Facts n Fiction

Last Saturday, while in Mumbai, I witnessed a power failure and ‘no-electricity’ condition in some places that I visited that evening (strange coincidence, I thought). I was kind of irritated and while sharing this distress with my friend, I came to know about an initiative “Mumbai Unplug: Batti Bandh” . However, my friend wasn’t sure about what it was either. I later found out that Mumbaikars can voluntarily switch off their electricity on Saturday for an hour from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. This was something that had derived its inspiration from Sydney’s “Earth Hour” concept, an initiative to fight against global warming. Some articles in newspapers next day carried detailed information on the “Batti Bandh” initiative. However, all reported that the response to this initiative was poor with people participating only in few pockets of the city. Many corporate houses, restaurants, offices, residential complexes took part. However, hoardings, malls, and multiplexes remained brightly lit. The ...

You will make a fool out of yourself if you go to watch “Dus Kahaniyaan” with intentions of finding something common in the 10 short stories shown in the movie. There is no common plot, no common origin or end between the stories. This anthology of short films is nothing but an attempt to showoff, polish, and learn directorial skills. All fail however. I did not understand what Sanjay Gupta, Sanjay Dutt were trying to do with all the money that they have, as “Dus Kahaniyaan” turns out to be a real messy viewable experience. One would quite surely get impressed with the style, camera effects, shots taken etc, but that’s if you don’t understand movies. The content and the story telling are pathetic. I think Ram Gopal Varma is good at this – taking some stories and weaving them into a thriller. The short stories, “Matrimony”, “Zahir”, “High on the Highway”, “Sex on the beach” are a real pain and unbearable in terms of content quality. All these just bring out negative elements like d...

Ever since my childhood, I have seen people recommending something to someone; it could be their friends, relatives, colleagues, and so on. For e.g. my mom used to tell some aunt the new mixer we just bought is very nice and even she should buy it. Then there was my uncle who used to tell my dad to buy some policy or invest money somewhere or buy a house at a particular location. As I grew up, I saw many people doing it to me as well. When it was buying school uniform, some recommended me to ABC tailor and some others to XYZ tailor, for books it was either stationery shop or some other. A little older, then it was the turn of college friends, “udhar ka wada khate hai, mast hota hai”, “buy a jeans from that shop, its good quality and reasonable” , and many such recommendations floating around me and each one of us ofcourse all the time. And I grew older, out of college, ready to start a career. Again a lot of recommendations, which company to join, what and where to eat, and what to buy...

Sanjay Dutt was released from Yerwada jail and every bit of detail regarding this was flowing on almost all news channels. I was casually going through few channels and got tired of the repeated coverage on all of them. However, one channel’s analysis on Dutt’s arrests and releases made me wait on that channel for sometime. And I was really surprised with the content quality, topic for analysis, and details covered in that news piece. I really pitied that channel, which probably struggled to get any fruitful news or anything that is actually news. I wonder what a correct definition of news is. The news and analysis was something like, Sanjay Dutt’s arrests and releases, and the differences in his appearances at respective times. In 1993, when Dutt was released he was thin, with long hair, and he was greeting people with a ‘namaskaar’ pose. However, now in 2007 he was strong, well-built, with short hair, and a beard. Amazing news, and what an awesome comparative analysis. In 1993 he ha...

“Om Shanti Om” (OSO), supposedly the pompous movie of the year is full of spoof, colors, drama, action, romance, personalities from Indian film industry, and all the ingredients required for a masala movie. I was not expecting anything big or special from the movie, and Farah Khan has delivered just what is expected from her, considering her earlier directorial attempt – " Mein Hoon Na" . And there are mixed reviews on the movie (OSO). However, I found it to be entertaining and tickled your funny bones at times. I won’t go into comments on acting or songs or direction or any other aspects of the movie, as there are too many already floating. I enjoyed it and what I enjoyed the most was the lively song, “Deewangi Deewangi” , which had too many stars of the industry, and ofcourse has good composition, music, and presentation. I can still visualize that song and think about so many people in that single song. Having had enough effect of that song on me, I started wondering how ...

Amchi Marathi mulgi, Madhuri is back, and ready to thrill her fans and audiences alike with her ‘ thumke’, ‘latke’, ‘jhatke’, and so on. This ‘ ek-do-teen’ girl finds a respectable position in the elite club of Indian film industry’s dancing queens. Though I haven’t been a great fan of Madhuri Dixit, I have liked some of her movies and almost all of her dance sequences. Her perfectly swaying body and expressions aptly compliment grace, passion, excitement, confidence, and sensuality. From “Humko Aaj Kal Hai Intezaar” in “Sailaab” to “Dhak Dhak” in “Beta” and “Ek do teen” in “Tezaab” to her dance performances in “ Devdas”, “Dil to Pagal Hai” , and many others, I have liked her in all. And now “Aaja Nachle” , the movie itself is about dance and music, and Madhuri, in my opinion is a perfect pick for it, not only considering her as a dancing emblem but also looking at the character she would be playing. Though I am already aware of the plot and the story, one thing that will surely...

I read the news about some NRI buying a flat for Rs.34 crores in NCPA building, Marine Drive in Mumbai, supposedly the costliest real estate deal ever in the country. And it somewhat makes me proud that I belong to a city that is so much in demand for its real estate. However, my feelings are also sometimes mixed that make me wonder if these prices are realistic and would I be able to take part in this race (not 34 crores ofcourse)? Will I get a share in a piece of land anywhere? And I hear the prices shouting back at me loudly, NO, NEVER! I console myself wandering on the busy streets of huge highways, jam packed S. V. Roads, air-conditioned malls, at times silent pathways of Aarey Colony, and so on. All this while I wasn’t complaining and was kind of ‘OK’ with the feeling that I had some space to roam about, where tranquility and solace still exists. However, all this seems to be very short-lived, with politician’s latest decision to hand over open spaces of Mumbai to private clubs. ...