What a let down...it’s a good thing that I missed it at the theatres… and we had an option to fast forward and reduce the misery from 2 hrs 10 mins to 1 hr…
It is a totally bizarre romance. The characters were not sketched well and so one gets a feeling of incompleteness and only at the end of the movie you think that the storyline was good but could have been handled a little better.
I am sure Sanjay Leela Bhansali could have done better – with some good dialogues but instead every few minutes they break off into a song… reminded me of the Chitrahaar times on Doordarshan years and years back…just one song after the other…we tried keeping count in the beginning but eventually lost count…
The few dialogues that we have in between the songs hardly make sense and are so irritating because of the plastiky giggles from Sonam…(Cant decide if her giggling is worse or Ashwariya’s)
The set was quite artificial too…you like it initially but after some time it gets monotonous…
The only nice thing about the movie was Zohra Sehgal, who is brilliant as always… She plays a ‘now-stern-now-mellow’ landlady who wins your heart over.
The song that Ranbir sings in a towel…seemed a bit erotic…wonder how come the board passed it…or didn’t give the movie an A rating…
Rani Mukerjee was likable at times…and if had to sum up this movie in her words…’I don’t likes’…
07 December 2007
05 December 2007
VIP Day
1st Dec was VIP (Very Important Pedestrians) day in London.
London's West End... the famous shopping streets - Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street were made traffic free from 10.30am
Though the sun was out, it was pretty windy and chilly...but we braved the chill since there was to be street entertainment ...live performances from street theatres, musicians, bands and 2 of UK’s best aerial street performances – the spectacular Heliosphere show and the extraordinary conedancers...
As we walked down we realized that most people coming from the opposite site were eating the same chocolate…and as we reached Selfridges we saw several people dressed as elves distributing chocolates...
Munching our chocolates as we moved down Oxford Street we heard the typical Pipe Bands...dressed in the Scottish attire (a lot like the ones in Braemer)...and imagine my surprise when I realised that the whole band was Indian!!!
We turned towards New Bond Street and noticed a Punjabi dhol band walking down... suddenly they broke into their act...its that kind of music that just wants you to take off dancing…unfortunately we could not join them...as we did not wanna surprise the Londoners...though I am sure if this had happened in India we would have had everyone and everybody from the street dancing!
At the end we could see a cone shaped baloony structure...that was the cone dancers...we decided to go watch them...but were distracted on the way when we saw a shop where a girl was standing in the show window and a guy had cut up her tee in some places and was knotting it up and converting it into a designer tee. He really was brilliant and the tee looked good...the funda was that this guy was some designer from USA (I couldn’t get his name), you purchase a tee from that shop and he cuts it and knots it up for you as you are wearing it...A guy said that if this guys scissors touch a tee its price goes up to 400 quids!!! Sheena was apprehensive about standing in the show windowing and modelling...and I didn’t have the figure (coz the tees were those figure hugging ones...so we couldn’t have a go at it :-(
We killed some time in the shops in that area as the Cone Dancers had a show after 15 mins...the wait was worth it as they were excellent... Set to music, two performers danced effortlessly on the outside of the giant eight meter high air-filled cone. It was an extraordinary acrobatic performance giving the feeling of an amazing gravity-defying illusion.
As the show got over we decided to walk to Regent Street and catch the Heliosphere ... using music, lighting and the location, the Heliosphere creates the illusion of flying. Spiraling and spinning and seemingly weightless, a lady was suspended beneath a massive helium balloon. The balloon was being managed by 3 men on the ground working on the strings. Looks easy...but while we were watching the men could not control the ropes and the lady nearly came crashing down...though she managed to balance out...
Somewhere in between we also watched some skateboarders...there was a setup for them to show off their skills. There was a really small boy - maybe 8-9 years who was really good...
And then suddenly it started raining…and brilliant Manpreet hadn’t got her umbrella...we decided to get into some shop...after browsing there we realized that it still hadn’t stop raining. I needed to go for a wedding reception later and since it was VIP day I needed to walk and get a bus from outside the VIP area...this was getting serious :-). We decided to walk to John Lewis and pick up an umbrella...
I bought the umbrella - a beautiful mushroom transparent one - and as we walked towards the exit...Sheena exclaims...itz snowing...I couldn’t believe it...we rushed out and realized it was John Lewis creating artificial snow :-)
And obviously the rain had stopped as I had bought an umbrella!!!
London's West End... the famous shopping streets - Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street were made traffic free from 10.30am
Though the sun was out, it was pretty windy and chilly...but we braved the chill since there was to be street entertainment ...live performances from street theatres, musicians, bands and 2 of UK’s best aerial street performances – the spectacular Heliosphere show and the extraordinary conedancers...
As we walked down we realized that most people coming from the opposite site were eating the same chocolate…and as we reached Selfridges we saw several people dressed as elves distributing chocolates...
Munching our chocolates as we moved down Oxford Street we heard the typical Pipe Bands...dressed in the Scottish attire (a lot like the ones in Braemer)...and imagine my surprise when I realised that the whole band was Indian!!!
We turned towards New Bond Street and noticed a Punjabi dhol band walking down... suddenly they broke into their act...its that kind of music that just wants you to take off dancing…unfortunately we could not join them...as we did not wanna surprise the Londoners...though I am sure if this had happened in India we would have had everyone and everybody from the street dancing!
At the end we could see a cone shaped baloony structure...that was the cone dancers...we decided to go watch them...but were distracted on the way when we saw a shop where a girl was standing in the show window and a guy had cut up her tee in some places and was knotting it up and converting it into a designer tee. He really was brilliant and the tee looked good...the funda was that this guy was some designer from USA (I couldn’t get his name), you purchase a tee from that shop and he cuts it and knots it up for you as you are wearing it...A guy said that if this guys scissors touch a tee its price goes up to 400 quids!!! Sheena was apprehensive about standing in the show windowing and modelling...and I didn’t have the figure (coz the tees were those figure hugging ones...so we couldn’t have a go at it :-(
We killed some time in the shops in that area as the Cone Dancers had a show after 15 mins...the wait was worth it as they were excellent... Set to music, two performers danced effortlessly on the outside of the giant eight meter high air-filled cone. It was an extraordinary acrobatic performance giving the feeling of an amazing gravity-defying illusion.
As the show got over we decided to walk to Regent Street and catch the Heliosphere ... using music, lighting and the location, the Heliosphere creates the illusion of flying. Spiraling and spinning and seemingly weightless, a lady was suspended beneath a massive helium balloon. The balloon was being managed by 3 men on the ground working on the strings. Looks easy...but while we were watching the men could not control the ropes and the lady nearly came crashing down...though she managed to balance out...
Somewhere in between we also watched some skateboarders...there was a setup for them to show off their skills. There was a really small boy - maybe 8-9 years who was really good...
And then suddenly it started raining…and brilliant Manpreet hadn’t got her umbrella...we decided to get into some shop...after browsing there we realized that it still hadn’t stop raining. I needed to go for a wedding reception later and since it was VIP day I needed to walk and get a bus from outside the VIP area...this was getting serious :-). We decided to walk to John Lewis and pick up an umbrella...
I bought the umbrella - a beautiful mushroom transparent one - and as we walked towards the exit...Sheena exclaims...itz snowing...I couldn’t believe it...we rushed out and realized it was John Lewis creating artificial snow :-)
And obviously the rain had stopped as I had bought an umbrella!!!
28 November 2007
Calvin Gyan...
"Life is like topography, Hobbes.
There are summits of happiness and success...
...Flat stretches of boring routine...
...And valleys of frustration and failure."
There are summits of happiness and success...
...Flat stretches of boring routine...
...And valleys of frustration and failure."
26 November 2007
Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum played in Bangalore for several weeks and I made plans with a friend several times...but somehow they never materialised...
Finally last night Sony TV played it and I made sure I didn’t miss it...
Its about romance between a 64-year-old man and a 34 year-old woman... handled very maturely ...no overt display of emotion...the performances are brilliant...whether its AB or Tabu or the little girl Sexy...
The first half is toooooo good...the humour, sarcasm and witticism is awesome...the comedy is not the usual slap stick comedy associated with Bollywood but far more subtle...and the chemistry between AB and Tabu is terrific...
Buddha (AB) is arrogant and self-assured, yet feels the need to impress her - while never admitting it. Their banter and Tabu's retorts to AB's arrogance has one constantly impressed...
There is a fantastic scene where she berates AB for being too forward, for daring, like all men would, to ask a girl out and assume she's available, just because she's smiled at him a few times. The tension is palpable as AB falls silent. And then 'I do hope you won't be late,' she ends, still deadpan, immediately confirming both date and smirk.
Another scenes that I really enjoyed is when they have been meeting up for a few days and Tabu asks AB to ask her THE question all guys are supposed to ask...he's like hesitant so he asks her to ask the question...the build up of suspense as she says ...should I? And the smile…as she asks 'what’s your name?’
The way 9 yr old Sexy...friends with 64 year old AB questions him and gives him gyan is really interesting... her dialogues are really good.
Zohra Sehgal plays AB's movie... she's brilliant as always ...though one thing I have noticed...she seems to be type cast in all her movies...the old granny ...but very unlike the preaching types...still very young at heart... watches WWF or some serial one would never imagine someone her age would watch...like 'sex in the city' in this movie...
The 2nd half dragged a bit...where Paresh Rawal plays the 58 year old father who is dead against the match...thou Paresh had his funny moments too...
Bottom line...head to the lending library if you haven’t see this brilliant movie...since it definitely is not to be missed...
Finally last night Sony TV played it and I made sure I didn’t miss it...
Its about romance between a 64-year-old man and a 34 year-old woman... handled very maturely ...no overt display of emotion...the performances are brilliant...whether its AB or Tabu or the little girl Sexy...
The first half is toooooo good...the humour, sarcasm and witticism is awesome...the comedy is not the usual slap stick comedy associated with Bollywood but far more subtle...and the chemistry between AB and Tabu is terrific...
Buddha (AB) is arrogant and self-assured, yet feels the need to impress her - while never admitting it. Their banter and Tabu's retorts to AB's arrogance has one constantly impressed...
There is a fantastic scene where she berates AB for being too forward, for daring, like all men would, to ask a girl out and assume she's available, just because she's smiled at him a few times. The tension is palpable as AB falls silent. And then 'I do hope you won't be late,' she ends, still deadpan, immediately confirming both date and smirk.
Another scenes that I really enjoyed is when they have been meeting up for a few days and Tabu asks AB to ask her THE question all guys are supposed to ask...he's like hesitant so he asks her to ask the question...the build up of suspense as she says ...should I? And the smile…as she asks 'what’s your name?’
The way 9 yr old Sexy...friends with 64 year old AB questions him and gives him gyan is really interesting... her dialogues are really good.
Zohra Sehgal plays AB's movie... she's brilliant as always ...though one thing I have noticed...she seems to be type cast in all her movies...the old granny ...but very unlike the preaching types...still very young at heart... watches WWF or some serial one would never imagine someone her age would watch...like 'sex in the city' in this movie...
The 2nd half dragged a bit...where Paresh Rawal plays the 58 year old father who is dead against the match...thou Paresh had his funny moments too...
Bottom line...head to the lending library if you haven’t see this brilliant movie...since it definitely is not to be missed...
23 November 2007
Dooced
Dooced - to have posted work-related things on your personal blog and get fired for it...
Do I qualify considering my last blog and this earlier one
Do I qualify considering my last blog and this earlier one
Insanity
These days all i do from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm is prepare (useless???)management reports...
This Dilbert strip is perfect illustration of my state these days...
22 November 2007
Red Coat Vs Black Coat
Well...the heart said...buy the red one...it was gorgeous…
But am I now the typical London Office Worker – indistinguishable in their blue or black uniforms??? Coz I picked the black one finally...
As a compromise maybe I should get red gloves and scarf?
But am I now the typical London Office Worker – indistinguishable in their blue or black uniforms??? Coz I picked the black one finally...
As a compromise maybe I should get red gloves and scarf?
20 November 2007
My Sentiments...
Only difference is Calvin is stuck in school and me in office...
Itz not particularly beautiful in london these days ...itz been raining for last 2 days...but ideal to go watch some theatre or cinema...
Itz not particularly beautiful in london these days ...itz been raining for last 2 days...but ideal to go watch some theatre or cinema...
19 November 2007
Om Shanti Om
They don’t call him King Khan for nothing...As far as mainstream cinema is concerned, SRK is unbeatable...a true entertainer...
Om Shanti Om – a bit over the top but thoroughly enjoyable ...corny humor but itz SRK so one enjoys it...and of course the great music...
He was totally convincing as the junior artiste who dreams of becoming a star in the first half and then as The Star in the second half ...
Shreyas supported him to the hilt in the act as his best friend and co junior artiste.
Kirron Kher as the melodramatic mother is also really good.
But what I liked best about the movie were the spoofs
- At the Bollywood of the 1970’s – the typical flowers coming close to each other…and the superimposing of Deepika with stars of yesteryears like Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna and Jitendra in a song sequence was very good.
- Then the star in the 1st half is a direct one at Rajesh Khanna…
- The conversation between Om and Pappu (Shreyas) - He can’t be a star with a name like Om Prakash Makhija...he needs a surname of Kapoor or Khanna ...
- And the one on Rajnikant in the cowboy avatar and fighting with a fluffy tiger – too hilarious
And so many more...
All this is in good humor... he even spoofs at himself in the awards ceremony scene where they have the nominations for the best actor...
Hrithik, Abhishek, Shabana Azmi, Akki in good humor have made fun of themselves...though it is a pity that Manoj Kumar could not take it and is pretty upset...
The song where he gets some 30 odd actors and actresses to come and dance with him was quite enjoyable too... especially the bits with Dharam Paji...
Farah Khan is the queen of ‘Kahani mein twist’... not as much as in her earlier movie ‘Main Hoon Na’ where every new reel had a new twist in the tale...
Here she refrained from too many twists and tried to keep a single story line ...but in the end I guess she just could not resist and the in the climax scene we have the ghost of Shanti instead of the look alike of 30 years later...That was not really required...
But still... a movie I would recommend to all who enjoy BOLLYWOOD MASALA...not for the celebral types though !!!
Om Shanti Om – a bit over the top but thoroughly enjoyable ...corny humor but itz SRK so one enjoys it...and of course the great music...
He was totally convincing as the junior artiste who dreams of becoming a star in the first half and then as The Star in the second half ...
Shreyas supported him to the hilt in the act as his best friend and co junior artiste.
Kirron Kher as the melodramatic mother is also really good.
But what I liked best about the movie were the spoofs
- At the Bollywood of the 1970’s – the typical flowers coming close to each other…and the superimposing of Deepika with stars of yesteryears like Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna and Jitendra in a song sequence was very good.
- Then the star in the 1st half is a direct one at Rajesh Khanna…
- The conversation between Om and Pappu (Shreyas) - He can’t be a star with a name like Om Prakash Makhija...he needs a surname of Kapoor or Khanna ...
- And the one on Rajnikant in the cowboy avatar and fighting with a fluffy tiger – too hilarious
And so many more...
All this is in good humor... he even spoofs at himself in the awards ceremony scene where they have the nominations for the best actor...
Hrithik, Abhishek, Shabana Azmi, Akki in good humor have made fun of themselves...though it is a pity that Manoj Kumar could not take it and is pretty upset...
The song where he gets some 30 odd actors and actresses to come and dance with him was quite enjoyable too... especially the bits with Dharam Paji...
Farah Khan is the queen of ‘Kahani mein twist’... not as much as in her earlier movie ‘Main Hoon Na’ where every new reel had a new twist in the tale...
Here she refrained from too many twists and tried to keep a single story line ...but in the end I guess she just could not resist and the in the climax scene we have the ghost of Shanti instead of the look alike of 30 years later...That was not really required...
But still... a movie I would recommend to all who enjoy BOLLYWOOD MASALA...not for the celebral types though !!!
16 November 2007
Loneliness ???
The protagonist of Coetzee’s book Youth – John - often craves for company in London– he looks for excuses of some kind for human interactions – bumping into people and saying sorry & getting abused...Does it really happen like that?
One day a colleague of mine and I left office together and decided to take the same tube... he sees a book and IPOD in my hand and remarks... how can you read a book / newspaper in the tube…you should observe the people in the tube...its really interesting and he took off with anecdotes with full facial expressions and voice modulation (incidentally I once told him that he should be in the theatre and what the hell is he doing in IT ...)
So for part of my tube journey I have started looking around…and I have seen a girl bump into another reading a book and saying sorry and the other girl has not even bothered to look up and acknowledge the apology. Yikes!!!
One day a colleague of mine and I left office together and decided to take the same tube... he sees a book and IPOD in my hand and remarks... how can you read a book / newspaper in the tube…you should observe the people in the tube...its really interesting and he took off with anecdotes with full facial expressions and voice modulation (incidentally I once told him that he should be in the theatre and what the hell is he doing in IT ...)
So for part of my tube journey I have started looking around…and I have seen a girl bump into another reading a book and saying sorry and the other girl has not even bothered to look up and acknowledge the apology. Yikes!!!
09 November 2007
I read something really nice in a magazine...
"I must learn to love the fool in me - the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool."
"I must learn to love the fool in me - the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool."
~ Theodore I. Rubin, MD
There's Something About Simmy
Yesterday my cousin called suddenly...would I be interested in watching a play? With a name like There's Something About Simmy, I obviously was game...I definitely needed a good laugh and some relaxation from the hectic work at office...
After much excitement we finally reached the theatre - Rifco Arts...coz it seems the address that we had was incorrect...a friend's Tom Tom took her to a residential address. The address was correct but it was some labyrinthine route...
The play is primarily in English with some Punjabi. But no worries for those who do not understand Punjabi...they have English subtitles scrolling at the top of the stage. Surprising...eh? I would say damn intelligent...
Revolving around arranged marriages in the Asian community, the second generation Asian identity crisis and the ever-widening gulf between the young Asians raised in UK, and their parents, it was totally delightful...
Simmy is the imported Indian bride...but Raj, the groom, has run away before the honeymoon could begin! Until he returns, Simmy is locked in the house by her community obsessed mother-in-law…
Simmy is thoroughly convincing as the young Punjabi-speaking gal straight from Bathinda or Moga or some small town or village in Punjab... her accent and behaviour is so typical. She deserves a standing ovation for that accent. The other character that really liked is the steadfast mother-in-law, Gurbaksh.
The outrageous aunties as they focus their binoculars on the family from their windows for the gossip are also very good. One inquisitive one comes to their house and when left alone in the living room for a few minutes opens drawers and clicks snaps!!!
The other brother Harry is thoroughly westernized who has turned his back on his heritage. Simmi and his conversations in the beginning are side-splitting...he says something in English, she replies something else in Punjabi. He roams around with his shirt and her scandolous looks are good...and then fulltooosh Bollywood style they gradually fall in love.
The Bollywood dance numbers are amazing… and the way they did them was sooo good...suddenly bright saris drop down from the roof and in between those the couples start dancing.
To sum up the evening...no regrets!!!
After much excitement we finally reached the theatre - Rifco Arts...coz it seems the address that we had was incorrect...a friend's Tom Tom took her to a residential address. The address was correct but it was some labyrinthine route...
The play is primarily in English with some Punjabi. But no worries for those who do not understand Punjabi...they have English subtitles scrolling at the top of the stage. Surprising...eh? I would say damn intelligent...
Revolving around arranged marriages in the Asian community, the second generation Asian identity crisis and the ever-widening gulf between the young Asians raised in UK, and their parents, it was totally delightful...
Simmy is the imported Indian bride...but Raj, the groom, has run away before the honeymoon could begin! Until he returns, Simmy is locked in the house by her community obsessed mother-in-law…
Simmy is thoroughly convincing as the young Punjabi-speaking gal straight from Bathinda or Moga or some small town or village in Punjab... her accent and behaviour is so typical. She deserves a standing ovation for that accent. The other character that really liked is the steadfast mother-in-law, Gurbaksh.
The outrageous aunties as they focus their binoculars on the family from their windows for the gossip are also very good. One inquisitive one comes to their house and when left alone in the living room for a few minutes opens drawers and clicks snaps!!!
The other brother Harry is thoroughly westernized who has turned his back on his heritage. Simmi and his conversations in the beginning are side-splitting...he says something in English, she replies something else in Punjabi. He roams around with his shirt and her scandolous looks are good...and then fulltooosh Bollywood style they gradually fall in love.
The Bollywood dance numbers are amazing… and the way they did them was sooo good...suddenly bright saris drop down from the roof and in between those the couples start dancing.
To sum up the evening...no regrets!!!
08 November 2007
Grey, Wet London...
London - Stony, labyrinthine, cold...as dark as the inside of the needle...yet beautiful...
07 November 2007
Italian Takeaway in London
Credit to my dear friend Joan for this picture...clicked when she was here last month...
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