Milestone of sorts. A thing of great significance. Which is what this post is about as well.

My best friend's getting married. In a few weeks.....they shall be man and wife. Its a time of great celebration, a time of excitement and planning. New beginings and hope. A wedding is a great thing.

On my wedding day, tired as I was of smiling for the camera, a gentleman came upto me and said something very interesting. He said "The wedding was great, but now the marriage starts....all the best". And it was....everyone wants a wedding, atleast every woman does, but not too many realise the intricacies of the marriage that follows it.

So why am I so pensive when I have reason to celebrate? Weddings are great occassions...I should be happy for my friend, join in the gaieties! And I will....but before that, my two bits of selfish advise. It is very easy for one to get lost in married life - there will be so many people clamoring for your time...you will not have a moment to think....new adjustments....setting up a new home....its enough to overwhelm a person....

It's easy to get lost in this cacophony. To focus so much on new relationships that old ones might get a little lost. But once in a while, do look back. Friends are they who stand and cheer you on...even when you are not looking. If you need to talk....to vent out....to share....to question....I'll always be here....standing right behind you....because thats what best friends are for....to cheer you on ....

God

God is a controversial topic. Actually its not....religion is...but in the middle of all the cacophony of religion, we forget the concept of god somewhere.

I am not an aethist. I believe in god. I just dont believe in religion and irrelevant concepts around it. I dont believe in rituals ... but I believe in faith....

Similar is my theory of god. I do not know if god exists. But I believe that we create the thought of a god who controls everything so that we have hope in life. We like to have someone to blame when things go wrong, its always god's fault or fate's. When things are down, we like to believe that there is someone we can depend on. Some hope of things getting better by divine intervention. God gives us hope. Even if it is self created.

So by that logic, I dont know whether god really exists. To me, god doesnt really exist in reality, we keep him/her alive in our hearts to give us strength and hope....

Wilderness....and pine trees

Just back from Shimla...and dont feel like writing a travelogue (that'll come later). Actually dont feel like sitting in office....or having a schedule...or a set of tasks. Just want to sit on the verandah of the cottage, staring at the valley below and the pine trees. Nothing but silence around you. The occassional chirp of a bird. The buzz of a bug. The book which begs for your attention but the forest seems more interesting.

The nip in the air. Clouds that come and hug you and when they move quietly away, they take away with them your worries. Here, nothing seems to matter. Nothing is important. The constant having to be somewhere.....having to do something....seems so pointless suddenly. As William Henry Davies in his poem Leisure asked "What is this life, if full of care..... we have no time to stop and stare"

I did....