As an introductory note I wish to clarify that this is not a movie review. Moreover reviewing the "Dark knight" one year after its release would be a rank mischief.
I decided to pen down a post after a while now coz I wanted to share a very worthy description given to a very creative actor.
In this year's oscar a new style was adopted in which the winners of the past gave a brief description about the actor and the kind of work he did in the movie and how deserving his/her act was in order to get a nomination.
We loved many such descriptions, and one of them stood out. It reminded us all how the very talented Heath Ledger transformed an otherwise dull stereotyped comic book villain into an incredible, heart wrenching piece of movie character. His unique exploration and signature style had created the most dreaded, unforgettable villain who would scare each one of us any day. It was an enthralling master piece that is etched in our memories forever. It also reminded as to how big a loss his death would be for the motion picture industry.
I would like to quote here those words which are well deserved and clearly explain how he attained immortality.
"In a year of striking film images perhaps the most unforgettable was that of a man whose face smeared in clown make-up gleefully sticking his head out of a speeding car, relishing the night wind, and reveling in the chaos he has unleashed on the streets of Gotham city , menacing, mercurial, droll and diabolical. Heath Ledger as the Joker in 'The Dark Knight' kept us all on edge, anxious to see what act of appalling mischief he might commit next. With this bravura performance as well as with a wide range of other roles to which he put his unique signature, Heath Ledger has left us an original and enduring legacy"
Just adding the link to the video in case you want to hear it with the emotional quotient. The time of this decoration starts from 3:50 of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrt2xoy5UHo
Here's a medley of great scenes by Ledger in the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSQv_Ynomoo
Thank you!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time(less) 100
I was going through the one and only "Time" magazine's World's most influential people.
I wasn't totally impressed because it was so American centric. Moreover some of the so called "influential" people were so commercially influenced themselves.
Otherwise I liked the concept of influential people. We have to make the distinction between the "powerful" and the "influential".
These are people who have some way or the other influenced the ideologies or dreams or the day to day turn of events of people all over the world significantly by their voluntary measures.
Thats where the distinction of power comes in. We can understand that when we look at Obama at the 18th place of the 100.
The pride factor comes with AR Rahman being in the 59th place. I liked the write-up given by Padma Lakshmi of his music and his influence, but whats the link other than being an American NRI.
Its inspiring to know that Rahman found a place in the so called "Music" empire which is so often dominated by the pop singers of the mid-west or the teen stars who just did their first albums.
But When I think if all this happened only after "Slumdog", boy! that sounds insane. Yet, Better late than too-late.
Rahman made all of us Rahmaniacs proud with his scintillating music long back, But its heartening to know the World recognizes great talent though its late.
I wish there are more people from our country in this 100, hopefully We'll get there in the upcoming editions.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893836_1894435,00.html
Thanks !!!
I wasn't totally impressed because it was so American centric. Moreover some of the so called "influential" people were so commercially influenced themselves.
Otherwise I liked the concept of influential people. We have to make the distinction between the "powerful" and the "influential".
These are people who have some way or the other influenced the ideologies or dreams or the day to day turn of events of people all over the world significantly by their voluntary measures.
Thats where the distinction of power comes in. We can understand that when we look at Obama at the 18th place of the 100.
The pride factor comes with AR Rahman being in the 59th place. I liked the write-up given by Padma Lakshmi of his music and his influence, but whats the link other than being an American NRI.
Its inspiring to know that Rahman found a place in the so called "Music" empire which is so often dominated by the pop singers of the mid-west or the teen stars who just did their first albums.
But When I think if all this happened only after "Slumdog", boy! that sounds insane. Yet, Better late than too-late.
Rahman made all of us Rahmaniacs proud with his scintillating music long back, But its heartening to know the World recognizes great talent though its late.
I wish there are more people from our country in this 100, hopefully We'll get there in the upcoming editions.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893836_1894435,00.html
Thanks !!!
Quotable Quotes ( May 1,2009)
Here are a couple of quotes that I came across somewhere which I thought is worth sharing.
1. It isn't our abilities that make who we are but Its our choices !
2. John F kennedy: Life isn't fair all the time.
1. It isn't our abilities that make who we are but Its our choices !
2. John F kennedy: Life isn't fair all the time.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Susan..the sensation
Hi.. Blogging after a really long time! But its exciting to do that from the "Silicon valley".
The other day I was watching the Susan Boyle youtube video of her performance in the "Britain's got talent" show and was wondering whats in there that a 100 million(still counting) people have watched it.
When I watched it closely with some attention I liked it. I'm sorry for sounding like a cliche here.
Not that I wanted to tell I am an expert of English music! But I liked it because of the enormously inspiring attitude displayed by Susan which looked deeply natural.
Because being natural in a reality show isn't all that easy!
When she came out on stage people yelled, they made faces, the judges were bored to see her, the organizers were very anxious... Then she started singing.. What followed after that is history. And the events that unfolded in the following days made history.
What made me sit up and take notice of this incident is that people judge people based on their appearance or their dress or their age, which is ridiculous, its like fooling yourself.
The amazing thing to me is that Susan doesnt seem to be bothered one bit by all the hoopla instead she was doing what she came there for. Indeed she sang very well. And thus a superstar was born.
Later the judges of the show even apologised to her for their inference about her.
Even the unsatisfiable Simon cowell seemed to happy!
I am still in awe of her character because she continues to live her normal life and doesnt want to change anything in her life.. despite becoming an intenational rock star in just days.
Its a pleasure to share the video with you all [ Susan Boyle on Larry king's show ]
Part-1
Part-2
The other day I was watching the Susan Boyle youtube video of her performance in the "Britain's got talent" show and was wondering whats in there that a 100 million(still counting) people have watched it.
When I watched it closely with some attention I liked it. I'm sorry for sounding like a cliche here.
Not that I wanted to tell I am an expert of English music! But I liked it because of the enormously inspiring attitude displayed by Susan which looked deeply natural.
Because being natural in a reality show isn't all that easy!
When she came out on stage people yelled, they made faces, the judges were bored to see her, the organizers were very anxious... Then she started singing.. What followed after that is history. And the events that unfolded in the following days made history.
What made me sit up and take notice of this incident is that people judge people based on their appearance or their dress or their age, which is ridiculous, its like fooling yourself.
The amazing thing to me is that Susan doesnt seem to be bothered one bit by all the hoopla instead she was doing what she came there for. Indeed she sang very well. And thus a superstar was born.
Later the judges of the show even apologised to her for their inference about her.
Even the unsatisfiable Simon cowell seemed to happy!
I am still in awe of her character because she continues to live her normal life and doesnt want to change anything in her life.. despite becoming an intenational rock star in just days.
Its a pleasure to share the video with you all [ Susan Boyle on Larry king's show ]
Part-1
Part-2
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thoughts on 26/11 ...
Its time to start changing and perhaps change the thinking.
After the Mumbai massacre somebody was showing a chart which said..
"Mr Terrorist, Now I live and you died. What are you going to do!
Mr Politician, We died and you lived, What more you want to do!"
This is what I predicted in one of my previous posts! Things are not going to change in South Asia unless we change Pakistan. I believe Pakistan will never do or try to do what other countries in the world want them to do. Its as simple as that.
We do go for culling a few chickens when they are infected so as to save the rest of the poultry. Why not do the same here?
Right from the World's most wanted terrorist to India's least wanted is out there in Pakistan roaming freely. Their people hail them as heroes, the government defends them, the armed forces train them and the media encourages them!
If there is one thing that the entire world needs to think about cohesively apart from global warming, that should be the "state of the 'state of Pakistan'"
The startling fact is that they refuse to learn their lessons despite losing some big leaders and citizens to those terrorists.
This is a wake up call for the international community to see through the dangers that lie ahead.
For now we have to keep bashing our system for its big holes and keep cursing the politicians that we elect, and keep paying a very high price owing to our "failed" neighbors.
Our deepest condolences and drops of tear and thoughts of solidarity to those who fell not just fighting terror but also fighting the system.
After the Mumbai massacre somebody was showing a chart which said..
"Mr Terrorist, Now I live and you died. What are you going to do!
Mr Politician, We died and you lived, What more you want to do!"
This is what I predicted in one of my previous posts! Things are not going to change in South Asia unless we change Pakistan. I believe Pakistan will never do or try to do what other countries in the world want them to do. Its as simple as that.
We do go for culling a few chickens when they are infected so as to save the rest of the poultry. Why not do the same here?
Right from the World's most wanted terrorist to India's least wanted is out there in Pakistan roaming freely. Their people hail them as heroes, the government defends them, the armed forces train them and the media encourages them!
If there is one thing that the entire world needs to think about cohesively apart from global warming, that should be the "state of the 'state of Pakistan'"
The startling fact is that they refuse to learn their lessons despite losing some big leaders and citizens to those terrorists.
This is a wake up call for the international community to see through the dangers that lie ahead.
For now we have to keep bashing our system for its big holes and keep cursing the politicians that we elect, and keep paying a very high price owing to our "failed" neighbors.
Our deepest condolences and drops of tear and thoughts of solidarity to those who fell not just fighting terror but also fighting the system.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Das'awe'atharam !
If you thought I am going to attempt the formidable task of writing a review of Dasavatharam then you got it absolutely wrong.
Thats because of 2 reasons:
1. Its too late to write a review and to read it after that.
2. Its never easy to write one even though people tried and failed miserably.
This is my tribute to a genius called Kamal Hasan who has scripted a movie unarguably the most difficult and the most complex movie of the recent times.
The fact is that even Kamal hasan would not have believed that he would be able to convince the presence of 10 roles in any story for a 3 hour movie.
But the mammoth effort that was required to frame in many of those 10 roles so that all of them are well connected deserves nothing less than an ovation.
The sheer talent and genius of the master craftsman like kamal is noticeable in each and every frame of the movie.
I must say this is not perhaps the best movies of Kamal and rightly so because we wont be able to focus on one role or one event, Its one of a kind movie which may not give the best for our senses but definitely provides the satisfaction for being involved in a craft work that is so admirable.
Many expected that Dasavatharam will create history but the movie itself became history for the obvious reasons.
Thats because of 2 reasons:
1. Its too late to write a review and to read it after that.
2. Its never easy to write one even though people tried and failed miserably.
This is my tribute to a genius called Kamal Hasan who has scripted a movie unarguably the most difficult and the most complex movie of the recent times.
The fact is that even Kamal hasan would not have believed that he would be able to convince the presence of 10 roles in any story for a 3 hour movie.
But the mammoth effort that was required to frame in many of those 10 roles so that all of them are well connected deserves nothing less than an ovation.
The sheer talent and genius of the master craftsman like kamal is noticeable in each and every frame of the movie.
I must say this is not perhaps the best movies of Kamal and rightly so because we wont be able to focus on one role or one event, Its one of a kind movie which may not give the best for our senses but definitely provides the satisfaction for being involved in a craft work that is so admirable.
Many expected that Dasavatharam will create history but the movie itself became history for the obvious reasons.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Hillary bows out !
The remarkable video footage of Hillary's parting speech as she formally bowed out of the Democratic presidential race. She may have lost the nomination but she has won millions of hearts across the World.
A determined and inspirational leader also a fierce competitor she is, has set a new benchmark of woman leaders in a democratic system breaking barriers of all bias.
Take a bow Hillary! you have already become one of the inspirational stories of a strong Democratic value system !
A determined and inspirational leader also a fierce competitor she is, has set a new benchmark of woman leaders in a democratic system breaking barriers of all bias.
Take a bow Hillary! you have already become one of the inspirational stories of a strong Democratic value system !
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Wacky One liners !
Here are a few wacky one liners indigenously produced by me. Many of them are funny , quite a few of them make real sense. My apologies for mixing up the funny ones with the serious ones !
1. NCR is no more the National Capital Region, Its been changed to 'National Crime Region', after all it claims to be the crime capital of India.
2. If elected will Obama change the name of "The White House" to "The Black House" ?
3. Climate change is not a "food-for-thought" but a "Battle-for-survival".
4. 'Austerity' is the need of the hour said the Prime Minister in a speech that lasted for nearly '2 hours' !
5. Ratan Tata says getting Jaguar and Land-Rover brand was much easier than getting 2 acres of land in Singur, Vijay Mallya though differs - He says buying teams(Force India and Bangalore Royal challengers) is much easier than making them win.
6. After winning the IPL, Shane Warne flies off to Las Vegas to play Poker bcoz he knows a 44 day hard earned money can be made to disappear in 4 hours.
7. Senator Hillary Clinton says she will continue to fight for Health insurance scheme in the US, after-all if John McCain wins election she can take it to the highest office.
8. Yeddyurappa promised to eliminate superstitious beliefs from Karnataka, but he said he can do so only in the auspicious time given by his astrologers.
9. A blood donation camp was organized in an IT company, One of the employees miffed: "Whats the need of a separate camp, thats what we are doing every damn day in office in our work !" hmmm very true.
10. Sharon stone said the earthquake in China is due to the karma of Chinese aggression in Tibet ! Hmmm might be true so she is expecting a much bigger one for what 'they' have done in Iraq.
Thanks for reading , especially for reading few boring ones !
1. NCR is no more the National Capital Region, Its been changed to 'National Crime Region', after all it claims to be the crime capital of India.
2. If elected will Obama change the name of "The White House" to "The Black House" ?
3. Climate change is not a "food-for-thought" but a "Battle-for-survival".
4. 'Austerity' is the need of the hour said the Prime Minister in a speech that lasted for nearly '2 hours' !
5. Ratan Tata says getting Jaguar and Land-Rover brand was much easier than getting 2 acres of land in Singur, Vijay Mallya though differs - He says buying teams(Force India and Bangalore Royal challengers) is much easier than making them win.
6. After winning the IPL, Shane Warne flies off to Las Vegas to play Poker bcoz he knows a 44 day hard earned money can be made to disappear in 4 hours.
7. Senator Hillary Clinton says she will continue to fight for Health insurance scheme in the US, after-all if John McCain wins election she can take it to the highest office.
8. Yeddyurappa promised to eliminate superstitious beliefs from Karnataka, but he said he can do so only in the auspicious time given by his astrologers.
9. A blood donation camp was organized in an IT company, One of the employees miffed: "Whats the need of a separate camp, thats what we are doing every damn day in office in our work !" hmmm very true.
10. Sharon stone said the earthquake in China is due to the karma of Chinese aggression in Tibet ! Hmmm might be true so she is expecting a much bigger one for what 'they' have done in Iraq.
Thanks for reading , especially for reading few boring ones !
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Go for Green !
Every good thing must come to an end ! And that holds for planet Earth also.
But if we spare a thought and do something about it we can certainly stretch its lifetime.
Today is "World Environment Day" the significance of which has to be shared among people of all walks of life not just today but all days of the year.
Soaring prices of Oil,
..Scarcity of water,
....Shortage of Power,
......Increasing temperatures,
........ Freak weather conditions,
.......... Depleting oxygen levels,
............ Extinction of wild life,
.............. Scarcity of food materials,
................ Decreasing energy resources,
.................. Spreading of deadly diseases,
.................... Unmanageable pollution levels,
...................... Annoying traffic conditions,
........................ Unsafe sanitary conditions,
............................ Disappearing green cover,
.............................. Engulfing concrete jungles......
All of these and much much more stand testimony for the fact that we shall run out of everything very soon.
The Alarm bells are ringing into our ears. Lets not be deaf any more.
Lets not turn blind eye to our environment. It has protected mankind for so long now its our turn to protect it.
Lets take some sense into our thought process and lets do our bit to ensure some relief to mother Earth.
Here are some of very small things to be more compassionate to Earth if not responsible !
- Lets switch off the unnecessary lights , if possible replace the TFL bulbs with CFL ones. In most places they are solely meant for decoration.
- Lets switch off our monitors in office whenever we are going for breaks.
- Lets try to take public transport systems for longer distances which will also avoid our physical fatigue.
- Lets plant saplings whenever wherever possible.
- Water the elixir of life, lets preserve it and use it economically
- Lets use the tissue papers judiciously and help prevent felling of trees
- Lets involve in recycling all sorts of wastes - water, garbage, paper, plastic etc.
- Plastic papers are poisonous lets avoid them.
- Lets ensure we save the green cover of our cities and preserve the nature.
- Lets minimize the use of electrical and electronic devices.
- Solar energy is abundant, lets model our systems to use the Sun.
We can do much much more than these to save Earth.
This may sound like a boring lip service, But its an emergency, a curse in disguise.
Its a wake up call. Its now or never !
Lets Go for Green.
But if we spare a thought and do something about it we can certainly stretch its lifetime.
Today is "World Environment Day" the significance of which has to be shared among people of all walks of life not just today but all days of the year.
Soaring prices of Oil,
..Scarcity of water,
....Shortage of Power,
......Increasing temperatures,
........ Freak weather conditions,
.......... Depleting oxygen levels,
............ Extinction of wild life,
.............. Scarcity of food materials,
................ Decreasing energy resources,
.................. Spreading of deadly diseases,
.................... Unmanageable pollution levels,
...................... Annoying traffic conditions,
........................ Unsafe sanitary conditions,
............................ Disappearing green cover,
.............................. Engulfing concrete jungles......
All of these and much much more stand testimony for the fact that we shall run out of everything very soon.
The Alarm bells are ringing into our ears. Lets not be deaf any more.
Lets not turn blind eye to our environment. It has protected mankind for so long now its our turn to protect it.
Lets take some sense into our thought process and lets do our bit to ensure some relief to mother Earth.
Here are some of very small things to be more compassionate to Earth if not responsible !
- Lets switch off the unnecessary lights , if possible replace the TFL bulbs with CFL ones. In most places they are solely meant for decoration.
- Lets switch off our monitors in office whenever we are going for breaks.
- Lets try to take public transport systems for longer distances which will also avoid our physical fatigue.
- Lets plant saplings whenever wherever possible.
- Water the elixir of life, lets preserve it and use it economically
- Lets use the tissue papers judiciously and help prevent felling of trees
- Lets involve in recycling all sorts of wastes - water, garbage, paper, plastic etc.
- Plastic papers are poisonous lets avoid them.
- Lets ensure we save the green cover of our cities and preserve the nature.
- Lets minimize the use of electrical and electronic devices.
- Solar energy is abundant, lets model our systems to use the Sun.
We can do much much more than these to save Earth.
This may sound like a boring lip service, But its an emergency, a curse in disguise.
Its a wake up call. Its now or never !
Lets Go for Green.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Left is not right !
While on one hand political analysts may feel that the the policy stand taken by 'the left' on many issues are just obsolete, it is frustrating to know about their insensitivity towards the changing times.
The rise of the saffron brigade even in the unconquered territories like South India is attributed to the UPA's failure to control inflation, I view it as the Left's ignorance on many significant issues including the nuclear deal.
The Left parties turning the blind eye to the positive aspects and affirmative prospects of the N-deal affected the credibility of the UPA and showed them as a weak government led by a weak prime minister.
The problem is that the Left perceives the N-deal solely as an alliance with the US. They have failed to realize the growing energy needs of the country as its facing an acute shortage of all resources. The N-deal is a token for India to put herself in a strong league of nations who can independently pursue options for energy and defense.
The area where the stance of the left is extremely annoying and absolutely foolish is that when the whole world criticized China for its human rights thrashing in Tibet and inhuman practices in dealing with the monks of the Tibet, Left was not even critical about it.
As infamously known China wants a piece of apple pie from everybody's hand. China claims Tibet , It claims Taiwan, It claims Hong Kong, It wants Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim from us. When all these is happening the Left parties here seem to be unfazed. Eventually their policy is not just obsolete but also very foolish.
China's growing military might in the Indian ocean region and also alongside the Burma border raises questions to which only the Left is accountable. The Left's so called 'communistic' policies no longer hold significance as every other nation has embraced capitalism and communism equally.
The Left hasn't spoken out a single word over the issues with China simply because China is communistic.
The Left's all out efforts to weaken the programs of the UPA gave the BJP led NDA the much required boost to be over critical of the government shadowing the humongous growth the country has seen in the UPA's tenure.
Opposing America in key issues like Iraq, Oil are appreciable but meaningless lamenting in developmental programs like the N-deal are nothing but fascist ideas.
The irresponsible behavior of the Left parties are going to back fire on their own in the upcoming elections as the people are smart enough to distinguish their eye-washing ideologies.
Only when they spare a thought for the increasing power and energy needs of the exploding country and its exploding growth, they can break free from the leftist jinx which is not valid any more.
Cheers !
The rise of the saffron brigade even in the unconquered territories like South India is attributed to the UPA's failure to control inflation, I view it as the Left's ignorance on many significant issues including the nuclear deal.
The Left parties turning the blind eye to the positive aspects and affirmative prospects of the N-deal affected the credibility of the UPA and showed them as a weak government led by a weak prime minister.
The problem is that the Left perceives the N-deal solely as an alliance with the US. They have failed to realize the growing energy needs of the country as its facing an acute shortage of all resources. The N-deal is a token for India to put herself in a strong league of nations who can independently pursue options for energy and defense.
The area where the stance of the left is extremely annoying and absolutely foolish is that when the whole world criticized China for its human rights thrashing in Tibet and inhuman practices in dealing with the monks of the Tibet, Left was not even critical about it.
As infamously known China wants a piece of apple pie from everybody's hand. China claims Tibet , It claims Taiwan, It claims Hong Kong, It wants Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim from us. When all these is happening the Left parties here seem to be unfazed. Eventually their policy is not just obsolete but also very foolish.
China's growing military might in the Indian ocean region and also alongside the Burma border raises questions to which only the Left is accountable. The Left's so called 'communistic' policies no longer hold significance as every other nation has embraced capitalism and communism equally.
The Left hasn't spoken out a single word over the issues with China simply because China is communistic.
The Left's all out efforts to weaken the programs of the UPA gave the BJP led NDA the much required boost to be over critical of the government shadowing the humongous growth the country has seen in the UPA's tenure.
Opposing America in key issues like Iraq, Oil are appreciable but meaningless lamenting in developmental programs like the N-deal are nothing but fascist ideas.
The irresponsible behavior of the Left parties are going to back fire on their own in the upcoming elections as the people are smart enough to distinguish their eye-washing ideologies.
Only when they spare a thought for the increasing power and energy needs of the exploding country and its exploding growth, they can break free from the leftist jinx which is not valid any more.
Cheers !
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Dadagiri is dirty-giri !
When most cricketers of recent times got better with age, some had a different story against their name. Cricketers like McGrath, Warne, Pollock, Jayasuriya, Gilly all got promoted from icons to legends and for some like Sachin, it was a promotion from being legends to demi-gods rightly justified by the Padma vibhushan award.
While all this were happening certain people wrote a different script for themselves. Saurav Ganguly is one such man who by his own tendency became the most hated Indian cricketer. While my comments may sound like a strong personal opinion It was a cliche and I heard from cricket followers of different walks.
Dadagiri certainly proved to be a dirty-giri for many wrong reasons. Bengalis are always known for their overrated regionalism's if not generally but at least when it comes to supporting ganguly.
They always take to the streets when dada is being pushed even little when he thoroughly deserves it. That was annoying for many onlookers because the same had been meted out to some great players who fair better than dada on many fronts. Such is the unacceptability for truth by so called dada's army.
The reasons are aplenty, their violent ways of expression is one. When a batsmen of any team gets 'out' obvious response will be a silence but kolkata fans elate in joy because their Dada is coming on to the pitch as the next batsman(kolkata knightriders), sounds insane, since he isn't a player worth routing for.
His strange on field behavior in recent times sounds of his sense of non-cooperation, lack of involvement and zero team spirit, also reveals that he is a sore player when 'he' is not the captain.
His arrogant attitude when he is batting , his outbursts towards his bowlers when they are not doing well, his lethargic body language all add to the fact that he is not a team man atleast in recent times.
Even some teammates of him in Kolkata knightriders started admitting his lack of interest in team bonding and hate-losing tendency in private conversations to the media is undoubtedly a fall-out of all that.
Having said all these I have nothing personal against him or kolkata fans, but thats the way it could be looked at.
Its a naive behavior to support him blindly given that he is not a people's cricketer and he is always short of all the love and affection.
Lets wait and watch how long this ineligible man can pretend to be a great captain or a great batsman for that matter, when he doesn't even qualify for a fraction of what he's getting from his 'loyal' fans.
Cheers !!!
While all this were happening certain people wrote a different script for themselves. Saurav Ganguly is one such man who by his own tendency became the most hated Indian cricketer. While my comments may sound like a strong personal opinion It was a cliche and I heard from cricket followers of different walks.
Dadagiri certainly proved to be a dirty-giri for many wrong reasons. Bengalis are always known for their overrated regionalism's if not generally but at least when it comes to supporting ganguly.
They always take to the streets when dada is being pushed even little when he thoroughly deserves it. That was annoying for many onlookers because the same had been meted out to some great players who fair better than dada on many fronts. Such is the unacceptability for truth by so called dada's army.
The reasons are aplenty, their violent ways of expression is one. When a batsmen of any team gets 'out' obvious response will be a silence but kolkata fans elate in joy because their Dada is coming on to the pitch as the next batsman(kolkata knightriders), sounds insane, since he isn't a player worth routing for.
His strange on field behavior in recent times sounds of his sense of non-cooperation, lack of involvement and zero team spirit, also reveals that he is a sore player when 'he' is not the captain.
His arrogant attitude when he is batting , his outbursts towards his bowlers when they are not doing well, his lethargic body language all add to the fact that he is not a team man atleast in recent times.
Even some teammates of him in Kolkata knightriders started admitting his lack of interest in team bonding and hate-losing tendency in private conversations to the media is undoubtedly a fall-out of all that.
Having said all these I have nothing personal against him or kolkata fans, but thats the way it could be looked at.
Its a naive behavior to support him blindly given that he is not a people's cricketer and he is always short of all the love and affection.
Lets wait and watch how long this ineligible man can pretend to be a great captain or a great batsman for that matter, when he doesn't even qualify for a fraction of what he's getting from his 'loyal' fans.
Cheers !!!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
IPL - Live cricket @ Chepauk
When a group of my frenz decided to skip SET 'max' for a change and go for a live match in the Chepauk this IPL season I was a little concerned, But when the moment arrived I realized that I got my money's worth. Indeed I got much more than that - a once in a life experience of an extravagant event celebrated by billions of people.
I must admit that It was a little difficult for a keen cricket observer like me who always wants to see all action much closer. But this was different there was something more to the normal 'cricket'. The ambiance , floodlights, huge crowd gathered with the sole motive of having a great evening all added to the excitement that was already oozing out.
A chance to see many great players in close quarters was inexpressible. Routing for chennai was very much was all that we did but in a fanatic way added to the glitz of the event.
It was very different from seeing tv, like no commentary , no numerous replays no close up shots although the big screen gave moments that formed a small slice of the apple pie.
All of us got sore throat within minutes of landing inside the stadium bcoz we did everything but eating with our mouth.
The white sea gulls over the open skies formed a picture perfect moment.
Some great music before the start of the match energized the batteries and it looked to me as If everyone wanted to live that moment putting everything else behind.
The marriage of entertainment and cricket was truly a pleasant one etching in some great memories in my mind.
Chennai super kings pondered a great victory over Punjab kings 11 made all that energy much beautiful and as I told earlier It was much more than the money's worth.
This certainly was a great evening to remember for a long time and ironically all these happened in my B'day threw me into one of the beautiful birthdays I ever had.
Cheers !!!!
I must admit that It was a little difficult for a keen cricket observer like me who always wants to see all action much closer. But this was different there was something more to the normal 'cricket'. The ambiance , floodlights, huge crowd gathered with the sole motive of having a great evening all added to the excitement that was already oozing out.
A chance to see many great players in close quarters was inexpressible. Routing for chennai was very much was all that we did but in a fanatic way added to the glitz of the event.
It was very different from seeing tv, like no commentary , no numerous replays no close up shots although the big screen gave moments that formed a small slice of the apple pie.
All of us got sore throat within minutes of landing inside the stadium bcoz we did everything but eating with our mouth.
The white sea gulls over the open skies formed a picture perfect moment.
Some great music before the start of the match energized the batteries and it looked to me as If everyone wanted to live that moment putting everything else behind.
The marriage of entertainment and cricket was truly a pleasant one etching in some great memories in my mind.
Chennai super kings pondered a great victory over Punjab kings 11 made all that energy much beautiful and as I told earlier It was much more than the money's worth.
This certainly was a great evening to remember for a long time and ironically all these happened in my B'day threw me into one of the beautiful birthdays I ever had.
Cheers !!!!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
(South)Indian music Rockzzzz !!!
With so much of marketing and publicity hype associated with films releasing off late , one can fear that the starry PR efforts are going to take away the honors that many movies deserved.
I still keep wondering the need of the lead actors stealing the limelight of the audio releases of these wonderful musical movies. Perhaps the astronomical budget threatens the makers to go for cosmetics well before the release of the movie, not realizing that good music can even make a difference to those movies.
Commercialization of everything obviously prefers change in good conventions. But from my personal experience, the music compositions of a few movies have been received even better than movies.
Jodha Akbar, Dhaam Dhoom and even Himesh's innovative attempt of Dasavatharam find special mention from that long list.
Its only obvious that these music genii can better themselves every time , the reach is beyond horizons which makes me feel proud.
Rahman is growing better every day like old wine, Harris though gives great tunes though the style has been predominantly the same.
I know I would invite wrath by adding Himesh to this crazy list but 2 of his songs from Dasavatharam make me feel that he has something to offer to good ears too !
I have become so crazy of good music because in such a profession other organs are bound to get exhausted so easily that I rely upon ears to refresh a bit of me everyday.
My three cheers for ecstatic composers who are taking our music to greater heights, perhaps to more listeners amidst the starry affairs which dominate the modern day media.
Cheers !
I still keep wondering the need of the lead actors stealing the limelight of the audio releases of these wonderful musical movies. Perhaps the astronomical budget threatens the makers to go for cosmetics well before the release of the movie, not realizing that good music can even make a difference to those movies.
Commercialization of everything obviously prefers change in good conventions. But from my personal experience, the music compositions of a few movies have been received even better than movies.
Jodha Akbar, Dhaam Dhoom and even Himesh's innovative attempt of Dasavatharam find special mention from that long list.
Its only obvious that these music genii can better themselves every time , the reach is beyond horizons which makes me feel proud.
Rahman is growing better every day like old wine, Harris though gives great tunes though the style has been predominantly the same.
I know I would invite wrath by adding Himesh to this crazy list but 2 of his songs from Dasavatharam make me feel that he has something to offer to good ears too !
I have become so crazy of good music because in such a profession other organs are bound to get exhausted so easily that I rely upon ears to refresh a bit of me everyday.
My three cheers for ecstatic composers who are taking our music to greater heights, perhaps to more listeners amidst the starry affairs which dominate the modern day media.
Cheers !
Friday, January 11, 2008
The "Bhutto" legacy
I was quite away from the 'blogosphere' thanks to my commitments from the professional front.
But I am back, as my instincts drove me for scribbling something, after all so much has happened in the world over the past few months.
The assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto may have paved way for a larger debate on democracy being thrashed by anti-humane elements , but it was so chaotic to know who killed Mrs Bhutto and perhaps the resounding question 'why'.
While forensic experts, intelligence and many 'others' are wondering why and how the assassination happened, a majority of them are worried simply about the aftermath. It has even gone to that extent that the history of Pakistan may very well demarcated as pre-Musharraf period and the post-Musharraf period.
The 'Bhutto' family is often compared to the 'Gandhi' family perhaps not for their maverick support to democracy , but for the merciless killing of their members for which the whole of their respective nations grieved.
Benazir though inherited the political qualities from her slain father Zulfiqar ali bhutto, remained mostly a defiant strong leader of the masses which also showed that she is a self made leader. When she became the prime minister of Pakistan she was just 26 years of age, a rare case in World political history.
She is known to have had a prolonged battle with army generals who had taken the nation by ransom right from her childhood. Hence she was always forced to go on exile whenever the nation's democracy was at stake.
The assassinations of great leaders have always left behind uncertainty and Bhutto was no different, her people wondering whom to pass the mantle to.
Bilawal Bhutto may have been just 19 years when he became the official successor of her mother, one can only hope that there is no more bloodshed and the history of democratic leaders speak only about their highs and the lows and not their tragic ends.
Thanks for reading !
But I am back, as my instincts drove me for scribbling something, after all so much has happened in the world over the past few months.
The assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto may have paved way for a larger debate on democracy being thrashed by anti-humane elements , but it was so chaotic to know who killed Mrs Bhutto and perhaps the resounding question 'why'.
While forensic experts, intelligence and many 'others' are wondering why and how the assassination happened, a majority of them are worried simply about the aftermath. It has even gone to that extent that the history of Pakistan may very well demarcated as pre-Musharraf period and the post-Musharraf period.
The 'Bhutto' family is often compared to the 'Gandhi' family perhaps not for their maverick support to democracy , but for the merciless killing of their members for which the whole of their respective nations grieved.
Benazir though inherited the political qualities from her slain father Zulfiqar ali bhutto, remained mostly a defiant strong leader of the masses which also showed that she is a self made leader. When she became the prime minister of Pakistan she was just 26 years of age, a rare case in World political history.
She is known to have had a prolonged battle with army generals who had taken the nation by ransom right from her childhood. Hence she was always forced to go on exile whenever the nation's democracy was at stake.
The assassinations of great leaders have always left behind uncertainty and Bhutto was no different, her people wondering whom to pass the mantle to.
Bilawal Bhutto may have been just 19 years when he became the official successor of her mother, one can only hope that there is no more bloodshed and the history of democratic leaders speak only about their highs and the lows and not their tragic ends.
Thanks for reading !
Monday, September 24, 2007
Hip Hip Hurray :)
I am composing the post just a few minutes after India made history , after they went on to win the Twenty-20 World Cup and gave us perhaps the most cherishable moment of the game for the whole century.
The under-dogs became dark horses and then the dark horses became favourites and then favourites became champions, Thats how Team India scripted their T20 outings in South Africa.
With least expectations riding on the team Dhoni and his men did nothing but enjoy their game each and every moment till the last pakistani wicket fell to rewrite history books.
The fact that makes the victory more special is that it came against arch-rivals Pakistan though they played really well to give us all a nail biting finish.
Two teams who were chucked out of the ICC ODI World cup barely a few months back, have now come over the odds to go to the helm of the game.
Look whom they have crushed en route to winning the cup Pakistan,South africa,Australia and Pakistan.....Wow what a journey it has been , simply impeccable.
The men in blue averaging just 24 in age brought us all an unforgettable moment of pride by becoming champions in this new format of the game. The young bloods showed great deal of aggression and passion and now they have reached the pinnacle.
The whole country of more than a billion has erupted in joy and celebrations galore all over.
Setting aside the bitter past , the political flim-flams, the national problems and all our worries, of each and every Indian, this victory has flooded all with extreme joy.
Team India you deserved the cup and you have made us all proud.
Chak De India !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please bear with me if I had erred as you all know I am writing in a mood of great jubilation :)
The under-dogs became dark horses and then the dark horses became favourites and then favourites became champions, Thats how Team India scripted their T20 outings in South Africa.
With least expectations riding on the team Dhoni and his men did nothing but enjoy their game each and every moment till the last pakistani wicket fell to rewrite history books.
The fact that makes the victory more special is that it came against arch-rivals Pakistan though they played really well to give us all a nail biting finish.
Two teams who were chucked out of the ICC ODI World cup barely a few months back, have now come over the odds to go to the helm of the game.
Look whom they have crushed en route to winning the cup Pakistan,South africa,Australia and Pakistan.....Wow what a journey it has been , simply impeccable.
The men in blue averaging just 24 in age brought us all an unforgettable moment of pride by becoming champions in this new format of the game. The young bloods showed great deal of aggression and passion and now they have reached the pinnacle.
The whole country of more than a billion has erupted in joy and celebrations galore all over.
Setting aside the bitter past , the political flim-flams, the national problems and all our worries, of each and every Indian, this victory has flooded all with extreme joy.
Team India you deserved the cup and you have made us all proud.
Chak De India !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please bear with me if I had erred as you all know I am writing in a mood of great jubilation :)
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Chennai !!!
I just wanted to share this video with you all !
Its cool, and brings cheer for my new aspirations :)
Please bear with the 'ad' tho :(
Thanks :)
Its cool, and brings cheer for my new aspirations :)
Please bear with the 'ad' tho :(
Thanks :)
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Birthday Gift :)
There can't be any better Birthday gift to mother India than a scintillating 'series-win' in the home-of-cricket and the Indian cricket team deserves all the adulation.
Despite all the controversies surrounding the decision to back-out of follow on in the 3rd innings of the Oval test doing rounds everywhere, the coveted series win could not be outsmarted by the final test result.
One can easily understand the vested reasons behind Dravid's decision as it is simply the fear of losing the series had England put up a decent total on the board if they were following on. Because batting on a track like Oval in the 4th innings is more than a nightmare for Indians ,though touted to be the best line up in the world.
Even the batsmen gave a slice of their fears in 3rd innings itself when they chose to bat instead make England follow-on and they were 6 down before declaring. That may perhaps be the reason for Dravid's decision. And all he thought was to put the blame on bowlers fitness which eventually evoked mixed response.
As he is known, the Wall always blocks everything and he did the same. But this incident will remain as the recent blot in Indian test cricket.
The other side was perhaps more of a team spirit and thirst to win. They played as a team and everyone contributed their bit to the victory, except a few exceptional performances by Zaheer in the Nottingham test and kumble's magic with both bat and ball at the Oval.
The pick of the series is the opening pair of Karthik-Jaffer pair who seem to be on the right track for solving India's opening woes. Karthik in particular was exceptional as an opener, portrayed right mix of defense and technique and had won the accolades for his efforts.
The series win showed perfect signs of India improving from over the traumatic world cup exit, with excellent blend of youth experience contributing their bit to wipe of stains.
All the media hype is well deserved, as winning England in England is never easy.If it was 2-0 it would have given us more reasons to celebrate, however this is not bad in anyway.
For the upcoming One-day series and the following tours, as always, we keep our fingers crossed !
Thanks for reading :)
Despite all the controversies surrounding the decision to back-out of follow on in the 3rd innings of the Oval test doing rounds everywhere, the coveted series win could not be outsmarted by the final test result.
One can easily understand the vested reasons behind Dravid's decision as it is simply the fear of losing the series had England put up a decent total on the board if they were following on. Because batting on a track like Oval in the 4th innings is more than a nightmare for Indians ,though touted to be the best line up in the world.
Even the batsmen gave a slice of their fears in 3rd innings itself when they chose to bat instead make England follow-on and they were 6 down before declaring. That may perhaps be the reason for Dravid's decision. And all he thought was to put the blame on bowlers fitness which eventually evoked mixed response.
As he is known, the Wall always blocks everything and he did the same. But this incident will remain as the recent blot in Indian test cricket.
The other side was perhaps more of a team spirit and thirst to win. They played as a team and everyone contributed their bit to the victory, except a few exceptional performances by Zaheer in the Nottingham test and kumble's magic with both bat and ball at the Oval.
The pick of the series is the opening pair of Karthik-Jaffer pair who seem to be on the right track for solving India's opening woes. Karthik in particular was exceptional as an opener, portrayed right mix of defense and technique and had won the accolades for his efforts.
The series win showed perfect signs of India improving from over the traumatic world cup exit, with excellent blend of youth experience contributing their bit to wipe of stains.
All the media hype is well deserved, as winning England in England is never easy.If it was 2-0 it would have given us more reasons to celebrate, however this is not bad in anyway.
For the upcoming One-day series and the following tours, as always, we keep our fingers crossed !
Thanks for reading :)
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Rowling keeps it Rolling !!!
Its been a while since I wrote my last post, But I'm back thanks to the freak rains of Hyderabad that denied a rare chance of getting back to home early.
I know writing a review for HP and Order of the Phoenix weeks after its release is understandably funny, but "Better late than never".
I am no expert in wizardry and witchcraft and often take pride with the fact that I have not even seen the cover of any of HP books and humbly accept the 'muggle'ness.
This isn't a complete review of HP and OOTP henceforth HP book worms and movie freaks can go ahead reading at your own peril.
OOTP is claimed to be the darkest of all HP movies but hardly contains awe-inspiring magic or visual effects. Perhaps thats why it makes a little boring to see OOTP in Imax, sans any terrifying graphics or effect
s.
What inspired me more was the tint of slow and the smooth flow of events that inspire Harry to be more tough to baddies as he steps into adolescence.
I was dumb-struck by an astounding performance by the lady who played "Dolores Umbridge".
Her acting prowess is simply the best part of the movie reels. She brought the whole reflex of the character to her facial antics and witty smile. Hats off to her.
The last 20 minutes of 3D experience was not so exceptional, yet sounded interesting.
As always I loved watching Emma Watson in genius Hermione, and she simply carried me away.
When I heard mutters from faithful HP book readers that the greatness of the book was not wholly transpired into the movie, I withdrew my own complaints.
At the end of it all, what I enjoyed most is the thrill of watching a HP movie on its first day in Imax among freak fans despite being a muggle! Sounds crazy ???
Thanks for reading :)
I know writing a review for HP and Order of the Phoenix weeks after its release is understandably funny, but "Better late than never".
I am no expert in wizardry and witchcraft and often take pride with the fact that I have not even seen the cover of any of HP books and humbly accept the 'muggle'ness.
This isn't a complete review of HP and OOTP henceforth HP book worms and movie freaks can go ahead reading at your own peril.
OOTP is claimed to be the darkest of all HP movies but hardly contains awe-inspiring magic or visual effects. Perhaps thats why it makes a little boring to see OOTP in Imax, sans any terrifying graphics or effect
s.What inspired me more was the tint of slow and the smooth flow of events that inspire Harry to be more tough to baddies as he steps into adolescence.
I was dumb-struck by an astounding performance by the lady who played "Dolores Umbridge".
Her acting prowess is simply the best part of the movie reels. She brought the whole reflex of the character to her facial antics and witty smile. Hats off to her.
The last 20 minutes of 3D experience was not so exceptional, yet sounded interesting.
As always I loved watching Emma Watson in genius Hermione, and she simply carried me away.
When I heard mutters from faithful HP book readers that the greatness of the book was not wholly transpired into the movie, I withdrew my own complaints.
At the end of it all, what I enjoyed most is the thrill of watching a HP movie on its first day in Imax among freak fans despite being a muggle! Sounds crazy ???
Thanks for reading :)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
King of Grass - High on Class !!!
It couldn't have been any bigger than this, a dream final any tennis watcher could have wished for on center court, Wimbledon.
It was literally a "Clash of the Titans" and everyone hoped that the rain gods too were relaxing in front of their television sets :)
After days of clumsy freak weather at the Wimbledon the final day was much sunnier and the meadows were looking dry and green all set for the grand finale !
Two great masters of the game - one who was getting used to it and the other making use of it well.
The title clash was between Roger the top seed and Nadal the second, turned out to be a treat to watch for both spectators who had come to the center court with folded umbrellas and for those worldwide before the idiot box with their fingers crossed.
While Fedex was eying Bjorg's record of five straight Wimbledon titles, Rafa was hoping for his maiden Wimbledon title.
Many would have seen Roger emulating Nadal 5 years later or Nadal emulating Roger when the latter defeated Pete Sampras from getting his 5th consecutive Wimbledon title back in 2001.
The game was never a one sided affair, and was equally poised at any stage except for the latter stages of the decider.
I would say Roger had his lady-luck very much by his side as he got away with 1st and 3rd side thanks to a tie break. He proved his mettle with a total of 24 aces against 1 for Nadal , reminding everyone of the yesteryear legend Goran Ivanisevic who is still unparalleled with his serves on the grass.
Roger also had the number of unforced errors more than that of his opponent indicating how collected and composed the younger lad was.
Presumably both had their placements fantastic, giving us nothing less than a 'edge of the seat' experience.
Nadal came back strongly winning the 2nd and 4th sets thanks to some wonderful winners from his dynamic forehand, pushing the king of grass too far from being a cake walk.
The fact that both of them were equally flexing the muscles ,exhibited some exuberant talent and went on to grab 2 sets each before the decider.
While there was some mild chaos due to the hawk-eye decision challenging options, It was Nadal who took everyone by surprise by challenging only those decisions which turned to his favor.
Then came the final set which took away the breath of many and turned out to be the most exciting set of all games in the recent tennis history. Some would have even felt boring at times as both were winning equally and alternatively their own serves.
When the score board was reading 2-2 I was thinking only a tie break can decide the champion,
But then the swiss maestro justified he is a little above the crest when he broke Nadal for 2 successive games with some wonderful backhand winners and aces.
He won the set,match and championship 6-2 in the final set thus re-writing the history books.
Swedish legend Bjorn Borg was all smiles after he found a company for his elite club of 5 consecutive Wimbledon ch'ships.
The tears that rolled down Federer's cheeks said all the story and how great it was getting close to being called a legend.
But Nadal had more positives to take from the match, He stood tall,strong and can only be credited for pushing the champion to a fag end.
And Federer told that It was the toughest grand slam final for him and wished Nadal to have a longer run and that Nadal deserved a win in the center court.
And this match will go down in the history as one of the most enchanting tennis game, and also for the discovery of two great sportsmen - a legend of the present and a champion of the future.
Thanks for your time :)
It was literally a "Clash of the Titans" and everyone hoped that the rain gods too were relaxing in front of their television sets :)
After days of clumsy freak weather at the Wimbledon the final day was much sunnier and the meadows were looking dry and green all set for the grand finale !
Two great masters of the game - one who was getting used to it and the other making use of it well.
The title clash was between Roger the top seed and Nadal the second, turned out to be a treat to watch for both spectators who had come to the center court with folded umbrellas and for those worldwide before the idiot box with their fingers crossed.
While Fedex was eying Bjorg's record of five straight Wimbledon titles, Rafa was hoping for his maiden Wimbledon title.
Many would have seen Roger emulating Nadal 5 years later or Nadal emulating Roger when the latter defeated Pete Sampras from getting his 5th consecutive Wimbledon title back in 2001.
The game was never a one sided affair, and was equally poised at any stage except for the latter stages of the decider.
I would say Roger had his lady-luck very much by his side as he got away with 1st and 3rd side thanks to a tie break. He proved his mettle with a total of 24 aces against 1 for Nadal , reminding everyone of the yesteryear legend Goran Ivanisevic who is still unparalleled with his serves on the grass.
Roger also had the number of unforced errors more than that of his opponent indicating how collected and composed the younger lad was.
Presumably both had their placements fantastic, giving us nothing less than a 'edge of the seat' experience.
Nadal came back strongly winning the 2nd and 4th sets thanks to some wonderful winners from his dynamic forehand, pushing the king of grass too far from being a cake walk.
The fact that both of them were equally flexing the muscles ,exhibited some exuberant talent and went on to grab 2 sets each before the decider.
While there was some mild chaos due to the hawk-eye decision challenging options, It was Nadal who took everyone by surprise by challenging only those decisions which turned to his favor.
Then came the final set which took away the breath of many and turned out to be the most exciting set of all games in the recent tennis history. Some would have even felt boring at times as both were winning equally and alternatively their own serves.
When the score board was reading 2-2 I was thinking only a tie break can decide the champion,
But then the swiss maestro justified he is a little above the crest when he broke Nadal for 2 successive games with some wonderful backhand winners and aces.
He won the set,match and championship 6-2 in the final set thus re-writing the history books.
Swedish legend Bjorn Borg was all smiles after he found a company for his elite club of 5 consecutive Wimbledon ch'ships.
The tears that rolled down Federer's cheeks said all the story and how great it was getting close to being called a legend.
But Nadal had more positives to take from the match, He stood tall,strong and can only be credited for pushing the champion to a fag end.
And Federer told that It was the toughest grand slam final for him and wished Nadal to have a longer run and that Nadal deserved a win in the center court.
And this match will go down in the history as one of the most enchanting tennis game, and also for the discovery of two great sportsmen - a legend of the present and a champion of the future.
Thanks for your time :)
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