Some Movie Reviews …

Lately there have been some good movies that have been released. Lately … meaning August onwards … Just to list them (in no particular order) … A Wednesday, Jaane tu .. Ya jaane na, Bachna Ai Haseeno (some ppl may raise their eyebrows .. but lets accept it was a nice movie after all … moreover its my blog … so my word prevails), Mumbai Meri Jaan etc …

I thought I’d put down my thoughts about some of those movies and also some movies that I saw recently (but were released long back) …

A Wednesday … An absolute classic, masterpiece of a movie … Absolutely everything about the movie was good … short (1 and ½ hour), no-nonsense (no songs and all that crap), fast-paced (it will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire movie), impeccable dialogues (eg. “We are resilient by force .. not by choice”), strong characters (Naseerji at his best … Anupamji plays the perfect “Police Commissioner” and all of the other characters) … I have seen it thrice already and each time it was as captivating as I when I saw it for the first time. I should also get an award of sorts for promoting the movie … As I have been recommending it to ppl and also making them see it (and also seeing it with them) …

Mumbai Meri Jaan was another movie based on the Jul ‘06 Mumbai bomb blasts. Compared to “A Wednesday” it was an ‘ok-ok’ movie … Somehow the characters didn’t come out clearly … Somehow I was not impressed with Maddy’s acting this time around. Seemed a bit “artificial”. The only thing that came out very strongly was Pareshji’s acting. I have to say he is one of the best actors that we have … He is able to fit into any character with such ease … “Hats off to you, Sir” … I was watching the movie and I was wondering how is the movie going to end … and I must say it was a pretty good ending that the director came up with which gave a good feel at the end of the movie.

Another movie that I saw recently (which I should have seen long back) was Shaurya. Another excellent movie … All characters in the movie were very strong. I came to know that it was an inspiration of the English movie “A few good men” … well then I have another movie that I have to see then. I was especially impressed by KK’s excellent acting … He played the role of the Senior Army Official with such perfection that one should just watch and experience. The movie is full of great dialogue deliveries (mostly by KK and some by Rahul Bose in the end). The sequence where KK scares the shit out of Rahul and then orders Rahul to have his coffee before leaving was a treat to watch. Dialogues are the key highlights of the movie and one I was especially amused was when KK scowls at one of his juniors when they use the word ‘sweat’ by saying “Only pigs sweat … Human Beings perspire”

Some more reviews after I see the Bond movie and others in the coming days …

Case for a "four day working week"

Until a few decades back the word “job" or profession were associated mostly with a government job, which generally is stress-less and pressure-less. In today’s situation, majority of the population is employed with multinational companies or public and private sector firms, which work under strict deadlines and targets unlike a government establishment. This has related in work related pressure and suffocations in individuals.

The only respite that an individual gets from work related stress is the two-days-weekend. During the two-days-weekend, he is able to refresh and replenish his system. It is this weekend that helps him prepare to face the five weekdays ahead of him.

In the last few years, people are getting into increased work pressure which is at an all-time-high. They work on impossible deadlines. They have to tackle unbearable workloads. There are too many things that needed to be done at once. Today the most detrimental issue faced by the common public is the danger and health problems related to work pressure. Research has proven that most heart attacks occur on a Monday morning. The reason for this is because the two-days-weekend fails to prepare us for the 5 ‘impossible’ weekdays ahead. On a Monday morning, thinking of the five days ahead of us gives such a scare that it can cause a heart attack.

The only way India can cope up with this impossible pressure is by following a four-day-working-week Model. As a part of this model, I propose that apart from the existing two-days-weekend there should be a mid-week holiday on Wednesday.

Apart from easing the work related pressures on an individual, this would also ease pressure on the poor two-days-weekend, which is struggling to refresh an individual for the five ‘gruesome’ weekdays. With this model, all that a two-days-weekend has to do is to refresh an individual for the two days ahead. The Wednesday along with the individual would take care of the next two days, before one arrives at the next weekend.

I can guarantee that this alone would bring about a significant decrease in the Monday morning heart attacks for stressed out employees, let alone the Friday night heart attack for our poor two-days-weekend.

My sincere request to companies in India is that they implement the four-day-working-week Model, if not for the health and safety concern of their employees, at least taking pity on the poor ‘overworked’ two-days-weekend.

Lot has transpired …

And ... I don't know why I am silent ... ??? A writer's block is an excuse for laziness ... So I decided to shrug off the “writer's block” and get on with it …

The Zen Estilo has come in … She’s beautiful … I felt as if I have been driving her for years … !! Have done couple of long drives … First one was to Mahabaleshwar (again) … my in-laws also with us this time around. Was fun … with the rains and all … The weather was cold … Paisa Wasool … in short …

The second one was on our Second Marriage Anniversary to Chiplun-Guhaghar. The drive was amazing … About 250 kms one way … It was a treat to the eyes … With all the greenery one can imagine … long ghat sections … beautiful waterfalls all through the way … the beautiful Quality Resort The Riverview … the wonderful room with a view … the waterfall experience at Sawatsada Waterfall near the resort … The temples … Parshuram Temple in Chiplun … Shiva temple at Velneshwar and Ganpati temple at Hedvi … Absolute wow !! One of the best outings of my life !! Wait for the photo uploads …

Janani has learnt driving … to a large extent … She also drove about 2 hours on the way to Chiplun (including a ghat section) and couple of hours on the way back … That is quite an achievement for a person who has learnt driving a month back … She would be getting her license in the coming week.

We are planning our Diwali break to the South India … Plan to visit Cochin, Chennai and Bangalore during the 3rd week of October to 2nd of November, 2008. Looking forward to that …
And finally after a lot of “jhanjhat” for close to an year … my bike has now a Maharashtra registration number … after spending an exorbitant amount of money to buy that peace of mind while driving it in Pune. Well atleast my vehicle has earnt the title of “son of the soil” if not its owner !! :)

So as you can see … indeed a lot has transpired … :)

We welcome Zen Estilo ...

Yes ... We have booked a Zen Estilo and if all goes well, I will be riding it mid coming week.
Take a look at the color that we have chosen.
Will keep you all posted ..
Till then ...

Review: Taare Zameen Par

In one word ... "Wow" ...

Aamir Khan has done it again ... One of the most well-made movies I have ever seen ... A directorial debut for Aamir and it seemed like he has made movies all his life … Such a well taken movie that it must have brought about a change in the perspectives of lots of people. Mine, definitely. I found tears in my eyes during so many scenes in the movie.

The movie brings out the feelings of a kid growing up in this world of cut-throat competition, where there is no place for creativity.

It was so thought provoking ... something that seems to happen so often in life. We must have seen it time and again both as kids studying and also otherwise. Parents and the society put so much pressure onto the kids without trying to understand their problems. And then this thought, “My kid cannot have a problem”. And why think of it as a problem. It is just that the kid has a different way of understanding and seeing things which could be slower than other kids. And why should slow be considered as bad?

Talking of speed - where every kid should understand things easily and fast. If not get irritated – shout and abuse them. How many time we may have heard this one, “Why the hell can’t you understand such a simple thing”. Why should it understand? We never see it as our flaw that we are not able to make the kid understand. Never trying to understand the barrier to their understanding and get that sorted out.

Instead of helping the tender minds explore the creativity within themselves, we kill their creativity by throwing in the weights of our expectations and our unfulfilled ambitions. I didn’t get into IIT, my kid will fulfill my dream. Bull-shit.

The movie has just shown a different perspective in life. Lets all try and appreciate that. An engineer or a doctor or a Management is not what life if all about. If anything life is hell for people in these professions. But all that people see is the glamour and the money that it visible from the outside. There is more to life than money and power.

A movie that every parent should watch. It will change the way you bring up your kids.

Finally, after seeing the movie I felt more indebted to my parents. Appa and Amma (I know you are reading this .. where ever you are) … Thanks for bearing with me during times of my failures and giving me all the time that I needed. Thanks for understanding me.

Alive and Kicking ...

Rether than going by Benito Mussolini's quote that says ...

Inactivity is death

I would rather go with Jimmy Connors' that says ...

Rather than viewing a brief relapse back to inactivity as a failure, treat it as a challenge and try to get back on track as soon as possible.

I am alive and kicking !! :)

Review: Sivaji .. The Boss

Yes … I saw Sivaji … And I saw it in Pune !! :-) After it released a week late on 22nd June, 2007. I saw it second day first show. I got the ticket through BookEazy a cool service where you book tickets online, pay for it in the theatre and arrive anytime (even late) and still you have your place booked for you. Here is how it works !! Thanks to Santosh Dawara for having me introduced to the service. I must say that the service is great !!

On a separate note, I plan to spend sometime with Santosh when he gets time to understand the internet business.

At the onset, let me tell you that I am not really a Rajini fan … :-). But there is something about him (including all the euphoria that surrounds his movie releases) that draws you towards him. So, I decided that I will see the movie in true Rajini Fan style (well … as much as possible) … I started my movie experience with a full volume screaming of “Talaivaaaaaaaaaaaa” (That is what true Rajini fans call him) on his entry scene … And then lots of more shouting and yelling during each of his style, dialogue or fight sequences (adding to the Janani’s embarrassment, who found it very uncultured behavior ;-) .. but what the heck). I had to get back to myself and behave in a more “cultured” way coz Janani threatened to disown me if I didn’t stop acting that way. :D

So the movie plot is pretty decent … typical Sankar style … Doing good for the society even if that means bending the rules a bit. So Rajini wants to build a college and hospital putting in all the savings of his life (made out of a Software System Architect job in US :-)). He intends to provide free treatment and education to all. That obviously makes people running other colleges insecure and they make Rajini taste dust. So as they say … when you can’t take out the butter with a straight finger you need to bend your fingers … so Rajini does just that … And he does that Rajini/Sankar style … :-) … He decides to convert all the black money in India into white (Using Hawala and then sending it back to his foundation as donations) and use that for the college and hospital activities. So that is pretty innovative.

Lots more to see and enjoy … some new styles … some more dialogues … Like

• “Panningathaan kootama varum ... Singham ... Single aa varum”


• “Kooooool” in typical Rajini style


• The famous cigarette that used Rajini used to toss into his mouth has now been replaced by a chewing gum that he bounces off his palm into his mouth. (and once he bounces it off the villain’s forehead ;-) .. Now that is Kooooool … )


• Finally the coin tossing act … which goes through 2-3 tossing iterations before it perfectly lands into his pocket :) …

And there are lots of high flying fight sequences … in typical Sankar style.

They have done wonders with respect to Rajini’s looks … Make up, special effects etc and Rajini looks so young … You have to see it to believe it …


Songs are ok ok … I would have expected more out of AR Rehman but … I don’t know … Didn’t click to me … Vaaji Vaaji and Sahara Pookal were ok … Rest of them were just mediocre … It’s sad that Songs for Rajini’s big movie are not that good … :(

And as usual, typical of Rajini/Sankar movies they have a message for all of us … To know about that try and catch a ticket to see the movie.

As for me … It was a great experience to watch that movie in true Rajini Fan style and so much so that I am a Rajini Fan now !! :)

Gillette Fusion ... What !?!??!??!?

I happened to stumble upon this link which took me to the lastest "cutting edge" technology for men !! :) ... Gillette Fusion

They left the three blades system behind ... :) ... Believe it or not .. Its 6 blades now (five in the front and one in the rear) !! Wow :) ...

I mean .. Was this some kind of growth target given to them !??!! :) I can imagine .. in a meeting the Gillette Management told their design team "You need to double your blades in 3 years ..."

or probably the sales head, by mistake, set an expectation to the wrong team !! :) ... He might have wanted to address the sales team (but instead addressed the design team) saying "You need to double your numbers in 3 years ..." The only numbers the design team could think of was "# of blades"

So here goes .... :)