Movie Review - DOSTANA

It is regressive and abounds with gay stereotypes but the makers should still be lauded for at least bringing the subject out of the closet. The first half is laugh out loud funny and was superb time pass but the pace dips substantially in the second half and could have done with some editing.

Abhishek rocks and these are the kind of real ‘chilled out’ characters he should stick to playing - hopefully after Drona he’ll stay away from playing larger than life characters. John is ample eye candy and is funny in a few scenes but by and large both the leads work better as a team. Chemistry between both of them rocks. Kudos!!

Priyanka looks like a million bucks and even though the role is nothing to write about she is disarmingly charming and chips in a fresh restrained performance. Kiron Kher rocks - I dont know why she didn’t appear in the second half. Bobby Deol was strictly average - I suspect someone like Akshay or Hrithik would have been a far better choice.

The music is catchy and the film as a whole is marvelously packaged.
A good popcorn flick - go in without any expectations and you won’t be disappointed. Far better than over-rated comedies Singh is King and Golmaal Returns.
I noticed a few gags lifted from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Few scenes which reckon me as of now -
John & Abhi flashback in Venice.. too good man and the way they put down their books after Priyanka comes out in the swim-costume.. thumbs up man!!

Kiron Kher's entry.. amazing
Abhi & John's blame before desi-girl song.. superb
List goes on..
John & Abhishek Rocks.. no doubt in the climax kiss scene

Parental Guidance:

Violence: None
Nudity & Sexual content: Loads of skin-show. And a lip-lock.
Concept: Homosexuality; People shamelessly lying their way into situations and playing cute to find a way out.
General Look and Feel: Peppy, bright - in the Karan Johar way.

Rating: 4/5 Watch for sure (as there isn't dull moment in the entire movie) - if you can stand such kind of humor.

PS - No clue if this sounds gayish I felt J for John's physique.

Age is the number and mine is unlisted. HB2Me

I seem to have been rather slow at the blogging thing recently, but one thing that I feel deserves a blog entry is my Birthday (11th Nov).
When the spotlight shines on the birthday person: I used to feel self conscious about all this attention, and now I’ve learned to enjoy it.
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
On this special day of mine, I have some personal reflections for the year:
** A birthday is a time to take stock of my own life.
** I reflect on all the friends and relationships I have made, formed and renewed for the past year.
** I remember the events, happenings and people that have influenced me to help me become who I am.
** It’s also a time to literally and figuratively “smell the roses”.



My Birthday! What a different sound
That word had in my youthful ears;
And how each time the day comes round,
Less and less white its mark appears.


As Oprah Winfrey says - The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.

Age is the number and mine is unlisted.
Though I pass the phase of life & cover the journey of life, some days I don’t remember when I slept while the fight of inner voices was on…
All I have learnt in my experience of life with my weakness is:

1. Smile at your problems
2. Learn from experience
3. Help your self

As I turn the pages of life getting a year older, I just want to figure out what to hope for. And the most I can do is live inside that hope.

Happy Birthday to me.. Celebrations are on.. Join the party :)

PS: I couldn’t wear my new pair of clothes to office :(
PPS: Whether I like it or not…all these seem to be just a faction of my deranged mind
PPPS: Hope my Birthday gently breezes all the choicest of things and all that my heart holds dear

Voices from the Waters...

Raj Kapoor… Nargis… love along the sea-beaten footpaths of Marine Drive
Listen real close

Voices from the Waters

He sits lonely on a bench… the girl he loved just walked out of his life… a rainy night in a park
Listen real close

Voices from the Waters

A motley crew of teens… an ominous tail fin… fear at the beach
Listen real close

Voices from the Waters

Ponds ripple… the trees tango with the winds… is it Ravishankar’s sitar that brings the storm or the storm that plays the sitar
Listen real close

Voices from the Waters

A gangster shot point-blank… his body spread-eagles across the board… the sea breeze pushes the door open
Listen real close

Voices from the Waters

The lovers’ escapades… they stand together forgetting the world, stopping time… at the very edge of the mighty Jog falls
Listen real close

Voices from the Waters


Over 70 films from over 30 countries… Cinema by the masters… A rare kind of Cinema… Cinema that is currently making news across the world… Some unknown voices so eloquent, so powerful…

The Festival, The Event, The Celebration that has put Bangalore on the world map of Environment Film Festivals …

THE BIGGEST FILM FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD ON WATER
In its biggest most dynamic avatar yet

VOICES FROM THE WATERS 2008
3rd INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ON WATER

I was here for the inauguration of this fest. I was a great feeling to be part of such events.
Shekar Kapur, renowned director declared open the fest, along with other noted film dignitaries like Kavitha Lankesh.

The fest opened with the premiere of THE RAGA OF RIVER NARMADA, one of the best and most powerful and poetic short films to made in the country, is what I felt watching it.
There is serious crunch where we need to awaken us for the water crisis.
The felt it true what Shekar Kapur spoke. He highlighted that existing water resources can very well sustain the current population, but shortage is a result of greed. "Ninety five percent of the damage is done. There will come a time when the only ones who can afford water from taps will be those who have armed guards at home. The world is heading for a water revolution," he added.
The reason for 3rd world war would be definitely for water.
Wake up fellow beings & rise to the cause of saving environment.
I felt good speaking to Shekar Kapur & other dignitaries present after the function. One of those pages of my life which will be cherished for a long time.

Rise Awake to make world a better place to live

[Review] Rock On..

Very few movies see ourselves getting pulled into the narrative. Some of them being TZP, RDB, Swades, Chak De, Jaane Tu…Rock On being the latest to join the list.
The writer, Abhishek Kapoor, has given each of these characters detailed attention. Together, they mature smoothly from adolescent “we can conquer the world” enthusiasm to learning to live life the hard way.
It’s youthful yet elegant. It’s contemporary yet identifiable with, by anyone who’s had a tiff with a close one. Yes, the layers of love for rock music and issues related to urban life need to be peeled off. But at the core it’s a very simple story told with compassion and sophistication.
The details of the main conflict are left to your imagination. But, the manner in which you are drawn into the story shows that smart people have been involved in its making. So, I submitted myself, albeit grudgingly, to the fact that their heart was in bringing us the resolution and not the clash. I’d suggest you do the same.
The obvious call of events in Rock on!! worked for me because I found myself getting attached to the characters and their relatively ordinary lives.
Each character in the foursome is representative of the kind of people any group of friends has. The idealist whose self-respect does not resign to compromise (Arjun Rampal), the slightly self-centered one who can’t see when he falters (Farhan Akhtar), the easy-go-lucky-cum-jackass who doesn’t let anything bother him too much (Purab Kohli) and the one who’s more emotionally attached to the ‘group’ sentiment than the rest (Luke Kenny).
The slight shiver in Farhan’s hands when confronted by his past, made me gape in awe of not just the actor but also the director, Abhishek Kapoor.
With male-bonding as the central theme, it’s refreshing to see women with well thought out characters who influence the direction of the story.
Prachi Desai is so cute…A must watch movie for any one. Music is awesome.
I had goose bumps watching the movie. I fell in love with Farhan’s house as well.
Message of the Movie: Live your dream & Friends are forever…
Parental Guidance:
• Violence: A couple fist fights.
• Sexual content: A couple of tiny make-out scenes.
• Concept: Friendship, bonding, forgiving and forgetting. While real little ones might not get it, a child above 10 might be able to grasp the concepts.
• General Look and Feel: It doesn’t have bright color tones. But, the kids might enjoy the songs and the overall feel might be appealing.
Rating: 4.5/5 Watch for sure - preferably in theatre
PS - My writeup may not serve the apt justice rather watching it. Rock On.. I felt watching a live concert as the crowd in my theater howled & swayed to the tunes of Farhan.. Awesome experience watching the movie.

Phoonk...

So, Ram Gopal Varma wanted to scare and make us question our beliefs. Well neither happened.
There’s nothing remotely scary about Phoonk. Unless of course, ogling crows, out-of-focus soft toys and wooden artifacts getting predictably into the limelight give you jitters. Then there’s the heavily made-up Ashwini Kalsekar who has a fetish for charcoaled eyes. Unfortunately, even tilt in her head doesn’t manage to evoke the fear factor. The spooky background music might have succeeded in some kind of horror, had it been used a little less.
The individual scenes too are a collection of random shots cut and pasted together. Had there been even an average amount of flow, maybe the plot and sub-plots thereof would have been coherent enough to touch my belief system.
Being a non-superstitious person, I had completely surrendered myself to a movie about black magic. Without such submission there was no hope of enjoying this one. But, that didn’t work either.
Baby Ahsaas’ act though, is really moving. She has very clearly exhausted herself in exhibiting what her character went through, and done really well too. My heart went out as much to her character as to the child artiste herself. Sudeep & rest of the cast are okay.
It’s truly not the question of whether or not one believes in black magic. It’s how believably it’s put forth. Such an issue should have ideally made me think of how I’d react if something like this happened in my family. But, as audience I’m kept at such a distance from the procedures that it’s almost as if the makers don’t want to get me involved. Employing the standard techniques used for the horror genre neither terrified me nor made me think about the topic at hand.

Parental Guidance:
Violence: Loads of black magic
Sexual content: None
Concept: Very dark
General Look and Feel: Spooky for children, I guess.
Rating (out of 5): 1

PS: On humanitarian grounds, is it really fair to have a 10-11 year old child go through the enactment of such torture? It’s the same question I had when I saw The Sixth Sense.

[Review] Bachna Ae Haseeno..

Ranbir starts off where SRK in DDLJ had left & opposite teen deviyaan Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Minissha Lamba.
Bachna Ae Haseeno has a great cast, great chemistry amongst actors [so sizzling, it could melt butter], great locations [jaw dropping actually] and some great moments. Bachna Ae Haseeno suffers, to a major extent, due to its screenplay running out of steam in the climax of the second hour.

Bachna Ae Haseeno has splendid moments in the first hour. In fact, the three stories, minus the culmination of course, are beautifully told in the first hour itself. There're some attention-grabbing moments in this hour and you genuinely feel exhilarated after having watched those portions.

Now to the second hour -- the guy repents for his misdeeds and years later, goes back to the first two women in his life. That's where the problems surface...

In a nutshell, Bachna Ae Haseeno could've been the ideal youthful entertainer, occupying the position that Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na enjoys amongst the yuppy crowd. But as things stand now, it's a great looking film with nothing outstanding about it. Okay for a single watch, that's about it!

Songs are good & hummable. Khuda Jaane is superbly shot. Naughty Boy is hot. Ahista is good as well.

Ranbir Kapoor is marvellous esp after Sawariya let-down.
Amongst girls, Bipasha Basu stands the tallest [Pity John Abraham who is really gonna have a tough time with her]
Minisha doesn't work at the start, but scores in the emotional scenes, especially in the second hour.
Deepika is a sore point. Her role isn't convincing and that's the reason why this performance doesn't work. The only consolation is, she looks gorgeous & the scene between Ranbir & her at the grocery store is awesome. The climax is finished off in a haste..

Parental Guidance:
* Violence: None
* Sexual content: A couple of item number type songs, and a scene with a bachelor party.
* Concept: The movie is about adult relationships. It's also about accepting mistakes. Not something they cannot or should not understand. Just depends on the interest level of the child - whether such a thing would interest him/her.
* General Look and Feel: Generally a very bright and peppy ambience throughout the movie.

My Rating:
3/5

PS: Suffering from a bout of Monday-Morning-Blues..

Thats my weekend..

The only reason why we ask other people how their weekend was is so we can tell them about our own weekend.

And there I go telling about mine.. rather busy one..

Pulling my time out for 2 movies, 2 farewells, watching 2 favorite sports of mine & a reality show, is what I call busy. Added to these is my regular guitar classes, swim practice & yoga retreat.

Time - Friday 10 PM:
Place – on my couch:
Jo Jeeta Wahi Superstar – Abhijeet makes it to the finale… Hope he wins…Yippee!!!

Time – Saturday 6 AM:
Place – BIA:
Adieu! I have too grieved a heart to take a tedious leave..
My fren is off to US.

Time – Saturday 1 PM:
Place – Abhinay Theater:
Watched Jaane Tu..Ya na Jaane (find my review below)

Time – Saturday 6 PM:
Place – Music Classes:
Gave my test for Guitar Grade 1.

Time – Saturday 8 PM:
Place – Shanti Sagar:
My nephew's Birthday Party.

Time – Sunday 6 AM:
Place – Jayanagar Aquatic Center:
Yahoo..perfected butterfly stroke..
Synchronised styles is what I aim for next

Time – Sunday 8:30 AM:
Place – Yoga Retreat:
For calming down my stress...

Time – Sunday 11 AM:
Place – Fame Lido:
Watched Love Story 2050 (wanted to watch the dance groove before any review hit me)

Time – Sunday 3:30 PM:
Place – Sankey Tank:
Adieu 2..
My another fren is off to Canada..

Time – Sunday 5:30 PM:
Place – Back Home:
Watching F1..Cheers to Hamilton...

Time – Sunday 7:30 PM:
Place – at Home:
Watching Epic Wimbledon Finale..Cheers Nadal (Felices Fiestas de Nadal; Buena suerte hora Fedex – Enjoy Celebrations Nadal; Good luck next time Federer)

Nadal nicks title after five-set thriller

Wimbledon has a new king. Rafael Nadal dethroned Roger Federer after a five-year reign by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final.

Federer, who converted only one of 13 break points in the match, fell short in his bid to set two landmarks: He failed to surpass Bjorn Borg by winning a sixth consecutive title or equal Willie Renshaw's record of six in a row from 1881-86.

Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam title, adding to his four consecutive French Open championships.

Federer, meanwhile, remains two shy of Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam wins & this being the only reason I cheered for Nadal this time.

Flawless Hamilton triumphant at sodden Silverstone

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has retaken the lead of the drivers' championship after a stunning home win in a very wet British Grand Prix. He finished over a minute clear of BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld, with Rubens Barrichello scoring Honda's first podium since 2006 in third.

The result means Hamilton now sits atop the standings, level on 48 points with Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth, and Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa

Jaane Tu... makes Love Story 2050's future bleak

Cast: Imran Khan, Genelia D’souza
Director: Abbas Tyrewala

It promised a light-hearted romance and that's exactly what I went in to see.
Jaane Tu is not your traditional plot-driven film.
It is, in fact, a film propelled by its characters and their motivations, much like Dil Chahta Hai in a sense, but without the emotional depth of that film.

Silliness aside, at its heart, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is a refreshing film. Refreshing because of its spectacular performances. Refreshing because of A R Rahman's outstanding soundtrack. Refreshing because the film's actors look like they actually enjoyed making this film. And refreshing because sitting there watching the film, you can't help feeling very old.

Good thing that comes out of that is the electrifying chemistry we get between Imran and Genelia who literally bounce off each other and keep you spellbound when they're on screen, even in the film's dullest scenes.

Genelia is what I'd call a pathaka (reminds me of Juhi in QSQT & I fell in love with her) — she's spontaneous and sparkling. And Imran is the best young actor we've seen on screen for months.

But make sure you watch it. Watch it for some sparkling dialogue, some fantastic music, but most of all, watch it for Imran and Genelia who conceal the film's many flaws.

Rating: 4 / 5 (Good)

Cast: Harman Baweja, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani
Director: Harry Baweja

Love Story 2050 is a love-story after all, and an insipid, passionless one at that. The innumerable love songs only slacken the pace of this film, though the music is good.

The film's hero, newcomer Harman Baweja who is so busy trying to look, sound, dance and fight like Hrithik Roshan that we get no glimpse at all of Harman himself. I admit he is a fantabulous dancer.

I guess Harry wanted something like KNPH story of punarjanam, what Hrithik did 8 years ago. Not every time such movies click..
Harman deserved a better story as his launch pad..
Rest wise I personally feel, the movie is just for time pass..
Go in with no expectations at all or else you come out confused.

Rating: 2.5 / 5 (Average)

PS: There aren't enough days in the weekend.

..that he lay down his life for his…

In a world of tension and breakdown it is necessary for there to be those who seek to integrate their inner lives not by avoiding anguish and running away from problems, but by facing them in their naked reality and in their ordinariness.

Does he want Money?
Does he want Fame?
Does he want Power?
For some Men these things are much important...
But for some, what he really want is Love,
Because they know that getting the first three is much easier than Love...

Well, it seems to me that the best relationships-- the ones that last-- are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with.
Relationships--of all kinds--are like sand held in your hand. Held loosely, with an open hand, the sand remains where it is. The minute you close your hand and squeeze tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You may hold onto some of it, but most will be spilled. A relationship is like that. Held loosely, with respect and freedom for the other person, it is likely to remain intact. But hold too tightly, too possessively, and the relationship slips away and is lost.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved"

To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with..
My life is good but sometimes I'm just overwhelmed with a feeling that I'm missing something or someone in my life.
I wish nobody goes through the emotional drains of being lonely..
Buena suerte` amigos..(Good Luck frens)

PS : Whats the longest you've gone without talking?
PPS : the fearful silence surrounds my mind.
PPPS : Hablo poco espanol (I speak little Spanish as I started attending the classes)

Exception Handling…

I know the night is not the same as the day: that all things are different, that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day, because they do not then exist, and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started.

How many exceptions are to be handled here in this life…
What ever you try is thrown as an exception thrown at you to be caught and handled…


try{
Push Onsite
}catch{
No country for old men
}
try{
Career Options
}catch{
Hard Luck
}
try{
Work Excellence
}catch{
No place for Emotions
}
try{
Appreciations
}catch{
Fall short of the Mark
}
try{
Certifications
}catch{
Better Luck Next time
}
try{
Appraisals
}catch{
Relatively ranked into 2nd Class
}
try{
Try Socializing
}catch{
Fake Empathies
}
try{
Manage Mentees
}catch{
Be ready CounterStrike
}
try{
Aspirations
}catch{
Expectations too high
}
try{
Friends
}catch{
Not Reachable
}
try{
Family Values
}catch{
Disturbed Mental Peace
}
try{
Fishing Soul mate
}catch{
1 Connection leads to another
}

The pain is unrelenting; one does not abandon, even briefly, one's bed of nails, but is attached to it wherever one goes.
And I look again towards the sky as the raindrops mix with the tears I cry.

Teach me to pray for joy, for pity's sake -
I've suffered so much that I cannot bear
To think of future grief - give me some prayer
To murmur every day.

PS : Oh, sweet sorrow, the time you borrow, will you be here when i wake up tomorrow?

While You Were Sleeping....Disha

I looked out to sea. I always found the sea so calming, and even as a child I would run across the road to the beach if I was upset and needed to think.
My parents knew that when I went missing from the house, they would find me here by the sea.

I closed my eyes and breathed in & out along the gentle sighing of the waves. It was as though the sea was taking big deep breath; pulling the water in while it inhaled & pushing it all backup onto the sand as it exhaled. I continued to breathe along with it & felt my pulse rate slow down as I became calmer.
I felt squashed between the shoulders of my past & my lost future, and I felt suffocated. I shouldn’t have to be there, none of my friends, none of my family or infact majority of the population of the world didn’t have to be there in the position I was right in. It doesn’t seem fair.
We both met here on this beach, from where we set our journey of love. I found solace in solitude watching the waves until I had the first look of her.

I picked the orchids near-by & walked towards her.
‘Excuse me, do you have band-aid because I scrapped my knee when I fell you for you’
I proposed having no clue of the tides ahead.
She turned & looked at me as she played with a gang of kids she had come with.
‘So you believe in love at first sight, right? Or should I walk by again?’ She chuckled. She looked gorgeous doing it.
She was my best friend, mother, and care-taker. I was her world.
Hmm.. My life jeopardized when I lost her. My journey of life seemed to lost track.
She was a victim of mob-fury while she was traveling to her NGO which served the downtrodden, blind & homeless children, in a bus as stones were pelted & set ablaze. She was charred alive while helping an old lady out. She was moved to the hospital where she fought for life. She braved it for 3 days.
I saw every moment of her struggle. I was beside her. I couldn’t stand the pain she was going through for no fault of hers.
She saw my eyes filled with tears for the 1st time in these 2 years since our marriage.
It was difficult to both of us going through this.
‘I miss you & I love you, Pranav’ She murmured.
I held her hand & said ‘I Love you tooo…Disha’ and kissed her forehead as she breathed her last after those words.

I set to sail on a journey of love..
I thought I would reach my destiny of desire..
I realized when the thought of losing her..
That I was on a paper-boat as I drowned…

I could hide the pain I felt & make others believe that I can move on. But I couldn’t deny the truth that one who has left me is the still the one I miss…

I wanted to complete her unfulfilled missions, so I decided & quit as a Software Engineer, what is the use of coming up with something which is far from reach of the economically challenged class of society.
I took over her NGOs task. I felt that I worked with her & lived with her. The smile which I got back from those whom I worked for was a reward, I cherished.
Days went by when I felt so happy & content, & confident that my life would be OK, & then as quickly as the feeling came it would disappear and I would feel the sadness setting again. I wandered around like a zombie, watching everybody else live theirs, while I waited mine to end…

Sookhi mitti mein dafan hai kuch yaadein,
Kaun sunega, kis se kare fariyaadein…

What is the point in living when there is no LIFE in it…
- Pranav


PS: Life we lead depends on options we get and the choices we make..
PPS: Oh, sweet sorrow, the time you borrow, will you be here when i wake up tomorrow?
PPPS: Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great
enough to die for.

Good-bye, Farewell & Amen..Sunshine Girl

Totttttallly my pleasure, I must say...
Ohhh my Gaaaaawd!!! I am humbled & thrilled...
Phew!!! Touching one...
Gooooooooooood Morning Baaaaaangalore...

I think most of you must be missing these lines just as the way I am missing right now.

The ‘sunshine girl’ who brightened Bangalore City has now dusked into history. We wouldn’t get to listen to her voice anymore. Saturday she decided to move-on who was unanimous queen of hearts since 4 years now for millions of radio-fans like me. From a mere listener to ardent listener of radio, I transformed with her shows.

When Vasanti’s Box was opened, along with all the evils & vices came something that would turn out to be the elixir of life – Hope. It’s the drug that all of us live on, and it’s the only ray of light that gives you belief in the dark. That’s the caliber RJ Vasanti had.

She marauded her listeners & changed the traditional RJ perceived. She was ready for her own onslaught.

We take time to open up to people but there are some people whom I connect instantly. It surprises me how I get into long conversations with people we barely know. Vasanti was one whom I could connect to as well.

It is ironical that while she was the breakfast and travel companion for lakhs of Bangaloreans she rarely shared the breakfast tables with her own family even on holidays – for these are occasions for special shows on air. Well, such is life…


Professionally, her big moment was when she was chosen to represent India at the “Global Young Leaders Seminar” in Salzburg. Trivialities such as the color of your skin just did not figure as they plunged themselves into scenario- building - on how the world should look in the year 2030. She spoke on “Radio for Social Change”.

She did her bit to create an awareness, rope in organizations to this big cause thereby bringing people ready to help and the needy together. A concerted plan is slowly emerging from her efforts in building ‘a sunshine’ community for Bangalore. For this she truly deserves the title, ’Bangalore’s sunshine Girl’

She vows that she will never delete that mail by Mr. N. R. Narayanmurthy, “I listen to Vasanthi’s shows whenever I can. I notice that she has a genuine desire to make a difference to the world around her. She has the power to mould the opinion of over 2 million listeners through her radio show.” was at once wonderfully motivating and humbling for her.



When Radio or even disc Jockeying is full of negatively funny ’evil’ pranksters who love to rip you apart, here was a person with whom you will ‘connect’ endlessly without squirming in your seat. Little wonder that she was chosen for the Radio Excellence Award for the India's Best English RJ.

Vasanthi Hariprakash must surely be the fizziest thing amongst all those that dot the FM horizon with their light-hearted banter. Her energetic waking up of the city with a beautiful thought here, a concerned enquiry there, a sympathetic tch! tch! sprinkled at the right moments ringing laughter in us. Speaking your hearts language she truly did. She spoke 6 languages including Hindi, Kannada, Gujrati, Tamil, English etc. ….!! Vasanthi’s intensity and depth as a person, her genuine desire to heal and make a difference was apparent. She has deeply lived those moments and feels good that she can keep that faith for that is the beginning of change to other people.

Her shows – Breakfast with the brats for kids, Friday Flashback for hindi retro, her fitness tips, her investment suggestions, party at 6-40, by-2-coffee, babbar sher & lingo-leela for vocabulary enhancements. Bangalore Talkies, Idly vada funda, Music-e-azam, her interviews diverse with people spanning to NRN, bolly celebs, journos, her London travel-tales..list seems endless, every bit of it would be missed for a long time to come. The scaled success of hers would be unachieved by other RJs for a long time to come.

Her choice of songs which unwound me is truly commendable.

I owe all my gratitude & thanks to her for being such an influencing factor all these days.
I infact have few memories with her to cherish, I had spoken to her on-air & met her couple of times in Radio-city studio & inside Infy campus as well.

Now she has moved-on, I wish her the best of Life’s Journey & a bright future ahead.
Wish to see her back soon… as she told even she missed Radio badly when she moved out…

Sayonara Vasanti, Kabhi Alvida na kehana..

PS: For people who don’t know, Vasanti was the most celebrated RJ of Radio-City 91.1 Bangalore.
PPS: She can now be reached through www.vasanthihariprakash.com
PPPS: I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy

There is no sincerer love than the love of food.

Two evenings & dinner to remember, embed into my memories.

“For the millions of us who live glued to computer keyboards at work and TV monitors at home, food may be more than entertainment. It may be the only sensual experience left.”

I had an ecstatic reason to be happy over the last weekend, infact not 1 but two. 2 of my friends had planned for the dinner, which they owed me as their Birthday Treats.

On Friday evening, me & my friend set out to dine, with me no clue of what kind of food I wanted to have. I am very morose in what I choose to eat. But one thing I had in mind is, at the end of day my fren has to feel good for having delicious food as he had been here in South for the 1st time.

Tried to catch up with some friends for a nice place to hang-out, but didn’t get the timely suggestions.

So I took him out to a place which I had been before, Banjara (Near Race Course, Blr), a great place for all food-type fare. The concierge directed us to the candle-lit tables which he felt was murky. So we took our tables inside. The ambience was brilliant as I am a complex human who don’t like teeming/strident places. Decent music & yummy food of our choice made the evening memorable. We had lung-fung soup, lip-smacking latcha paratha etc, blame it on my memory. Soup and fish explain half the emotions of human life.

My friend also liked it to my surprise, hope I made his day.

"Food here responds to our soul’s dream as to our stomach's appetite.” Overall a decent place to enjoy a delectable food of your choice.

Suggest you people to try that out as well

I had the following evening, to acknowledge another friend’s invitation to join him for his treat.


But this time, was not indecisive as I was the previous day. I was clear about having Chinese food for the day. So we dropped in at Chungs’ (Malleshwaram, Blr), clean place, but too crowded, but still could hold on to my nerves for a decent meal. I eat merely to put food out of my mind.


We had Tom-Yom Soup, Dragon Rolls with Garlic sauce, Chicken-pops, Schezwan rice & chowmein. Totally I was taken back with the quality & taste of the food that was served, in spite of me having other reasons to brood on with the place & people around, which would make up a topic of another blog; will bring it out sometime. Again a place I would suggest you people to try out.


"I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat. There's no pleasure worth foregoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward."

All I wanted to say is had two decent evenings which would be cherished for sometime to come.


PS: All happiness depends on a leisurely supper.
PPS: I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food
PPPS: “When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food."

U, Me aur Hamari Dosti..

The concept of this blog conceived after I was made to realize my shortcoming through a SMS conversation with my Friend.

U : don’t know y grass on other side always looks greener.
Me : it happens, don’t worry, its all how you see.
U : uncertainties of the future has put me down
Me : we would b gods if we are clear of the future, if u get to know it now, there is nothing left in life infact. Don’t worry
U : sometimes certain things are better left to fate.
Me : I don’t want u 2 blame it on fate, 4 things you can do. Now come on cheer-up. Every tunnel has an illuminated path at the end of it. I’m sorry if my words don’t help you feel better.
U : kuch baatein..no one can understand..
Me : there is nothing which cant be understood, it is you who don’t want to make me understand & ruining ur peace of mind.
U : Tum nahi samjhoge, my confusions abt my career, my life & all that. Ye sab chalta rahega, chalo so jaao GN
Me : I dono how good u feel makin such statements, bad. U don’t want things to be st8 even when the other person is ready to lend his heart out to make u feel better. GN

As someone said, Life is indeed beautiful coz of some people; I did not want that special person of my life to be in such bad situation. This kept me pondering of my existence for a long time before I fell asleep.
How do I make him feel better, am I so bad that he says that I don’t understand what he is going through.
I wanted to say him this -

I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears. But I can listen to you and together we will search for answers.
But why did he refrain from sharing? That’s what friends are for..
It doesn't really matter whether you grip the arms of the dentist's chair or let your hands lie in your lap. The drill drills on.
I can't change your past with all its heartache and pain, or the future with its untold stories. But I can be there now when you need me to care.
But why did you stop me from caring? What are friends for..
I can't keep your feet from stumbling. I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.
But why did you stop from holding on to me? What are friends for..
I can't prevent you from falling away from friendship, from your values, from me. I can only pray for you, talk to you, and wait for you.
I understand you are going through a bad patch, but I want to say that it doesn’t make me feel good either when you are in such worse phase.
I hate seeing is any of my friends being so vulnerable.
Its even more hard for me when its you.
I am scared that he is finding solace in misery by not sharing things with me for solutions…
I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting, but I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces and put them back in place.
Speak out, share things. That’s how you feel better.
I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you, but I can give you the room to change, room to grow, room to be yourself.
I don’t expect u 2 change; you can be at your natural best. I have accepted u as a friend as you are & never fear that you brooding on things would change my opinion for you. All I expected is you to share & feel better.
And let your best be for your friend. If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also. For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill? Seek him always with hours to live
Finally,
I can't tell you who you are. I can only love you and be your friend.

PS : Life is not easy & it will never be, but you’ve got friends & one of them is me..
PPS : Apologies if you find it too senti as you always say.. (am not senti-baaz)
PPPS : Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends. To be an adult is to be alone

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE...

Borrowing from an American philosopher who said, ‘ A politician thinks of next election – A statesman of next generation’. May I say Ayaan and Driti thought of mere reasons to pick-up a fight next day? Not a single day at college of theirs passed without their fight. Such was the vibes they had.

Ayaan, the stunning, mind-boggling guy. Driti, beautiful, coy & unassuming, she has an infectious smile.
It was the last day of college; they were at the farewell function, Yaadein. But today was different; they both abstained in any war-of-words. A silence had leapt over them without their knowledge. They kept themselves to their groups.

Both looked at each other at once, their eyes spoke it all. Neither of them could conclude of what the feeling was that they went through.

Both spent a sleepless night, gazing at the sky thinking of what their eyes spoke.

Ayaan & Driti were supposed to leave to their hometowns the next day. Driti’s train was at 9-30 AM. They both packed their bags with the confusion still running back of their minds. Driti concluded what it was after a debate among her friends. She typed a SMS to Ayaan before she left the hostel, which read,

“I find myself extremely confident in very strange situations. Sometimes I am not sure of myself. Infact, most of the times I am not sure of myself & those times I feel so weak.
Mere dard ki koi dava na karo, mujhko mujhse yu juda na karo.”

This SMS rang the bell in Ayaan’s mind which clearly could relate to what he was going through. Her smile captivated his mind as he read the SMS. He cringed. He woke up & changed his attire to a white t-shirt & blue denim, wanting to meet Driti & confess before she left.

It was the town located among the lush green hillock. It was foggy morning, with the sun hiding behind the clouds & could hear the birds chirp. It was a small clean station. Driti reached the station with her friends with a heavy heart expecting a change for a lifetime, with all prayers in mind. The train arrived at the platform. Driti is searching around, but with no symptoms of Ayaan’s presence around.

Ayaan made it to the flower-shop to get some orchids for her & left to the station. He drove through the misty roads.
Driti’s heart was pounding with anticipation. But Ayaan was not seen at all.

The station-master blew his whistle indicating the departure time. She boarded the train & sat beside the window still not letting her hopes down.

The train siren honked & started moving, chik-buk.

Ayaan rushed into the station sensing that he was running out of time, as the train had just started to gain momentum. The bogie she was in just crossed by him & she saw him through the window. He stood there helpless in distress. All he could do is see the train whistling into the tunnel of the fog-clad hillocks. His voice shriveled & fell on his knees with flowers in his hand.

"Milna Ittefaq, Bichadna tha nasib; Wo door ho gaye jo the dil ke kareeb“

He typed –
“Kashti behati hain kinare ki talaash mein,Log bichadte hin milne ki aas mein.
Wonderful ppl r hard 2 find, u seem 2 b 1 of them..”& sent it across to her.
She had silent tears rolling down her cheek. He sat there at the station waiting….


PS : Loosely Inspired by a real experience.
PPS : Apologies if its a long read.
PPPS : Awakening the dead-cells of mine for some creativity

The helluva week of my life

The most sorrowful week of mine just passed...
Last week was just meant to lose for me..

* People (SPM/PM/PA) who were running around full of garbage ( full of frustration, full of anger & full of disappointment) piled up & needed a place to dump it.. I was the one these people chose to dump on.
What should I do, shouldn't I take it personally. Is that I need to just smile , wave wish them well & move on.

* Second thing, I lost my spectacles in the meeting room on thursday..
should I again blame my carelessness for not remembering it before I left the room.

* Third blunder of week- one of my team-mate wanted a Nokia series charger on thursday & she borrowed mine as I carry it along everyday. On friday when I ask her to return it back, I was taken back by her response... Sorry, I left it at my desk over-nite & now I am not able to find it anywhere.. Gaaaaawsh!! is it my mistake to lend things in courtesy. My phone is off since 2 days now as I was in no mood to buy a new charger, neither I had patience to get one.
How do I move on? I decided not to entertain any services anymore.. Am I wrong?

* The fourth one - I was returning back from guitar classes in the eveningby bus, as my cousin wanted my bike for some urgent work. So I commuted using the BMTC bus to my classes, I remember taking the ticket from the conductor of the bus & placing my wallet back into the bag. Thats it, I later realised the wallet had been stolen. Now my PAN Card, 2 wheeler + 4 wheeler License, My Credit + Debit cards, & lots of shopping cards from Shoppers Stop, West-side, Pantaloons have been lost. With that I lost the minting points as well I guess.. I blocked my debit & credit cards, but I have to approach the police for my lost PAN & DL Cards, I dont know but I am horrified by the name POLICE...
Why did the thief choose only me to get his earnings for the day.. why me?

* Top of all these, the important thing I lost was my PEACE OF MIND following all these incidents

PS: Off-late I find it difficult to recollect things.. is it short-term memory loss
PPS: Haven't told papa that I have lost my wallet or else will have a nice round of scoldings & he will never trust me.. will have to bear those repeating words of caution everytime I step out of my house... which would be boring.. so havent told him :(
PPPS: What do I do? Believe that everything happens for a reasons aaargh!! too much
PPPPS: Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.. but I have a reason to enchant for which I looking forward this week :) (secret)

Happy New Year 2008

We will open the book...
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.......
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past.....
The essential message of New Year is let go off the past and embrace life as it comes to you.

May the new year bring many opportunities your way, to explore every joy of life and may your resolutions for the days ahead stay firm, turning all your dreams into reality and all your efforts into great achievements.
Happy New Year 2008