Author: farooq Page 40 of 45

Of Rain, Raincoats and Paper Boats…

On May 30, 2013

Rain drops are falling. Seems a switch up there, someone forget to turn off. It’s been two days!!! Dude, its summer??!!

Not that I’m complaining.

Thing is, this lad is in the middle of his internship, or Summer Internship. Aren’t you being a big hurdle in the process of his “learning”?? Yes you dear, the one who switched it on.

Now apart from the cribbing, there’s a lot to be admired about this situation. The weather has indeed brought out the romance in me, where I see myself enjoying its beauty like never before.

Enjoying those falling droplets on the dehleez, to the nice patterns they make near the window, to the washed and turned into green leaves looking like they got a makeover, to intentionally getting wet in the rain just to feel the awesomeness coming down from up there all over me, I’m doing it all.

Not just that, it has taken me back in time. Time where, as kids rain used to mean an excuse to miss school. A day off used to mean making paper boats and becoming sailors in the rain-made rivers flowing down the gali. I still remember how boat-races between siblings and friends were so much fun. Even the neighborhood mango-tree was kind enough to drop in a few raw mangoes, which along with salt was a little treat of sorts

Even on days, when school going couldn’t be excused, rain-coats and those amazing stories we had with them can never be forgotten. With bags tucked inside, as if we have a hump, playing on our way to school with the numerous streams of water, was the name of the game. Sometimes, when there was just a slight drizzle an umbrella would replace the raincoat, but definitely not the fun with rain. Opening a wet umbrella on a friend, or to even open it with the press of a button was like firing on with a gun.

Coming back to my little cribbing (Yes, I’m so used to it). Even back then, too much of rain always played spoilsport, especially for cricket-only-playing kids like us. And even when they stopped, the ground was hardly playable. But yes, Football was what we explored sometime, on muddy grounds with rain falling in, those were fun days.

Nostalgia, nostalgia and nostalgia!! Back home, everything takes you back to those wonderful times.

And how different is it now??

Like all non-atheist souls out on earth, praying to the almighty for rains in the midst of summer is a very common occurrence. And this time, when I’ve turned into a Salesman it was an even more of an urgent requirement. Thankfully, it did arrive. Bringing with it relief as well as an added advantage of an excuse for a No-work-scenario. (Now, this excitement of bunking, still brings in joy)

I take a coffee and sit down near the window, looking forward to enjoying the beauty that this weather bestows upon poor souls like us. It is not the one with exquisite and delicate designs that you enjoy the most, but these simple pleasures of a hot cup of coffee and watching beauty unfold before your eyes.

But what you don’t see is, paper boats flowing downstream in the water in our gali. Maybe those video games out there are to be blamed.

A Letter to my love..

By farooq

On May 26, 2013

In Random Philosophy

Aaj arson baad hai tumhen apne hoton se hai lagaya..

Rooh me hai ek aag jaisi daud uthi ho jaise…..

Mausam bhi jo ye ho chala suhaana..

To le Liya tumhe apne haathon me….

Yun, to dil chahta hai ki tum aise hi raho..

Par pata hai, kuch lamhen hi rakh paunga tumhe..

Kaash ye waqt yun hi teher jaye..

Aur aise hi baarish ki rimjhim me tum..

Bas.. Yun hi…

Dear Love,

You were there with me in thick and thin. All my tensions could be relieved only when you were with me. You were there whenever I wanted you to be there, sometimes even late at night ( of course with the time limitations in check. Bangalore has been cruel that way for us.) You made sure that all my worries were kicked off, just with our little meetings here and there.

Mornings were not complete without our little talk, and those 10 minute breaks in between the classes also had their own precious little moments. Moments, those lovely ones, where I’d walk downstairs just to meet you, but you never ever did the same. But, yes how could you??

And how can I forget the time we had during the international tour. If we couldn’t meet outside for some strange reasons, due to the tight schedule, or taking other things into consideration, the hotel room was always there for help to meet every night after night. And with my roomie not there till late night, we indeed had a great time.

Gosh!! I miss that!!

Miss being so addicted to you, your smell, everything about you.

And had been missing you for all those lovely memories I’ve had with you.

Missing you

But I need to Confess!!

And this is going to be one big confession; I have started seeing someone else over here.

Please don’t be mad at me for this, and please listen.

I’ve had my reasons for that, had my needs, and just couldn’t help it. Last time that we met, almost a month back and after that, life had changed a lot. This has been as a result of this Internship. Being a Salesman is tough and in this cruel heat, it’s even tougher. This cruelty is also one of the few reasons why I just had to stop all what we had. It was as if, I just couldn’t have you with me.

I must admit, that this new one is not at all hot. Nothing and no one can come close to you. She is just the opposite of what you were.

But today, it all Changed again. The weather changed for the better. It was raining. Winds were blowing. I was just back home, drenched in the rainwater. I was just cleaning myself up, and then ammi said, “Coffee banaun beta?” (Shall I make a cup of Coffee for you, son ?)

And here you were, my HOT as ever COFFEE!!! My love!!

One sip and I just forgot every other thing. A smile flashed across my face and when you came in that big coffee mug, as hot as ever, we both again had this little moment after a long time. Having you with me, with rain drops falling in outside. That romantic moment, was just pure bliss.

But yes, although this other one isn’t hot as you, yet with this weather where we live under the cruel sun, does quench my thirst every now and then. Cold drinks are just the only alternative that makes me go through the market selling stuff.

I just hope that there comes a time every now and then, when this weather allows us both to be together more frequently. Maybe, once I return.

Yours Lovingly.

To the CSK haters!!

By farooq

On May 25, 2013

In Sports

The final match is just hours away. Final of the Indian Premier League 6.

Two teams, Chennai Super Kings, and Mumbai Indians have made it to the finals.

On one side, it’s the “yet-to-be-a-winner” Mumbai Indians and on the other is Chennai Super Kings, the two-time winner, and the ONLY team to have reached the semifinals or playoffs EVERY IPL season. And for a while, we may just leave Champions league out of this picture, where also this team has shown consistency.

Now, going into this final, there has been a lot of talks. Or to be a little more clear, a lot of BULLSHIT thrown around.

There has been of course big revelations on the betting scandal, where 3 Players from Rajasthan Royals have been arrested, and the captain, team owners, officials questioned too. There has also been involvement of a “Bollywood connection” in the form of Vindoo Dara Singh, which has further opened many new “connections” of this scandal, including BCCI President N. Srinivasan’s son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan. This is how the stakes are stacked as of now. Just a day before the final of IPL6 scheduled to be held in Kolkata.

There is a significant question that I want to ask. Will you say this IPL was fixed if CSK wins it??

And is your answer influenced by recent happenings around cricket, where individual players have put this gentleman’s game to shame??

Well before you answer, let me just go back a year.

Same time, it was the final between CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR)!!

Instead of MI (this year), there was KKR. But this talk of it being fixed and CSK will end up winning, or “I’ll stop watching IPL if CSK wins” talk was still doing the rounds.

Was there a betting scandal unearthed that time as well?? Or were some players arrested??

So, why was there so much talk every time this Team called Chennai Super Kings does well??

The only logical answer that can come to my mind is, when you are at the top, there will be a lot of Dogs barking down there, to pull you down and that’s what is happening!!

I don’t have to say who the dogs are. Do I??

Isn’t it baffling that a team whose 3 players( Sreesanth, Chandela, and Chavan) were arrested, was hailed as the team of fair play and their captain holds the ultimate image of honesty continues to do so. And a team, whose owner’s son-in-law has been arrested, ends up becoming the team which fixes matches??

I agree that Dravid’s image makes it so and it very correctly shows a case of some rotten eggs.

But, when it comes to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, all of this just doesn’t have any significance. Hypocrisy at its very best!!

You point fingers at MS, just because of an alleged bookie sitting beside his wife during matches in the stadium?? Well, that same “Bollywood connection” has clicked lots of pictures with SRK, Preity, etc. Are they involved too??

Why just IPL matches, maybe, this guy fixed the World cup matches to bring in two effin trophies back home also??

You know what, haters will always remain haters, and I don’t give a rat’s ass, as to whether you guys stop watching IPL if we win this thing again,( as you have been claiming from many seasons) or NOT!!

We win the title again or not, depend on how we play out there at the Edens, and even if we don’t win this, we, the CSK fans will still always stand by it through its thick and thin.

I do believe that we will win this again, for the third time!!

And yes, I don’t mean to be rude, but

#$%& YOU CSK-Haters!!!!! (Yea, I know you get that)!!

Fast and Furious 6: My Review

By farooq

On May 24, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Cast: Vin Diesel as Dominic

Paul Walker as Brian O’Conner

Dwayne Johnson (Rock) as Luke Hobbs

Michelle Rodriguez as Letty

Director: Justin Lin

Fast and Furious 6!! It’s definitely better than the last outing of these “men with the fast machines”. Great action scenes, some of them will just make you go WTF!!!

If you have followed the franchise from the start would be great, otherwise some scenes are going to be a little confusing.

The film, as Fast Five, made it to be, has changed from the underground street race adventure to a more action heist movie on the lines of Italian job, and finally with this one has tried to build on to that.

Talking about the story. It takes you back to the point where they left. After a successful heist in the prequel, the retired team is spread out across the globe. The catch is, that Letty (Dominic’s supposed to be dead girlfriend) is back in the frame. And to crackdown on a gang, Rock needs help. And this girl proves to be the bait as to why Dominic would agree to help him out by coming out of retirement.

In a nutshell, the story is about getting her back and to make matters interesting, there are the bad guys with which the team has to fight.

The fight scenes are classy. The ones with the ladies’ are even more raw and amazing, and are not to be missed.

There’s a point where you’ll feel, dude, are they ending this here???

But then hold your horses, there’s a Grand ending that awaits you.

It’s fast, its furious in the first half but a bit draggy in the second half. But with a lot of emotions at play, you have to be lenient on that, I guess.

Watch it for the amazing action scenes, although some scenes will make you wonder that its just not making sense. But It’s fun to watch the rest of the Action adventure, which will keep you hooked onto the seats.

I’m going with 3/5 for this action extravaganza by Justin Lin. Those action scenes can be watched time and again, and that’s what you expect from Fast and Furious!

Story about ignoring the warning signs…

By farooq

On May 19, 2013

In Fiction & Poetry

The rush to go office on a Monday morning is such, that if there would be a “who-gets-ready-for-office-first” competition, Sameer would definitely get the top honours.

Out of bed by 9, with the alarm at bedside getting snoozed for the nth time, and then a mad rush to complete the morning chores followed, where everything was done at breathtaking speed, yes that does include the natures’ call as well. With eyes barely open, standing next to the basin to put on his paste, most of it finding its way down, he tried hard to get the toothpaste land on the toothbrush. With whatever little that fell there on the bristles, an attack of sorts was made onto the teeth with it. As if, it’s a floor mop!! And there was no thought given to make the floor look clean (teeth here) as well. Brushing the teeth was no less than any formality.

Eyes, still not open, he could see red in between the sea of white splashed down in the basin of what came out of his mouth. It wasn’t the first time, but still it was good enough to make him stop for a second. But seconds are precious for him, especially on Mondays. So, time to let it be like that. All set and it was time for office.

Day after day, the monotonous life of a techie working his way through bugs in Computer programs, replying to emails, meetings, little coffee breaks, laughing without reason on your boss’ joke, and life goes on. Young, fresh out of college working at an MNC, is how one can define Sameer. Being straight out of college, and then being put into this whole new set up of professional life, is still new to Sameer. Although with training and orientation, it’s been close to 6 months. Yet, he tries to compensate his boring new bug-solving life over the weekend. And it being Friday, it was time to say, Thank God It’s Friday!!

With friends popping in from various quarters of the city to take a break from their own lives as well, it was time to Party!! Something or the other was definitely planned for every week. Parties were not just a stress buster but a getaway for the tired minds of the whole week.

This Friday though, something changed. It was almost time for the office to end, having skipped the lunch so as to quickly end the days’ work. Sameer took an apple from a colleague’s desk, paying little heed to the complaining, but then for Sameer, “Who cares?” was his moto. One bite into it, and there was something that ached. His tooth. And the red apple became red inside as well. With blood.

The early morning one second pause everyday was now a deep revering thought till office was over. Of course, the little toothache and the half eaten apple, being the source of constant reminder. He threw away the apple onto the dustbin but the thought of a problem persisting was hard to ignore. So, a party on the weekend was out of question and a dentist’s appointment sounded more like a necessity.

An appointment was arranged. After little thought and examination, the doctor enquired him regarding random day to day habits of eating and brushing. He suggested some simple measures for him by giving him Colgate toothpaste and a soft bristle brush to work it out for a week with it. Told him to be gentle on his teeth rather than attacking it with all his might. It was difficult for him to resist not being harsh with the brush, but with that red-inside-out apple’s image flashing in his mind, going slow became part of the process. After a week, the red and white modern art in the basin every time he brushed got reduced to a great extent, another visit to the dentist awaited.

The dentist just gave a smile to him, and said to relax; things have started to fall back into place. The only thing he needed to do was to follow the same instructions. From a survey, two out of every three Indians suffer from gum problems and are unaware of it. Blood can be the sign of bigger gum problems like gingivitis, receding gums or even tooth loss if left untreated. One should not ignore the warning signs your body gives you! The dentist, explained all of it to him. The reason for the bleeding was the sensitive teeth that Sameer had, and special attention should have been given to it. He also, shared the link of Colgate Speak Blog http://www.myhealthyspeak.co.in/ so that he can go through it regularly and also create awareness so that everyone can take care of the teeth. There could have been a possibility of gingivitis in his teeth also, but this time it was just limited to a sensitive gums. Ignoring the warning signs could have proven way too costly but thanks to the appointment he got with the dentist at the cost of enjoying his weekend saved him. A lesson was learnt finally for ignoring warning signs!!

Now, Sameer is back to his old ways of picking up apples from others’ desk and biting it out. But this time, the apple remains red only from the outside.

Aurangzeb : My review

By farooq

On May 19, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Cast: Arjun kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Prithviraj, Sasha Agha

Director: Atul Sabharwal

Actors take a movie forward, of course with a good story to tell. And when an actor like Arjun Kapoor makes sure to strike all the right notes in the midst of other noteworthy performances, then the Movie is sure to turn out good.

The plot is interesting, and takes you in the middle of the land mafia-corporate-politician nexus in Gurgaon, which depicts how the situation is, not just in there but the whole of country. A real estate baron (Jackie shroff) who runs illegal business behind it, has a son Ajay (Arjun kapoor), who is arrogant and wild, a mistress in Neena (Amrita singh) who tries to keep this bad-boy image of Ajay alive by bringing in Sasha Agha as his girlfriend who will keep him “occupied”, so that Neena’s son could become the waaris of the whole business.

Sounds an 80’s drama, Salim-javed types?? Well, you are in for more. Director, Atul Sabharwal makes sure of that.

There’s a family of police officers, corrupt police officers, who have their “collection” racket going on behind the scene. The family has Rishi kapoor as the chacha while Sikander Kher plays his son, and Prithviraj plays the nephew, whose father(Anupam kher) used to be an honest policeman before an ugly encounter shamed his life. This “encounter” actually holds the ropes as to how the story would change and why the movie is named Aurangzeb!! The family tradition somehow reminds you of Godfather in many shades. The grey characterizations, keeping things away from their imaandaar son-in-law about their “collection business” and yet trying to keep the whole family together, would give you little reminder of Godfather!!

The story, in a nutshell, is about these two big families’ battle to gain control and how they are related to each other. And as is repeatedly said in the movie, “Kingship knows no kinship”, there are guns and bullets out there to clear the hurdles as well.

There are twists and turns in between, that is best left for you to experience rather than letting you all know. And even though, many of it might just look so filmy yet, it’s interesting to go with the pace with which it all happens.

Talking of the story, it is interesting. Barring a few loopholes which keep you grounded that this is a Bollywood flick. Other than that, the plot moves at a good pace, with good dialogues and screenplay add to the stories’ effectiveness.

Acting is pitch-perfect. While the biggies like Rishi kapoor and Jackie shroff have strongly put their case in important roles. Where you get to see the two side of a Real estate baron in the form of Jackie shroff, at the same time the police commissioner in Rishi kapoor again displays his darker side yet again after his amazing outing in Agneepath as Rouf Lala!!! Playing a villain is what this guy is loving to do more recently it seems. And we ain’t complaining either. He makes it so classy and natural. Be it the interrogation scenes that he will be a part of or the way he describes about Aurangzeb, its brilliance out there on display.

Prithviraj, well this guy sure did put on a lot of effort to gain in the linguistic skills ahead of this role, but none of it would be visible. Because what you see here is just great command over it. Be it the narration all along the movie, the way he emotes is just good. Being a police officer is what suits him and he shows no signs of being laid back either, delivering a punch with this performance.

But in the midst of this all, the one person, or should we say two?? Who makes a great impression is Arjun kapoor, who carries on his natural acting skills post Ishaqzaade to a new height. The two roles that he essays, although apart from the start and a few scenes in the end, there’s not much drastic difference between them. But whatever he has been part, he makes his own. From laughing out ridiculing others, from his dad to his mother, to being the innocent chap in between, he does it like he has been there like a veteran. One of the many good prospects in Hindi Cinema among the new crop of youngsters!

Surprisingly, the female lead, Sasha Agha (daughter of Pakistani actress Salma Agha) plays a role a glam doll yet leaves a little mark behind. Maybe with a bit longer role, we would be seeing more of her than just the hot body she has!! Yes, she does know how to act as well.

There was hardly any need for songs, and the filmmakers have taken note of this as well.

The movie does try to put efforts to the political-corporate nexus and how the administration is part of it. And the movie does end with a realistic message, “paisa bohot kama liya, ab Raub kamate hain”!

I am going with 3/5 for Aurangzeb, it’s interesting storytelling with good acting. Watch out for Arjun kapoor and Rishi kapoor!!

Bias and the Media

By farooq

On May 14, 2013

In Politics & Social Issues

Shivraj singh chauhan, the Madhya Pradesh CM, being accused of allotting land to RSS and BJP close aide’s and institutions at throwaway prices, something similar on the lines of Yeddyurappa , the former BJP CM of Karnataka.

Rajdeep sardesai, the editor-in-chief of CNN-IBN, the channel which broke the story today, has already started being at the receiving end of hate tweets from the huge Sanghi/BJP/MODIfied online population. Most of them saying Media is biased, when it comes to the saffron brigade!!!

Right from the time, when the CWG scam came into light, there have been numerous scams being unearthed from time to time. Not that there weren’t any before, but CWG brought with it a series of scams more on the lines of sequels of Bollywood movies, each different from its predecessor, yet maintaining the old flavour intact. Here the flavour was of course, scams!!

Naming all of the scams, would tend to become an exhaustive list of scams which we would be tired of reading. Of course, the politicians and bureaucrats, involved in them would never ever be tired of being in the limelight of those scams.

bias and the media

Back to where I started, about the “biased media”, the degree of biasness shifts varying degrees depending from which base camp you are looking at them. A media house may be ridiculed one day for bringing to light any corruption/criminal charges that may be involve the party whose ideology you follow or the community you represent and would be hailed for exposing the scam, the other day.

I was recently having a chat with a school friend of mine, who like many in this part of Jamshedpur is a Muslim like me. Times are such, that a discussion on politics is inevitable. In one of the discussions, he said, “Media is biased towards Muslims” which made me ask, the reasons for that statement. It was not the first time that I had heard a Muslim complaining about this, but he being a dear friend, I had no qualms throwing that question back at him. He says, “Look at the way, Modi is being branded in the media, as if he is some sort of messiah of development. How can one forget what happened in Gujarat? Those many lives lost just because of him neglecting and allowing everything to happen and now media says, that guy could be our PM??

“I just smiled and replied,” That day, when Modi will become PM will never come my friend.”

Anyways, this was his view of how media is being biased towards his community.

Time and again, whenever some news channels or some news reporters air a program or even their views against the Saffron brigade, they end up being termed as “pseudo-seculars”, “sickulars” terms one can hear, if the troll is being easy on them. There are of course other terminologies that they are subjected to, which I better not jot down here.

For the trolls, this media or section of media is biased.

When it comes to the Israel-Palestinian issue, many feel that Israel is the one at blame, while others justify it by blaming that the terrorists at work in Palestine are to be blamed for the whole fiasco. Certain sections of media use one view, while some air the other as per their choice.

And here also, lies the Biasness that people talk about.

What really is this biasness that each of them talks about??

Well, if I had to say, it’s nothing but the idea that whatever we feel like, i.e. our ideology is, correct and others are wrong. And if the media highlight the other camp, then it becomes a bias for them.

I recall, just when Afzal Guru was hanged, I shared a letter that his wife wrote around the time of his death. And just after the judgement of Supreme Court, that the “collective conscience” of the society, required this judgement. What I deemed was, this trend of the SC giving judgements on such matters is scary and may have future repercussions as well.

What followed on facebook was a long argument which solely focussed on terrorists should be treated like that and just because a few have a “back story” to end up like this, doesn’t justify it. Agreed, but then for people of the valley or even the North east, where there are numerous cases of injustice meted out by our very own Indian army, things like these are bias as well.

They assume they don’t exist for the media at all!!!

Strange are the laws of biasness!! Maybe, many would find this post to be biased as well.

The idea lies in understanding each other’s point of view and unless we try understanding that of others, this chain of blame games on being biased is going to continue.

But then there are questions on that as well. Someone said, “One man’s medicine is another man’s poison”, and looking at all of this in the same wavelength, it would take a lot to find something that isn’t poisonous if not a medicine!!

But then, living in a country like India, is that too much to ask??

Go Goa Gone: My Review

By farooq

On May 10, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Diirector: Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kunal khemu, Vir Das, Puja Gupta and Anand Tiwary

It’s like a normal day in a youngsters’ life, where laziness beats any other thing that comes their way. Go Goa Gone starts off with the same note, where the leads Kunal Khemu(Hardik) and Vir das(Luv) , try to force each other to change the channel where the remote rests a little far from their reach. Not able to come to a conclusion, post which they continue to watch the same thing that they were watching earlier. Crazy, right?? Yet, so similar to our everyday life or to say a youngsters’ life.

Smoking, Alcohol and drugs rule the roost in these bachelors’ life, work is something that they care very little about, and lazying around is what they find solace in.

Their saving grace is the other roomie, Benny (Played by Anand tiwary), the “adarsh” boy types, and whose office trip becomes the excuse for these two to have a small vacation.

Enter goa!!

Luv, whose girlfriend dumps him in a very peculiar fashion, seeks to find another one to get over her and he meets Luna( played by Puja Gupta), the hot chick who happens to be one of the many friends’ in his facebook profile.

Now, the things change when Luna invites him for a rave party to an island which has been organized by the russian mafia!!

It is all happening in the crazy Goa, before the Zombies enter!!! Now something like this has never been attempted in India, so full marks for this attempt. But then, they do fall short of turning into something really remarkable. It draws similarity from Hollywood movies on the same, but then almost all the films these days have something of that sort.

Saif Ali Khan, who plays boris, the look makes him look one of the Russian too. With zombies, almost everywhere, thanks to a drug offered at the party. Saif takes him upon himself to kill them all by becoming a Zombie hunter. Or as he says, “I keel dead peepal” . Trying to put on the Russian English accent, and then switching to hindi slangs in between, saif does put up a good show, with some killer gun shots out there to show.

The film has its moments, many actually. But they are not tailored to be any sort of melodramatic or theatrical. There are just simple comic dialogues. The main point of little discomfort perhaps for me was the dialogue delivery between actors. They could have taken it to an all new height, had it been little perfected. Certain dialogues were way too witty but their pure placement in between some makes you even miss them.

One of the rare movies, that I felt a song or two was actually necessary to do justice to the story. If not many, at least a Party song was a must.

The movie definitely was fast paced, and little short of 2 hours of running time, won’t make you feel your time getting wasted.

A one-time watch, and would be more enjoyable if watched with a bunch of crazy friends.

A 2.5/5 for Go Goa Gone.

Yeh Saali Internship

By farooq

On May 5, 2013

In Others

With sweat pouring like there is a shower over my head, and the fan above waits for electricity to give it a new leash of life, life here at 40+ degree Celsius Jamshedpur is tasking. Not to mention, getting second thoughts of doing my SIP here itself and add to that one in Sales!! Or as my mentor puts it, hardcore sales!!!
A lot is happening around here, of course along with it, my paseena flowing like some waterfall!! And sad part is, at the end of it all, I won’t even be able to use the phrase, “paseene ki kamai” because there won’t be any kamai of sorts as well. Poor me 🙁
The only respite is being at my hometown!! But then, apart from that there is none. It is that time of the year when none of my friends are here. After all, who stays in Jampot, during May-June when its no less than a heater with loo giving it company. Even I have never stayed here around this time here, from the time I can recall. It used to be the days of Summer Vacation at my Naani’s place along the shores of Bay-of-Bengal in Gopalpur!! Childhoods’ most treasured vacation along with my cousins!!! Sigh!!

And today, here I am. In the captivity of my home, refusing to go out even for a second!! Even to the extent that a friends’ invite to barge in the nearby theater for a movie seemed tasking!! That too on a Sunday!! And this is so not me!! This is the summer heat, coupled with the never-ever-done-work-of-sales as part of my Internship talking its head out.
To talk about, #YehSaaliInternship, by which my SIP shall be named henceforth, It would be wrong to say I wasn’t expecting something like this. But going by my previous records of things rarely meeting my expectations, you have certainly disappointed me. Yes, you Saali Internship!!
Apart from the usual struggle to try and convince people into buying our products, there are quite a few other things I am being subjected to. To jot down a few, it includes, asking questions that they don’t feel like answering, to weird looks and crazy questions they put on you, to trying to be extra-nice to colleagues and bosses, to actually gulping in liters of cold drinks just to be able to move around from one place to another as if in the middle of a computer game where an energy drink will help me clear the next level and of course trying to be patient, so much that even though someone makes you wait in the scorching sun, a “hello with a token smile” is a must!!
There are positives to look forward to as well, with watching myself actually learn something practical under good guidance. Yes, not all bosses are bad and mine certainly is not at all. At least if I am judging correctly in a matter of very few days. Where these “few days” have seemed like eternity.
Coming back to this “Summer Internship”, makes me wonder as to why on earth they had to be in summer? Why not in winters, huh??
And for XIMEans like us, who are back from an amazing International tour, to do this just after that was actually on hindsight like bakre ko halal karne se pehle wali feeling, of which we just forgot in the midst of the fun over there.
Anyway, there’s no point complaining too much (I’ve done whatever I could), just to focus on the job at hand with of course a smile and a promise that in future would always treat salespersons very politely.
Happy Internship!! 

Django unchained- My review

By farooq

On March 24, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Jamie fox, Leonardo diCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L jackson

Its showmanship at its best, in quentine tarantino’s Django unchained.

Normally, if you look at it, it’s nothing but the quest of black slave to reach out to his wife who has been enslaved by someone else with a background of an American setup which continues to provide them hardships.

Coming from director Quentin Tarantino, who makes sure that it look classy. And no points for guessing that he does it with finesse.

Django, played by Jamie fox, is a slave who is freed by Dr Schultz(Christoph waltz) in a rather dramatic way to help him catch some people for whom he has a bounty. Now our Bounty hunter, gets a partner for this assignment to catch hold of the “bounty”. Looking at the way django works, Dr schultz offers him to make his partner for other assignments as well. The extra thing, apart from money that Schultz would be offering to him is help to get back his wife.

After spending the winter, killing off their bounties and earning cash in the process by bringing back the corpses, they start on a plan to bring bloomhilda, django’s wife (played by Kerry Washington). After due, checks, they zero in on a certain Mr. Calvin Candie (played by Leonardo dicaprio).

The story revolves around this quest of Django to get her wife back, which seems to be some sort of a heinous crime. Slavery, at that point of time, was so deep rooted that each and every thing that Django does, was seen as a violation of something. The depiction is cruel to say the least. People staring with disgust to see him ride a horse, share a drink or even stand near them. The human race’s terrible age of racial abuse is something that is horrifying and has been depicted in the raw and cruel way, as it is meant to be.

Continuing his amazing performance in Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards, Christoph waltz gives out a performance of a genius in a role that has been hand-crafted for him. The easiness with which he shifts between the character’s seriousness as well as temperament is amazing to say it humbly. The opening scene in which he frees, or rather unchains Django makes a solid case for his sheer brilliance, not to mention each scene that he is part of.

Leonardo dicaprio, comes into a role, which is something that he has never done before, and makes it his own. He has a different story altogether deep in himself to let out of his character of a wicked businessmen, who loves to see fights between niggers where one ultimately kills the other and he makes money out of it. Such is his business mind that even with knowing that someone has betrayed him continues to skim out a profitable deal out of it.

Samuel L Jackson, plays the character of leonardo’s faithful black-servant, who is worse than the white-folks around. His look itself will tell you, as to what is going underneath his brains, which is dark and wicked to be generous.

Jamie fox, displays utmost showmanship, in playing Django. He not only brings out the fear, fun and seriousness of the character, but also does it by being the most entertaining one. A fast learner, from being just a suffering slave to being an accomplice of a bounty hunter to actually gathering the negotiating aura of his senior partner to turn the climax around, is something that his character makes a case for.

Although, almost each scene and each frame has something that will make you hooked onto it, but the one where a whole gang of white people, try to teach the “nigger and his nigger-loving-German” a lesson will make you laugh not at the stupidity they display but the amazing human nature of fun brought out by Tarantino.

Also, mentionable is the scene where the negotiable Dr Schultz displays his skills to get rid of a 100 rifles pointing out at them.

Its showmanship at its best, watch him Unchain to bring about a smooth 160 odd minutes of entertainment, and not to forget the Old-style-credits at the start and music in between.