'New York' Reviewed

Some movies are entertaining, interesting while they are running and yet completely forgettable. That doesn’t make them good or bad, it’s just the way they are. New York fits in this category. I didn’t find myself gushing about it the next day and yet when I suggested my friends go watch it, it wasn’t out of spite (I suffered, so shall everyone else!)!



New York, as is obvious, is based on how the 9/11 affected the lives of the protagonists. Not in a documentary sort of way but rather in the form of a story. It revolves around the lives of 3 friends, played by Katrina, Neil Nitin Mukesh and John Abraham. The movie traces their relationship from college to 7 years later in completely different circumstances.

Being a Yash Raj Film, the eyes were treated to rich visuals, beautiful cinematography and imagery that would make even the drabbest of cities enthralling. The music was good (though not memorable) and did not seem to stretch forever. The screenplay would fluctuate between the present where Neil is being interrogated (rather politely) by Irfaan Khan (where have I seen that before?) to flashbacks on his life in college. Though not seat gripping, the narrative did not fall and kept us involved and interested.

Which brings me to the actors. Katrina Kaif is so incredibly gorgeous that it becomes irrelevant to expect her to act. She played her bubbly part well and did I mention how pretty she looked?? John Abraham seems to be getting more confident with each film. He definitely commanded screen presence in this one and is a feast for one’s eyes as well!! Which leaves us with Neil Nitin Mukesh. What a disaster! And this comes from a self confessed fan post his debut in Johhny Gaddar. The man seems to be at a loss of words, fumbling through the script and being dragged along by the others. I had moments where I wanted to reach into the screen and shake him awake but I managed to hold myself back! Irfaan Khan has done so many of these police/ FBI roles that even he seems to have lost interest in them. His constant repetition of dialogues (you have been ‘detained’) and references to Islam where completely irrelevant (on the jetty trying to tell Neil about the greatness of USA) were unnecessary. All in all, he’s done better.

My problem with the movie perhaps stems from the fact that I invariably ended up comparing it with the Pakistani ‘Khuda Ke Liye’ also based on how 9/11 affected innocent people. The latter was a piece of art, a piece of cinema that I will make my children watch decades later. The acting, the screenplay, the music, the emotions – there wasn’t a single flaw I could find in the film. If you haven’t seen it, then do not fret, you will enjoy New York.

Go watch it with some friends, take it as light entertainment and try not to notice the misspelt Barrack (!!) Obama at the end!

Rating: 3 on 5

Paisa Wasool Moment: Katrina Kaif in her red streaked hair look.

Dhoni, India and T20!

Yes, India lost. Though the T20 World Cup did not attract as many eyeballs as IPL did, now that we have been knocked out of the same, everyone seems to want a piece of the pie to throw at Dhoni. He let us down, he’s playing politics, Veeru could have saved the day, Dhoni should be punished!!!

But wait a second. Aren’t we the same people who 3 days back were convinced that Dhoni is god’s gift to India? He is ‘Destiny’s Child’. Everything he touches turns to gold! Almost like the Alchemist himself? Then how can we so suddenly fall out of ‘love’? The fault, my friend, lies in each one of us. We ourselves build up our cricketers into some sort of demi-gods. When they perform, we almost open temples in their names and pray to them. But lo-behold. If they lose, it is like a personal betrayal. We think not twice before burning their effigies, throwing stones at their houses, calling them names and demeaning them in every way possible.

And the truth is that they are human beings. Exceptional ones to reach where they have and do what they do, but human nonetheless. The day we realize that and give them the benefit of doubt, we probably won’t feel so let down by them. Every single person in the country, without exception, seems to know exactly what went wrong and how they could have avoided this situation and won the championship. Well people, give them some credit. They reached where they did. They played like heroes for years. They did not this time. It happens. Deal with it!

Words that soothe...

I have often wondered how people pray. I don’t mean the rituals but the prayer itself. When one stands in a temple/ church/ mosque/ gurudwara, do you chant something, do you talk to god as a person, do you recite verses?

So before I ask you, let me talk about myself. Perhaps as an offshoot of my upbringing (and my mom’s undying efforts), when I close my eyes and join my hands, automatically the verses that come to my lips are those of the ‘Mool Mantra’ that start with ‘Ek Onkaar’. The Mool Mantra is supposed to be the first composition that Guru Nanak wrote when he gained enlightenment. I have also often wondered the meaning of what I chant and here is a part of what I have understood….

Ek Onkaar Sat Naam Karta Purakh Nir Bhao Nir Vair Akaal Murat Ajuni Saibhan Gur Parsad Jap Aaj Sach Jugaad Sach Aij

Ek Onkaar – There is but one god. He manifests Himself ceaselessly throughout His Creation in diverse forms

Sat Naam – His name is truth/ he is the ultimate truth

Karta Purakh – He is the creator

Nir Bhao – Fearless

Nir Vair – Without any hate

Aakaal Murat - God is a Being beyond time: An Eternal, Indestructible Entity

Ajooni – Never been born / doesn’t have a physical form

Saibhan - God is self-creating, existing alone without external support; God is self-begotten and has no origin

Each of these meanings are so simple and yet so pure. Which is what most religions were when they were created. What we see today in the garb of various religions is not how they were made. All religions, without an exceptions (except perhaps Budhism) have been hijacked by a group of people at some point of time in history who declared themselves the ‘keepers’ or ‘protectors’ of the religion and what we have today is not a shadow of the truth. But let me not digress, this post is not about religion but about praying for peace of mind.

So what about you? When you pray (if you do), do you talk to god? Do you recite something? If yes then what? Tell me….

Wolverine Reviewed

The perfect recipe for a Monday evening to drive away the blues – hot chicken biryani, chilled lemonade, feet up on the bed and a movie DVD in the console. That is how we decided to take this week on. So yesterday evening, we kicked off our shoes, dimmed the lights and settled in for the much awaited film – Wolverine.

Now it is difficult to critique a movie which stars the delectable Hugh Jackman. When choosing which mutant hero they would use to launch the X-MEN feature-film prequel series, the creators of the hugely successful franchise had a no-brainer of a decision in going with Wolverine. Not only is he the most well-known and popular X-Men character, but Wolverine--as brought expertly to life in true leading-man fashion by Hugh Jackman--was essentially the star of the three previous X-MEN movies (and I would vouch for that). Ever since his act at the Oscars this year, I have become a sworn fan. He doesn’t disappoint here either from flashing those rippling muscles at no provocation to being the ‘good’ guy. It’s tough to think objectively on this one, but objective we must be and alas, the film fails to please.

Wolverine is the back story of the fiery and conflicted Wolverine (James Logan), whose mutant powers include killer claws that shoot from his knuckles and a regenerative ability that allows him to live seemingly forever. The movie follows Logan from his first recognition of his mutant powers as a young child up through his infamous Adamantium rebirth and the total memory loss that would subsequently fuel his angry quest. It traces his relationship with his half brother Victor (who will go on to become SaberTooth) and how Logan develops a conscience thus putting an end to their ‘together forever’ pact!

So far so good. The problem I suppose is that the filmmakers couldn't decide what to cut out, so they threw everything into the pot and hoped for the best. The results are half interesting, but half filler. Also, the pirated version of Wolverine, albeit what’s claimed to be a “work print” of it (one that lacks various digital effects and is shorter than the real thing), is unfortunately the only one available as of now. Which means that the special effects were more or less a half baked video game and I suspect play a role in our lack of satisfaction with the film.

The script has many open loops and is not very tight. The director has built up characters for no joy. Take for example the exemplary action in the first half by the sword guy who eventually is reduced to a moron who is supposedly the perfect (?!?) mutant (who is slain in 30 seconds flat by the wolf brothers). Or the very good looking Remy LeBeau who can manipulate any material into a weapon. Unless they bring him in for the next X-Men movie, it was a complete waste of a character.

I hate to be a bubble burster (if there is such a word) but I truly tried very hard to like the film. The film itself is not bad. Its just that when you follow up on a cutting edge series like X-Men, you are expected to be fantastic. And fantastic it is not!

Rating: 2.5 on 5

PS – I know Ras is going to go all out with protests. But truly, for a moment forget that Hugh Jackman was in the film…now don’t you agree partly with me??

The cacophony of silence

The deafening cacophony gets louder
Each passing moment brings the inevitable closer
It started as a whisper
Barely noticeable
Easy to miss
It was always there but never pondered upon
A constant reminder
The noise started getting louder
Till it reached a crescendo
Couldn’t hear anything anymore
Surrounded by it
Drowning, willingly so
And then as suddenly as it had arrived
It was gone
And silence was all around
Not a hush
Air heavy with the unsaid
I wonder now
What’s worse
The deafening crescendo
Or the chilling silence

'How NOT to be attacked in Australia’

I couldn’t resist! I apologize to my sister and my entire gang of cousins and friends staying abroad in advance. I know should not have an opinion before trying it for myself but I have often been wary of moving abroad for 3 reasons. Firstly and most importantly, I would hate to be treated like a second class citizen. To have the fear in my head that the laws can change anytime and I would again need to prove myself for merely living there. Secondly, I am spoiled rotten in India. I have a cook, a gardener, a housemaid, a car cleaner, a dhobi blah blah blah. I am unfortunately too used to lying in my bed and ‘managing’ to get work done!! And lastly on a lighter note, I go crazy when anyone comes back to India and go on and on about what is wrong here – the pollution, the poverty, the corruption, the traffic, the heat etc. It’s something that is part of this country and we live with it. India is changing – constantly. It is something that I believe in very strongly and am proud of the visible progress I see around me every passing year. America gained independence 233 years back. It’s just been 62 years for us. Give us time.

I would love to do a stint in another country, live in different cultures. But the urge is just not compelling enough to pack my life here and go blindly in the hope of a better one.

Anyways, what brought on this post actually was this bunch of hilarious inputs I was reading on Rediff on ‘How not to be attacked in Australia’ spurred by the recent gory racist attack on an Indian student in AUS!! And believe it or not, the inputs were from people who have lived in Australia since a long time and are settled there. They all insisted that Racism is just not a ‘very’ common phenomenon but we must be ‘careful not to offend locals’.

Here are my favs:

1.After 7 pm, always travel in the first compartment of the train (Imagine the chaos that would happen in Mumbai trains if people followed this advice)!!

2.Try not to walk alone or travel alone on a Friday or Saturday night (so have a weekend pal to drive with coz driving alone on weekends can get you hurt)!

3.It is even possible that when you are waiting at road intersections people including girls may shout, gesture or thrown beer bottles or foodstuff at you from there cars. My advice is to be relaxed while walking alone. (are you kidding me??? Throw bottles at you?? Did you write this with a straight face?? Let them try that with me in Delhi! )

4.Since, we cannot take matters in our own hand, as we are foreigners here, its better to be vigilant & report anything that may affect me or someone else. (so let us put our heads down and pray!)

5.Most of the brawls in pubs happen either due to excessive drinks or do to matter relating women. So kindly avoid both. (what? Pubs, women or drinks?)

6.Late night fights happen due to money and need for cigarettes. Have $5 in your pocket. If you sense trouble, drop the money before them and run away from them. Most likely they would pick up the money and go away.(don’t blame us for giving money to beggars then. At least they don’t knife you for it)

7.Always remain friendly and converse with them in English. Even if you are with your friends/ peers who share a different/ common language, please converse with each other in English when in public places (This would be crazy to implement in India. Imagine Bengalis, Gujaratis, Punjabis – everyone only allowed to talk in hindi! Why go there, why don’t we shun European tourists when they chat in French or even the Russians or Spanish? Only talk in Hindi please!!)

8.And my absolute fav - The local young generation works on weekly wages and the amount they get on Friday spend on booze and clubs. I have seen them go berserk on Friday and Saturday night and damaging even the national property leave alone attacking Indians. The best way to avoid is to stay away during these timings and stay put in hotel or your room. (ummmm….so please only sit at home and watch TV on weekends!!)

The Debate on Drunk Driving

Have you read the recent Delhi HC directive to station cops outside bars and pubs to check the drivers for drunken driving? Delhi has gone up in arms over this. Words like moral policing, lack of trust on citizens etc. are being thrown around carelessly by everyone who has a voice.

And I look around completely aghast. What is wrong with the people of my city? The police’s job is to ensure that if you are driving, you have not consumed more than the permissible level of alcohol. And whom are you kidding? A 650ml bottle of beer or 2 small pegs of whiskey (which is the permissible limit) is not too less. If you want to have 4 pegs and prove your skills on the road, go get a race track! I want to reach home safe! The police is merely doing its job. A radio show yesterday had callers being very vocal in their protest. They insisted that they had the intelligence to know whether to drive drunk or not, and after all, they insisted, it IS their life! Ummm excuse me? If you are ramming into my car because you THOUGHT that you are sane, it suddenly affects my life too! And as a matter of fact, I am yet to meet a person who is high on alcohol and doesn’t insist that he/she is perfectly fine and capable of driving. It is some sort of a point to be proven, an ego issue about how can someone say that I am not capable of driving! I’ll show them!!

Like a doctor finally stated on the radio show, when she is sober she is the most careful driver on the road. And the second she has some alcohol inside, she is certain that the bus driving next to her has lesser right on the road than she does!! It is not merely an issue of how well or badly you drive. It is also a medically proven fact that alcohol slows down your reflexes. So you may have been driving perfectly well but if a sudden movement happens or you are faced with an accidental situation, you will not be able to respond as fast as you would have. And these micro-seconds could cost you very dearly!

So, here is my 2 bits. Go out, party, enjoy. But if you can not keep one person in your group sober as a designated driver, then call a radio cab! It’ll also save you the hassle of driving. I hate to sound like a bore….but someone’s waiting for you at home….

PS – on a completely different note, there was an article in Times of India today on how Manmohan Singh’s posture is better than Sonia and Rahul’s. I mean it. They were literally referring to the degree of the straightness of their back!!! Well why not, if Bo Barack can be such a news item then why not this (save me lord)!!!