Aisha kya kar daala?

Looking forward to Aisha and yet, not so looking forward to it.

Looking forward because it comes with a tremendous sense of accomplishment - for a young team. Many firsts, many feats. Looking forward because of the yummy clothes, delish shoes, and ax's throughout the movie. Stylistically very superior. Looking forward because it marks the entry of a very savvy young investor/enterpreneur - Rhea Kapoor. Looking forward because there's no looking back for Anil Kapoor Productions from this point on. Looking forward because Anil Kapoor has a tremendous amount of good karma and infectitious charm. Ofcourse the last one has nothing to do with the movie but it makes it all the more endearing. NOT looking forward to an Abhay Deol. There's only so many times you can see him emote the same way. Not looking forward to a girly girl sugar candy story these days. Since OATIM happened, the mood is for hot and spicy not jalebis. Not looking forward to a "delhi" story. Sorry, but that city is all about Power, Politics and Corruption for me, so the 'finesse' of Delhi and Delhi-ites (especially southern) is so lost on me. Much like colored sprinkles on ice cream. (Yes, I totally hate 'em). After all the hisaab kitaab is done, I think I still need to see this movie. I hope it brings all the charm, panache and the chutzpah. Expect nothing less than a fantastic entertainer. Yes, in spite of Abhay Deol. I just wish Anil Kapoor had a cameo in it. I love seeing his lit up face and baby laugh. (A whole post on him someday).

Meanwhile, while we are on our favorite topic -- Politics.. and the tamasha thereof, must say, the CWG debacle unrolled much faster than even IPL. Heads of pawns have rolled, but they are just that... pawns in the bigger scheme of things. Nothing will change. Pawns will go, new ones will be ready to jump in. With their safari suits, gold chains and leather pouches in hand. And I have to say, this government has gone from bad to worse to worst in record time. Every month we have a new scandal, a new major issue, or the same old violence. Everything is out of hand. I have much respect for Chiddu, but his Ministry has been kept plenty busy and he hasn't even used one opportunity to show us how as Indians, we must stand up and do a better job of internal crises. Set an example. To ourselves. To the world.
Instead, we are putting on display how bad a management company we are. All ministries. We cannot manage prices, we cannot manage Malaria and other epidemics (before they become epis), we cannot manage people's anger, we cannot manage farmers needs, we cannot manage middle class worries, we cannot provide worry-free bribe-free education. We cannot provide air safety, we cannot provide rail safety, we cannot enforce traffic laws and safety, we cannot provide infrastructure, we cannot execute or host a world class sporting event, we cannot convince the world to do what is right for us, we cannot convince our people after 50 years that they are very much us.

Epic Fail.

Agli Local se Aana - Part 2

(For the earlier episode in this story click here Part 1.)

"Tere Liye...Jhoomu deewana banke Tere liyee...wada hai mein hoon tere liyeeee..." crooned Shruti Kalra's phone. As she tried to silence it, she noticed the name Brijesh flashing on the screen through her partly opened eyes. It was early by her standards. When you go to bed at 5am with enough Vodka inside you to light a thousand laterns in a rural village, anything before 2pm is early. Mom and Dad had given up on her. There were more kids, so the Khaandan was not in jeopardy.
As she rolled to her side, she reluctantly picked up the call. Reluctant because their last meetings were totally worth drowning in tons of Stolichnaya.
"I can't believe it's you. After all this time. I thought you would have killed yourself by now. Most men your age do that these days you know after what you've been subjected to."
"Thanks, but there's no time for pleasantries", Brijesh replied back. "I need your help. Are you up for it?"
"Of course, I am. Always", she replied.
"No, I mean you have to be my friend. Can I count on you?". Now she was awake. Masala cuts Vodka you see.


commercial break... brb


...to be continued...

Can we have some better news, PLEASE

Or just NEWS for that matter.


So bored of the same old same old "breaking news". It's not even funny. Moving from scandal to scandal can be quite saturating...but when the scandals dry up, then come out the loser news. Breaking news- college girl slaps professor. Breaking news -AK has dinner with SRK . What is wrong with this picture? Do we only care about Bollywood, Politics and Perverts? Hell, yeah for the first two but the media shouldn't. That's the point. (I was wondering where I was going with this.)

And, I have officially given up on Times of India online. What a load of tabloid. There I said it out loud. And their writers...wullah don't even get me started on them. Some of them are under the impression that they're writing blogs. They've forgotten that they are writing for one of the most (has been?) prestigious papers in the country. As a journalist, please do not express your views in the article. Please. There are tons of gossip sites, fashion sites, glamor sites, movie sites, blogs, etc etc etc for these purposes. Plus almost everyone and their grandmother has a blog these days. (me included). News - we have just the news companies. And just a handful of the honest, neutral, non-colored simply reporting types at that. Yes, that's right, we don't want to know what you think about an actress holidaying with her husband, and her in-laws joining them. We would just like the article please...IF it has an iota of reporting value to it. My first year Comm Skills teacher would have had a fit. Her moto (quoting Ms SE): Build a premise for the article that satisfies the core goals of reporting, and then write to the goal. Time to remind the news folks. So Behave!! or Leave. You are now warned. Next time your name will be on the board.

What a disaster, Sirji....

Life has been such a bore lately. Nothing interesting on TV either. The long rein at the box office is long over. I am so disappointed (and so J) that we wont get to watch Tere Bin here. What wimps. Since I'm not one to watch the movie on a pirated print, I guess I will have to make do and live off of second hand stories about the movie.

Meanwhile, shifting focus to some other films coming up.. Inception, Salt, Aisha, and Once upon a time (which Shobhaa De has been so creatively writing about has piqued my interest.) Inception seems interesting. I hope they didn't mess it up. Salt - at least loved the trailers. Angelina is one fit mommy. Aisha is going to be girlie girlie fun.. if you like that kind of stuff. I do. And Once in a while comes along a movie that both Hubby and I are looking forward to. Once upon a time in Mumbai - can't wait.

Agli local se aana....

Kal Reema ki shaadi hai. Reema is getting married to a Harvard educated Political Science MBA double gold medallist. Wow. Her life is made. Two nights ago she met Brijesh at the Coffee Day^® at Mindtree to tell him that. Brijesh was not happy to say the least. But he wasn't shocked either. A first. For some time now, he knew that all was not well between him and his college sweetheart Reema. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Everyone else could. The flip flopping, bringing the gal pals along on movie nights, the 'friend' introductions, were signs to some. They whispered in the girls locker. And then word got around to the boys locker. But Brijesh wouldn't hear one word of it. And no fist fights for this hero. He was the much adored, much loved, much sought-after, much witty, quintessential everyone's buddy type of guy. So can this happen to a him?
He snapped out of it. She gulped down the remaining coffee, and said good bye. No emotions there that day. She didn't even throw away her cup. Spoilt girl. As she left for her bridal shopping with the in-laws, Brijesh noticed something. Scribbled on the cup were four words - Agli local se aana. In her handwriting.
"Reems...", he shouted. Too late. She had gone too far already. As Brijesh sat there staring at the cup...


...to be continued..