Sleepless Dreams

Kites -- Reviewed

2010-05-23T02:40:00.004+05:30

Genre: Drama, Romance

Director: Anurag Basu

Old wine in a new bottle...is it? To some extent Yes! But I liked the new bottle.

Well, its got some very filmy thrills with steroetypical car chases, backgrounds of the protagonists & dialogues. But it stands out in the way its been handled, which is quite refreshing. Here's what I liked in the movie:

1. The way the makers have handled the communication of feelings between the two main characters, inspite of the language barrier.

2. The protagonists are not the do-all-good kind of characters like our typical bollywood love stories, they show their grey side.

3. Hrithik & Barbara's acting will surely be enough to get loads of brownie points for this movie. Not to forget their sizzling on-screen chemistry. Hrithik, is probably the only actor in the industry right now who could have pulled off J's character. And he has done it with aplomb. Barbara is not only good on the eyes, she can also actually ACT, which is a far cry for our current crop of eye candies.

4.The slick camera work.

5. The song "Fire" gives something to ponder on to those who had any doubts about who the best dancer in the industry is. The song itself is enough paisa vasool for all the die-hard Hrithik fans.

6. While watching the movie, I never had the feeling that I was watching a bollywood love story. It's got the goods to appeal to the worldwide audience. Although it was also over-the-top in some scenes which wouldn't go well with some audiences.

I however, did not quite like the ending. Thats probably because I am used to masala love stories having a fairy tale ending. But that is not what happens in real life all the time, is it?

The movie certainly is not without its flaws. The supporting cast could've done a better job & it does have its stereotypes. But saying that "Kites" is the best movie of the year so far, would not be an understatement. Cheers to the makers for going ahead with this brave venture. It does augur well for the future of Indian cinema at the world stage. Time for the Chopras & Johars to stand up & be counted. I would certainly want to watch the international cut of this movie. For those who haven't watched it yet, just go without any expectations & enjoy the flight !!

Shaapit -- Reviewed

2010-03-28T23:38:00.005+05:30

Genre: Horror
Director: Vikram Bhatt

Heard a lot about this movie before deciding to watch it. But I was totally unaware as to what was in store for me. A curse on a family that has lived through centuries of their existence by being associated to a "buri aatma". A potentially good concept, which was flushed down the toilet with aplomb. Here's how....
The scene goes like this: The parents are discussing why the marriage is/is not feasible. We see a few shots of Aditya Narayan (Aman) with a frozen face. Next shot is of a lady shedding tears. My first impression was that she was his mom. But wait, turned out, she was his girlfriend. Well, Shweta Agarwal (Kaaya) wasn't bad looking. Its just that the KID is not ready to become a hero yet. Well, he did grow a teeny-weeny-patch-of-a-beard as the movie went on, but that was not enough. Besides, he CAN'T act. He damn well gives Dino Morea & Vivek Oberoi a run for their money.
The Delhi Commonwealth games were well publicized, with Aman running like someone had stolen his candy, at the slightest opportunity.
The acting was the only thing that was close to being horrific. Rahul Dev was OK, the rest were non-existent. The special effects were amateurish to say the least. We've seen better. A few screamy moments, but they were not enough to save face.The music made matters worse & it was not what you would expect from a Vikram Bhatt movie. As I watched the movie, I waited for a chill to run down my spine, and I was kept waiting.
For all the fans of Ramsay brothers horror flicks, look no further. The face of the "buri aatma", in this unconvincing love story, reminded me of those golden "Puraana Mandir" days.
And finally, for a horror movie, the most important part is the after-effects it has on its audience & I am feeling no after effects whatsoever.
Top it all with an almost empty theatre & you have the perfect combination of a disaster. Kudos to the makers for wasting a perfect horror recipe. Not something you expect from the makers of "Raaz" & "1920".

20 Years of Sachin Magic!!

2009-11-14T22:02:00.006+05:30

When I was a kid, I didn't see much of cricket. To watch an away series, we had to wake up real early & I hated that. So I didn't share much of my dad's enthusiasm in terms of cricket. As I grew up, the interest slowly picked up. Kapil Dev was my favorite cricketer in those days. And then Sourav Ganguly came along & I loved the grace of this guy as he effortlessly caressed bowlers through the offside. He remained my favorite till the time he retired. But all this time, I never really idolized Sachin Tendulkar. I loved it when he played, but I wasn't a Sachin fanatic, and I am not, even now.
For bowlers all over the world, this small guy with a really compact technique had become one of the most feared batsmen to bowl at. Among his several innings, my most favorite were the 100's he scored @ Sharjah against a mighty Australian side as he won the triangular tournament for India, single-handedly. He, along with Sourav Ganguly, had forged one of the most deadly opening partnerships that the cricketing world has ever seen. And I am pretty doubtful if I would ever enjoy any 2 batsmen play, the same way as I enjoyed watching the Sachin-Sourav pair. And now, as the nation celebrates 20 years of Sachin magic, I don't think words are enough to say how I feel. I could go on listing stats to show he is the best batsmen of all time, but what the hell, we all know this fact.
I have lost all interest in cricket in the past few years. The T-20s have somewhat killed the excitement I had & the IPL was perhaps the last nail in the coffin. I only follow test matches nowadays.
As more & more players have become eagerly concerned about the IPL, rather than playing for India, watching international games has become just a waste of time for me. The reason is that I do not think these so-called "YOUNG" players today play with the intensity that they should demonstrate when representing a nation of cricket fanatics.
I did not watch even a single game in the recently concluded India-Australia series. For me the series had got over even before it started (WTF, I had even predicted the final scoreline of the series correctly :P). But amongst all these things, there was just one small flame that made me sit down with amazement. I did not have the privilege to watch Sachin's innings of 175 unfold LIVE, but the highlights were enough for me to get the spark back. As he hammered the Aussies all over the park, I was watching utterly amazed at what this man could do, even after so many years.
Frankly speaking, I really felt that there was just one man playing for INDIA that day & everyday in this series. The rest were TEAM BCCI. Nothing much has changed since the 90's. Sachin still takes us near the end & all he asks for is support from the team. But rarely does the team answer back. "YOUNGISTAN" players have replaced the so-called "OLDIES" because they are supposedly more fit. These FIT players of ours do not even want to dive when there is a need to do so. All they do is smile for the camera, those shameless smiles.
People say Sachin is GOD. I beg to differ. I say, he is a mere mortal like you & me. And I believe that the GOD above created him for a reason. The reason was to give us a belief that a mere mortal is capable of great things, things that we can be in awe of. A belief that if an individual is committed, focussed & hard working, the impossible can be achieved. A belief that if we get a chance to represent our motherland at any stage, we should make it count & give it our all. Because, even today, when a bowler begins his run-up & sees a small man with an Indian flag on his helmet, he has this feeling in the back of his mind, "I am not bowling to this one man...I am bowling to an entire nation!!"
Thanks Sachin, for giving us those wonderful moments & I hope you keep giving us more in the years to come!!

Call of the Heart or Call of the Mind ?

2009-11-11T23:40:00.002+05:30

So how should we handle relationships...by being emotional or being practical? Now, by relationships, I mean all kinds of relationships that we come across in our life since birth. Be it with our parents, family, friends or the one we love.
I, for one, believe that the decisions I take when dealing with relationships are more emotional than practical. To put it differently, I listen more to the heart than to the brain in these situations. Am I wrong in doing so?
Well,I have always felt that its the connection of the hearts that keeps these bonds intact, so for me it makes perfect sense to go with the heart. People tell me that I care a lot for the people I know, most of the times I care about them even more than I care for myself. Yes, I do.
They tell me its a bad thing. They tell me it gives pain, one that is far more difficult to endure than any kind of physical pain that one can imagine. And from what I have learnt till now, YES, it does give pain...a hell lot of pain....but should that be the reason for me to change myself?
You can call it a manufacturing defect, but the truth is that I don't want to change ME. May be it's too late for me to change. May be I have crossed that threshold where we can actually change the way we think & feel about people. But, I am not very sure if there is any such threshold. And I believe that's how its meant to be. We are not meant to be PERFECT. That is what gives flavor to our life.
And so, that is how I will remain, always trying to spread smiles among each & every person I care about & who are important to me. And for them, I will be ready to endure any kind of pain or suffering. Its worth it, because to me, the call of the HEART is more important than the call of the MIND!!

One More Round...

2009-10-10T21:18:00.002+05:30

Wrote this down about a month ago, but never really found the courage to post it...

"It was a lonely Sunday afternoon. Nothing much happening & I was just lazing around unable to sleep. Tried watching a movie, but then decided not to. I ended up sitting on the couch and swapping channels on the tv, not particularly interested in what was being shown. To summarise, I was doing absolutely nothing & was with a BLANK mind. And then it hit me, all of a sudden.
It hit me like a speeding train & I was helpless. It was the feeling that I am going to die ALONE.
To tell the truth, I dont realise why this happened to me. May be I am out of my mind or something. But it did & it grew stronger every second. The transition of my mind from being completely blank to being occupied by this solitary thought was suffocating to say the least. A lot has been going on lately, this was probably a side effect of it.
I am not really this kind of a person. My friends tell me that I spread the humour around all the time. But very few have actually tried to understand the real person inside of me. One who is emotional and passionate. Is it a weakness? I dont really know that either, but that's how I am..and that's how I will remain.
We sometimes spend a portion of our life running after something passionately & then all of a sudden we realize that it was just a mirage. Something that didnt exist actually, but the false impression led to its pursuit. A fruitless pursuit in the end. But for me the real question is, was this pursuit worth it? Truthfully speaking, I really don't know right now. But I am still trying to figure out the answer.
Its hold on me was broken when my mom came in and asked if I wanted to have tea. But its still there, even though the effect has calmed down a bit. It is still eating away my brain slowly & gradually. And I cannot do a thing about it.
And today, whenever I've said " I am fine", the line from the movie "The Italian Job" has popped up in my mind, (Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional)
GOD help me..."

Now, about a month later, something has changed. Some part of me has died & will never return back. But I still believe that "Whatever happens, happens for the better" and this will keep me going. I am now looking at life differently and this is thanks to all the support that some people around me have provided. Its time to move ahead now, coz its not over yet...."ONE MORE ROUND"!!

The Almost Night Out & Moments of Nostalgia...

2009-09-11T00:13:00.006+05:30

I Hate exams... I really do. My job requires me to give atleast a fixed number of certifications every year & the whole ordeal is a real pain in all the wrong places. I gave one of these today. It wasn't rocket science though. It dealt with the resellers, distributors & how they are playing a major role in shaping the discrete manufacturing supply chain in the ever evolving global environment.But its not the technology distributors that I want to talk about.

I reached home at midnight, after attending an office party. Struggling to keep awake, I started having a look at the presentation that was the key to pass the exam. "Hmm... I think I can cover this by 4:00 AM", I thought. Just 140 odd slides, plus I already had a look at them before & knew the context. Shouldn't have gone to the party though, would've given me some more time to get this over with. But then, in the fight between exams & chicken, who would be the chosen one? Naah... chicken wins..hands down!!

So,I get started. One slide after the other. But where did these dogs come from & why are they jumping in and around the pillars. Hey, wait a second...pillars, what pillars. Wake up boy...these are bar graphs. They are supposed to show the revenues generated as a result of blah blah blah. I decided to sit & turn to the WWW to keep me awake. The orkuts & facebooks of the world. Somehow I reach slide 40....huh 100 more. Okay...lets get some music going.

As the music got me started again, I couldn't help remember the final days of MBA. The last semester. The last minute glances at the pages that remained unseen for 4 months or so & the ones that would get us through the last hurdle remaining. Those late night meetings to decide what to read, what not to read, or whether to read anything altogether. The rush to get the notes before the test & the parties in "Chandaal gali" following them. Then, before I knew it, I was growing all nostalgic & browsing through some old photos, remembering some really great people & the times I've had with them. Times that changed my life forever. Times that were fun & hectic at the same time. Times that were full of life & unforgettable.We the "GHANTAS" sure had a great time together @ KGP. The bakar, sort of never ended. Now in the hectic rush of life, that spark has faded a bit. We had met each other a long time back & have never had a real get together for over a year now.But that sure doesn't take away the effect these precious people have had on my life.

I've had to go through some 'not so good' situations in my personal life in the last few months. But these memories have always brought a smile to my face even on the worst of days. And the feeling that these people will always be there when I need them is what keeps me going every single day!

I glanced at the clock & it was already 3:00 AM. Still had almost 80 more slides to go. I then started rushing through the slides & somehow got done by 5:00 AM (I am still bad at managing my time, but I sure am on the path of improvement). And Yes...I passed the test today ;)

P.S: To all the "GHANTAS"....Thank You for touching my life the way you did & giving me those delightful moments that would stay with me forever. "Babaji ki jai ho !!"

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-07-19T20:43:00.008+05:30

Genre: Action

Director: Gavin Hood

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Ryan Reynolds

Wolverine has always been my favorite character from among the X-Men. A dangerous fighting machine with raw animal instincts, indestructible in every sense with retracting claws of adamantium, the character truly is a treat for every action fan. Needless to say that when I heard about this movie, I simply couldn't wait to watch it. But was the wait worth it? I still can't decide....

Efficiently choreographed stunts, good camera work & an amazingly stylish performance by Hugh Jackman. There are some awesome action sequences in the movie that are unforgettable.

But, by the time it got over, something just didnt click. I still don't understand what was missing, but it failed to hold my attention for quite a good amount of time. Has some breath-taking scenes that deserve praise, but it leaves the viewer asking for more. I kept asking...but didn't get any. May be next time!!

A decent watch for the weekend, it will get a BIG thumbs up for the action & style, but, a thumbs down for the overall cinematic experience. However, it certainly is better than the run-of-the-mill action they churn out nowadays!!

Weekend Blues !!

2009-07-05T13:01:00.002+05:30

Aah!! Finally, after a long time, a weekend in which I don't have to work. But why am I still bored? I think I have gotten myself addicted to going to office. The feeling of having nothing to do is eating away my mind. I think I need some sort of therapy or something. I have somehow picked myself up to write these few lines....

Here's a list of things that I usually do on a weekend when I am not working:

1. Wake up @ Lunch time

2. Spend some quality time in the Gym.

3. Have Golgappas in the evening (With rainy season already in town, this activity will take a severe hit for sure)

4. Go shopping (The activity starts off aimlessly as just Window shopping. I move around without even the faintest idea of what I want to buy & end up buying something that I never thought I wanted, but still did!)

5. Lie on the couch swapping channels, not exactly sure what to watch. They all seem to be the same anyways.

6. Watch some quality, entertaining movies (And still cant coerce myself to writing some reviews).

See, thats a pretty exhaustive list. But, even With so much to do, I still feel bored. I seriously think I need a break, or maybe just a simple trip to rejuvenate my spirits. Though that doesnt seem to be coming any time soon !!

Movie Review: Ghajini (2008)

2009-01-01T23:33:00.003+05:30

Genre: Drama, Action
Director: A.R .Murugadoss
Cast: Aamir Khan, Asin Thottumkal, Pradeep Rawat, Jiah Khan

It was the second most awaited film this year for me (the 1st slot had been taken by “The Dark Knight”) & it definitely was worth the wait. Based on the concept of Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece “Memento”, A.R. Murugadoss’s “GHAJINI” had all the ingredients to be a masala potboiler. Aamir khan, his most talked about 8 pack abs (you should see the no. of people flocking the gym nowadays) , Asin’s bollywood debut, remake of a superhit Tamil movie, the “Memento” link & all the hype surrounding it. These were reasons enough for people to be drawn to the theatres. No, I haven’t watched the Tamil version yet & I have watched “Memento” several times.

The movie follows the story of a telecom tycoon, Sanjay who falls in love with an aspiring model Kalpana. The depiction of their sweet love story is the hallmark of the movie. However, it wasn’t one with a happy ending, as Kalpana is killed & Sanjay is severely injured on the head. Sanjay develops a case of “Anterograde Amnesia”. He can remember things for only about 15 minutes. He sets off to find the man responsible for Kalpana’s death & the only clue he has is the last word Kalpana had whispered into his ears…. “Ghajini”. It’s a story of revenge, or should I say…RETRIBUTION.

Aamir sparkles yet again in both his avatars in the movie. He plays the gentleman tycoon with flair & does an even better job playing the killing machine who has only one thing on his mind…Revenge. You can almost feel his raw animal instincts taking over every time he fights. Asin plays the bubbly & sweet Kalpana with elan. She couldn’t have asked for a better debut & we certainly would want to see more of her. Pradeep Rawat plays Ghajini, the bad guy, & he doesn’t disappoint. Jiah Khan does a decent job in her second movie (I haven’t watched “Nishabd” & have no intentions of watching it in the future :P).

A.R.Rahman has given us some great music in 2008 & “Ghajini” is probably the best of the lot. He has experimented with the songs a lot & the results are amazing. The camera work is very good. I loved the visuals of the song “Hai Guzaarish”. It has been shot in a desert, probably to draw the analogy of Sanjay waiting for Kalpana’s response as the desert waits for rain. My favourite song however, is “Kaise Mujhe…” as it leaves a haunting feeling every time you hear it.

Overall, I found the movie very entertaining. Even though it was 3 hours long, it never felt slow or boring. Found some people complaining about the so-called “excessively gory” fight scenes in the movie. Well, the answer for them is: “People, the guy can remember things for only 15 minutes. So if he doesn’t get the bad guys knocked out in 15 minutes, he might forget that he was supposed to be hitting them in the first place. Hence the work outs and hence the fast paced & severe blows. Its simple logic…..Besides, if you think THIS is gory, puhhleeezz go & watch “Sin City” or the like”.

Yes, there are loopholes in the story, but even then, the movie definitely is good paisa vasool! Go & watch it…coz if u haven’t done that till now, u have committed a heinous crime against the institution that we call the Bollywood Masala!

P.S: I am a fan of good bollywood masala movies so it might seem a bit opinionated….but this is MY blog remember!!!

Movie Review: Requiem for a dream (2000)

2008-10-25T23:40:00.001+05:30

Genre: Drama
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans
This movie tells the story of several characters whose life enters a vicious circle because of their addiction problems. Everyone has some aspirations, but life is never simple. Some decisions can change your life forever. Amazing performances by all the actors makes this movie one of the best I’ve watched. Ellen Burstyn & Jennifer Connelly, in particular had very difficult roles to play, but they have managed to carry them out with aplomb. That does not in any way undermine Jared Leto’s performance, which was equally good. The use of hip hop montage & split screen makes the movie even more appealing, though I thought it was a bit too much at times. The background score is HAUNTING, to say the least, it gets you every time you hear it. Loneliness & isolation are the words that come to my mind when I listen to the soundtrack, which is apt, considering the theme of the movie. The movie left a bad taste in my mouth after I had watched it. The reason being the fact that I could relate to the characters & felt for them. None of them were larger than life in any sense. It was like something was happening to the people I know. The scenes with the refrigerator terrorizing Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn) were amazingly done. Cinematography is definitely one of the hallmarks of this movie. No wonder it has won so many awards & an Oscar nomination. Overall, it did not take me much time & effort to love the movie & the way it has been made.

Movie review: Taxi Driver (1976)

2008-09-28T00:04:00.007+05:30

Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster, Peter Boyle, Harvey Kietel
Another one of Scorsese’s best. For the first few minutes, I felt that the movie was a bit slow. I am not a great fan of slow paced movies, but boy, was I wrong. It tells the story of Travis Bickle (De Niro), 26, a mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran who works as a night time taxi driver. Travis is unable to sleep & he doesn’t know why. He is deeply affected by the sleazy night life in the city & the degrading society all around him.

“12 hours of work & I still cant sleep…DAMN…days go on & on . They don’t end..all my life needed was a sense of some place to go”.

He maintains a journal where he enters all his feelings & thoughts. He finds himself attracted to a political campaigner Betsy (Cybill Shepherd).

“I first saw her at Palantine campaign headquarters at 63rd in Broadway. She was wearing a white dress, she appeared like an angel…out of this filthy mess, she is alone…THEY CANNOT TOUCH HER”.

He tries to woo her, but fails to do so. Betsy doesn’t answer his calls after he takes her to a porn movie on their first date. Travis, who doesn’t understand this as he is “not fond of movies”, feels that she is like all the other women he has come across.
Travis feels that he needs to reinvent himself. He wants to do something that will give him an identity.

“You got a job & you become that job”

Travis buys four handguns & sets out to assassinate Senator Palantine, but he fails to do so & is chased away by the bodyguards.
Meanwhile, he forms a strong attachment with a child prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster), who he tries to rescue from a pimp Matthew (Harvey Kietel). His efforts to persuade Iris to go back to her parents & rejoin school turn out to be futile. Travis finally ends up killing Matthew & his gang. Iris goes back to her parents & slowly moves towards leading a life of normalcy. Meanwhile Betsy realizes that indeed has feelings for Travis, who is now famous because of his struggle with Matthew’s gang.
The soundtrack & camera work are absolutely in sync with the story & add to the fantastic performance dished out by De Niro. The movie eventually lost out at the Oscars in the Best Movie category to Sly Stallone’s “ROCKY”, but there is no questioning the fact that it’s another gem of a movie from a gem of a director. You cannot miss this if you are a De Niro fan.

Quotes from the HOUSE...

2008-09-24T22:52:00.007+05:30

Recently, I took the risk of watching a parliamentary debate on national television. The debate was for the Nuclear deal (123 agreement) between India & the US. Some speeches & remarks made by our honoured parliamentarians left me baffled to say the least. Here are some which I could remember...

"This deal is Anti-Indian"- No figures quoted, no numbers to prove the same, just a single blank statement, which was then repeated, again & again, without any other substantial subject matter.
"We have huge resources of coal, why not concentrate on building more thermal power plants to harness this, rather than focus on Nuclear technology?"- Progressive thinking at its very best, I would say! And coal is supposed to last, like FOREVER!!!!!!! So, lets just allow our neighbours to make use of nuclear technology, and if we run out of power in the future, I am sure our helpful neighbours would give us some of their electric power for cheap, coz they love us so very much!
And finally...my favourite of the lot:
"It will make us slaves of the US for 400 years" - And how exactly did you arrive at an exact figure..I mean 400?....are u sure its not 347.5678 years or something? If I could have the algorithm for this calculation, I could earn billions, and may be, become the next Bill Gates.
Many more hilarious quotes, but these are the ones that strike my mind right now.Poems were read, stories were told & even verses from Holy books were quoted,most of which were quite irrelevant & a waste of time. Not one person from the opposition spoke something which could be of any significance to the topic being discussed (atleast for the duration I watched the debate).
I finally budged when my mom entered the scene. "Why do you waste your time listening to them?", she said & changed the channel, so that she could watch her daily quota of saas-bahu drama. All I could say was, "Thanks mom....you just saved my life..a couple more speeches & I would've died laughing"!!

The Darker Joker….

2008-09-09T22:33:00.001+05:30

After having watched “Batman Begins”, my expectations from “The Dark Knight” were sky high, to say the least. And as it turned out, the sequel was even bigger& better than the first installment. Enough has been said & written about the movie & about the performance of Heath Ledger, so I won’t be getting too much into it. But I must say, I was feeling a cold shiver running down my spine at times, while watching the movie. Its not that I was afraid, just the sadistically sarcastic personality of the Joker had some effect on me. An enjoyable experience in fact. It’s a pity that we would be deprived of seeing Heath reprise his role in the future. Thanks a lot for this performance Heath; it certainly has immortalized you in a way!
P.S: This post was written a long time back, after watching the movie “The Dark Knight”

Weekend delight....

2008-08-17T21:34:00.000+05:30

Huh…it’s a pity that none of my classmates are in Bhubaneswar. Weekends get pretty boring, but life goes on. Took a bit of time, but I have learnt to live like that. The new season of the English Premier League has started this weekend. So, my weekends now, are set to be less boring. Chelsea got off to a flier beating Portsmouth 4-0 in their season opener. Could well have been 7-0, but for the presence of David James, who did his best to restrict Chelsea, & some missed opportunities. But the real attraction of the game was the splendid show put up by the Chelsea midfield. Ballack, Lampard, Deco & Joe Cole, sparked right from the start of the game. Deco in particular was sweet with his passing. Set up a couple of goals & scored the 4th goal which, by all means, was a scorcher from about 25 yards out. He would certainly be my choice for the Man of the Match. Absence of a few key players due to injury was not felt at all. So, here’s hoping that this is a sign for things to come this season. Watch out ManU…The BLUES are back…with a BANG!!!

And we r back again…

2008-08-17T21:28:00.002+05:30

Something seems to have blocked me from posting for all these days. Don’t know what it exactly was, but doesn’t matter now. So, here I am blogically alive again & promising to be kickin as well!!

Grand Slam Sunday!!!!

2008-03-26T23:34:00.001+05:30

Holi was on a Saturday & I didn’t get tickets to go home. I was really sad because I somehow wanted a break from the routine life. But then, all I could do was resign to my fate & stay put. On Friday morning however, I somehow managed a return ticket. So, I took a train home & somehow managed to get there with a general ticket. “What a relief”, I thought to myself. Things hadn’t been going very well at Kharagpur in the past few days, & I definitely needed a break from all that, even if it was for a couple of days. Just to refresh my mind….n yes…get some FOOD in…I mean, REAL FOOD. Chicken, chicken and many other things followed by chicken. In case you don’t know…am fond of Chicken!!!
The weekend was spent moving around with my cousins & visiting my aunt & uncle. But the real treat was that I got to watch the Grand Slam Sunday in the English Premiership. Manchester United took on Liverpool & Chelsea took on Arsenal. Being a Chelsea fan, I obviously wanted them to do well. The recent 4-4 draw with the Spurs had Chelsea fans asking for a better performance. The ManU-Liverpool match came first & Liverpool were comprehensively beaten 3-0, following a controversial red card to Mascherano in the first half. Chelsea were hosting Arsenal at Stamford Bridge & after seeing the ManU-Liverpool fixtures, anybody could have guessed that there would be sparks flying all over the place. The match was equally important for both the teams. William Gallas, the ex-Chelsea defender & the current captain of Arsenal, led the Gunners out of the tunnel. He was quite motivated to perform against his former team. Even though Chelsea dominated the game right from the start, Arsenal drew first blood, Sagna’s neat header from a corner kick doing the trick. Once again, as in recent times, the Blues had conceded a goal from set pieces. Cudicini did his best in the game though & proved why he can walk into any world class team as a first team goal keeper. His presence foiled a couple more chances created by the Gunners.
The script however had a twist in the tale. Didier Drogba, Arsenal’s nemesis scored an equalizer throwing the game wide open. He did get a yellow card for the ELABORATE celebrations, but it was worth it. Then in a matter of minutes, there was his second goal & Chelsea were leading 2-1. It could well have been 3-1, had Almunia not saved another neat strike from Drogba. In the end, it was Chelsea who came out victorious, thus making the title chase even hotter. ManU still lead the tables, but don’t forget, they still have to visit Stamford Bridge, which has been a FORTRESS this season.
But I felt really bad when the Blues fans were booing William Gallas. The guy has given the Chelsea two Premier League titles in the past & deserves a lot more respect. In the post match presentation, even the Man of the Match, Drogba voiced a similar opinion about the booing. All in all, the game was played in a better spirit than the ManU-Liverpool encounter, and that’s precisely what you want to see when two world class clubs with world class players, play their heart out on the pitch.
So whatever be the result of the Premiership this season, I am satisfied if Chelsea put on a good performance & play like CHAMPIONS every game…. The BLUES rock!!!!!

LUCK

2007-08-30T21:28:00.000+05:30

I have seen many people around me saying how lucky or unlucky they have been in a particular phase of their life. But is it really luck that dictates our life?

It is said, “The harder you work, the luckier you get”. But does hard work always pay off? I have seen many of my friends working very hard, but failing to achieve the goal again & again. If they get luckier with more hard work, they should succeed, shouldn’t they? Then again I have also seen people succeed with minimum efforts. Now how do you explain that. Then people say that it is hard work that pays off in the long run & luck alone can take you only a small distance in the journey of life. Again this is something very debatable & controversial.

However, I feel that there is some kind of a divine power controlling luck. But then, this power is not under our control, is it? Luck & destiny do have a role to play but practically speaking, they are not everything. This is where, I believe, The Bhagwad Gita gives the best way out. It tells us to do our actions towards meeting the objectives & at the same time be detached from the result. Detachment is the golden word. Detachment from the result or fruit of our action allows us to overcome our fear of failure as well as the feeling of sadness that is bound to come if & when we fail.

So, at the end of the day we got to do what we got to do. I would say, do your job & forget about luck. That would be an easy way to keep our complicated life a bit simple, wont it ???

The Longest Journey Home…..

2007-08-11T11:55:00.001+05:30

Long time since my last post. Hasn’t been easy all this time, but I guess that’s life & that’s how it goes. Have been kept busy though. First the project, then the report & then an incident which changed me & my life forever. I lost my grand mother recently. 17th of July it was, the day after the famous Car Festival. Wouldn’t like to go into the details here. What hurts me is that I couldn’t be there during her last journey. Never thought I would be so far from my family especially when I desperately wanted to be there with them. I had just finished having lunch at the office when my cousin called me up to give the news. I just couldn’t believe it. I was so shocked that I couldn’t even cry. I was in the process of completing the Summer Internship Report at that time. I finished the report within 2 days & took the train home on 19th July. The journey, of about 30-odd hours, seemed to be the longest one I had ever taken…..

As my home drew nearer, a part of me hoped that she would be there waiting for me. She was always there, waiting at the gate when I used to get late. She was always there, laughing at my stupid jokes. She was always there, seeing to it that everyone had taken their food. I still remember the day I was leaving for KGP. It was the first time I was leaving home for studies & she cried, telling me to take good care of myself & eat properly. I still remember how I missed her when I first entered the mess in SDS. The feeling of not having her to wait for me anymore still haunts me. As I entered my house, I could feel the emptiness & the silence in the air. My little cousin was very happy to see me. He pleaded to me “Please, will you stay till Granny comes back? She is coming back day after tomorrow you know. And then, we can play together”. I couldn’t say anything, I didn’t know what to say.

The house was filled with relatives & we had lots of work to do to ensure that the rituals were conducted properly. Things went on well & then the day to go back arrived. It was a Sunday morning, 29th July , 4:15 am. I got up on the train, with my elder cousin & still couldn’t believe what had happened. Reality fails to sink in even today. I guess it takes a long time for me to let go of something, but that’s how I am and I can’t change it. The tears keep coming every now & then whenever I am alone. They are there now when I am writing this, sitting in my room with all the lights off, still hoping that I could see her, one last time. How it changed me? I think it made me realize the importance of FAMILY. It is something you always want to come back to, be it after a hard day’s work, or even after a splendid vacation.

Grandma, we all will love you always. I don’t know where you are, but I hope that you are happy & looking upon us all the time. But I just hope you were there when I come back home again…….

It is my humble request to the readers not to comment on this post. Thanks a lot for being so understanding…

Missing KGP !

2007-06-19T22:27:00.001+05:30

It has been more than a month since I left KGP for my internships at Bangalore. Being freed from the firm clutches of the end semester examination was a relief all right, but I am really missing KGP. The sleepless nights chatting with friends, the fun in the class, the cycling around the campus, the on demand movies from DC++………the list is endless.

What makes me miss KGP even more is the stuff I am doing in Bangalore right now. After 2 weeks of loitering around the campus, I finally managed to get a permanent place to sit & a system to work on. One presentation & lots of googling later, I am still almost clueless about the project on which I’ll be working. It seems almost impossible to catch hold of the guides & when I do, the information is disseminated to me in an abstract form. Hmmm…….I sit down & wonder, the night-outs at KGP were much better. And then suddenly reality strikes - this is what I will be doing for a long time after my MBA at KGP is over. Student life is the best life one can imagine, and its even better at KGP.

Missing you a lot KGP…..will be back in November !!

HOPE FOR A MIRACLE:

2007-06-19T22:16:00.001+05:30

There are several things that keep a human being alive. Hope is definitely one of them. Hope to survive yet another day, hope for a better job or for a better life. The hope that keeps me going is the Hope for a MIRACLE.
There have been times when I have looked into the mirror of the past & thought what my life has been till now. Each & every failure has been a learning experience, no doubt about that. But the difficult part has been to pick myself up after every failure & move ahead. Move ahead with new thoughts, new perspectives, a new goal & a hope for better things to come. But my experiences have taught me one thing: Whatever happens, happens for the better.
Every time I have failed to achieve something, I have become stronger at the next attempt. The reason for this has been my experience of failure coupled with the firm hope for better things to come. But just hoping for things to change does not help one achieve ones goals. It has to be in conjunction with hard work & mental toughness. The assessment of a failure for me starts with Self-introspection. It is always difficult for us to find our own faults, but that has to be the first step for succeeding in life. It helps us to change ourselves for the better, to redefine ourselves & our priorities. Self introspection at regular intervals has always proved beneficial for me.
Self introspection gives way to change and, as we all know, change is inevitable. Self introspection also does another very important thing. It gives us the hope for better things. We realize that things could have been better if we had done otherwise (thinking this positively) & this gives way to the Hope for a better future. We try not to repeat the same mistakes again in the hope to succeed, and when we do succeed, our self belief & our belief in Hope strengthens. The process of achieving goals in life is a never ending process. When we achieve one goal, the thirst for the next goal develops and guides us towards it. The process of movement from one goal to another is brought about by HOPE. So, hope is again important in the sense that it allows us to set new targets in life.
On the personal front, for a long time now, I have been searching for ‘something’ which is a very important part of my life. I have come somewhat close to it. However, success seems distant even now. But looking back, I find that I have come a long distance & the only way currently is to move ahead. And move ahead I will, with a new vision, a new belief & the Hope for yet another… MIRACLE !