Author: farooq Page 38 of 45

The best drive of my life

On July 31, 2013

I‘ve never bothered to book tickets for the train beforehand and this time was no different. But when the trains were running full, I realized I had made a mistake. So, I was forced to make the journey by bus.

The problem hasn’t ended here only, it was just a start. Midway towards the destination, the bus developed some problem and was told to wait till morning.

A certain sort of smell took me to a nearby dhaba, and made me order Paranthe, chicken butter masala and tadka daal until my mouth gave up, for want of some liquid intake to gulp in what all I had stuffed up. It being May, Lassi was what I ordered, to make way for the food that kept coming in, and I didn’t bothered to say No. And all of it cost me just 30 rupees in total!!! Somehow got to know about a particular person going in that route in his Safari, boarded it and began the adventurous ride.

Although in this case as well, there was a plan to stop for a while in another town near Ghatsila, at least waiting here for the bus to get repaired, sounded more boring that driving along with Rohit, the guy who was giving me the lift, and waiting there itself.

After chit-chats spanning across our timeline of being alive and laughs being exchanged, we zoomed out on the highway.

Rohit dropped me off to wait around the market, while he’d finish off his work and pick me up after 2 hours. Fair enough, I strolled slowly out to check out the nearby market. Shops were being opened for the day and the shopkeepers were busy calling me to see if I wanted to buy shirts or jeans or anything that they sold.

First and foremost, I went in to a nearby hotel to have my breakfast. It was difficult to order the food with too much of a crowd thronging that place at this time. With a plate of samosas and vada ordered and completely feeling satiated with the food, I came out with a contented look on my face.

A little while later, I saw a shop selling peda, the sweet that I love the most. I didn’t had any space left anywhere in my stomach, but after having tasted it, couldn’t resist not making some space in my bag.

Food was not the only thing that I bought there; I even ended up purchasing second-hand copies of some of the bestseller international books and some Bermudas for the summer, and all of this just for dirt cheap prizes. I am not at all a shopaholic but getting these things at such cheap rates, from food to clothes to even books; it did got me a high.

Even the time flew very quickly and Rohit arrived to drive back me back home. Eating the pedas, I sweet-smiled my way back home, thinking about the best drive of my life.

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Without an identity :The nomadic tribes

By farooq

On July 30, 2013

In Politics & Social Issues

The 29^th state of India got the light of the day; all thanks to the UPA government, by keeping an eye on the upcoming polls has started developing the vote bank that will help it come back to power yet again. Call it “tokenism” or “appeasement”, one thing is certain over here, you only get something from the government if you fall under their definition of a vote bank. Be it the Muslims getting poll-sops or SCs/STs/OBCs getting reservations in every other thing. It is all done with an eye on that elusive seat at the centre or in the respective states, which added another name to its numbers, also opening gates for similar demands to rise soon.

Now, when we are part of such a system moves in and around power politics and people who would be only help their cause to get to that elusive dream of ruling the population. Imagine being a small community (small in terms of comparative analysis over the entire 1.2+ billion population), living in the remotest part of the country. Do you think, the whole brass of politicians would ever arrive at your doorstep??

Can you imagine a certain Rahul Gandhi coming to your house to “enjoy” a meal at your house ?? Or Narendra Modi coming and talking about all the “development” he could bring to you ??

It would be naïve of you to even think of doing that.

Meet this community of “nomads” or de-notified tribes who are just nowhere in the picture all thanks to being not in the voters’ list. They are not in the interest of your Modi or your Rahul. They don’t have any address and for the same reason that they don’t possess any Voter Id card. Now, when you don’t have that, or more so, when the whole community doesn’t have any, then you are just a nobody.

There is a village in Gujarat, wadia tribe, where women are forced to enter prostitution just to make ends meet. Even the male members of this community have to become the pimps for them!!!

There are many of these tribes, suffering from not being able to continue their age-old trade of entertainment in the form of roadside shows, snake charmers, puppet shows, etc. but with new-age entertainment and regulations that stop them from continuing with their profession. For example the age old snake charmer has to stop it all, due to the law prohibiting him in doing that. But what about any alternate source for their income?? Many of them are forced to either beg or enter into a life of misery doing work that they are not accustomed to.

But yes, even with all this darkness flowing in and around the poor and helpless nomads, there are people who go out of their way to change things. Their efforts are what fill in your life with optimism, and you start believing that there is light at the end of the tunnel of this darkness.

One such woman is Mittal Patel, who has been a pillar of strength to communities like these by bringing their names in the electoral lists (from that of the police records, where they have been stereotyped as criminals from the time of British rule) helping 30,000 people get their voting cards, trying to get girls in the wadia tribe get married, marrying off 8 girls and engagement in March 12 in 2012, in order to stop them from entering into the ill-trade of prostitution, running 26 schools all around for the tribes.

There is a foundation established named VSSM in order to carry out the work, which has affected 9 districts helping people all around the state of Gujarat. Here’s how Mittal Patel describes about the problems faced by people and her efforts in the same direction.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w8cZ2iJARPM]

She is just 30 and her works speaks for itself. Hats off to her ever growing dedication to help the people who figure nowhere in any political parties’ manifesto.

Dreams will become a reality, is what the vision of Mittal patel is. The community of Nomads or de-notified tribes constitute of 10% of the population, scattered all around.

Just letting it go.. on a road trip..

By farooq

On July 24, 2013

In Fiction & Poetry

“Listen anvesha, for Gods’ sake listen to me…” I cried while the door to the adjacent room was banged closed by Anvesha while leaving. I just stood there for a second and then fell down on the bed, numb in thought of how bad things have become. Constant fights are now dominated my life, after Anvesha had decided to shift base to Bangalore from Jamshedpur to keep a “check” on me.

I had been in the advertising field since graduating from one of the top advertising colleges, two years back. A job in advertising is what I had my eyes set on. The creative bug had hit me from the school days, days from when being constantly involved in almost every co-curricular activity and winning all of them had just started. Tagged as one of the brightest and most famous few from the school, back in those days, life’s one of the best phases was being enjoyed.

This was the time when Anvesha was about to enter into my life. A new face gleamed into the folds of Crescent School. Smart, hot and chirpy, was what she could be described as. From the very first day that she had entered school, she was the topic that was being discussed everywhere.

Being the dude that I was. It didn’t take much to impress her with my smooth ways. What started off with the school canteen sandwiches, moved onto the movies at Payal cinema every weekend, and then with more “value addition” to the whole game, with each passing day.

Anvesha and Sameer had remained inseparable ever since.

Although, many didn’t liked her because of the attitude that she carried around, but being with the most popular guy in school has its own perks. No one says anything to you directly, but bitches behind your back at every opportunity.

Time passed. From school to college. We were now separated by distance, while I came to study in Bangalore, Anvesha started out with her Engineering in Jamshedpur.

Long distance Relationship or LSD as they call it was what we were now a part of. After the initial hiccups and problems associated with it, things started to settle down. But being in a field of advertising and in constant involvement with the opposite sex, it was a life made tough. No, not in terms of resisting that urge, but with the possessiveness of Anvesha not letting me breathe.

But with “years of togetherness” being the bonding thread that kept me going, I somehow adjusted.

The car stopped!!

And I was made to come out of my reveries, only to realize what had happened. A road jam, was what awaited the three of us. An accident had taken place down the road. Coming out of the car, we came to know that it would take hours to get the accident site cleared. Nothing could happen unless police came and made things easy for us.

There was another passage that was available, but the road looked deserted. Anup was constantly pushing to not waste the time and explore this available option. He was too eager to explore Goa!!

Karan and I looked at each other and then the traffic that awaited us.

It was time to travel the road not taken.

The road not taken- Goa

It had already started getting dark and the journey to Goa had just started. With around 20 minutes into the dark wild, or the “road” that we took, we had already got scared. Not because of the dark but because of Anup. He was scared like anything and was cursing us for not waiting for the traffic to get cleared, and after we reminded him that it was his idea in the first place he blamed us for listening to him. Batao!!!

Time didn’t just ticked its’ way out, but moving at a snails’ pace on the bumpy road.

Up and down we went.

It was that time during our college “study tour”, where we went to Ooty. Loads of fun was on the cards, or so I thought, problems greeted me along with it.

It was December and the weather over there was terribly cold. Due to some lapse from the management’s side, many of us had to share rooms. Somehow I and Karan were made to stay in the girls’ room. One of them happened to be Sakshi, karans’ girlfriend. As the night went on, they just went more and more “romantic”. I on the other hand just slept my way through, only to be woken up by a call from Anvesha. When I somehow described the situation, she actually cut the call after a while blaming me for intentionally being part of this “arrangement”.

This was not the first time that this had happened, but numerous occasions where I was blamed for being “involved” with other girls.

Boom!!

The car had hit something. Karan, looked shit scared!!

Anup, was not willing to go out and check. Even I was scared but looking at these two scared faces, opened the door and went to check it out. Only to find that we had almost crushed a dog’s leg. It was just a small puppy, with the kind of scream that would melt away even stones. We couldn’t hear the sound of the puppy due to the music being played inside; I called up Karan who looked relieved to see that it was not any human soul. But still, looking at the puppy that it was, completely drenched in the mud and screaming for help, we decided to take it up and get to some Vet if we found any. Karan, on the other hand, whose car it was just couldn’t believe that we were actually willing to do that, while Anup had already wrapped him in his towel and taken him inside. The puppy smelled like anything, of the mud that he had covered his body with, Anup cleaned his wound up and applied whatever first aid which was there in the car.

Strange as it may sound, but after entering the car, we just couldn’t smell anything bad. When we were thinking as to what was the reason, Karan pointed out the Ambi Pur on the dashboard. I had no knowledge of what it was, and later when I checked it out accidently on their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AmbiPurIndia, that I came to know about this.

With Anups’ comic gems being rolled out, and the night passed effortlessly, we drove towards the highway, on our way to Goa, we searched addresses of some veterinary docs on the way and after having located one ended up treating Shaggy. Yes, the puppy now had a name. Thanks to Anup. But after having been with the dog and developing a strange affection, we just didn’t leave him there, but took him to our Road trip.

I was constantly getting calls from Anvesha and after some 2-3 “missed” calls from her, decided to pick it up. I told her of how a trip to Goa was planned and now I was on way to one. Having listened to it, she sounded as if I had done some sort of a crime. Of having gone ahead with the trip after fighting with her, and instead of consoling her, was on my way to enjoy in Goa!! The call was again cut.

After having known me for years, throughout my school and college life, Anup and Karan understood as to why it was all taking a toll on me. This was actually one of the reasons that this trip was planned for me to wind out all of these issues and get back to the Sameer that I was.

They didn’t start out with any sort of sentimental dialogues, just simply asked me about the matter and after having described the whole situation as it stood now. They asked, “Are you happy?”

I had no answer. I didn’t want to answer in the negative to that. The years of effort put in the relationship would have no meaning then.

They didn’t wait for an answer either, as they knew what it would be. They told me to cut out the thing that has kept me restless and just let it all go.

I don’t know what actually happened. But it was all making sense now, as if I needed someone to tell me that the present me, who would be coochy-cooing to his girlfriend without wanting to, of listening to the over-possessive avatar of her, which never made sense before. I was lost in the midst of all of it.

It was Dawn.

the dawn

We had stopped the car to take a leak and experience the rising sun. The three of us leaking it out, down the hill. And the sun rising. Just imagine.

The two of them had already gone inside the car, but I was just staring at the rising sun. Thinking, will this dawn result in a new morning?

There was determination and when I looked at the two idiots shouting at me to hurry up; I just had a smile on my face. A smile that wasn’t stuck on some “years” of bondage.

I sat there looking out of the window, letting the wind rush through my face, flashing a sense of comfort along with it.

It was already Goa!!

We didn’t went to any hotel, parked our car just outside the beach. I ran myself down and just went in deep Arabian sea, and as they said, Let it all go.

I Saw, I Learnt

By farooq

On July 21, 2013

In Random Philosophy

The experience that travel brings along is something that nothing else can provide you with. Trains used to be my lifeline, while my stay in Odisha. Half of the day was spent either in them or waiting for one at the railway station. People, Language and adjustments are what you are most exposed to. You crib, you complain, you enjoy and You learn. Learn a lot.

Learning is that one aspect that we only realize on hindsight. Like they say, “You realize the true value of something, when you don’t have it”.

There are of course innumerable things and instances that may be put to light in my quest to divulge about the things that I’ve learnt upon, but I’ll limit myself to the most basic and frequently occurring events.

Travelling on unreserved seats demands a war-like situation where you need to prepare a strategy to outdo the others in your quest for a claim to the seat. Using a rumaal/newspaper has been the traditional way, Indians have been doing it for ages. But this quest has many shades, which the spectrum of things travel brings as a package.

I’ve faced this situation, many a times in trains or even in buses, if there is one thing that we just cannot leave (apart from our belongings, be it our children, wives or our luggage) is the seat in an unreserved compartment. Even to the extent of not budging an inch even for a disabled or even a women!! Yes, its true.

Numerous instances have added “faith” to this belief of mine, which baffled me then, and continues to do. Every time.

One day while travelling in a bus, enjoying the brush of cool Bangalorean wind through the window, in a packed bus. I end up looking inside the bus, only to find that a blind man standing, trying to hold onto a seat. I just couldn’t stop myself. I quickly got up from my seat, only to make my co-passenger sitting on the other seat feel a little uncomfortable. Watching me leave, others rushed in, to occupy the seat I was leaving open.

Pacifying the war-for-seat, I made the blind man sit, while people just looked on. I’m not sure that whether they felt bad for the blind man, or for not getting the seat.

Numerous times, the same incident has happened, when I made way for a woman standing in the midst of the crowded buses or trains.

I just hope, that at least one of them, just one, would have taken a cue from it, and in future would allow others the privilege of these “seats”. Even though many seats or even a full coach of a train is earmarked for women/senior citizens/ disables, yet we can see people who clearly do not belong to any of the aforementioned categories for which the seats have been reserved, take advantage of.

Giving away your seat to elderly/disabled/women is not a big deal, try doing once. Achaa lagta hai.

Sometimes, even helping others get a place to sit also helps. Maybe some won’t listen to you, but at least trying out for something good isn’t that bad. Right ?

[Image courtesy: http://www.m1key.me/photography/highlights_from_india/]

This is a very simple act that each of us can follow, it won’t take much. I am of the firm belief that if you do good to others, good will happen to you as well. So, just don’t think twice before leaving your seat for others.

You are the best person to teach children the value of doing right. But you too have to learn from the world around you.

This blog post was part of the I Saw, I learnt initiative of TATA CAPITAL.

I am sharing what I Saw and I Learnt at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight .

An Accidental trip to Chennai..

By farooq

On July 14, 2013

In Travel & Food

“uth jaa re… kitna soega? Roz subah aake uthana padta hai” was what was beamed into my ears, early in the morning. Every morning, with an accustomed reply of, “bas aur 5 minute ammi”. The 5-minute of course got snoozed across to many more wake-up calls by Ammi and with each call, the frequency mixture of irritation and anger on her 21-year old son was more and more visible. And finally, it was Morning for me. Although the clock on the wall, said the otherwise by resting both the hands close to the number 12.
This was how the last leg of my vacations at home was being spent. Early morning sleep and an afternoon wake-up. Being at home, without any sort of time-table to take care of is one of the many perks that one can get.
It was time to do the most dreaded of tasks at the end of a long vacation at home. Packing. Arranging stuff back onto your luggage is an art of its own of which I am a novice. Somehow, with Ammi being there, it was done.
Had booked my tickets long back, 29th June was the day and here it was. With all bidaayi sessions completely done with , where no matter how long your vacations seem to be, on your way towards the station your eyes do get moist, thinking of those tears at the doors of your home.
Anyways, it was time for the train. Yes, I was on time. But the train was not. How consistent of Indian Railways to be always not be on time!! After all, coming late is so in vogue.
And finally it came. The train.
With loads of luggage, thanks to Ammi filling it up with excessive snacks and achaar’s so that I may not become dublaa again, I entered into S1 looking for seat number 71. Ended up entering from the first gate, and had to go to the other end to reach my seat. With this entire luggage, it was a task in itself. But finally it was seat number 71!! Phew!!
But.
There was already a couple sitting over there, reading a telugu magazine and seemed lost in their own world. On enquiring about the seats, first they gave a surprised look and then took out a printed ticket from their bag. Even I opened my e-ticket. Same coach, same seat.
The TTE came in only to check my ticket, of same coach and same seat and same train. But. A date which was different from that of today. It wasn’t 29/6/2013 but 29/7/2013!!!
WTF!!!
I somehow got off the train, only to find that there wasn’t any other train directly to Bangalore that day!!
Epic!!
Time stood still, even when the train on the platform did not. The train moved and I stayed still for a moment, and then for moments. With no idea about what I need to do, I just stood there.
I felt helpless. An absent on day 1 of the new session isn’t taken well in college, and the prospect of getting a tatkal reservation for the next day is even scarier.
But there was my best friend Avi, being there to console me. Times like these you feel blessed to have people like these in your lives. A mere thank you is not enough for them, an d I didn’t said that as well.
With train timings for the day being checked upon, and the dreaded bus schedule also looking a possibility, I wondered whether I was almost unsure of what to do, and then it struck, how about a train to Chennai and then Bangalore?
Checking on with the train timings, there were some of them on the same day, but the issue was the chart for them would have already been prepared. With luggage of the size of monsters, I was confused as to whether to take this journey or not. Finally, I decided to do it.
Chennai it would be.
Chennai mail was to be boarded, with the normal tickets and a faint promise by the TTE to be there in s10 (which was the best news that I’ve had that day) somehow the journey began. The first task was to place my luggage securely under some seats and then search a place for myself. having done both of them( wasn’t easy asking people to keep my stuff under their ass, but with having “trained” myself into selling stuff for the last two months, did it).
A day long journey marred with the heat and excessively filled compartment, even being a reserved section and the TTE even after charging me for the entire train journey from Howrah to Chennai couldn’t provide me with a seat, eneded at 4’o clock the other day in Chennai!!
Yes, my first accidental trip to Chennai!
With a confused look and heavy luggage, making my way towards the ticket counter to purchase the tickets for Bangalore, then looking for ways on how to keep my belongings safe, I dumped them in the cloak room and moved out after a while to look up to Chennai, after all I had some 2 hours left for a Bangalore train (2 hours were spent looking out for waiting rooms, wash room and the Cloak room 😛 ).

Chennai ka Masala dosa The subway led me to a series of eateries; with the smell of filter coffee along with the morning eased my nostrils, a glass of hot filter coffee, Chennai style was had, followed by the Masala dosa. Having enjoyed the coffee and somehow the dosa not meeting my expectations, it was already time for the return journey. Just immersed my eyes with the images around, to soak in the magic of a city, which I visited accidentally, and then rushing back to claim my baggage and return where I was supposed to.
It was one of the many crazy journeys that I’ve ever been part of, lots of learning followed by lots of scolding by the near and dear ones on my stupidity. But, it was worth it.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: My review

By farooq

On July 12, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Divya dutta, Sonam kapoor, Pawan Malhotra

Director: Rakesh Omprakash Mehra

Running time: 187 minutes.

It runs flawlessly with splashes of adrenaline rushing sequences induced with hair-raising background score from the very first moment it unfolds. Add to that the emotionally stirring scenes, pitch-perfect casting, hair-raising background scores, a very detailed screenplay, solid supporting cast and the dedication of Farhan essaying the role of Milkha Singh and you have the perfect recipe for a blockbuster in the form of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. If there is something that can make you put on your running shoes and run that extra mile for your country, then this is IT.

A movie on the flying Sikh’s life is expected to fly through smoothly. Well, this doesn’t disappoint you, even with a running time of 3 hours and 7 minutes!!!! The story of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, of course based on the life of Milkha Singh, is inspiring in itself. From being a child affected by partition to ending up in the Indian army, which ultimately paves his way towards the being the athlete, winning laurels all over the world, the topsy-turvy journey explained through Rang de basanti styled flash-backs. The complexity of his life has been simplified with every detail possible.
The casting has been done brilliantly; you cannot single out even one character which didn’t fit the bill. Even Sonam kapoor doesn’t leave a single trace of her “acting” in the smallest role that she has played yet. Guess, that’s why she agreed to be paid just Rs 11 for the same.
Apart from Sonam, Rebecca Breeds with which Milkha has a small fling in Australia and the Indian swimmer (debutante Pakistani model Meesha Shafi ) from which he despises in the movie but is (in real life) his present wife have roles where they look and act great.

Divya dutta as Milkha’s sister Isri kaur and Pawan Malhotra as the endearing coach Gurudev singh put an emotionally uplifting performance on screen. The brother-sister relationship in times of the partitioned struggle and the Guru-Shishya bond during Milkha’s early days explaining how he became one, is lovable.

Prakash Raj playing the strict Army man, puts in the light moments.
Prasoon joshi, with the story and screenplay, does a brilliant job in putting this biopic which is no less than a tribute to the Legend. Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, best known for Rang de Basanti directs this with this heart-warming tale encompassing the whole life of Milkha. His eye for detail is evident in not just the casting, but also the picturization of the scenes. Music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy compliments the scenes inspiringly.
It is filled with cinematic melodrama to please the audience, but it all works out well. Credit of course has to go to Farhan, not just for the sincerity and dedication that gets shown in the way he trains, be it in the army camp, or on the high-altitude along with Yograaj Singh (Cricketer Yuvraj singh’s father playing Team india coach) brightens you up.
Milkha and Farhan are just inseparable. You won’t find an ounce of Farhan here, just Milkha being portrayed beautifully. He has actually lived Milkha in the movie. Not just the looks (Although that is some inspiration to hit the gym straightaway!!!). Scene where he slaps himself in the mirror for a failure to qualify goes to show how much of a character-actor he is.

The dedication is evident in the training that has gone through and the humungous effort that has been put into making this epic of this magnitude.
Believe me, if it wasn’t for this movie, hardly many from our generation would come to know of the struggle of Milkha went through.
For the dedication of Farhan, inspiration of Milkha and for bringing back the athletic spirit, I’m going with a 4.5/5. Don’t miss this biopic.

Happy b’day MS!!

By farooq

On July 7, 2013

In Sports

A young boy from a city in Jharkhand, a newly formed state struggling to keep up after its divorce from Bihar, was making some waves in the domestic circuit. A (thumbnail) picture. with a lanky sunscreen laden face, adorned one small section of the sports column in the morning newspapers’ local edition.

After century knocks against Zimbabwe, Kenya and Pakistan- A teams, this India-A player was slowly getting his due attention. Although the Indian Team selectors picked Dinesh Kartick as the wicket keeper, the one year started off with a series of great performances by this Jharkhand lad in the domestic circuit.

And after a year, he was finally chosen to be in the ODI team travelling for Banagladesh.

A Dream come true.

Not just for him, but for a state trying to make its presence felt. We all felt like our dream was getting realised.

But it didn’t came without disappointments. He got out to a duck.

In the second match he played, of the two balls that he faced, one went for a Six. This six against the Bangladesh attack was the signal of what was to come later.

Next series, it was Pakistan

148* laced with 4 mighty sixes and 15 powerful 4s in just 123 balls, was when the world came to know of Mahendra Singh Dhoni!!!

This was not the end; this was a start to the storm that had made its way into the Indian Cricket team.

Innings of 182 against Pakistan by MS Dhoni at Vizag

The Pakistan series got him, his first Man-of-the-Series award and was followed up by the Sri Lankan series. Promoted up the order, chasing 299 against Sri Lanka, with 10 sixes and 15 fours, he stood up high in the record books as the highest score by a wicket-keeper batsman as well as by an Indian. 183*.

Rest, as they say is History. History which is glorious and promises to add more laurels in the coming years.

T20 world cup, ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy, IPL championship, Champions League are just a few of the trophies that the Indian Cricket Team or the Chennai Super Kings have won. This has been possible because of just one man. The captain marvel or the Captain Cool, as many call him. Giving coolness a whole different meaning.

Taking decisions with the cool as a cucumber mind. Imagine giving the final over to a nobody like Joginder Sharma the final over in the 2007 WC or even persisting with Ishant Sharma, who was way too expensive the crucial death overs, and not to mention how well they worked!!

His having faith in the players even in times of terrible form isn’t limited to match-time situations. He is known to back Ravindra Jadeja and even Rohit Sharma. Notwithstanding the jokes, criticism and their visible bad form, he backed them all and we all can see the effects.

Ravindra Jadeja is the best example of how criticism can give rise to a hero. Imagine the “Sir” tag attached to his name just for ridiculing him is slowly turning out to be an honorary title. Who knows, the Queen might just make this come true!!

Of course, when you are doing well, in Dhoni’s case “Exceptionally well” where he is known to have a Midas touch, there will be haters. And yes, there are.

But deep down, even they agree on what this One man has achieved and is capable of achieving (Although there’s hardly anything left).

Proud to belong to the state from where you come. Blessed to have watched you play. Honored to have you as our Captain and Pleasure to be a Dhoniette.

Happy b’day Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the coolest captain to have ever lead an Indian Cricket team.

Lootera : My Review

By farooq

On July 5, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Lootera

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi sinha, Adil Hussain, Barun chanda

Director: Vikramaditya Motwane

Running Time: 153 minutes
It’s the little nuances of Bengal and the bygone era that has been beautifully captured in Vikramaditya Motwani’s Lootera. Filled with some really good romantic moments, while presenting you with the complexities of the characters, this mixture of romance, innocent light-hearted moments make your eyes a little moist and makes Lootera, a good movie. The intensity grows on you as the film progresses, only to form a lump in your throat towards the end as you leave the theatre.

Coming back after the critically acclaimed Udaan, Vikramaditya’s Lootera brings up the romance come alive. Set in 1950’s and loosely based on O.Henry’s Last leaf, it builds up as it progresses in its intensity.

The story in the first half of lootera revolves around a Zamindar‘s daughter Pakhi (Sonakshi sinha) and the new-in-town Archaeologist Varun (Ranveer singh)’s brewing love story which cannot materialize because of the baggage with which the clean-shaven hero comes from. But as destiny would have it, they do fall in love.

Things take a turn, and they are separated. Only to meet later, knowing that they still love each other, yet not feasible to be together. The story is about why they were separated and how they meet again and what happens post that.

It works all fine, except for the fact that the many of the available talent at Motwane’s disposal wasn’t used. Be it Adil hussain of English Vinglish fame (playing the cop), or Divya dutta (playing the maid of sonakshi in the second half). A little more on these characters would have worked wonders. Although Vikrant Massey as Ranveer’s friend is impressive and so is Bikram chanda as the Manikpur Zamindar, playing Sonakshi’s father.

The love story does compensate for every other minute fault by being as earnest as possible, while at the same time, keeping you entertained. Screenplay by Vikramaditya and Bhavani Ayer is refreshing and keeps you engaged.

Sonakshi Sinha is undoubtedly the star of the movie displaying amazing understanding of the character, pulling off the Bengali look with élan and making you feel sorry for her character which goes through so much for the sake of love.

Ranveer singh, with the unshaven look displays maturity and brings about a new side to his acting. But in the second half, where his dark side takes over, rather gets revealed, is inconsistent.
Scenes involving the couple have great depth, certain romanticism rarely seen; keeping the sensibilities of that period of 50’s in mind. The small and only love-making scene is effective. The dialogues are not exaggerative, even for a movie set in the early 50’s Bengal, their innocence in terms of delivery will put on a smile on your face, while sometimes even making you feel their pain from it.

Director Vikramaditya puts in his effort by making Lootera look perfectly like it was set in the 50’s Bengal, with too much detailing on each and every little thing shown in the movie. While the Amit Trivedi–Amitabh Bhattacharya duo works wonder with the music and lyrics again. Sawaar loon adds to the romantic feel while Zinda is equally good.

The first half is perfectly brilliant, not just for the cinematography by Mahendra J shetty but the consistency in the characters and the sublime and subtleness attached. They bring about the complexities of the human minds out in front of the camera.

I’m going with a 4/5 for Lootera. Watch it for the amazing details and depth. The variety that Sonakshi brings in her character and the 50’s Bengal captured brilliantly.

Aaj ki Story : Sameer ki atlas cycle

By farooq

On June 28, 2013

In Random Philosophy

#AajKiStory hai Sameer ki. Nahi, Wo Golmal wale laal chaddi pehenne wale Sameer ki nahi. Kisi chote se mohalle ke ek Sameer ki.

Sameer khel raha tha jo ghar ke saamne se jaati hui gali me. Goliyan khel raha tha. Marbles bhi kehte hain jise kuch. Aaj fir apni saari goliyan haar baitha tha bechaara. Susta ke khada hua tha ek kone me. Apni neeli kameez aur kaali nicker me. Apne chehre ko latkaye roz ki tarah.

Tabhi achanak se pados waale Raheem ke Abba ek chote kad ki atlas ko apni Gaadi me rakhkar pass se guzre. Raheem Goliyan chodke daud Chala., Chillate hue “meri cycle meri cycle” Maano isse badi haseen cheez dekhi hi na ho kabhi.

Thodi der baad, raheem haazir tha apni laal atlas leke.. Saath me uske Abba use chalane ka tareeqa batate hue. Baaki mohalle ke bache bhi saath me uski hosla-afzaayi karte hue. Aur kuch, “mujhe bhi sikha dijie, chacha” ka shor karte hue.

Kuch door se Sameer ki ammi ne use awaaaz lagayi to Wo daud Chala ghar ki taraf. Wahin Raheem cycle chalana seekh raha tha, mohale ke shor ke beech.

Usne pehli baar cycle ka aisa craze dekha tha.Sochta raha ki kash Abbu uske liye bhi kle aate,par use pata tha Aisa nahi hoga

Kuch mahine isi uljhan me beet gaye, ki Abbu ko bolun ya nahi ?? Ghar ki haalat us bache se chupi bhi to nahi thi. Zehen bhale hi chota tha.. Par tarbiyat ammi Abbu ne di hi kuch aisi thi.. Par tha bhi to bacha hi na ?? Aakhirkar…

Aakhirkar bol hi diya, “Abbu mujhe bhi raheem jaisi cycle chahiye.” Abbu ne suna to zaroor. Par doosri baat me ulajh gaye. Sameer apni ammi ki taraf Dekhne laga.. Aur fir Waise hi mayoos hote hue goli khelne chal diya

Hota yun hai, ki aksar log apna gam aur gussa, khaane pe hi nikaalte hain. Sameer kahan alag tha ? fir thehra bachaa hi na..

Ye kissa ek aad Hafte chalta raha..

Aisi hi ek shaam ko goliyan khelte hue.. Sameer ne dekha ki uske Abbu rickshe me baithe hue aarahe hain..

Abbu ke chehre par ek Badi se muskaan thi.. Waise hi jab Wo Sameer ke avval hone ke baad laate the chehre par, uske report-card ko dekhke.

Jab Abbu pass aagaye tab, Wahi muskaan firse Sameer ke chehre par thi.. Atlas ki laal rang ki Dikh jo gayI thi use 🙂

To ye thi #AajKiStory. Ummeed hai Aapne padhi. Raay zaroor den 🙂

Ghanchakkar: My review

By farooq

On June 28, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya balan, Namit das, Shekhar kapoor

Director: Raj kumar Gupta

It runs smoothly in bits but refuses to take off every single point it tries to. And there’s trouble in those “smoother parts” as well. Ghanchakkar, isn’t impressive cinema although was designed to be one, and as it turns out, is forgetful, much like the protagonist in the movie. The one-liners do make you laugh, but it all loses as the plot progresses. The end product disappoints.

Ghanchakar, starring the serial-kisser-turned-actor Emraan Hashmi, who after a bank robbery forgets where he has kept all the money and turns into “Ghajini’s Aamir”. The film also stars, The Vidya Balan, who after a series of amazing performances, in movies like Dirty picture and Kahaani, is a ultra-modern fashion freak, wearing obnoxiously loud colors, a mix of 70s and 80s, yet calling it all as the latest from Femina, Vogue and the like.

The plot revolves around the memory loss of Sanju (Played by Emraan Hashmi) who has slashed away the money somewhere, to be taken out when things get a little thanda. But forgets the place where he hid the money filled suitcase. The other characters in the movie, Pandit(Rajesh Sharma of Khosla ka ghosla and No one killed Jessica fame) and Ilyas( played by Namit das of Wake up sid fame), his partners in the now-forgotten crime, are adept at trying to help him remember the location of their heist. Neetu bhabi (Vidya as called by pandit and Idris), without too much of visible tension regarding all this, even with the threat of being killed by the two associates of the crime, continues to be obsessed with her loud fashion statement.

The movie, centering on Sanju’s memory, tries to move with a pace which this plot doesn’t require, it is sloppy. The only thing you look forward to in a movie like this is, where this all unfolds to. Whether he had really forgotten as to where he kept the money? Or just trying to double cross others? The build up to this most important suspense is uninspiring.
There are of course, some really good scene picturizations, but then still fails to make a mark. One seriously funny impact one scene had, was the one in which the characters’ are robbing a bank. The funny part is neither the dialogues, nor the situation, but only the masks (Dharmendra, Amitab and Utpal dutta) that they wear, making you laugh. Here also, it just fails to turn it into great scene, even with an interesting concept.

The actors do try put in excessive amount of effort to end up being in the middle of nowhere. Vidya playing the highly fashion-obsessed panjaban, does try to put in her best foot forward, but still with this plot you may end up finding faults. Emraan, makes a solid case of displaying the confused amnesia look. Even scenes where he has to eat, the less/more salt laden food of his wife brings out the sufferings of the average husbands.

Rajesh and Namit are wasted. The first half tries to portray them as the being the comical gangsters, laughing at one-liners on each others’ faces, while the second half makes them be frustrated because of Emraan not able to get them their money. These two could have given the plot, the much needed impetus to kick itself out of the egg-shell which it confines itself to and make this worth the price and time of your ticket. Director Raj kumar Gupta, who directed Amir and No one killed Jessica, falls short of making the concept work. The innocence of Amir or the intensity of Jessica was missing.
Amit trivedi again puts the life in terms of music, understanding the plot and making music accordingly is what he again excels in. Ghanchakkar babu and Allah Meherban are really amazing.
Ghanchakkar, isn’t bad but with the plot ending up being nowhere, is sure a waste.

I’m going with a very generous 2/5 for Ghanchakkar. Watch it if you don’t have anything else to do, this Ghanchakkar might not be the crazy option you are looking for the weekend fun.