Facts n Fiction

I was entering Mumbai city one afternoon on a torturous sunny day. The scorching heat was testing my patience. The vehicle I was traveling was air conditioned. However; it somehow could not beat the heat. All I could do was watch hoardings, signboards, and vehicles passing by or cruising ahead of us. As I was trying to keep myself busy, a truck just ahead of our vehicle caught my gaze. I asked my friend to keep the pace such that we are just behind the truck, taking care that we don’t overtake it or lose it sight at any time. The truck carried a lot of cattle in it and it supposedly was heading to some slaughterhouse. I could guess that after taking a close look (as close as I could take) at the animals in the truck. Had been they taken for some constructive purpose they would not have been kept in such merciless conditions. To my luck the truck driver decided to take a halt at one of the dhaba (roadside restaurant) on the highway and I asked my friend to take rest at the same dhaba. W...

Farhan Akhtar’s earlier flicks made me curious to go and watch his latest venture – ‘DON’, remake of Amitabh starrer ‘DON’ made in 70s. I like Farhan as a filmmaker and have liked his ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Lakshya’. Though I had got reviews on Don from friends, newspapers, sites, and TV channels, I thought of watching the movie before putting down a verdict. I remember Amitabh’s Don vividly, as I have seen it as many times as it was telecasted in TV channels and cable TV. I had prepared myself not to view the SRK Don with an idea to compare it with Big B’s Don. Let the judgement be on a individual approach than on a relative level. As I walked out after finishing the film, I was disappointed with what Farhan did with his version of Don. It was a mix of Bond movies, Matrix, and Mission Impossible. The plot of the original and new Don is more or less the same with very few surprises. Yes, you do get surprised at moments where Arjun Rampal (modern Pran) scales up sky scrappers when he act...

Almost a week ago, I was too excited to go to Bangalore. And why not, I was to meet one of my closed pals, Sandip, fondly called PM. My excitement dimmed a bit when I missed my 5.40pm Jet Airways flight to Bangalore (because of my foolishness). I was running from one window to another, desperately trying to get ticket to Bangalore. My hopes almost diminished when I heard replies like “No seats available”, “No flight available at present”, “Fare for next immediate flight is Rs.11000”, and so on. However, somehow the optimism to reach Bangalore did not die out completely and I tried my last attempt at the Air Deccan window. I had told myself anything below Rs.5000 and I am flying. To my surprise and luck I got 7.30pm Air Deccan ticket at Rs.3850 of the same day. I felt very pleased at that moment and price factor did not even attempt to occupy my mind. I reached Bangalore and was out of the terminal by 9.30pm. “Aye Pandey” , I heard a shout and to my left was PM walking on the other side...

I was watching SRK’s interview on CNN-IBN. I like most of the programs on CNN-IBN (not to be confused with IBN-7) and liked this SRK interview in particular. If not for anything else, I like the way Shah Rukh Khan tackles the questions and answers the media. He is humorous, witty, and diplomatic at the same time. It is very rare that I have seen him trapped in questions. His choice of words is apt and his speeches at various programs, award functions, and interviews have always enticed me. I am in no way talking about his acting, his personality, his glamorous presence, or even his ‘King Khan’ image. Let me just give you a small excerpt from an interview that I mentioned above. Rajeev Masand (a film analyst and critic on CNN-IBN) was interviewing Shah Rukh Khan and I liked SRK’s reply to one of the question. It goes something like this. Rajeev Masand: Do you think that money can buy happiness? Shah Rukh Khan: It makes it easier to get happiness. I do believe in a material world to a ...

I was alone at home today evening trying to avoid the noise of the bursting crackers outside. I had closed all doors and windows making sure that noise and smoke does not enter my room and my eyes, ears, lungs etc. I turned on my music system so that it kills the bursting noise of crackers, but in vain. The crackers and the people lighting them won the contest in irritating me to the core. Finally, I made myself busy with household chores trying to avoid the frustration. I was reminded of the three peaceful days that I had spent at Kashid beach. The tranquility of the sea, clear skies full of twinkling stars, white sand, migrating birds and a crowd that probably was not more that 10 if counted. It was really a consoling experience amidst the greenery of trees, bright colours of never before seen flowers, birds chirping their melody, and cool breeze. The evening was also beautiful with the mud houses lit with diwali lamps, laterns, and children lighting sparklers. We hardly heard a crac...

I was sitting in the garden one evening watching little kids play and have fun. Alongside I was also busy doing some R&D and learning to operate my newly bought cell. I was learning to operate the camera and I wanted to focus on something that was wonderful. I moved my hand left to right and back again holding the camera upright in my hand try to catch something pleasant. Just then I saw a small girl sitting on the green and playing with her doll. She was cutely combing that doll’s hair, talking to her and having a good time. I got to see such a scene after many years, after my childhood to be precise. I quickly captured her beautiful smiles and gestures towards her doll in camera. I then decided just to watch her and her activities. Next to her was a boy of same age as that of the girl who too was having a good time alone jumping, dancing, imitating Superman, Spiderman, etc. However, I feel he was not able to sustain his self entertainment and came to interfere with that little gi...

Our country’s best known actor and famous film hero now plays the most famous villain in Indian cinema – Gabbar Singh from Sholay. Big B will play Gabbar in RGV’s version Sholay, supposedly the most classic movie made in India. ‘Ram Gopal Varma ke Sholay’ is the remake of Sholay from RGV’s perspective. He claims that he has seen the original Sholay so many times that he can make a better version of the movie. Though I like Ramu’s movies and respect him as a filmmaker, I feel that remake of something classic like Sholay should not be attempted. It already is a masterpiece and trying to put any improvements in it or claiming that one can make something better is truly absurd. I agree to what Lata Mangeshkar said on her birthday that making Sholay again is a mistake. The movie has Ajay Devgan (Veeru), Mohit Ahlawat (Jai), Kajol (may play Basanti), Mohanlal (Thakur) and Amitabh Bacchan (Gabbar) besides others. Urmila will do ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ and try to emulate Helen to the best possibl...

Television has become a craze with sobbing soaps, thrilling news, and enticing reality shows. Atleast one family member or the entire family is obsessed with some of the other kind of program. I seriously don’t understand the logic behind the programs like ‘Jhalak Dikhla Ja’ or ‘Nach Baliye’ . I mean what is being proved or is it an attempt to find the best dancers in the actors or cricketers. I still would not mind programs like ‘Indian Idol’ or ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ or ‘Boogie Woogie’ as they try to search for some talent. But ‘Jhalak Dikhla Ja’ and ‘Nach Baliye’ are a pure waste of time. You must have also noticed that there is not a single program on TV that doesn’t make you SMS for something either to guess the winner or vote for some poll or your views on some news issue. Yes SMS must indeed be a big revenue generator for these programs. However, we unfortunately fail to understand this and blindly keep sending messages to these programs. We are paying the cable bill and also indire...

Over 3000 dengue cases already reported in India and the number is rising. Delhi has been hit badly with dengue and there are cases of death also. Dengue can be fatal as it may result in sharp fall of the blood platelets and there is no anti-viral available for it. The primary reason for dengue is female ‘Aedes Aegypti’ mosquito. Dengue is different than malaria (caused by ‘Anopheles’ mosquito) though some of the symptoms may be the same. Dengue can also be confused largely with influenza, typhoid fever, meningitis, viral hepatitis. Chekungunya is another threat that is soon rising in states of southern India and more than 50 people have already lost their lives in Kerala. The reason for chekungunya is again same as dengue - ‘Aedes Aegypti’ . These diseases, dengue and chekungunya are spreading rapidly across the city claiming lives of many. The main reason for the widespread of this disease is stagnant water that is available in plenty in India. Even the premier hospital like AIIMS ...

Nagesh Kukunoor has given a consistent performance and has again proved his brilliance with movie making. His latest presentation of a real life incident - ‘Dor’ is testimony to the fact that Kukunoor can handle any subject with sense and maturity. Dor narrates a story of two women who supposedly could have been rivals turn good friends. Ayesha Takia’s husband accidently killed by Gul Panag’s husband. Gul’s husband can only escape the death punishment only if Ayesha signs a pardon letter (this is as per the rule in Middle East). The story well handles the emotional turmoil of the two women, one who has lost her husband and the other who thinks she can save her husband from the death sentence. The story revolves around how these two women from diverse traditions, culture and mental state of mind start enjoying each other’s company become fast friends. The story does not handle the ‘whys’ & ‘hows’ of the murder. However, it shows the repurcusions of that incident on the two female pr...