A Cool Promise

Last year when the summer peaked and it became too hot, my mother frequently felt sick. I had promised her that before the next summer began I would get an air conditioner for her.

I fulfilled that promise today. I got a split air-conditioner today. Shelled out Rs 25000 for it and spent about two hours helping the technicians to install it.

It was a mini-adventure of sorts, with getting ladders and wooden stools to get the external unit of the air-conditioner on to the ledge.

All things said and done it was a humbling experience watching the technicians unpack, fit and install the unit.

I hope the air conditioner adds comfort to my mother and she gets to sleep peacefully now.

Inside Man

Good movie but felt it was too overrated.
Clive Owen is cool as the bank robber.
Denzel Washington is adequate as a cop.
Jodie Foster looks old.

At a point of time one realizes that this movie was one more inspiration to a certain extent for the Tamil flick Naanayam

Inside Man is about a bank robbery where 50 hostages are taken. A negotiation team is sent. The owner of the bank played by Christopher Plummer has some secrets in locker no. 329.

What happens do the robbers get their wants? Are the hostages killed? Is the robbery a success?

What is the secret of the locker no. 329.

Watch the movie for answers. Movie is directed by Spike Lee.

Sachin Reaches Another Milestone

Image Courtesy-BBC


Sachin's status as the best in the game was reinforced when he became the first player in the history of ODI cricket to score 200 runs in an innings.

The crowd waited with bated breath as Sachin crossed 194 the record shared by Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry.

At a stage he was stuck on 199 as Dhoni was hitting sixes and fours at the other end.

The milestone was attained on the third ball of the last over.

Sachin scored 200 not out of 147 balls.

Little Master has now become the Great Master!

Unconditional Love

In a world where one-night stands, quick divorces, incompatibility, jealousy and suspicion abound. Here is a saga of true love.

Please read the article given in the link below. It is a true story.

True Love Never Dies

Von Ryan's Express

This is an old war-movie starring Frank Sinatra as an American pilot.
Set during the closing stages of WW-II, the movie describes how a troop of British prisoners flee Nazi-occupied Italy on a train.

Great photography, good acting, good stunts.

Image courtesy-Amazon

I await your Call

I await your call,
With bated breath.
Things may be different,
Among the two of us.

But you know,
In your heart,
What you meant to me!
Even though I was late.

You said things,
Could never be like,
What I wanted.
Even then....

A small wish,
Will you call me?
I wait with bated breath,
For you to call me.

Happy Birthday

Image Courtesy-Flickr



One more year has gone by, the first white hair on my head is prominent now. I have moved on to yet another job.

I am still single. No girl-friend and no signs of a horoscope matching my convoluted one.

Life goes on!

28 years on this planet!

Still so much more left to do!

Man She Looks Fat

This was a conversation that took place in a restaurant. The restaurant has a huge LCD TV on one wall and it plays Sun Music all the time. It is a usual hangout for my friends and they suggested that we all go for lunch there.

We managed to get a table for the four of us. Pintoo the joker of our pack gave us a smile and said-" Matchi, look at them at that table". It was a motley crew of five well dressed women in the age-group of 20 to 30. Probably they worked in one of the many tech-companies that were housed in the adjoining Tech-Park.

We ordered our food and looked at the TV while Pintoo stole glances at the "table". I poked him in the stomach said "Dei close your floodgates, too much of jollu" He snapped at me "Man what's your problem. I am just admiring beauty."
I guess some guys never learn.

Then a song started playing, it was Jyothika on screen. Then one of the women started saying "She looks so fat. I hate her" She tucked in to a large juicy cheese-burger and wiped her chin as some cheese dripped out. Another woman said "Hmmm she was OK in Vaali but expanded in Khushi, Don't why the guys are crazy after her?"

Another woman quipped in "Hmm ..poor Suriya wish he had waited?" As if he would come with a rose in his hand and woo her:)

Well folks this conversation continued till our food came.

I do not know why women are so obsessed with star-figures and stuff. Focusing on their own good health would be much better.

A funny interlude during a quick lunch!

India Win as Amla Toils

It was a match that would determine the top test-rankings. India were mauled at Nagpur.
At Eden Gardens at the end of the first 3 hours of play it looked like SA would post a massive total. Then the tumble of wickets began.

Indian batsmen made merry and four players got centuries.

SA had a disastrous start to their second innings.

On the final day 7 wickets separated India from victory. Zaheer's injury dimmed India's chances. Amla has shown tremendous strength of character in this series and fought all alone like a giant as wickets kept tumbling around him.

Finally it was a question of one wicket and as the skies darkened hopes of a victory for India kept fading. Two more overs to go as Harbhajan bowled his over.

The third ball was a beauty and struck Morkel on the pads.

There was a loud appeal. The umpire's finger went up and celebrations started.

India won and Harbhajan's fairytale tryst with the Eden Gardens continues.

The ODI series starts soon. The absence of Bhajji and Zaheer is going to hurt India.

I have a feeling that young pacer Mithun might get a chance.

The Last Day

Will India Win at Eden Gardens?
By 3 PM we shall know!

Dr. Pashupati

This was one funny movie. Starring-Innocent, Parvathi, Nedumudi Venu, Jagathi, Jagadeesh, Kalpana and a whole other bunch of actors.

The movie is about a small village that does not have veterinary doctors. A village board president played by Venu is given an ultimatum to find a doctor or lose his post.

A drama-actor and a small-time thief played by Innocent is hired to play the role of the veterinary doctor - Dr. Pashupati. The confusion, chaos and mayhem that is unleashed in the village forms the crux of the story.

Parvathi who is in love with her uncle's son played by Riza Bawa is forced to marry Innocent. Does the marriage take place? Is Innocent caught?

Watch the movie to find answers.

The biggest surprise for me was that action-specialist Shaji Kailash had directed the movie.

The Brothers Bloom

Absolute joy!
Wonderful con-movie.
Twists, joy, humour, great visuals.
Adrian Brody and Rachel Weisz make a lovely pair.

Don't miss this movie. No complications of the Guy Ritchie or Steven Soderberg kind here.

Good old-fashioned con movie.

No spoilers from my end:)

Team India

India was comprehensively beaten by South Africa. Rock solid innings from Amla and Kallis and brilliant bowling by Steyn ensured that India lost.

The Indians have a chance to redeem themselves at Eden Gardens. If they win the match I guess India will hold on to its No.1 position.

Let us see what happens!

Blindness

Just think you are walking on the road, or perhaps you are driving a car. All of a sudden you become blind! The whole world comes to a crash and you become dependent on somebody else for all your basic needs.

Blindness stars Julianne Moore and it chronicles an epidemic of blindness in an unnamed city. People across the city are afflicted by this strange disease where all they can see is a curtain of white. The "blind" are moved to a prison-like facility by the military-like government.

Within the facility there are riots and fights for food. The basic instinct of humans are portrayed as "sex-for-food" becomes the norm. The story starts convincingly and has realistic portrayals by all and abundant nudity. Julianne is the only one one who can see. She leads a revolt against the rebels and manages to escape along with her husband and a few good people.

They travel through the city which is in total chaos. People are blind and stranded and forage for food in abandoned supermarkets. Julianne leads the group to her house and all of them are happy after a long time and have a decent meal and a bath. There is this scene where the women are taking a bath and one lady who is actually a prostitute asks Julianne "Am I beautiful?" There is pathos and agony.

The surprise comes when a Japanese guy who was the first person to get infected claims that he can see and his vision is restored.

Thus the movie ends on a positive note with a hope that everyone will regain their vision. Powerful background score, good acting, some unwanted nudity and some unintentional funny moments.

Can be seen once for a different experience!

500 not out

Folks 500 posts and counting!
Need all your support, comments, brick-bats and bouquets and encouragement.
Thanks to Kavi, Priya, Sevitha, Madhuri, Ashwin, Sivaganesh, Sudha and everyone else who has continued reading this blog.

Long long back 5 years ago :) at SFY there was a lot of encouragement from Revathi Murali and Sukumari who were senior IDs. Then there were other colleagues whom I met at my next work-place: Sai and Mughil. Everyone has moved out and I have lost touch with these people.

I specially need to thank Nitin Raou who has moved to IBM. For it was his blog that ignited the spark. Today he is happily married and hardly updates his blog.

I have changed the theme of the blog and added two pages at the top.

One for "Poetry" and one for "Favourite Movies"

Let us see how things go. This blog has chronicled cinema, cricket, politics, the affairs of the heart, politics at work, travel and a lot of other stuff. When I was passing through a very tough emotional crisis the soothing words of my friends comforted me to a great deal.

So folks wish me luck!

Signing-off for now!

I will be back :)

Musings

Life is going along at a fast pace.
It is a farewell to Instructional Design.
I have moved away from e-learning.
Too many domestic problems, and my inability to focus made me say good bye to ID!
In a span of five years I have shifted jobs with alarming frequency.
The future lies ahead with lots of possibilities.
Let us see what happens.
I may be termed an escapist.
But I guess somewhere I had to take a call and move ahead.

Pokkisham-Treasure

There is a scene in which Cheran reads a letter written to him by Padmapriya. The camera focuses on the inland letter. It has "786" at the top. No wonder because Padmapriya is playing the character of Nadira a Muslim girl. It is these small vignettes of directorial brilliance that make Cheran's movies enjoyable.

The movie is about D. Lenin a marine engineer in Kolkata in the 70s and Nadira a college student in Nagore. The tale poignantly examines the budding romance between the two. It is a tale of unrequited love enhanced by melodious songs tuned by Sabesh-Murali and has simple but effective cinematography.

There are scenes of Durga Puja in Kolkata, the long sea-line in Nagore, shots of Victoria Memorial, the Maidan and trams.

The movie narrates how Lenin's son Mahesh discovers his dead father's trunk which contains the letters written to Nadira.

Mahesh is fascinated as he reads the letters and examines his own four-month old flip-flop relationship with his girl-friend.

He tracks down Nadira who has settled in Malaysia and hands over the letters to her.

The movie ends with Nadira remembering Lenin and closing her eyes.

We assume that she dies and is finally reunited with her Lenin.

It is sad that the movie tanked at the box-office. The current crop of cine-goers need fast numbers, foreign locales, item-numbers, shootouts and stuff.

The movie deserves a watch for some excellent performances by Cheran and Padmapriya.