Posted in Uncategorized on January 31, 2006 | 8 Comments »
Thanks to Tanvir Kazmi and for his enquiry by mail with organisers of last year Bangalore Marathon. This year too people would be running under the hot sun. The marathon is scheduled on 14th May 2006. Man these guys must be crazy.
The current temperature in Bangalore is close to 33 deg Celsius in day time. Watch out for updates.
Posted in Uncategorized on January 31, 2006 | 4 Comments »
I came down to Chennai from Bangalore for few days training before running the marathon on sunday 5th Feb 2006.
Well yesterday after reaching Chennai, I did a short run in terms of distance. Today I went for longer distance. The route I went over was
K.K.Nagar – PTC Training College – Ashok Nagar Police station – Samiyar Madam – Power House – Kodambakkam flyover – North Usman Road – Doraisamy Road subway – Ashok Nagar Police Station – PTC Training college – K.K.Nagar
The total distance would be around 12 – 14kms and I did this in 1hr!! Better timing than in Bangalore for a similar distance. The difference is flat roads in Chennai and no dust.
By the time I finished running my whole body was filled with sweat and there was no space in shirt/short to get filled up with some more sweat. The biggest difference between running in Bangalore and Chennai is this.
Tomorrow I might try out running on the Beach, hopefully.
Posted in Uncategorized on January 31, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Uncategorized on January 27, 2006 | 7 Comments »
For first part of review, click here.
The movie has a big cast of Aamir Khan (DJ), Alice Patten (Sue), Siddharth (Karan), Kunal Kapoor (Aslam), Sharman Joshi (Sukhi), Atul Kulkarni (Laxman Pandey), Soha Ali Khan (Sonia), Madhavan (Ajay Rathore), Anupam Kher (Karan’s father), Om Puri (Aslam father), Waheeda Rehman (Ajay’s mother) and others.
The main storyline is about book written by Sue’s grandfather on pre-Independence movement involving Baghat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad. This inspires her to make a movie on this subject. Due to alterations with her employer, she comes to India to make this movie. She finds company in Sonia. All the auditions ends in failure and frustration for Sue. Finally she finds the right cast for her documentary movie in Sonia’s friends, DJ, Karan, Aslam, Sukhi and Sonia herself. Laxman never likes these guys making noise with drink and drives them away always. (I believe Haywards 5000 (beer brand) is not a sponsor). Sue finds the pulse in Laxman and casts him also for her movie.
After initial rebuke and fun by DJ & Co they do accept to do the role. It all takes one line from Sue to convince them, ‘It was stupid on my part to pack all my things and move here to India to make a movie where people find even a small reason to kill each other’.
What follows next is mix of old history in B/W and the present in colour. All the guys get to understand the history and this influences them in their actions for current events.
The story is similar to Ayutha Ezhuthu in Tamil directed by ManiRatnam (Yuva in Hindi) but depicted in a different manner. Of course the director (Rakesh Omprakash Mehra) could have managed to show without 5 taking to arms but probably it was necessary for the script. This does set a wrong example to the young generation who are mostly influenced by movies in real life.
Amol Gole the still photographer has done an impressive job. Few sunset shots are trully amazing. The shot of 4 guys jumping in air with shirts in hand and airplane flying above is also good.
The background score by AR Rehman impresses in few places. Like the pulsating beat when the gang of 5 make their way back to city from outskirts in the dark and are joined by Ajay in his bike.
The other part is a good flute piece when Anupam Kher is on the phone. Remaining sequences its the usual Rehman standards. In one sequence he has played a portion of his old song , but was not able to recognise it immediately. On the whole the background music is not loud and impresses a lot.
The score for songs is well known and does not disappoint. In this movie except the ‘Rang de basanti’ song other songs are picturised only for one stanza. The director does not bore you by taking you to different locales. Well done.
Siddharth as Karan has given a extra-ordinary performance. The way he sits and smokes, his looks, dialogue delivery everything is exemplary. From being a Assistant Director to ManiRatnam in the movie KannathiMuthamittal in Tamil he has moved to acting.
He has overshadowed others with his performance. Even his role demands such an acting from him.
Madhavan as Ajay the pilot comes for few sequences does his usual performance.
Soha Ali Khan as Sonia looks pretty good. She does acting also!!
Alice Patten as Sue must surely had tough time delivering dialogues in Hindi written in English. But she has managed somehow and does know to show emotions also. Dont be disappointed there is of course some romance moments between Alice and Aamir.
Atul Kulkarni has excelled as always which is nothing new.
Director somehow lost track in the end and gives a feeling that he wanted to show something different. But the difference might have a wrong influence. He could have depicted the ending in totally different fashion.
In the end there is one question asked to Karan while on the air from a Headmaster of a school, who says that what they did was wrong and that is not the correct way to do it. Karan does accept to what he says. But the problem with this conversation is that it is so mild in the midst of events that it looses out the essence. One has to concentrate to get this. The director should be appreciated for thinking about this but could have been little better.
Director should also take pains to add subtitles in Hindi whenever there are dialogues in English. Not all audience know English. None of directors take pains to do this. This is a big flaw not just with this movie but in general Indian movies. KamalHassan made similar mistake in his movie Hey Ram.
Though a nice way of direction mixing the old history and current events, the movie drags a little bit in the first half due to desperate attempts to unyielding bunch of guys who are without any motive in life.
On the whole, its a good movie and worth a watch. Things could have been better still.
Tags: Bollywood, Movies, Movie Review, AR Rehman, Aamir Khan, Rang De Basanti
Posted in Uncategorized on January 27, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
What one learns from this movie:
1) Things have not changed Before Independence and After Independence in India. While it was Britishers before Independence, its our Indians after Independence.
2) Youngsters are easily motivated to take to arms when something wrong happens to them
3) There are three kinds in which people face death
(a) People who face death screaming
(b) Some in silence
(c) Others with laughter
4) Youngsters of today do not realise how much effort was put in to gain independence. We still need somebody out of India to come and tell us to understand things.
5) Once youngsters learn, they get influenced easily by the part they play.
6) Politics does change people over time, some to realise and move out to make things better, some stay with it and see it rot.
7) Even a Hindu hardliner has a soft heart and is against Muslims only because they are paid to do so. Not only against Muslims but also against the culture of drink and dance influenced by the West. All for money.
8) Corruption is prevelant in Goverment, some things are meant to happen that way only and nothing would change them.
9) Things can be changed if youngsters can act and not be lethargic.
10) We need new bunch of people in politics and running the Goverment.
Tags: Bollywood, Movies, Movie Review
Posted in Uncategorized on January 23, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
Are things smooth in Indian dressing room???
Sachin Tendulkar walks off in the Second Test Match between India – Pakistan even though he was clearly not out. Even the umpire Simon Tuffel was baffled by walking Sachin. Was he setting an example or was he showing his displeasure with Ganguly not being in the team??
What good is Yuvraj Singh in the team when he can manage only 4 runs after playing 21 balls?? Wouldnt Ganguly score atleast 1 more?? Ganguly can bowl medium pace compared to Yuvraj. Did Yuvraj justify his inclusion in the team?? How can one not score on a batting strip?? How did a player known to play fast bowlers better than spinners get out to a fast bowler.
Tags: Cricket, India, Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar
Posted in Uncategorized on January 23, 2006 | 2 Comments »
The movie opens in Rameswaram with a soft Trisha (Anjali). The moment suddenly changes with Anjali killing ex-DGP with help of her uncle (Nasser). For a moment one forgets that this is Vijay’s movie and you think that Trisha has a nice negative role. But you would be mistaken soon. There can be no movie in which the heroine might overcast the hero who is popular among masses.
Soon Trisha’s role reduces to romancing and few dances and few emotional moments.
Trisha and Vijay (Aathi) are cousins who are seperated by death of family members, killed by Sai Kumar (RDX) and his gang. Both are full of energy to eliminate all the members of the gang. Both of them dont know about each others motive, though they feel something happening between them when they are together.
Finally they do come to know that they are cousins and how Vijay eliminates all the members of RDX and also RDX forms rest of the story.
There is of course comedy by Vivek (Bullet) though his role is limited. His entry stuns everyone in the theater.
What movie can it be without songs. Though they didnt sound impressive before watching the movie, now they are pleasant to ears.
Vijay is becoming stereo-typed and all his recent movies are based on same formula. Only difference is in this movie Trisha has something to do, unlike in movie Gilli where she was more to dance and run.
Trisha looks quite beautiful in this movie and has taken pains to maintain her slim structure. There are no plump fat visible, probably competition from Asin helps a lot!! 
Trisha has also acted in this movie, this should probably get her more calls from Kollywood.
Most of Vijay’s recent movies are also remake of Telugu movies. This one is remake of ‘Athanokkade’. Director Ramanaa has not done a bad job though he could have given Trisha more character continuing on the first scene.
Vivek’s comedy is better than what he had to do in Pramasivam.
Prakash Raj in cameo role has also excelled.
Sai Kumar the Telugu actor had done an remarkable job as villian. But what makes me wonder is why does all villians in movie shout to their driver in the climax scene, “Po Po, vegama po” (Go go, go fast).
Even though the song ‘Oli oli iduppu’ (Thin Thin Waist) is a hit and impressive, the voice of Anuradha Sriram does not suit the small figure of Trisha. Vidyasagar has composed three good songs and pleasing to ears.
This movie though had a delay release which made Pramasivam walk with good balance is and would still be a big hit.
A nice entertainer. Watch out Trisha.
Tags: Kollywood, Movie Review, Entertainment, Movies
Posted in Uncategorized on January 20, 2006 | 1 Comment »
The caption is of Kingfisher Airlines. KF is currently flying domextic flights in India. Its not dirt cheap but flight fares are cheaper than Jet Airways/Sahara/Indian Airlines. By auction the ticket price came close to 2070 INR.
I took their flight from Bangalore-Mumbai and back last weekend. The flight from Bangalore-Mumbai was very comfortable. There are no different classes for passengers. Its 3 by 3 seater plane with about 25 rows. The air hostess are pretty good looking and also very courteous.
Before take-off Vijay Mallya appears on the screen. Each passenger has individual screen. This is one airlines which treats its passengers as guests and not as passengers which means the service would definitely be better than other airlines and of course it is.
After breif welcome by Mr.Mallya, our well known Czech Yana Gupta makes her appearance to tell you about the safety features.
There are about 6 channels of video and about 7 audio channels. You can be updated of time to reach destination, the altitude at which flight is flying, distance for destination and the speed of the flight.
But I should say that the values displayed for above parameters are not updated regularly. While returning from Mumbai the altitude value remained the same even while landing!!
The channels were showing the same video even though there was 2 days gap between my travel which also calls for a change.
You are given a pouch which contains
1) Refreshing tissue
2) Pen
3) Mint-o-fresh
4) Candyman chocolate
5) Menu for breakfast/llunch/dinner depending on time of flight
6) Headphones
You also get a bottle of water and a pack of juice (Apple or Orange only). Thats quite nice. Liquor is not allowed in domestic flights in India so dont expect liquor and complain.
The food is quite good supplied by Sky Gourmet caterers. I didnt see any reason to complain about the food.
Of course they do maintain the time of flight and there is delay only if there is technical problem with the flight when an alternate is provided or due to air traffic.
On the whole its an enjoyable experience and you feel at home flying in KF. Fly the good times and keep flying.
Tags: Kingfisher Airlines, Bangalore, Mumbai, India
Posted in Uncategorized on January 18, 2006 | 4 Comments »
Ajith has a new look but quite a dispropotionate look. His face is little big for the thin structure he has got into. Its commendable that he has shed lot of fat and looks far far better than he was in his earlier movies.
But he has chosen the wrong script to make a comeback. His movies of recent times were all flops and this movie in which he has acted with Laila, PrakashRaj has lot of loopholes to be fixed.
P.Vasu as the director did a good job in his earlier copied movie Chandramukhi but makes a mess in this movie.
The storyline is very simple. With lot of IT Outsourcing happening to India there is a plan to disrupt it by Pakistan sponsored terrorist organisation. They start of by trigerring a 20kg RDX in Coimbatore and thats just begining. Since whatever discussion happens within police goes somehow to terrorists, our SP PrakashRaj finds an unkown guy to do the job. He is the one man army, none other than our Ajith. How he goes about and kills the mastermind behind blasts and also the human bombs forms rest of the movie.
What movie is there without a heroine, so in comes Laila, educated only till 6th standard. She has no role except dance with our hero and run with hero in the climax scene. Of late, heroines are made to run in Tamil movies. Poor souls.
The worst sequence in the movie is when Ajith and PrakashRaj eliminate the terrorists and their head who hold the DGP and his family hostage in their house. You might laugh during this scene.
P.Vasu should have come up with a better script and better storyline. The opening shot where Ajith looks akin to Vikram in Anniyan is just too much for him.
The background score nor the songs impresses the audience.
Tags: Kollywood, Movie Review
Posted in Uncategorized on January 17, 2006 | 39 Comments »
I dont think the two cities can be compared. But when I looked at the life in Mumbai and after seeing life in Bangalore for 4yrs I thought I should share something.
1) I woke up late on Monday morning in Mumbai (habit of staying in Bangalore) and went down I thought the whole city was walking up and down to catch the next bus, train, taxis to reach their destination. At the same time in Bangalore I find few cars on the roads and none of the roads are busy at that time.
2) In important bus stops in Mumbai one should stand in the queue for boarding the bus. Something you dont see in Bangalore. I personally do not like to stand in queue for boarding the bus. In Mumbai, if you are not part of the queue and want to board the bus, you should wait till the end of queue is reached. Shucks man.
3) Unlike in Bangalore where people are relaxed and lazy, in Mumbai people are more active and they got their priorities straight.
4) There are no suburban trains in Bangalore which is impacting the traffic flow which is not so in Mumbai.
5) I was surprised to see big roads without any pot holes and speed breakers. In almost important places, the roads are wide enough and people can just zoom through. If you are hit forget it, I dont think anyone would help you they have to reach their office in time.
Same is the case in Bangalore people dont help so easily. But the roads are small and with so many signals, you can zoom through. If you dont find a pothole then probably your are flying in a plane and not on the roads!!
6) If any event happens in Mumbai the people come out to the streets in big numbers. Picture this, when running the Marathon there were people everywhere, buying and giving something or other to runners. A band is playing drums all the time. People are aware and people encourage sporting activities.
Marathon was conducted in Bangalore also last year. The crowd was those of runners in the starting point and enroute there were people at 2-3 points. The people in the cars were impatient and wanted runners out of the way.
7) The traffic in Mumbai was stopped for 7hrs on the main stretch and no one complained. Everybody did their part in encouraging the runners.
In Bangalore traffic was stopped and regulated, all drivers pressed hard on the horns, shouted at the police.
8) You see somebody and smile in Mumbai they would smile at you. In Bangalore try it, you might get a scorn look. People are more friendly in Mumbai.
9) In Mumbai buses the numbers are not written in English, if you are from different place its difficult to understand.
In Bangalore the numbers are written in English, you wont have any problems in reading that.
10) Everybody in Mumbai thinks you know Hindi. Not so in Bangalore.
